Light Dispels Dark Rationale Light and dark have connotations of good and evil. At many levels, we face light and dark daily. A confident, optimistic, energising attitude requires hope. Hope is born when we recognise that light dispels darkness. Title “Light Dispels Dark” Aim SENSING MYSTERY Light and dark, part of every earth day/night, are also symbolic representations of good and evil. Light travels through space and time. Light dispels darkness. Objectives Pupils will: * Recognise that darkness can feel uncomfortable; that it feels more comfortable when light appears * Understand that darkness can no longer exist in the presence of light * Recognise that ‘darkness’ is often used to represent bad whilst ‘light’ is used to represent good * Recognise that light and dark exist throughout our universe * Begin to understand that light is extremely powerful in some forms Link with 5–14 Writing ; RME Link with ACfE Confident individuals Is this part of a series Storm and Calm; Light Dispels Dark Introduction This assembly outline is designed to be delivered to a departmental group. It is also suitable for whole school/stage/single class assemblies. * Classes enter assembly hall in single file to find a darkened room, one central church candle, recorded Taize chant with words on screen Stimulus * Each class [teacher] brings a lighted candle to add to central candle display [sand bucket on hand] * Video presentation of light - big bang, Hubble images, fireworks – with accompanying music * Scripted voice-over; the light that we see from the candle travels across the hall; the light that we see in the stars is light from countless universes, travelling over millions of miles and across tens of thousands of years Guided Reflection * Powerpoint of ‘dark’ words [hate, war, cruelty, poverty, sickness, despair] – superimposed over video of lone lighted candle * Dark words then dispelled by ‘light’ words [love, peace, compassion, giving, medicine, hope] * Appropriate readings from contemporary texts eg Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Narnia chronicles * Appropriate clips from contemporary videos * Hope is a candle that never burns out; projection of rainbow image Response * To represent the hope [for the individual and the world] inherent in each life, each child has opportunity to go forward to central area and present a tea-light to be lit [by an adult/P7 pupil using a taper] and then placed by the child/the helping adult/pupil in an extended display area e.g. map of the world * Led response [written by older pupils], words read from screen. For example Lead voice/s — Our light has chased away the darkness Pupil refrain — Light will chase away the darkness Lead voice/s — War and hate create great suffering Pupil refrain — Light will chase away the darkness etc * In class, prepare 2 x A2 collage panels [using magazine photos, colours, newspaper headlines, printed and hand drawn words] one for light/good, one for dark/bad. Display these panels in assembly hall. 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. Light Dispels Dark Running Order Running time Mins Activity Personnel Resources Action 0-5 5 Classes enter assembly hall in single file to find a darkened room HT/DHT managing central display area One central church candle, recorded Taize1 chant with words on screen 6-8 3 Each class [teacher] brings a lighted candle to add to central candle display Class teachers One church candle per class; holder or card collar to collect drips [sand bucket on hand] 9-11 3 DVD/video presentation of light — big bang, Hubble images, fireworks – with accompanying music Adult leader DVD and music 12-13 2 [scripted voice-over] The light that we see from the candle travels across the hall; the light that we see in the stars is light from countless universes, travelling over millions of miles and across tens of thousands of years Adult leader script 14-17 4 Powerpoint of ‘dark’ words [hate, war, cruelty, poverty, sickness, despair] – superimposed over video of lone lighted candle; dark words then dispelled by ‘light’ words [love, peace, compassion, giving, medicine, hope] Adult leader Prepared PowerPoint 18-20 3 Appropriate readings or appropriate clips from contemporary texts/video. For example: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, The Narnia chronicles Adult leader DVD/video 21-28 8 To represent the hope [for the individual and the world] inherent in each life, each child has opportunity to go forward to central area and present a tea-light to be lit [by an adult/P7 pupil using a taper] and then placed by the child /the helping adult/pupil in an extended display area e.g. rainbow, circle, map of the world, outline of school/village/town/country Pupils Class teachers Adult leader Tea-lights: one per pupil Tapers Prepared display background Replay of Hubble, Big Bang visuals 29-30 2 Led response [written by older pupils], words read from screen Adult leader Prepared piece on screen 1 Link to the Taize Community website: http://tinyurl.com/yy2cme Learning and Teaching Scotland — Religious Observance Template Submitted by The Church of Scotland 2007