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Nothing is Rubbish

Key Stage

1 and 2

Theme

Nothing is Rubbish (2): Recycling

Preparation

The material in this unit provides ideas for collective worships over several days, linked together under one theme. Some of the activities can be developed in lesson times to provide the core illustrative material for the next worship. The unit can also be linked with the 'Wonderful Rubbish' unit in this series.

Introduction

Show a pile of rubbish containing cartons, bottles, paper, vegetable peelings, cans etc.. Revisit children's ideas from the 'Wonderful Rubbish' assembly about what the pile of rubbish looks like, how it makes us feel, why it's there and whether or not it is a good thing. Ask the children if there is anything good we could do with the rubbish.

Look for the recycling symbol on items in the pile of rubbish. Show the symbol both on the items and in an enlarged version on an OHT or large photocopy. Do any of the children know what the symbol means? Talk about how we can recycle our rubbish, turning something useless into something useful.

When we look at a pile of rubbish, what we see is the bits people don't want, the bits people think are no good, the useless bits. Sometimes we can feel that people look at us like that - they don't want us to be their friend, we are no good at maths, we are useless at running. Then we can feel unwanted, useless, and that's not a good feeling. We need to know and remember that each one of us has a special talent, an ability to do something well. Although we may not feel good at things, with help from others and our own determination we can work at our inadequacies, build on our strengths and turn ourselves into something special.

Development

IDEAS TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE WEEK:

Read the story of Noah from Genesis 6-9. People did not look after God's world but God chose someone good to turn the world back into a wonderful place, to start again. When we recycle things we take things that are no good and start again, turning them into something worthwhile.

Think about how you can recycle something about you. Think of something you consider to be a bad part of yourself, change a negative into a positive, start again! Read the story of Zacchaeus from Luke 19 as an example of someone who recycled himself!

Look at the process of recycling using books and videos. Share ideas about why recycling is a good thing and why it might make God pleased in terms of us valuing and caring for the world that he has given us.

Activity

  • Make recycling posters about recycling rubbish. Those children who have grasped the idea about personal recycling could make a poster about recycling part of their character that they don't like.
  • Brainstorm what your talents are and how you can build on them. Then practise.
  • Think of one part of your character that you would like to recycle and think about the process: you start with nothing special, set your target of what it will become and how you will go about changing it. Then enjoy your new talent!
  • Sing songs such as 'Milk Bottle Tops and Paper Bags'.

Prayer

There's something deep inside of me
That other people do not always see.
I know it's good, I know it's there
And if I treat it with great care
And practise, I will shout out loud
About my gifts that make me proud!