Look Closely
Taking the time to see people more clearly
by Rebecca Parkinson
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider the importance of not judging by appearances.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Look Closely) and the means to display them.
Note: you will also need to familiarize yourself with the illusions on the slides so that you can advise the children what to look for during the assembly – otherwise the effect may be lessened.
Assembly
- Tell the children that you are going to show them several pictures. You want the children to look at the pictures carefully because you are going to ask them some questions about them.
- Show Slide 1.
Ask the children to look closely at the image. Ask the question, ‘Can you count the black dots?’
The answer is that there are no black dots. - Show Slide 2.
Ask the children to look closely at the image. Ask the question, ‘What can you see: an old woman or a young girl?’
If the children look for long enough, they should see both. Ask someone who can see both to demonstrate where they are on the screen. - Show Slide 3.
Ask the children to look closely at the image. Ask the question, ‘Is this image moving?’
The answer is that it is not moving. - Show Slide 4.
Ask the children to look closely at the image. Ask the question, ‘Is this one moving?’
Again, the answer is that it is not moving. - Show Slide 5.
Ask the question, ‘Are the lines in this image straight and parallel?’
The answer is that they are straight and parallel, although they do not appear to be. - Show Slide 6.
Ask the question, ‘Are the dots in this image pink?’
If you look at the large dots, they will appear pink. If, however, you stare at the small black dot in the middle, the large dots will appear to turn green. If you stare for long enough, you will see pink dots with a green one moving round. - These illusions are just for fun: the strange things that we experience usually occur because our eyes or brains are misled by the arrangement of colours, images, light and so on.
However, these illusions show us something important too: that what we think we see is not always what is really there. We often accept what we see as truth, but sometimes, we get it wrong. This can be especially true when it comes to what we think about people.
Time for reflection
Ask the children to think of a time when they have tried to hide how they felt so that other people would not know their true feelings. Maybe they were sad and put on a brave face. Maybe they mess around in class because they think that people won’t like them if they know what they are really like.
People are often good at putting on a show, looking one way on the outside, but feeling different on the inside. They are good at creating an illusion for others. Often, we see how people appear and make assumptions about what they are like.
In the Bible, there is a story where the prophet Samuel goes to choose the next king of Israel from a family with eight sons. Samuel sees the eldest first. The first son is tall, handsome and looks like a future king, but God tells Samuel that this is not the right son, saying, ‘People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16.7) Samuel considers the rest of the sons, one by one, until eventually, God tells him to choose the youngest son, who is out in the field watching his father’s sheep. This boy was David, who eventually became the greatest king of Israel.
Emphasize the importance of considering what people are like on the inside rather than just going by their outward appearance.
Ask the children to think about the people seated around them.
- How many of them do they know well?
- Do they know what they like to eat?
- Do they know if they have brothers or sisters?
Encourage the children to take the time today to speak to someone new, or find out more about one of their friends.
Encourage them not to be influenced by outward appearance, but to take the time to get to know someone properly.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you have made us all different.
Thank you for the variety of gifts, abilities and personalities in this room.
Please help us to be people who always look for the best in each other.
Please help us to take the time to get to know people better.
Amen.
