Many Parts Make a Whole
We all have a part to play!
by Alexandra Palmer
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider that many parts make up a school and they are all equally important.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Many Parts Make a Whole) and the means to display them.
- Optional: you may also wish to use the extension activity (Many Parts Make a Whole - Extension Activity) that accompanies this assembly.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Explain to the children that you are going to show them some shapes and you would like them to tell you what parts (or fractions) make up the shapes.
Encourage the children to raise their hand if they would like to answer. - Show Slides 2 to 5.
For each slide, show the shape and then click to reveal the answer.
- Slide 2 shows quarters.
- Slide 3 shows tenths.
- Slide 4 shows eighths.
- Slide 5 shows thirds. - Show Slide 6.
Explain that the children could think of their school as a whole made up of fractions.
Read out the slide: ‘Our school is made up of many parts and we come together to make a whole.’ - Show Slide 7.
Explain that when we learn about fractions, we learn that we can divide a whole into halves, thirds, quarters, fifths and so on. Just like a fraction, we can divide our school in different ways too. - Show Slides 8 to 11, pausing after each to explain the different parts of the school.
- Slide 8: adults and children.
- Slide 9: children in different year groups, with different ages.
- Slide 10: different skills.
- Slide 11: different faiths.
- Ask the children if they can think of any other different parts of school.
Pause to allow time for discussion and then listen to a range of responses. - Show Slide 12.
Tell the children that we’re now going to take a closer look at the different parts of the school. We’re going to consider how we can be part of the bigger picture.
For each slide, pause to allow time for discussion and then listen to a range of responses. Click to reveal the answer.
- Slide 13: adults and children.
- Slide 14: children in different year groups.
- Slide 15: different skills.
- Slide 16: different faiths.
Time for reflection
Show Slide 17.
Read out the words on the slide: we are all needed to play our part because every part is equally important.
Ask the children, ‘What do these words mean?’
Pause to allow time for discussion and then listen to a range of responses.
Explain that we are all equally important in our school, and we are all responsible for doing what we are supposed to.
If we are teachers, we need to plan lessons, teach, mark children’s work and make sure that all of the children are OK.
If we are children, we need to be kind and caring, and always try to do our best when learning.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for our whole school and the many ways in which it can be divided.
Thank you that each of us is an important part of our school.
Thank you that we can all make decisions on the part that we play.
Please help us to have the wisdom to make the right choices.
Please help us to see the importance of our behaviour and of helping others.
Amen.
Extension activity
- Give each child a copy of the sheet that accompanies this assembly (Many Parts Make a Whole - Extension Activity). Ask them to reflect on the different ways in which a school can be divided and draw or write about how they can each play their part.
