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Nothing is Rubbish

Key Stage

1 and 2

Theme

Nothing is Rubbish (1): Wonderful Rubbish

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.

Introduction

In advance, create a large pile of rubbish on the floor. Ask the children what it looks/smells like. Is rubbish good or bad? Why might there be a pile of rubbish there? Who might have made the mess? Is there anything good about rubbish?

The children's responses will probably have been very negative. We sometimes feel a bit like this about ourselves. We feel 'rubbish', we don't feel very good, we don't feel as if we look good, we don't think there's anything good about us.

Show some pieces of classical art work. What words can the children come up with to describe them? The pictures are beautiful, they make us feel good when we look at them because they are so attractive.

In advance, work with some children (wearing aprons and rubber gloves) to create some art work using rubbish. Collages can be made with PVA glue and a selection of coloured rubbish. Log strips of plastic and paper rubbish can be used very effectively with nylon/plastic netting or fencing to create some woven rubbish art. The children who have taken part should explain their work, what they have made, what they used and how they did it.

Use the children's work to conclude that even though something was unattractive - rubbish, something no-one liked the look of - it could be taken and turned into something beautiful. One piece of screwed up rubbish stuck on a piece of paper is nothing special. But combined with others, with care, that piece of rubbish can become part of something special. We all have things about us that we think are rubbish but together we make up a valuable and beautiful part of a greater unit: we are all part of a family or a school, a community and, most importantly, part of God's world.

Follow-up Work

Read the Creation Story from the beginning of the Book of Genesis to illustrate that God wanted people as an important part of his world. Think about all the wonderful things God made and what we should do to look after each group (e.g. plants, animals, people).

Think about the communities we live in (e.g. school, town, country, faith groups) and share ideas about who is important within that group. Encourage children to identify reasons why they are important. What would the world/our community be like without us?

Activity

  • Use rubbish to make collages or to weave pictures.
  • Make a poster to show how we can look after our wonderful world.
  • Sing songs such as: 'He's got the whole world in his hands' and 'Think of a world without any flowers'.
  • Read stories such as Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish and Wonderful Earth.
  • Look at the resources section of the REEP website. This contains activities and information suitable for primary school pupils and will provide several ideas for the classroom which can also be developed in collective worship.

Prayer

What a wonderful world you have given us, full of wonderful things and wonderful people. Even when I feel like rubbish, help me remember that I am still a wonderful part of your wonderful world.