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������̳ Teach > School Radio > Assemblies and Collective Worship
KS1 audio: Something to Think About / KS2 audio: Together

Programme content:

Voxpops: Children talk about what they eat at Christmas time and when they eat their main meal
Song: ‘All together as a family’ (All about our school, no 15)
Story: The story of Wenceslas by Gordon Lamont
Reflection: Children reflect on both Wenceslas and Jesus and how they cared for the poor. Listeners are also challenged to remember those in need during festive season.

Pre-programme questions:

• What will you be eating on 25 December?
• If you celebrate Christmas, what’s your favourite Christmas food?
• Do any of you know what ‘Thanksgiving’ is?
• Do you think it matters what we eat at Christmas and other festivities? If so, why?

Story synopsis:

The story follows King Wenceslas and his servant Emil as they share Boxing Day evening together. Emil quickly learns that Wenceslas is a king who not only cares for the poor but enjoys their company and defines what it means to be good.

After the story:

• How did Emil feel when the King called for him?
• What’s another name for Boxing Day? (The Feast of Stephen or St Stephen’s Day)
• What was it that the King said that Emil remembered? (Never let fear of others rule your heart boy, that is where all hatred begin.)
• Why did Emil call him good?

Follow-up activities:

• Working alone, get each child to prepare a picture menu of the best festive meal ever. Arrange the children in groups of 3 or 4 people who eat roughly the same food on 25 December. Get them to put a map together of where their festive food comes from using pictures, arrows and a map. Get the children to present to each other so that they can appreciate the variety of food that people will be eating across the UK.
• Set the same groups the challenge of what they could do for those who don’t have much this Christmas. Ask them to brainstorm and put together a poster and presentation to pitch for ‘charity action’ from the class. The winning group’s proposal could then become part of a class pre-Christmas mission.