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Special moments

To mark special and important moments and events in a memorable fashion.

by Ronni Lamont

Suitable for Key Stage 2

Aims

To mark special and important moments and events in a memorable fashion.

Preparation and materials

  • You need to prepare this assembly by priming about 12 children to take part; they need to be good at drama and able to concentrate well. Ideally there should be one or two from each class.
  • You might put the song at the beginning or use an appropriate piece of music to create the right atmosphere of focus and concentration.

Assembly

  1. Sometimes very important events take place. We mark these, such as remembrance, or a time of great celebration, and one way to join in together is to make a statue that shows how we feel.

    We’re going to do this all together, and then I’m going to make a statue with just a few children (i.e. those primed to take part). Afterwards what I’d like is for the children involved to go back to their classes, and tell their teachers what they did in Assembly, so that each class could do this in circle time.

  2. Explain that you’re now going to do something quite difficult, but you’re sure that these children can work with this, and make it work really well…

    Ask all the children to close their eyes and think about something really wonderful – perhaps Christmas morning, or the first day of a great holiday. Now point out, with their eyes open, how they changed their posture to reflect their feelings, without being aware of this shift.

    Now ask them (you’ll need to demonstrate yourself) to exaggerate the position, to give a really ‘up’ posture (perhaps hands up, big smile).

    Now think about something really sad – perhaps something you’ve seen on the news, and then think about how your body has responded (inwards move, sad face, arms across body).
  3. Ask your ‘volunteers’ to come out to the front. Ask them to stand in a circle, looking in, with a good space in the middle. Now one of them comes into the centre of the space and takes up a posture to represent the mood you are after. They need to be comfortable as they will have to hold the position for quite a while; they can stand, kneel, sit, or even lie down.

    The next person then comes to the centre and takes up a pose, connecting with the first person in some way; they could be sitting down, using the first person as a chair back, or maybe touching with their outstretched hand, leaning on them (you’ll need to demonstrate). Clearly this touching has to be appropriate.
  4. Work round the circle, each person coming into the statue one by one, adding to and holding the pose. When it is complete, stand back and admire their work. Ask the children what this grouping says to them.

Time for reflection

Reflection

Ask the statue children to stay where they are, and then use the image as a meditation, while the rest of the children look at the statue. You could play some music at this point and you may like to light a candle.

Encourage the children to think about the statue and what it represents.

As the children silently leave assembly, keep the statue, and ensure that each row has a few moments to look before they leave.

Make sure you thank the children for taking part and being so brave.

 

Prayer

Today we are feeling joy/sadness/grief…

We stand with other people in that emotion,

and we give it to God together.

Amen.

Song/music

‘Kum ba yah’ (Come and Praise, 68)

Publication date: January 2006   (Vol.8 No.1)    Published by SPCK, London, UK.
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