It’s Autumn!

What are you looking forward to this autumn?

by Hannah Taylor

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To celebrate the start of autumn.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (It’s Autumn!) and the means to display them.
• Have available the YouTube video ‘What is autumn?’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 3.33 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/m4pjJ70nC8E
• Optional: you may wish to give the children a bucket list for autumn to complete. A template is available at: https://tinyurl.com/ya9p4p2d
  

Assembly

1. Show Slide 1.
   
   Autumn is a wonderful, cosy time of year, when crops are harvested and the leaves turn to lovely shades of red, orange and brown.
   
   Ask the children if they can tell you what they love about autumn.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
2. Show the YouTube video ‘What is autumn?’ (3.33 minutes long).
   
   Ask the children, ‘Does anyone have any other fun autumn facts to share?’
   
   
3. Show Slide 2.
   
   Point out that there are lots of lovely things to do in autumn. Here are some ideas.
   
   Talk about the images on the slide.
   
   
4. Show Slide 3.
   
   Ask the children if they know what a bucket list is.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   Explain that a bucket list is a list of things that someone wants to do before a certain time.
   
   
5. Ask the children if there are things that they would like to do before autumn is over.
   
   Optional: you may wish to give the children a sheet for them to write down their bucket list ideas later in the day.
   
   
6. Ask the children, ‘Which items will you be adding to your autumn bucket list?’
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   Show Slides 4 to 8.
   
   - Slide 4: we could hold an autumn bake sale to raise money for charity.
   - Slide 5: we could decorate a pumpkin.
   - Slide 6: we could attend a harvest celebration and give something to someone in need.
   - Slide 7: we could toast marshmallows and make smores.
   - Slide 8: we could play traditional autumn games.
   
   Explain that the children might like to add some of these to their own autumn bucket list!
   
   
7. Encourage the children to think of any fundraising ideas. Maybe their bucket list could include something about raising money for those in need.

Time for reflection

Let’s all close our eyes and be thankful for the autumn: the tasty food it brings, the beautiful colours and the fun activities.

Let’s think of the things that we would like to do this autumn, and how we can help others in need.

Let’s remember to be thankful to those who care for us, and for our local and school communities.

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for autumn,
The food at harvest,
The change in colours
And the hands that give.
Amen.

Song/music

‘Cauliflowers fluffy’ by Red Cat Reading, available at: https://youtu.be/PukdaXUzgOU (2.06 minutes long)

‘Autumn days’ (Come and Praise, 4), available at: https://youtu.be/ByLoE8c6yAk (2.20 minutes long)