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Something to Think About - Autumn 2006

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Presenter: Paul Ewing

Something to Think About

Autumn 2006

Age: 5-7 These programmes are available to order (for UK schools only) on pre-recorded CDs or cassette from: BBC Schools’ Broadcast Recordings Tel: 08701 272 272 Monday to Friday 0800 to 1800 Or visit www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/howtoorder.shtml for more information Audio on demand. These programmes are also available as audio on demand from the School Radio website for 7 days following the original date of transmission. Refer to programme titles below to find out when programmes are available as audio on demand.

www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio

© This publication contains only BBC copyright material: its contents may be copied or reproduced for use in schools and colleges without further

permission.

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Something to Think About - Autumn 2006

Something to Think About

Autumn 2006 Teacher’s Notes written by Kate Walker These programmes are available as audio on demand from the School Radio website. Refer to dates below to find out when each one is available.

Introduction 3

Planning chart 6

Unit one: Coming together 7

1. Sing! 7

AOD 20/09/2006

2. Listen 8

AOD 27/09/2006

Unit two: Autumn 12

3. Change 12

04/10/2006

4. Thanksgiving 13

11/10/2006

5. Harvest Festival 15

18/10/2006

Unit three: Night 17

6. Night time 17

01/11/2006

7. The Moon 18

08/11/2006

8. The Stars 21

15/11/2006

Unit four: Winter festivals 23

9. Light Festivals 23

AOD 22/11/2006

10. Christmas 25

AOD 29/11/2006

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Introduction

These Teacher’s Notes include:

• a planning grid

• a suggested object for visual focus including web links

• pre-programme preparation ideas

• programme content breakdown

• story synopses

• related activities

• web links for supporting resources (e.g. images for visual focus)

Where to listen: These programmes are suitable to use as part of either school or class assembly. Using the series: You may like to listen straight through, with discussion at the beginning and end or listen in sections, pausing for discussion as you go. Alternatively you may choose to use only one section of the programme at a time and spread the material out over several sessions in a week. For example you may wish to revisit the story and reflection or sing the song a second time or at the end of the day. Participation: Make sure you join in yourself with the listening and the singing. The children will observe your response and it will influence the way they perceive the programme. Stop the programme if the children seem to want to respond or become restless. Encourage the children to sing the songs, which have been chosen to be easy to sing and learn. During the programme the presenter will help the children join in. If they have difficulty, join in with part of the song (for example the chorus or refrain) and listen or tap hands or toes to the rest! Before the programme: Creating the right listening conditions: It’s important that the children can all hear comfortably. Make sure that the loud speakers are at the right height facing the children (preferably a child’s ear height), and that the volume is comfortable for them all. Arrange the seating so that none of the children are too far away from the speakers and any child with a hearing problem (or has a heavy cold) is in a good position. You may find that sitting in a semi-circle or in short lines facing one another with the speakers in the middle is best. Experiment and find the formation that works best for you and your class.

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Creating the right atmosphere: It will help everyone to concentrate if you prepare a visual focus. A focus object has been suggested for each programme in these notes. Some suggestions for images from the web have also been included. This can be used for discussion and preparation - particularly important if you feel some aspect of the story is going to be unfamiliar to your group. You may want to create a special atmosphere by playing music or altering seating and lighting to let the children know that this is a different type of activity and prepare them to listen and take part. During the programme: Getting ready to listen: Show the children the visual focus. Can they guess what the programme is about? You may also like to use the ‘Before the programme’ section in these notes to encourage the children to think about the theme. Thinking about the story: All the stories provide opportunities for discussion. Ideas for stimulating this are offered in these notes. You may wish to talk further about the issues raised during the session, at a later time or even through the week. A time to reflect: Using this part of the programme ensures that the legal requirements for Collective Worship are met. Encourage the children to stop and be still during the reflection / prayer times of the programmes. If at first they are not sure how to respond, stop the programme and settle them down. They may like to shut their eyes or look at the focus object. You might like to light a candle for this special time, which will gradually become a visual cue that the reflection part of the programme is happening. Allow the children time to get used to the quiet and then turn the programme on again. Sitting quietly and thinking may be a very unfamiliar concept to some children. Allow them time to become accustomed to this, maybe over a period of weeks. Meanwhile encourage them to sit quietly and respect the people around them who would like to listen / reflect / pray. It is important that children are given the choice to join in with the prayer by saying ‘Amen’ at the end (which signifies their agreement with the prayer) or just to sit quietly and reflect on what they have heard. This is clearly signalled in the programmes.

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Songs: The songs for this term come from a variety of sources and parts of the songs are clearly taught within the programme. Some are old favourites and others may be new to you. You may like to replay the recording and learn more of the song after the programme. Clear references are given on the programme pages if you would like to obtain recordings of the songs for your own use in your own times of Collective Worship. For copyright reasons we are not able to include the words of some songs in these notes. Thinking about what’s been heard: Go through the main points of the programme again at the end (the programme contents section of theses notes may help). There are some suggested questions you may like to ask the children. What do they remember? What are their ideas? There are further ideas to help with this on the programme pages of these notes. After the programme: There are some ideas for optional related activities for following up the programme content. Feedback: Your feedback is important to us and helps to shape the series. Letters, drawings and poems from the children are particularly welcome. Please use the ‘Contact us’ button from the Home Page of the School Radio website at: www.bbc.co.uk/schoolradio/contact.shtml Or write to us at: Something to think about BBC School Radio Room 340 Henry Wood House 3&6 Langham Place London W1A 1AA Copyright: You may copy the words of the songs onto a board, sheet or overhead project slide for use with the programmes in which they appear. However, for music copyright reasons, copies may not be permanently retained for subsequent use. It infringes copyright laws to retain material without the agreement of individual rights holders. Please respect these rights.

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At a glance planning chart: No Title Story Song Themes Unit one:

Coming together

1. Sing! Snake alley Band by Elizabeth Naygaard

‘We can sing’ by Stephen Fischbacher (from Don’t you be afraid)

Making a new start and trying something new. Using our voices to celebrate

2. Listen! Lizzie learns to listen by Kate Stonham

‘All together as a family’ by Judy Mackensie Dunn (from All about our school)

Different sounds we hear during the day. Learning to listen carefully to each other and ourselves

Unit two: Autumn

3. Change The Rainmaker by Barbara Todd

‘Wet play!’ by Mark and Helen Johnson (from Songs for every season)

Weather changes; why we need rain ‘Big questions’ children have about their world / experiences

4 Thanksgiving Possum's harvest moon by Ann Hunter

‘Conkers’ by Mark and Helen Johnson (from Songs for every season)

American festival of Thanksgiving Why be thankful?

5 Harvest festival

The winter hedgehog by Ann and Reg Cartwright

‘Harvest samba’ by Mark and Helen Johnson (from Songs for every occasion)

Celebrating the end of Autumn and beginning of winter

Unit three: Night

6. Night time The Kiwi who was afraid of the dark by Bob Darroch

‘Hold on’ by Dave Cooke / Judy MacKensie–Dunn (from from Cabbage Patch Kids Sing for you)

Facing fears. Talking about ways of dealing with them

7. The moon Abel's moon by Shirley Hughes

‘God is watching over you’ by Paul Field (from All about our school)

Moon facts: remembering those we love even when they are far away

8. The stars The Sea Mice and the stars by Kenneth Steven

‘Dreams of harmony’ (from A child’s celebration of the world)

The wonder of the sky at night. A celebration of its beauty

Unit four: Winter festivals

9 Light festivals

Sammy Spider’s first Hanukkah by Sylvia Rouss

‘Festival time’ No: 58 from Come and Praise beginning

Festivals of lights – Hanukkah, Divali, Advent How they are celebrated Light as a symbol

10 Christmas Ituku's Christmas journey by Elena Pasquali

Let there be peace by Paul Field

Journeys - why we make them and how it feels to be going on one. Christmas: time of giving and sharing

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Unit one: Coming together

1. Sing! Themes: Coming together and using our voices to sing Focus object: A few school musical instruments Before the programme: Talk about the musical instruments and the different kinds of sounds that they make. What musical instruments do we all have and can ‘play’? (Answer: our voices and bodies!) Programme content: CD 1 track

Content

Teacher guidance

1 Opening and introduction to singing songs together in Collective Worship

2 Reasons we ‘come together’ for Collective Worship

You may like to discuss this further after the programme

3 Vox pops from children about singing songs together and how it makes them feel

4 The story: Snake Alley Band by Elizabeth Nygaard published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers IBSN 0385323239

The music for this story was specially composed by Dave Cooke. The children may like to retell this story with their own percussion accompaniments for each character

5 Song: ‘We can sing!’ From the album Build up by Stephen Fischbacher SF004 CD. More details available from: www.fischy.com

6 Time for reflection on spending time together in assembly

7 Prayer to listen to or join in with Amen. Related activities:

• Work together in groups of three or four using the ideas from the story. Choose two or three classroom percussion instruments - such as a tambourine, triangle and a drum - and build up patterns using the instruments in sequence as you heard in the story…or make up your own!

• Talk about what you do when you come together for your assembly or collective worship or circle times as a class and as a school. Why is it important to share things like that together?

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2. Listen! Themes: Listening to one another, ourselves and God Focus objects: A selection of things that make a quiet sound Before the programme: Hide the sound-making objects in a big box before the children arrive. Make a quiet sound with one of the objects you have selected (still inside the box) and ask the children to guess what is making the sound. Repeat with the other objects. Programme content: CD 1 track

Content Teacher guidance

8 Opening and introduction to listening together in Collective Worship

9 Story: Lizzie learns to listen - an original story written specially for the series by Kate Stonham

10 Do you think Lizzie remembered to listen from then onwards?

You may like to stop and discuss this together

11 Vox pops - who it is important to listen to?

12 Song: ‘All together as a family’ from the BBC Collective Worship anthology All about our school. Details of how to obtain the book can be found on the order form or from, or at: www.bbcschoolshop.com

13 A time to reflect on ‘listening’ You may like to talk further together about people who it is important to listen to. If appropriate to your school, you may like to talk about listening to God.

14 A prayer about listen to each other

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Related activities:

• Sit very quietly for about two minutes. Listen carefully to the sounds around you in the school. What can you hear? The dinner ladies? Children in the playground? Traffic? People in the street outside. Make a list of inside sounds and outside sounds. If you have access to recording equipment you could make a recording of sounds from around the school environment and use them as a guessing game.

• Who do the children usually listen to at home? At school? On the way to school? Do they listen to their friends or are they always talking? If appropriate for your group, you may like to extend this to listening to ‘the voice inside you’ (your conscience) and God.

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Unit two: Autumn

3. Change Themes: Weather changes and the seasons. ‘Big’ questions children have about their world / experiences Focus object: An umbrella www.hondo.k12.tx.us/meyer/Kindergarten/Bermea/Umbrella.gif http://static.flickr.com/9/74876198_1da257ee73.jpg Before the programme: Look at the umbrella together. What can you use it for? In the sun? In the rain? What happens when it is very windy? Programme content: CD 1 track

Content Teacher guidance

15 Opening and introduction to changes in the weather in the autumn

16 Song: ‘Wet play!’ from Songs for every season by Mark and Helen Johnson, published by Out of the Ark Music 1992 OOTAM 002. For further information visit: www.outoftheark.com

17 Story: The Rainmaker by Barbara Todd, published Annick Press ISBN: 1550377744

18 Vox pops - on ‘big questions’ about the world.

Children are fascinated by ‘why’ questions. You may like to discuss this further

19 Reflection - on the big ‘why?’ questions 20 A prayer to listen to or join in with

Amen - about the wonders of creation

Related activities:

• Talk together about the changes that the children have noticed as summer turns into autumn and autumn into winter. You may like to set up a simple weather observation unit in the classroom and note down each morning and afternoon for a week if it is sunny / cloudy / rainy windy etc. If possible note the temperature as well. Repeat this in four weeks time. Is the weather the same or different?

• In the story Clarence wondered about the weather and where it came from. Do the children have things that they wonder about? Encourage them to share their thoughts and see if you can find out the answers to some of the questions too.

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4. Thanksgiving Themes: Exploring the American festival of Thanksgiving and questioning why we should be thankful about things Focus object: A picture of a possum, for example: http://static.flickr.com/35/72766006_f6fbba7744.jpg Before the programme: Look at some conkers together. Ask the children if they know what they are and where they come from. Talk about how they look and feel and if there are any horse chestnut trees locally. Discuss collecting conkers. Programme content: CD 1 track

Content Teacher guidance

21 Opening and introduction to conkers and enjoying finding them

Your school may have policy on conkers. You may like to talk about this with the children before the programme begins. No mention is made of playing with conkers in the programme.

22 Song: ‘Conkers’ from Songs for every season by Mark and Helen Johnson, published by Out of the Ark Music 1992 OOTAM 002. For further information visit: www.outoftheark.com

23 A short dramatisation of the story of Thanksgiving in America

This is a general introduction to Thanksgiving. If you have American or Canadian children in your school community you may like to invite them to tell the story and talk about what they do and eat. The two traditions are slightly different.

24 Story: Possum's harvest moon by Ann Hunter, published by Houghton Mifflin Juvenile Books ISBN: 0395735750

25 Vox pops - on things we all need to say ‘thank you’ for

This would be a good point to talk about things you are thankful for in your community

26 Reflection - on things that we are thankful for

27 A version of a Native American prayer of thanks for the harvest to listen to together

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Related activities:

• Find out some more about the North American festivals of Thanksgiving. Compare it with the British harvest festival. Is it the same or different? Why were they ‘thankful’?

• Find out about all the animals in the story, particularly any which the children may be unfamiliar with such as the katydid, the raccoon, and the (American) possum. There are picture links in the resources section below.

Additional resources: Conkers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conker Katydids: www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4TH/KKHP/1INSECTS/katydid.html Harvest moon– full moon nearest the autumn equinox Animals from the story: Possum (American): www.iwrc-online.org/kids/Facts/Mammals/images/possum4.jpg Mice: www.kids4research.org/mouse%20in%20hand%20facing%20left.jpg Raccoon: www.loomcom.com/raccoons/gallery/jpegs/e-coon.jpg Crickets: www.floridanature.org/photos/Rhaphidophoridae,_Marianna,_20020315.jpg Frogs: www.webiocosm.com/Frogs.jpg Fireflies: http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/images/turpin.fireflies.jpeg http://linux.softpedia.com/screenshots/Fireflies_2.jpg Katydids: http://www.skpranch.com/insect_images/katydid1.jpg Rabbit: www.weforanimals.com/free-pictures/wild-animals/rabbits/1/Rabbit%20-%20pd.jpg

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5. Harvest festival Themes: Harvest, offering thanks, festivals, favourite foods Focus object: A packet or bowl of porridge. Or display an image - e.g. www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usrecipes/porridge/images/porridge-450.jpg www.bedford.net/teep/walk/oats.jpg Before the programme: Look at the packet of oats. How do the children think that the cereal is made? Where does the grain come from? Do they know what it looks like when it is growing in a field? Programme content: CD 1 track

Content Teacher guidance

28 Opening a factual introduction about porridge oats

You may have other local names for ‘porridge’ which the children can tell you about

29 Vox pops - from children about their favourite foods

30 The origins of harvest celebrations Your community may have local celebrations that are relevant to discuss here

31 Song: ‘Harvest samba’ from Songs for every occasion by Mark and Helen Johnson, published by Out of the Ark Music 1992 OOTAM2 CD012. For further information visit: www.outoftheark.com

32 Story: The winter hedgehog by Ann and Reg Cartwright, published Red Fox Mini treasures ISBN: 0099725819

33 Reflection - on being thankful for the food we have to eat

34 A prayer of thanks for the Harvest to join in with ‘Amen’

Related activities:

• Talk about the story and the animals that the Winter Hedgehog met on his journey. If you have a copy of the book you may like to look at it together. The Hedgehog meets an owl and rabbit and a fox. There are picture links to these animals in the resource section below.

• Find out more about the breakfast cereals that the children eat, for example by looking at the ingredients on a packet of cereal - how many you can identify?

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Extra resources: Harvest moon– full moon nearest the autumn equinox (September 22nd /23rd) http://static.flickr.com/26/44852059_c2e4eb87e4_o.jpg A hedgehog: www.deepcity.org/inhuman/pets/hedgehog/birthdaycake.jpg www.fow.org.uk/Pictures/Wallpapers/hedgehog_1024.jpg An owl: www.plexusowls.com/owls/P1030087%20barn%20owl.jpg A rabbit: http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/wskwong/2005/08/22/rabbit_21-08-05_002.jpg

A fox: http://koti.mbnet.fi/~tuunaes/Images/Fox.jpg

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Unit three: Night

6. Night time Themes: Dealing with being afraid of the dark Focus object: A picture of a kiwi, e.g. http://goldensummit.tripod.com/images/Kiwi.jpg Before the programme: Talk about day and night. Talk about what the children do when it gets dark - e.g. put on the lights, get ready for bed etc. What do animals and birds do when it gets dark? Programme content: CD 2 track

Content Teacher guidance

1 Opening and introduction to night time 2 Story: The Kiwi who was scared of the

dark by Bob Darroch, published Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd. 2001 ISBN 1 86948 879 2

3 Vox pops from children - about things that make them feel a bit afraid

This would be a good point to discuss things that your group find a bit frightening and how they make themselves feel better again

4 Song: ‘Hold on’ from Cabbage Patch Kids Sing for you © CRITIQUE 01624 15471-2

5 Reflection - about being afraid and dealing with it appropriately

6 A prayer of thanks for the good things that the night brings to listen to or join in with ‘Amen’

Related activities:

• Talk about how the children feel at night. Do any of them every feel a bit afraid? Try to keep it positive and maybe pick up on some of the things that the children in vox pops suggested. You may like to make a chart to go on the wall entitled ‘When I feel afraid I…’

• Explore some of the night time creatures that are mentioned in the story. There are picture links below to help you with some of the unusual ones!

Extra resources: Native New Zealand frog: http://permaham.boo.co.nz/uploads/460/images/frog.jpg Kakapo: www.kakaporecovery.org.nz/kids/index.html Possum (New Zealand): www.amitybungalows.com.au/possum.jpg

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7. The Moon Themes: Moon facts; remembering those we love even when they are far away Focus object: A picture of the moon, e.g. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/images/ESC/small/ISS007/ISS007-E-14638.JPG Before the programme: Talk about things that happen at night time. You may like to include people who work at night – doctors and nurses, cleaners; postal workers; bakers. Programme content: CD 2 track

Content Teacher guidance

7 Opening and introduction to the wonders of the moon

There are some suggested weblinks at the bottom of this page to help you in you discuss the moon

8 Story: Abel's moon by Shirley Hughes, published by Red Fox ISBN 0-09-926535-4

9 More fascinating moon facts It would help if the children are aware that the shape of the moon changes through the month

10 An introduction to Eid with vox pops from children who celebrate Eid in their community

11 Reflection - about the moon and how it helped Noah and Adam in the story when their father was far away and maybe how it would help us too

12 A prayer of thanks for the beauty of the moon

13 Song: ‘God is watching over you’ by Paul Field from the collection All about our school. Details of how to obtain the book and CD can be found at: www.bbcschoolshop.com

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Related activities:

• Find some moon facts of your own. There are some helpful weblinks below. Discuss whether the children have noticed that the moon seems to change shape with different ‘phases’. This autumn the moon will appear to be particularly big from earth because of its position relative to the earth. Also talk about the ‘Harvest moon’ and ‘The Hunter’s moon.’ You may like to make your own’ phases of the moon’ chart for the month.

• Many children will have some experience of being a long way from friends or relatives or people they love, like Abel in the story. This would be a good opportunity for them to share this with the group.

Moon facts: Harvest moon– full moon nearest the autumn equinox Hunter’s Moon – full moon next after equinox Equinox - 22/23 September – sometimes regarded as the first day of autumn Extra resources: www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/phases.html www.school-for-champions.com/science/earth.htm www.inconstantmoon.com/inconstant.htm http://grcimagenet.grc.nasa.gov/GRCDigitalImages/1995/1995_02396L.jpg http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/images/ESC/small/ISS007/ISS007-E-14638.JPG

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8. The Stars Themes: facts; wonder at creation Focus object: A pictures of the stars or a starry night sky, e.g. www.mira.org/fts0/stars/images/N6871Bfive.jpg http://hetlage.com/images/m46m47_021005_large.jpg Before the programme: Talk about the stars. Have the children ever looked up into the night sky and wondered about the stars? Do any of them know what a star is? You may like to talk about constellations of stars too. Programme content: CD 2 track

Content Teacher guidance

14 Opening and introduction to the fascination of the stars in the night sky

The picture links suggested for the focus object may be a good starting point for the programme

15 The story of the well-known song ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ - then joining in with singing the song

16 Star facts Further information can be found in the resource section below

17 Story: The Sea Mice and the stars by Kenneth Steven, published Little Tiger Press ISBN 1-84506-192-6

18 More star facts and an introduction to the Hindu festival of Divali

19 Reflection - on the stars and part of a psalm of David from the Bible based on Psalm 8

You may like to look at the rest of Psalm 8 later

20 A prayer of thanks for the night sky to listen to or join in with ‘Amen’

21 Thank yous and goodbyes 22 Song: ‘Dreams of harmony’ sung by

Freyda Epstein, composed by Joanne Olshansky Hammil, from A child’s celebration of the world © 1998 JHO MUSIC (BMI)

An opportunity to listen and reflect

Related activities:

• Carry on researching your own ‘star facts.’ There are many books and websites that will be able to provide information at the appropriate level for the children (see web resources below).

• Choose two or three things that the children are really fascinated by in nature - e.g. the patterns in snowflakes; thunder and lightening; leaves. Find out together all that you can and share your ‘wonderful’ discoveries together.

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Extra resources: Astronomy sites: www.kidsastronomy.com/stars.htm www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/myspace/index.shtml Mozart: 12 variations on ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin/show_score.pl?scoreid=62561

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Unit four:Winter Festivals

9. Light festivals Themes: Light festivals and how we celebrate them Focus object: A candle, Menorah or a Hanukkiah, e.g. http://static.flickr.com/36/81553781_ebf481953b.jpg Before the programme: Talk about the different light festivals (Divali, Eid, Advent, Hanukkah) and relate them to the context of your school community. If possible look at a dreidel and a Hanukkiah (or Menorah) before listening to the story. Dreidel: www.beth-el-sunbury.org/images/Dreidel1.jpg www.torahtots.com/holidays/chanuka/misc/dreidel.gif (animated dreidel) Programme content: CD 2 track

Content Teacher guidance

24 Opening and introduction to light festivals

Talk together about light festivals that are celebrated in your community

25 Song: ‘Festival time’ - No:58 in Come and Praise beginning Details from: www.bbcschoolshop.com

26 Vox pops - from a child about how her family celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah

27 Introduction and story - Sammy Spider’s first Hanukkah, by Sylvia Rouss, Published by Kar-Ben publishing ISBN 0-929371- 46-1

28 A reflection - on candles and light festivals

You may like to light a candle during this reflection to help the children concentrate

29 A Hanukkah prayer - said by some families during the festival

30 Goodbyes and thank yous and another opportunity to reflect

Related activities:

• Make a spinner like a dreidel and play your own game together in groups. You could use counters to ‘score.’ Decide what the winning ‘letter’ or symbol will mean. You can use the rules below or make up your own!

• Find out more about some of the light festivals featured in the programme. Find out when they happen this year (most are associated with a phase of the moon - Divali and Hanukkah follow the full moon and Eid follows the new moon.)

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Extra resources: Divali: www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/Homework/religion/diwali.htm Hanukkah www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/judaism/hanukkah.shtml Menorah: Seven-branched candlestick symbolizing Judaism and the state of Israel. The lowest candle, the shummash or ‘servant’, is used to light the others. A nine-branched version, the hanukkiah, is used during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0022605.html Advent: www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Advent.html www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/christianity/christmas.shtml

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10. Christmas Themes: a time of giving and sharing; journeys Focus object: A picture of a kayak, e.g. www.lclark.edu/~jmache/fav/kayak.jpg Before the programme: Talk about going on journeys. Have a look at the picture of a kayak or today’s story book - Ituku’s Christmas journey. Look at how small the boat is and think together about what Ituku would have to take on a long journey with him. Programme content: CD 2 track

Content Teacher guidance

31 Opening and introduction to making long journeys, especially at Christmas time

32 Vox pops - from children who have experienced travelling a long way

Your group may also have travelling experiences they would like to share

33 Story: Ituku's Christmas journey by Elena Pasquali. Published Lion Children’s ISBN 0 7459 4914 2

This is a beautifully illustrated book which the children would enjoy if it is in the school library

34 Song: ‘Let there be peace’ from the album Let there be peace by Paul Field published by Daybreak music ltd. © 2003

35 Reflection - on the birth of Jesus at Christmas time

36 Prayer of thanks for Christmas to listen to or join in with ‘Amen’

37 Thank yous and goodbyes 38 Reprise of our song ‘Let there be peace’ Related activities:

• Trace Ituku’s journey using a globe or a map of the world. This is a made up story, but in the Bible story of the birth of Jesus, there were many people who made journeys to visit the newborn baby. You may like to look at the Bible verses that tell the story (see resources below)

• Christmas is a time for sharing and giving. Talk together about ways that you can all share and ‘give’ in different ways to make this a special time for everybody. Especially encourage the children to think about things that do not cost any money like time; friendship; helping etc.

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Extra resources: Stories from the Bible: www.biblegateway.com/ Angels and Shepherds Luke chapter 2 verses 8 to 20: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:1-20&version=31 Wise men Matthew chapter 2 verses 1 to 11: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%202:1%20-%2011;&version=31