Making Choices

The UK general election is on 4 July 2024

by Claire Law

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider how we make choices in life.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Making Choices) and the means to display them.

Assembly

1. Ask the children the following questions.
   
   After each question, pause to allow the children time to think before listening to a range of responses.
   
   - How many times did someone wake you up this morning?
   - What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
   - How did you get to school today?
   - Who have you chatted to this morning?
   
   
2. Point out that our responses to these questions help to reveal the choices that we’ve made so far today. In life, we have lots of choices!
   
   
3. Explain that you are going to show the children some pictures. You want them to decide which of the two things on the slide they would be most likely to choose.
   
   Show Slides 1 to 5.
   
   - Slide 1 shows football or swimming.
   - Slide 2 shows melon or strawberries.
   - Slide 3 shows hot weather or cold weather.
   - Slide 4 shows pizza or sausages.
   - Slide 5 shows maths or creative writing.
   
   
4. Ask the children to guess how many choices they make every hour.
   
   Point out that it’s hard to get an exact number. However, it’s been estimated that we make roughly 2,000 decisions every hour, or one decision every two seconds. That’s a lot of choices per day!
   
   
5. On 4 July, people in the UK who are over the age of 18 have a chance to influence the future direction of this country by voting in the general election. Their vote is a way of expressing who they choose to represent them in parliament.
   
   
6. It was on 22 May that the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, made the surprise announcement that a general election would be held on 4 July. This gives UK people just six weeks to make an informed choice about what they want for the country, and who they want to vote for.
   
   
7. People under the age of 18 can’t vote in a general election, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t make all sorts of other important choices. In a sense, every action we take is a choice, and each choice affects our present and our future.
   
   
8. We make choices about many things.
   
   Ask the children to consider which option they would choose in the following situations.
   
   - Should they try hard with their work, even when others are messing around?
   - Should they be friendly to lots of people, or just stick with one friend?
   - Should they try new things, or stick with activities that they know they can do?
   
   
9. Explain that we can also choose our attitude: some of us look for the positive in situations, whereas others moan and complain.
   
   Ask the children which attitude they would like to choose.
   
   
10. Show Slide 6.
    
    There is a passage in the Bible that says, ‘Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.’ (Philippians 4.8)
    
    These words encourage us to choose to turn our thoughts towards pure and praiseworthy things, rather than cruel or hurtful things.
    
    
11. So, even though we might be too young to vote in this election, we can make choices that have a big impact on ourselves and others. We can choose what we think about, how we act and how we speak. And let’s not forget: the decision not to speak is a choice in itself!

Time for reflection

Let’s take the opportunity to reflect upon the choices that we want to make today. Remember: we’ll have plenty of choices to make – maybe as many as 2,000 per hour.

First, what attitude will we choose to adopt today? Will we choose a positive, hopeful attitude? Or will we decide to adopt a negative, distrustful approach? Let’s remember: we do have choice.

Pause to allow time for thought.

Second, what choices will we make about the effort we put into our lessons today? Will we choose to do our best, even if it’s not easy? Or will we choose to give in, give up, disengage? Let’s remember: we do have choice.

Pause to allow time for thought.

Finally, what choices will we make about the relationships that we develop with people today? Will we be thoughtful and encouraging to others? Will we respect others and show them patience? Or will we choose to be selfish and take advantage of others, putting them down in an attempt to make ourselves look good? Let’s remember: we do have choice.

Pause to allow time for thought.

Prayer
Dear God,
As the UK general election takes place, we pray for everyone who has the chance to vote.
Help them to be clear about the choices that they have, and to use their choice wisely.
Please help us to make good choices in life.
Help us to be thoughtful and kind, caring and considerate.
Help us to be strong enough to stand up for others and for the truth.
Amen.