Bread

Rationale
Bread is a symbol of our basic food, of nourishment, what we need to sustain life.
In recognising the importance of bread, in all its different forms, we can begin to understand too the importance of human life and its diversity.
Title
“Bread”
Aim
SENSING MEANINGFULNESS
Children will consider bread as a symbol of food we eat to live. They will understand that different people have different breads. They will appreciate that diversity.
Objectives
Pupils will:
* Understand bread as a symbol for life-sustaining food
* In making own bread begin to understand that I can take responsibility for my own sustenance
* Recognise the role that other people play in helping me have my daily bread
* Experience making/kneading own bread dough and baking as rolls or class loaves
* As we share baked bread, consider how we share our lives – in acts of kindness and helpfulness and care – both giving and receiving
Link with 5–14
Writing in a variety of genres;  
PSD
Link with ACfE
Confident individuals
Responsible citizens
Is this part of a series
The Wonder of Me; Bread
Introduction
This assembly outline is designed to be delivered to a CLASS group.
It can be amended for whole school/departmental/stage assemblies.
* Earlier in the term/week/day introduce ‘mouth music’ and devise appropriate words to accompany kneading of dough; incorporate gratefulness, thankfulness for daily food
* Ritual washing of own hands prior to mixing dough/kneading dough [whichever starting point deemed most appropriate]. Hands could be dried by a partner.
Stimulus
* Background video footage of hands kneading dough; on loop
* Children mix dough or are given a piece of bread dough to manipulate
Guided Reflection
* They knead their own dough in hands, singing mouth music quietly
* Continue kneading while scripted voice-over reminds us of the symbolic importance of bread
* Share a loaf of freshly made [bought is fine] bread together, tearing off a little, passing on to share with all, saying agreed ritual words e.g. ‘I share this bread with you’ or ‘Food for the body, food for the soul’
* As a class join in kneading dough for loaves and, once baked, share hot with butter in a sharing circle; the bread can represent the class, individual ‘ingredients’ kneaded together but once together, and subjected to heat,  making something very special and nourishing for all to enjoy.
Response
* Clips/ photographs /samples of breads from a wide variety of cultures — taste as many as you can — baguette, pitta, chapatti, rye bread, matzos; make as many as you can
* Build and collect phrases to describe bread as a staple food
* Measure out and display a staple portion of bread or rice for a child in another continent/country
* Compose poems from phrases collected and from knowledge and experiences gained
Evaluation (a)
Observation of  pupils during assembly; discussion with pupils post assembly.
Evaluation (b)
Discussion with Staff Consultative Committee and with whole staff group at appropriate points in school quality assurance process.

Bread
Running Order

Running time
Mins
Activity
Personnel
Resources
Action
0-5
5
Ritual washing of own hands prior to mixing dough / kneading dough [whichever starting point deemed most appropriate]. Hands could be dried by a partner.
Supervised by class teacher
CD of previously recorded ‘mouth music’
Soft towels

6-7
2
Sit in circle; background video footage of hands kneading dough; on loop

Class teacher
Video/DVD

8-9
2
Children are given their own piece of bread dough to manipulate whilst listening / watching; they knead their own dough in hands, singing mouth music quietly
Passed out by class teacher
Dough
Mouth/Celtic music

10-11
2
Continue kneading while scripted voice-over reminds us of the symbolic importance of bread

Staff member 
Prepared piece – can be written by pupils; focusing on what bread means to us, to others

12-16
5
Share a loaf of freshly made [bought is fine] bread together, tearing off a little, passing on to share with all, saying agreed ritual words e.g. ‘I share this bread with you’ or ‘Food for the body, food for the soul’
Class teacher
Fresh bread

17-23
7
As a class, all individuals join in knocking back proved dough [prepared with initial batch for children kneading and set to prove in warm place]  then continuing process and baking as class loaf/loaves
Class teacher
Dough
Warm area for proving
Oven and loaf tins

24-31
8
Examine samples of breads from a wide variety of cultures – tasting as many as you can - baguette, pitta, chapatti, rye bread, matzos, tortilla, sour dough… 
Consider a staple portion of bread or rice for a child in another continent / country.
Staff member
Prepared display of breads and staple portion for other cultures.

and in due course…
Eat the baked bread.



Learning and Teaching Scotland — Religious Observance Template		

Submitted by The Church of Scotland 2007