All Those Biscuits!
29th May is National Biscuit Day
by Claire Law
Suitable for Whole School (Sec)
Aims
To take a light-hearted look at biscuits and consider biscuits as a metaphor for expressing who we are in the world.
Preparation and materials
- You will need the PowerPoint slides accompanying this assembly (All Those Biscuits!) and the means to display them.
Assembly
- Show Slide 1.
Welcome the students. - Explain that you have a challenge for the students!
You are going to show 5 images that will slowly be revealed, and you want them to say what they see.
When they think they know the answer, invite them to shout out or put their hand up. - Show Slides 2 – 6 in turn.
As you click on the slide, the image underneath will be slowly revealed.
As you show each slide, gather answers and encourage students to be specific. So, rather than saying ‘a plate of biscuits’, you want them to be specific as to which biscuits are being revealed.
The correct answers for each of the slides are as follows:
Slide 2 – Custard creams
Slide 3 – Chocolate hobnobs
Slide 4 – Party rings
Slide 5 – Garibaldi
Slide 6 – Jaffa cakes - Ask the question: Can anyone guess why are we looking at all these images of sweet treats?
Explain that 29th May is National Biscuit Day. A day to celebrate all things biscuit related! - Ask if the students have any favourite biscuits which haven’t been shown on the slides.
- Biscuits are not a modern invention. They originated as a way of making flour and other ingredients last longer so that they could be taken on long journeys. They were a staple food on long sailing expeditions for the Ancient Egyptians and kept many Roman soldiers energized during their conquests of different lands.
Some of us are probably grateful that biscuits are still around today. Maybe some of us would struggle to make it to lunchtime without one! - Show Slide 6.
This image we can see on the screen is controversial! The question is: Is this really a biscuit?
Jaffa Cakes have the name ‘cake’ in the title, even though they are in the biscuit aisle in the supermarket and have a biscuit-like shape.
For the sake of clarity, Jaffa Cakes are technically a cake, thanks to a legal ruling in 1991, where McVities argued that Jaffa Cakes harden when stale (like cakes) rather than going soft (like biscuits). - Many people like to dunk their biscuits into a hot drink!
When it comes to which biscuit is best for dunking, a survey suggested that Jaffa Cakes came out as a popular choice. Those of us that enjoy dipping a biscuit into our drinks may have discovered that some varieties of biscuit hold together better than others when dipped! Researchers dunked 17 of the most popular biscuits, including Jaffa Cakes, into water. The water was set at the average temperature of a cup of tea - between 70C and 75C. They then recorded how long it took for each biscuit to break apart, as well as the number of dunks it withstood during that time. - The researchers found that Jaffa Cakes lasted for a whopping 116 dunks and three minutes and 16 seconds before breaking. In second place was the Chocolate Leibniz biscuit, which lasted 80 dunks, followed by the Bourbon biscuit in third spot with 78 dunks. Coming in bottom of the pack was the trusty Digestive biscuit, which only lasted 6 dunks and 11.5 seconds before falling apart.
Time for reflection
So, let’s think about a question: If you were a biscuit, what type of biscuit would you be?
It’s a bit of an odd question, so here are some suggestions:
I’d be a Jammy Dodger, as I have a big heart.
I’d be a chocolate digestive because I’m reliable and likeable.
I’d be a Twix because I have a heart of gold.
I’d be a hob-nob because I don’t crumble under pressure.
These answers are light-hearted and rely on a play on words. But we can use the image of a biscuit, particularly those that withstand the dunking research, as a metaphor for how we cope with difficulties in our lives.
In life, there are times when we can feel like we are in hot water, so to speak. It can feel like we are having to absorb a lot of challenges and soak up difficulties. Whilst we might find we crumble or break under pressure, we can work on developing the resilience to keep going and not to collapse in the face of challenges.
Whilst the Bible doesn’t directly use the metaphor of biscuits, it does have a lot to say about how we might cope in tough times. The Bible encourages us to trust in God as a solid and reliable presence supporting us when we might otherwise feel like crumbling.
Show Slide 7.
In the Psalms, a part of the Bible that is sacred to both Christians and Jews, we read:
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
Show Slide 8.
In another Psalm we read:
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. (Psalm 18:2)
These verses speak about the way in which God can help us to stay strong and firm and be able to cope when we are struggling.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank you for the good things in life that we have.
Thank you for the food and treats we can enjoy, as well as the laughter and lighter side of life that we’ve connected with in our assembly today.
When times are tough, help us to call to mind the messages we’ve heard today, about being resilient and coping when it feels like we are in hot water.
Help us to remember that we don’t have to cope alone.
Help us to turn to others who can help us not to crumble.
Help us to trust in you.
Amen.
Music
‘Getting on with Life’ by Philippa Hanna. This can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOv5yhxJ1I0
