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Ben Faulks with the second programme exploring the theme of remembering. Today he is thinking about our memories and what makes them special.

Before the programme

  • Look at the focus image. What does it show?
  • When do we light fireworks?
  • What special event do fireworks help us to remember?
  • What other special events have objects to help us remember?
  • Do children have any special objects that remind them of special events in their lives? What is a ‘memory’?
  • Does everyone have the same memories? Why?

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Focus image: Some fireworks!

Ben Faulks with the second programme exploring the theme of remembering. Today he is thinking about our memories and what makes them special.

Before the programme

  • Look at the focus image. What does it show?
  • When do we light fireworks?
  • What special event do fireworks help us to remember?
  • What other special events have objects to help us remember?
  • Do children have any special objects that remind them of special events in their lives? What is a ‘memory’?
  • Does everyone have the same memories? Why?

Programme content:

  1. Welcome and introduction: Ben welcomes the children to today’s programme
  2. Song: ‘God is watching over you’ (All about our school, no 7). Encour- age the children to join in with as much as they can.
  3. Memory game: Ben plays a memo- ry game with some listeners, to test their memory skills

  4. Vox Pops: some listeners tell us about their own special memories

  5. Story: The memory box - an origi- nal story by Rachel Boxer. Read by Helen Longworth. It’s the school holidays but it’s raining outside. Joe and Sarah are inside watching their Mum as she clears out of some of the clutter from her wardrobe when Joe notices an interesting looking box. But, what’s in it, and what has it to do with Mum’s memory?!
  6. Reflection: on special memories and being unique. Ensure everyone is listening carefully and thinking quietly.

After the programme:

Talk about the story

  • How do you think the children felt about the start of the holidays
and the rain?
  • Which of Mum’s objects do you think were the most special to her and why?
  • Does anyone in your family have a treasure box? What do they keep in it?
  • Why do you think it went very quiet in the room after they’d all looked at the perfume bottle?
  • Why were the children so careful about putting the objects back into the box?
  • What objects do you think Joe and Sarah put into their own memory boxes?
  • What memories do you have of special times with your family?
  • What objects would you keep in a box to remind you of them?

Follow-up activities:

  • Think of a recent whole class experience - eg a lesson, a visit, or an assembly - something that everyone witnessed or took part in. Ask them to recall key things about it and explore any differ- ences in interpretation. Why do they think that some people’s memories are different?
  • Make your own box of class memories to add to during the year - you could make it a bit like a time capsule, which gets opened again at the end of the year as you look back.
  • If you were to make your own personal memory box, what would you put in it? Write labels, as if for each object, explaining why it’s there.
  • Write about what Joe and Sarah put in their memory boxes during the summer holidays.

Optional prayer:

Dear God
Thank you for our special memories and for how each memory is a part of each person’s unique- ness. Thank you for the special times that we’ve shared together with our friends, our families and our school. Help us to treasure these memories. Amen.

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