Harvest

In short...

Themes: Gratitude; thankfulness; the annual harvest; understanding where food comes from.

Summary: The video starts with two boys describing the farm they live on in Cambridgeshire and some of the food they grow there. They talk about the harvest and all the work that is done on the farm during that time. They are joined by other children who then consider the questions: What’s your favourite food? Where does your food come from? What sort of things do farmers in the UK grow? Why is it important to know where your food comes from? Why is Harvest Festival important?

Resources: the framework to download / print (pdf) and an image of a packet of crisps to display.

Blue line.

The video

The video begins with two boys describing the farm they live on in Swaffham Prior in Cambridgeshire and the sort of crops that are grown there - wheat, beetroot, potatoes, leeks, onions, carrots - and that harvest is one of the busiest times of the farming season. They explain that the potatoes grown on the farm will be turned into either crisps or chips, depending on the variety of potato. The wheat will go to a local windmill to be turned into flour for cakes or bread (sending grain to a working windmill is of course quite unusual - but does happen at this particular farm).

The two boys are then joined by some other KS2 pupils to discuss some important questions about food.

Duration: 3' 44"

Last words: '…people can thank the farmers for producing their crops and to feed the planet.'

Video questions

  • Can you remember any of the crops which are grown on the two boys' farm? (wheat, beetroot, potatoes, leeks, onions, carrots)
  • What happens at harvest time? (The farmers harvest their crops and get them put into stores / sold at market)
  • How big are the fields? (Approximately the size of 10 football pitches)
  • What will happen to the crop of potatoes? (They will be made into crisps or chips)
  • What will happen to the crop of wheat? (It will be turned into flour for making bread or cakes)
Blue line.

Key links

Download / print the assembly framework ready for use

Assembly framework (pdf)
Blue line.

Suggested framework

1. Entry music
Select a piece of celebratory or thanksgiving music. Or you could play the instrumental version of one of the BBC songs available.

2. Introduction
If you have held a collection for food to donate, begin by thanking pupils for their donations. Then hold up a packet of crisps (or display the image from the web page) and then ask: 'Where does this food come from?' Gather responses. Explain that we will now watch a short video which features two boys who live on a farm and which discusses where our favourite foods come from and why the harvest festival is so important.

3. The video
Play the video. The duration is 3' 44" and the final words are: '…people can thank the farmers for producing their crops and to feed the planet.'

4. After the video
You could ask the Video questions (above) to help pupils recall the details of the film. You could also ask some or all of the questions discussed in the video:

  1. What's your favourite food?
  2. Do you know where it comes from?
  3. Why is it important to know where your food comes from?
  4. Why is Harvest Festival important?

5. Time to talk
Go back to the packet of crisps you showed at the beginning of the assembly and discuss the journey those potatoes went on, before they came to your kitchen cupboard.

6. Opportunity to sing
You could join in with 'Harvest Samba' (from Youtube) or choose a song of your own. Suggestions from BBC collections below.

7. Opportunity to reflect
Ask pupils to close their eyes and imagine…
The farmers in their fields, working hard to make sure all the food is harvested in time…
The potatoes that the boys in the film talked about, been dug up, then transported from the farm to the factories where they will be made into crisps or chips…
The bags of crisps or chips being transported to the supermarkets where we can buy them…
Themselves buying a packet of crisps and bringing it home to eat…
Tell the assembly: You wouldn’t have been able to eat that packet of crisps if it wasn’t for all the farmers and other workers who worked hard to make sure you could buy it and enjoy it.

8. Opportunity for prayer
Use your usual form of address ('Dear God' etc) and:
Thank you for all the delicious and nutritious food we have to eat.
Thank you for all the farmers who work so hard all year round to make sure we have food to eat.
Thank you for all the people who work in factories and shops who make sure there is food to buy.
Thank you for the grown ups who cook us our meals at home and at school.
Amen.

Blue line.

Suggested songs

Come and Praise, no 133

Come and Praise Beginning, no 60

Song: 'All things bright and beautiful' (Come and Praise, no 3. Vocal version)

Blue line.
Blue line.