Ultimate Church Visit zone outlines and scripts

ultimate church visit zone outlines and scripts

about the welcome session Overview The visit begins with a welcome session, to introduce the team, share the aims of the visit with the pupils, and find out what they know about The Salvation Army. The leader explains how the visit will work and prepares the pupils for the think tank session at the end of the visit. Points to note • It is helpful if the same person leads the welcome and think tank sessions. • Keep the welcome session fairly fast-paced, with the focus on the pupils sharing what they know

(or their ideas) about The Salvation Army and your church. • Think carefully about the language you use in this initial session, and throughout the visit. Pupils

may not be familiar with ‘church’ language, let alone ‘Salvation Army’ language, so try not to overwhelm them with words they haven’t heard before or may not understand (eg officer, corps, YPSM and other abbreviations). You may like to use the glossary to remind zone leaders of words to either avoid or explain.

Setting up and practicalities • If pupils haven’t been put into groups before the visit (or even if they have) you could give out

name and/or colour labels showing which group they are in, as they arrive. • You’ll need a safe place for pupils to put their bags and coats. Let them know that they need a

pencil (or that pencils are provided) before they sit down in the designated area. • Designate a space, preferably in the main hall, where all the children can sit together. This can

be on the floor or on chairs, in rows or in a large circle. Invite pupils to sit down and look around the hall whilst they’re waiting for everyone to sit down.

Resources provided

Ultimate Church Visit roller banner ‘The Salvation Army is…’ A3 card Pupil books (order from Schools & Colleges Unit)

You may also need Pencil for each pupil (optional – but it’s good idea to have spare pencils available) Name and/or colour labels to denote groups Name badges for leaders/helpers Clipboards for zone leaders*

* also available to loan or purchase from Schools & Colleges Unit (see ‘Resources’)

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welcome session - key stage 1 Welcome and introductions (3 minutes) Welcome to The Salvation Army and to Ultimate Church Visit. Briefly introduce yourself and your team and give any necessary information about the building, safety etc. First impressions (7 minutes) If the visit is taking place in your Salvation Army hall, ask the children about their first impressions using some or all of the questions below. Include as many children as possible and encourage them to put their hands up to answer.

How many of you have been to a church or place of worship before? What were the other churches/places of worship like? Does The Salvation Army look the same or different to those places? How? How many of you had heard of The Salvation Army before your visit today? Do you know anything about The Salvation Army already? What would you like to find out about The Salvation Army today?

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and charity, which is an organisation which helps people. Aims (choose/adapt/add as necessary) Today you’re going to be finding out…

what worship is like in The Salvation Army about how The Salvation Army helps others how The Salvation Army started

How the visit will work (2 minutes) This is how the visit will work. In your groups you’re going to visit zones which are set up around the church/hall. Every zone has its own leader. In each zone you will learn something different about The Salvation Army. Point out the different zones, especially if any are in different rooms, and explain which direction the pupils will travel. At the end of the morning/afternoon/day, we’ll come back here for a ‘think tank’ session and you will be asked to say at least one new thing you have learnt, what you enjoyed and anything the visit made you think about. Getting ready (3 minutes) Pupils can now get into their groups, and pupil books can be given out by zone leaders/helpers before they set off to their first zone. Make sure pupils write their name on their pupil book!


welcome session - key stage 2 Welcome and introductions (3 minutes) Welcome to The Salvation Army and to Ultimate Church Visit. Briefly introduce yourself and your team and give any necessary information about the building, safety etc. First impressions (2 minutes) If the visit is taking place in a SA hall, ask the children about their first impressions using the questions below.

What is your first impression of this church? How is it the same or different to or the same as other places of worship that you

have visited before?

The Salvation Army is… (5 minutes) How many of you had heard of The Salvation Army before your visit today? I‘d like to find out what you already know (or think you may know) about The Salvation Army.

Hold up the ‘The Salvation Army is…’ card. I’d like you to see if you could complete this sentence – ‘The Salvation Army is...’. I’ll give you one minute to discuss it in pairs before sharing your ideas with the class. Emphasise that there can be no wrong answers at this stage, as you are asking about their own ideas. During the feedback really encourage pupils by acknowledging their answers with positive phrases such as ‘good suggestion’, ‘interesting answer’ or simply repeating what they have said. This should help pupils to feel more confident about contributing to discussions throughout the visit. Thank you for sharing all of your ideas. So what do we know about The Salvation Army? At this point clarify any strong misconceptions (eg we are a military army) and pick up on the correct answers they gave. The Salvation Army is actually a Christian church and a charity. Aims (choose/adapt/add as necessary) Today you’re going to be exploring…

what worship is like in The Salvation Army about how members of The Salvation Army put their faith in action how The Salvation Army started


How the visit will work (2 minutes) This is how the visit will work. In your groups you’re going to visit zones which are set up around the church/hall. Every zone has a leader. In each zone you will learn something different about The Salvation Army. Point out the different zones, especially if any are in different rooms, and explain which direction the pupils should travel. At the end of the morning/afternoon/day, we’ll come back here for a ‘think tank’ session and you will be asked to say at least one new thing you have learnt and what the visit has made you think about. Getting ready (3 minutes) Pupils can now get into their groups, and pupil books can be given out by zone leaders/helpers before they set off to their first zone. Make sure pupils write their name on their pupil book!


the zones Ultimate Church Visit is made up of nine zones, each one exploring a different aspect of the worship, life and work of The Salvation Army.

1. Bible zone 2. Worship zone 3. Community zone 4. International zone 5. Symbol zone

6. Music zone 7. History zone 8. Uniform zone 9. Homelessness zone

In a typical half-day school visit three or four zones will usually be set up. These can be chosen by the teacher to fit in with the topics the class are studying, or by the corps. Each zone should last approximately 25-30 minutes but can easily be adapted by using extra/fewer activities, depending on the time available for the visit. Some zones can also be extended and used as a whole-class session or workshop (see ‘Adapting Ultimate Church Visit’). You may like to present some zones in this way at the school, as a follow-up to their Ultimate Church Visit. There are different activities in each zone, such as quizzes and games, DVD clips, drama and stories, discussion, exploring objects and art and craft. Each pupil has a pupil book to record things they learn. It also includes activities they can do back in the classroom or at home. All the different activities are designed to appeal to different learning styles and should keep the pupils engaged and motivated throughout the visit! Choosing your zones If possible, the Bible zone should always be part of an Ultimate Church Visit, as this helps pupils to understand that The Salvation Army’s beliefs, mission and work are based on the Bible and on Jesus’ teaching. It also provides a good opportunity for quiet reflection, and contributes to pupils’ spiritual development. If pupils are studying a particular topic in their Religious Education lessons, you or the teacher may want to choose zones on a theme, for example, worship (Bible, Worship, Music and Symbol zones) or belief in action (Bible, Community, Homelessness and History zones). If you simply want to present a basic introduction to The Salvation Army, the Bible zone, Worship zone, and Community zone work well together. If pupils are studying the Victorians at some point in the school year you may like to include the History zone, or offer to take this zone into the school. You may decide to incorporate elements of some zones into other zones, in order to customise your visit. For example, some of the music activities could be added to the Worship zone, or activities from the Homelessness zone could be added to the Community zone (see ‘Adapting Ultimate Church Visit’).


about the bible zone Overview The zone begins with a discussion about stories and special and holy books, and the importance of the Bible for Christians and therefore for members of The Salvation Army. Then pupils hear a parable, or story about Jesus, using a method of storytelling based on ‘Godly Play’ (visit www.godlyplay.org.uk to find out more about this method). Pupils are encouraged to wonder about the story and its meaning, and then to respond by expressing their own feelings about the story through drawing or writing. The session ends by thinking about how members of The Salvation Army put Jesus’ teaching into practice, and the leader may share how they try to follow the Bible’s teaching in their own life. Points to note • See ‘About Godly Play’ for an introduction to Godly Play and for tips about telling the story and the

response time. • The Good Samaritan story should be provided in a gold box – this is essential to the telling of the

story. The Zacchaeus story can be placed in a basket or on a small wooden tray, or alternatively you can use the gold box from The Good Samaritan story (which is helpful to reduce the distraction of what is coming next in the story).

• It’s a good idea to arrange your pencils, pastels, crayons etc in separate bags or plastic boxes – enough for pupils to take one each. This will help to maintain the calm, ordered atmosphere and may save time too.

• The Bible zone gives a lovely opportunity for the leader to talk about what the Bible means to them personally. This is a way of pupils experiencing faith first-hand, which is one of the benefits of visiting a faith community, and absolutely acceptable in this setting.

Setting up the zone When setting up this zone try to create a kind of ‘sacred space’. If you have a prayer room, or you’re able to set up something similar in another room, this would be ideal. The activities are designed to be fairly quiet, calm and reflective, so an environment which encourages this will be really helpful. Resources provided

Bible zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (blue)

Godly play materials (choose): The Good Samaritan Zacchaeus

Godly play scripts (download from CD-ROM) Mission Statement A3 card

You may also need

Mats/carpet squares for pupils to sit on* Basket or wooden tray for Zacchaeus story (alternatively use the gold box from The Good

Samaritan story) Selection of good quality crayons/coloured pencils, pastels etc for response time A Bible/leader’s own Bible

* also available to loan from the Schools & Colleges Unit (see ‘Resources’ section)

http://www.godlyplay.org.uk/


Adapting the zone • Make the zone shorter:

If time is limited pupils could complete their written/drawn response after the visit. Try not to rush the storytelling and wondering questions.

• Make the zone longer: Godly Play works best when it is calm and unhurried, so you could take a little more time over the wondering questions and give pupils more time for the drawing/writing response time after the story. You could also invite any pupils who want to, to share what they have drawn/written, although stress that they shouldn’t feel they have to share.

• Use this zone as a whole class session: Godly Play can work with a class of 30 pupils sitting on the floor in a large circle if you have enough space – you just need to make sure they can all see the story. You could add some extra materials for the response time such as clay and a few different materials for collage.


bible zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• discover why the Bible is important to Christians • hear one of the stories in the Bible

Discussion – stories (2-3 minutes) ‘Once upon a time…’ (pause). What were you expecting? (A story.) What kind of stories do you like best and why? Prompt with a few examples if necessary, eg scary, happy, sad, mystery, fairytales. Jesus and the Bible (2 minutes) The Bible is a special book for Christians. There are lots of different stories in the Bible and Christians read them to help them know how to live and what to believe about God. Lots of the stories are about things that happened in history and about people who believed in God and followed him. If you are using the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, say - in the second part of the Bible there are stories about Jesus. Christians read them to find out what he was like, because they want to try to be like him. I’m going to tell you a story about Jesus now. Alternatively, if you are using a parable, say - the Bible also has made-up stories which people told to teach important lessons. Jesus told these special kinds of stories - they are called parables. I’m going to tell you one of Jesus’ parables now. Godly Play story (10 minutes) Invite children to sit on the mats in a circle and encourage them to become calm and focus on the story. They should put their pupil books and pencils etc behind them so that no one is distracted. Tell the story using the Godly Play materials. The story is followed by wondering questions. (See Godly Play scripts.) Response time (6-9 minutes) Keep the calm atmosphere as you invite the children to respond to the story. In your pupil book (page 2) I would like you to write or draw something which shows what the story was about, or perhaps how the story made you feel, or what it made you think about. It’s your very own response, nobody else’s. If possible, allow children to find


their own quiet space in the room to do this. Point out where to take the colouring pencils etc from and where to return them. (See ‘About Godly Play’ for further suggestions and guidance on the response time.) Put the Godly Play materials back in the box and bring pupils back into the circle. Summing up (3 minutes) In this zone you have heard and thought about a story from the Bible and you have responded to the story in your own way. Why do you think the Bible is so important to Christians? Show the children your own Bible and explain simply why it is important to you and how you try to follow its teachings.


bible zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• discover why the Bible is important to Christians • explore one of the stories in the Bible • find out how Christians in The Salvation Army try to follow the Bible’s teaching

Discussion – special books (2-3 minutes) Do you have a favourite book? What makes a book really special? (Show the pupils a Bible.) This is the Bible – a very important book for Christians. The first part of the Bible tells the story of God’s people before Jesus was born, and the second part is about the life of Jesus and his followers, and about how the church began. Christians believe that the people who wrote the different parts of the Bible were inspired by God, and this is what makes the book sacred and holy, because God can still communicate with people today when they read the Bible. If you are using one of the parables say - one of the main ways Jesus taught people was by telling stories, called parables. Parables were stories with a meaning or a lesson, which helped people understand and really think about what Jesus was saying. I’m going to tell you one of Jesus’ parables now. Alternatively, if you are using the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, say – I’m going to tell you a story about Jesus which helps Christians to understand what Jesus was like and how they could try to be like him. Godly play story (10 minutes) Invite the children to sit on the mats and encourage them to be calm and focus on the story. They should put their pupil books and pencils etc behind them, so that no one is distracted. Tell the story using the Godly Play materials. The story is followed by wondering questions. (See Godly Play scripts.)

Response time (6-9 minutes) Keep the calm atmosphere as you invite the children to respond to the story. In your pupil book (page 2) I would like you to write or draw something which shows what the story was about, or perhaps how the story made you feel, or what it made you think about. It’s your very own response, nobody else’s. If possible, allow children to find


their own quiet space in the room to do this. Point out where to find the colouring pencils etc and where to return them afterwards. (See ‘About Godly Play’ for further suggestions and guidance on the response time.) Put the Godly Play materials back in the box and bring pupils back into the circle. Summing up (4 minutes) In this zone you have heard a story from the Bible and had time to think about the story for yourself. The Bible is very important to members of The Salvation Army – it’s part of our mission statement. Show pupils the Mission Statement card and read it aloud to them. How do you think members of The Salvation Army try to follow the teaching of Jesus in the story we heard today? Do you think it is easy or difficult to follow? Share how easy/difficult you find it to follow the Bible’s teachings, and how the Bible is helpful to you in your life.


about the worship zone Overview In this zone pupils begin by thinking about the concept of worship and the special places and objects which help people to worship. Pupils watch a short DVD showing the features of a Salvation Army church (or simply look around the main worship hall) and then go on to explore the meaning and significance of the objects found in a Salvation Army church, using a set of picture/word cards. Older pupils can then arrange the objects in order of how important they think they are to members of The Salvation Army, which should promote some good discussion. Finally pupils watch another DVD clip showing examples of different types of worship in The Salvation Army. Points to note • If you are considering teaching pupils a worship action song (extra activity), do check with the

teacher first as some schools may not feel this is appropriate. • There are two levels for the worship DVD clips. Level 1 is designed for Key Stage 1 and may be

slower or include words on the screen. Level 2 is designed for Key Stage 2 or for children who may be more familiar with a Salvation Army church. There are no words on the screen so the activities will be slightly more challenging.

• As all Salvation Army halls are different (some having very few ‘Salvation Army’ objects) there is always the opportunity in this zone to talk about what really makes a church – is it the building?

Setting up the zone • If your visit is taking place in an SA hall it would be helpful if this zone was set up in the main

worship hall, perhaps near to the mercy seat if you have one. Pupils will be looking at the different objects found in a Salvation Army hall and perhaps comparing these to objects found in other Christian churches.

• Bear in mind that this zone uses DVD clips which could distract pupils in other zones if they are located too close together.

Resources provided

Worship zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (black) Worship definition A3 card 2 sets of worship objects matching cards (extra sets available) 2 sets of worship objects explanation cards - Key Stage 2 (extra sets available) 2 sets of worship objects ‘Call my bluff’ cards - Key Stage 1 (extra sets available) ‘ABC’ cards - for ‘Call my bluff’ activity (download from Resource CD-ROM) DVD Clip 1: A Salvation Army church. DVD Clip 2: Worship (in The Salvation Army)

You may also need

TV/DVD player Football supporter’s kit (eg shirt, scarf, match ticket and programme, football, novelty items) Worship action song –Duggie Dug Dug CD/DVD or similar Other examples of Salvation Army worship (eg Congress DVDs from SP&S or Link DVDs from the

Video Production Unit)


Adapting the zone: • Make the zone shorter:

Do the ordering activity as a whole group, and omit one of the DVD clips if necessary. • Make the zone longer:

Use the extra activities suggested. For Key Stage 2 you could discuss some of the objects in more detail, perhaps with a mini tour around the worship hall, and make comparisons between objects found in The Salvation Army and those in other churches.

• Whole class session: Most of the activities would work with a whole class, providing you can show the DVD clips. Request extra sets of the activity cards and divide the class into groups of four or five pupils for the small group activities. A PowerPoint show of the worship objects is included on the CD-ROM.


worship zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• discover how members of The Salvation Army worship God • find out about objects in a Salvation Army church and what they are used for

What is worship? (2 minutes) What does the word ‘worship’ mean? Show the worship definition card and read it aloud. When you worship someone you show how much love you have for them, and Christians worship God because they love him and because they believe that God is amazing and perfect! What places are special to you? (3 minutes) Can you think of any places which are special to you? Why are they special? For Christians, a church building can be a special place. It is where they meet together to worship God. Let’s find out about what a Salvation Army church is like. DVD clip: A Salvation Army church (2-5 minutes) In the DVD clip you will see lots of objects which you might find inside a Salvation Army church, which help people to worship God. Your challenge is to see how many you can remember at the end of the clip. Show the clip (3 min 08 – level 1, 1 min – level 2), then ask the pupils to tell you what things they remember. (If you are in a Salvation Army worship hall you could ask the pupils to look around and tell you which things in the DVD are also in this worship hall. Alternatively, omit the DVD clip and simply ask the pupils what they can see around them in the church that is interesting or unusual.) Call my bluff (5-7 minutes) To find out what some of the different objects are for we are going to play a game called ‘Call my bluff’. I’m going to show you a picture card and read out three different explanations. Only one of them is right – the other two are wrong! You must decide which one you think is correct by holding up the ‘a’, ‘b’, or ‘c’ card. Demonstrate how to use the cards and give a set to each pupil. As you go through each card, tell them the correct meaning and place the card on the floor. To save time, you could choose a selection of the cards, rather than using them all.


Most and least important (5 minutes) Now you can see all of the objects and you know what they are used for, I want you to decide which objects you think are most important to a member of The Salvation Army, and which are least important. Pupils could discuss this in pairs before sharing their answers. Ask pupils why they have chosen the ones they have. Members of The Salvation Army would probably have lots of different answers, but many would choose the cross and the Bible. Why do you think these might be the most important? (Some pupils may have already answered this question in their own feedback.) The cross reminds Christians of their most important belief – that Jesus died to save people and that God brought him back to life. The Bible tells Christians what to believe, and has stories about Jesus and his teachings. In lots of Salvation Army churches the reading desk, where the Bible is read, and the cross are right in the middle at the front, showing how important they are. DVD clip: Worship (4 minutes) In this DVD clip you will see some of the different ways people worship in The Salvation Army. Show the next DVD clip (1 min 53) of different styles of worship. Ask some or all of the following questions about the clips:

What different things were people doing in the clips? Have you ever been to a church or another place of worship? What did you see and do there?

extra activities Using music/movement to worship (5 minutes) You could end this zone by showing or teaching the pupils an action song (eg Great big God) or showing a DVD of a worship dance/mime/song etc. Talk about the way we can show our beliefs and feelings through music and movement, and about how Christians believe God made our voices and our bodies so we can worship him in different ways. (A similar activity is also suggested in the Music zone.) Pupil book - drawing (5+ minutes) If you are in an SA hall, allow pupils time to draw one of the objects they have found out about, eg the mercy seat or the crest, using the ‘notes and sketches’ page at the back of the pupil booklet. This would work well after finding out about the objects or right at the end of the zone.


worship zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• discover how members of The Salvation Army worship God • find out about objects in a Salvation Army church and what they are used for

What is worship? (2 minutes) First we’re going to think about the word ‘worship’. What do you think the word means? Show the definition card and read it aloud to help to explain further, acknowledging that the pupils’ ideas could also be right. People can worship God in lots of different ways, but in this zone we are going to explore how members of The Salvation Army worship God when they are in church. Who do these things belong to? (optional illustration – 2 minutes) Just before that I want you to tell me what kind of person would own these things. Show pupils a football supporter’s kit, taking one item at a time from a bag (start with les obvious items) and wait for pupils to guess. Now, could a football fan support their team without these things? Prompt if necessary – yes they could, but these things help the fan to show that they are devoted to their team. In the same way, Christians have objects which help them to worship God and show others how devoted they are to him. They can worship God without them, because worship comes from your heart and your head, but sometimes it’s helpful to have different objects. DVD clip: A Salvation Army church (2-3 minutes) In the DVD clip you will see lots of objects which you might find in a Salvation Army church, which help people to worship God. Your challenge is to see how many you can remember. Show the clip (1 min – level 2), then ask the pupils to say how many they remembered. You could challenge the person who thinks they remembered the most to say what they saw. (If you are in a Salvation Army worship hall you could ask the pupils to tell you which things in the DVD are also in this worship hall. Alternatively, omit the DVD clip and simply ask the pupils what they can see around them in the church that is interesting or unusual.) Meanings of the objects/Call my bluff/matching activity (5 minutes) Display the cards showing the objects. For each card, ask the pupils what they think the object might be used for in worship (some will be more obvious than others!) and then turn the card over to read the explanation.


Alternatively use the ‘Call my bluff’ activity (see Key Stage 1) or the matching activity. These could be done as a whole group or in smaller groups. Ordering activity (7 minutes) Using the same cards (any of the sets will work) and working in two groups or pairs/threes, I want you to put the cards in order of how important you think the things are to members of The Salvation Army. You could arrange them in a diamond or triangle shape if you think some of them have a similar level of importance. Illustrate how they might do this. You must try to agree on the order, so you’ll need to have lots of discussion with your partner/group. As pupils are discussing the order ask questions such as, do you think Christians could worship God without a flag? How about a Bible? If there was no reading desk, could the Bible still be read? If a Christian could only have one thing to help them to worship, what do you think it would be? To help pupils, remind them how each object is used and, if relevant, point out where it is placed in the hall. Once all the groups have completed the task, ask them to say which ones they think are the most important and least important and why they chose the ones they did. Different members of The Salvation Army may put them in a different order and have different opinions, but for many, the cross and the Bible would be at the top. You might be able to tell just by looking around a Salvation Army worship hall which are the most important objects: often the reading desk and cross are right in the middle at the front, showing the importance of the cross and the Bible. Pupil booklet (3+ minutes) If you can, allow time for pupils to record what they have learnt on page 5 in the pupil booklet. As an extension activity, if you are in an SA hall pupils could also sketch an outline of the main worship hall, using the ‘notes and sketches’ page. DVD clip: Worship in The Salvation Army (4 minutes) Finally, we’re going to find out about different kinds of worship in The Salvation Army. Show the next DVD clip (1 min 53). Afterwards, ask some or all of the following questions:

What different things were people doing in the clips? Where were they worshipping? Did anything surprise you in the clips? How is it different or similar to worship in other Christian churches or in other

places of worship in different religions?


extra activities Using music and actions to worship (5+ minutes) You could end this zone by showing or teaching the pupils an action song (eg Great big God) or showing a DVD of a worship dance/mime/song etc. Talk about the way we express our beliefs and feelings through music and movement, and about how Christians believe God gave us gifts and abilities so that we can worship and praise him in different ways. (A similar activity is also suggested in the Worship zone.)


about the community zone Overview The aim of this zone is to discover how The Salvation Army helps people in the community, through one or more of the following activities: • playing a specially designed board game • watching a DVD clip of community work around the UK and Ireland • watching a presentation of your own community work • using a story bag and objects which illustrate different aspects of community work • following a picture trail using display boards depicting The Salvation Army’s work

Pupils also learn how members of The Salvation Army put their beliefs into action by looking at a Bible passage. They then think about ways they could help their community and show kindness to others at home and at school, by filling in a bookmark (Key Stage 2) or their pupil book (Key Stage 1). Points to note • When you are deciding which activities to include in this zone, consider how much time you have,

as well as the kinds of activities pupils have been doing in other zones, so they have as much variety as possible.

• There are a number of ways to play the board game, depending on the time available. It is important that the zone leader is completely familiar with the instructions for the game – why not play it a few times at home or with the other zone leaders!?

Setting up the zone • If you’re using the board game you’ll just need a space big enough for the A1-size board and the

pupils to sit around it. If you’re using the display boards with the picture trail you’ll need a much larger space.

• Bear in mind that if you use the DVD clip in this zone it may distract pupils in other zones if they are located too close together.

Resources provided

Community zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (blue) Community board game DVD clip - Community work Story bag script (download from Resource CD-ROM) Matthew 25 A3 card Bookmarks for pupils – Key Stage 2 (order from Schools & Colleges Unit)

You may also need

Photos, video, PowerPoint (template available) or objects relating to your own community work Large bag* and objects for story bag – see script Display boards with picture trail cards (loan separately from Schools & Colleges Unit) TV/DVD player




Play a short version of the community game or select some of the shorter activities. • Make the zone longer:

Play a longer version of the community game, and/or add some of the other suggested activities. • Whole class session:

A good way to organise a whole class session on community work is to begin with the DVD clip, followed by a presentation of your own community work or the story bag activity. Then look at the Matthew 25 verses (James 2:14-17 also works well and could inspire a mini skit!) and allow plenty of time for pupils to complete pages 3 and 4 in their pupil book. You could also set up the display boards and picture trail as an extra activity for pupils who work quickly. Finish with the discussion on helping others, using the bookmark or pupil book to write down ideas.


community zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we’re going to: • find out how and why members of The Salvation Army help others who are in

need • think about ways you could help people in your community CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: A. The SA in the community board game (15-25 minutes)

To find out about how The Salvation Army helps people in the community we’re going to play a game. Follow instructions for the game. Use some or all of the questions below to help pupils think about and discuss what they learnt during the game.

What kind of people did you help in the game? How do you think those people felt? Was it possible to help everyone in the community? How did that make you feel? Do you think you would like to work or volunteer for The Salvation Army like the

characters in the game? B. DVD clip: Every day (3 minutes)

We’re going to watch a short DVD showing different ways The Salvation Army helps people in the community, every single day. Afterwards I’ll ask you some questions so I want you to try to remember as much as you can. Show pupils the community DVD clip (1 min 11). Ask pupils the following questions:

What was happening at The Salvation Army at 7.00am? What happened late at night? Can you name two different kinds of people who were being helped?

C. Community work in this church (5+ minutes)

Design your own presentation (eg PowerPoint/objects/video/sketch) about the work of The Salvation Army in your own community.

D. Story bag activity (8 minutes)

Use a story bag, containing a selection of objects, and the story bag script (download from CD-ROM) to explore different ways The Salvation Army cares for and supports people in communities. This could be adapted to reflect your own community work.


Why does The Salvation Army help people in need? (3 minutes) Show the Matthew 25 ‘I was hungry’ card and read it aloud, or invite pupils to read a line each. How is The Salvation Army following this teaching from the Bible? Christians believe that Jesus showed love to everyone, especially people others forgot about or didn’t like. Jesus wanted his followers to help and love anyone in need too. What can I do? (5 minutes) I wonder what we can do to help other people. Find the Community Zone page in the pupil booklet and discuss together how the children can help others at home, at school and in their town (eg by raising money, donating clothes and toys, keeping the streets tidy). Point out that it is not safe for children to help people in the same way as adults, such as helping strangers, but there are still lots of safe things they can do. Now support pupils as they complete the page in the booklet individually. Encourage them to remember to do the things they have written down!


community zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we’re going to: • find out how and why members of The Salvation Army help others who are in

need • think about ways you could help people in your community CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES: A. The SA in the community board game (15-25 minutes)

To find out about how The Salvation Army helps people in the community we’re going to play a game. Follow instructions for the game. Use some or all of the questions below to prompt a discussion about what they learnt during the game.

What kind of people did you help in the game? How do you think those people felt? Was it possible to help everyone in the community? How did that make you feel? Do you think you would like to work or volunteer for The Salvation Army when you

get a bit older? What kind of work do you think you might like to do (eg soup run, visiting prisoners, hospital patients etc)?

B. DVD clip: Every day (3 minutes)

We’re going to watch a short DVD showing different ways The Salvation Army helps people in the community. Afterwards I’m going to ask you what you remembered from the clips, so watch carefully! Show pupils the community DVD clip (1 min 11) and then check how many of the activities the pupils can remember. The activities you saw in the clips are happening every day, all around the United Kingdom and Ireland (and in many other countries too).

C. Community work in this church (5 minutes)

Design your own presentation (eg PowerPoint/objects/video/sketch) about the work of The Salvation Army in your own community.

D. Story bag activity (8 minutes)

Use a story bag, containing a selection of objects, and the story bag script (download from CD-ROM) to explore different ways The Salvation Army cares for and supports people in communities. This could be adapted to reflect your own community work.


E. Picture trail (10+ minutes) Using the display boards and picture trail cards (see resources list), pupils work in

pairs or small groups, finding the pictures, answering questions and discovering how The Salvation Army helps people in the community.

Why does The Salvation Army help people in need? (4 minutes) Show the Matthew 25 ‘I was hungry’ card and read it aloud, or invite pupils to read a line each. How is The Salvation Army following this teaching from the Bible? Christians believe that Jesus showed love to everyone, especially to people others forgot about or didn’t like. He made friends with poor people and sick people and with people who were lonely, even with criminals. Most of these people weren’t really accepted by other people but Jesus saw them all as God’s children - people God made. Jesus wanted his followers to do the same – to love and to help anyone in need, and members of The Salvation Army today feel very strongly about following Jesus’ example and being like him. When we show love to people in need, especially those who seem unimportant, we show how much we love Jesus. What can I do? (5 minutes) I wonder what you or your class could do to help other people and make a difference in your community. Encourage pupils to share their ideas. Point out that it is not safe for children to help people in the same way as adults, such as helping strangers, but there are still lots of safe things they can do. (Prompt if necessary – eg raise money, donate clothes and toys, keep the streets tidy, write to the local government, buy a wristband to support a campaign). Sometimes we feel like we can’t make much of a difference on our own, but when we join together we can make a big difference. Also, we can make a difference in small but important ways, at home and at school and in our community. Give out a bookmark to each pupil. Encourage them to tick some of the suggestions on the bookmark and add their own ideas – and remember to do the things they have pledged!


about the international zone Overview This zone takes the form of a speedy trip around the world, visiting (up to) five different countries where The Salvation Army is at work. In each country pupils think about what life is like, discover the difficult situations that people may face, and find out how The Salvation Army is helping. To reinforce and record what pupils have learnt, they complete a section of their passport for each country they visit. Points to note • For Key Stage 1 there are postcards relating to the five different countries, and for Key Stage 2

there are DVD clips instead. Each country will take approximately 5-10 minutes to ‘visit’. For a 30-minute zone you should be able to visit between three and five of the countries.

• Remember to do your homework! Make sure you know where each country is on the map and familiarise yourself with some of The Salvation Army’s work around the world by visiting www.salvationarmy.org and www.salvationarmy.org.uk/id, or by looking at the Year Book.

Setting up the zone There is lots of potential for setting up this zone creatively! Here are some simple suggestions: • Key Stage 1 - on one side, using a wall or screen/partition, create a kind of backdrop for an

aeroplane, with windows, a door and exit sign etc. On the other side, arrange the props relating to different countries you are visiting. Display the postcards or put them in a large envelope.

• Key Stage 2 – project the DVD clips on to a large plain wall or screen. Arrange lots of props from different countries (and perhaps suitcases and backpacks) around the zone to give an international, ‘round-the-world trip’ feel. Bear in mind that the DVD clips for Key Stage 2 may distract pupils in other zones if they are located too close together.

Resources provided

International Zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (blue) Passport for each pupil (order from Schools & Colleges Unit) Roll of Red Shield stickers (order from Schools & Colleges Unit) Names of countries on separate strips of paper - Key Stage 1 (download from CD-ROM) Postcards (Key Stage 1) DVD clips: International work (Key Stage 2) Props relating to each country:

Inflatable palm tree - Sri Lanka Pig cut out – Haiti Hat – China Mustard seeds – Zambia (check for mustard allergies prior to visit and keep seeds in packet)

‘Emergency map’ card Music zone CD - ‘Living water’ You may also need

World map jigsaw/inflatable globe/soft globe* Bucket – Tanzania Electric/foot pump for palm tree (or someone with lots of puff!) UK/Ireland or local map (Key Stage 2) Extra props and artefacts from around the world, suitcases, backpacks etc DVD showing worship in another country (eg Link 22) TV/DVD player/projector and screen/CD player

* also available to loan or purchase from the Schools & Colleges Unit (see ‘Resources’ section)

http://www.salvationarmy.org/

http://www.salvationarmy.org/



Just visit two or three countries. • Make the zone longer:

Include the map jigsaw as a starter and/or visit four or five countries. • Whole class session:

This zone would well as a whole class session for Key Stage 2, as the activities are based around DVD clips and group discussion. However, you may need to order extra stickers for the passports if you choose to use them.


international zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we are going to:

• discover how people live in different countries • learn about the work of The Salvation Army around the world

Getting ready (5+ minutes) Who has ever been on an aeroplane to go on holiday or to visit someone? Well, today we are going to go on a very special trip to find out more about the work of The Salvation Army in other countries around the world. First we need a passport. Hand out the passports and ask pupils to complete their personal details. Now we need a map of the world so that we can find our way to the different countries which we are going to visit. Challenge pupils to put together the world map jigsaw (or have it already assembled to save time) or simply use the soft globe. Let’s choose which country we would like to visit first and then we can get on our way. Invite a pupil to choose a country from the strips of paper and ask them to read it out if they can. Off we go! (5-10 minutes per country) I think we’re ready to go! Come on everyone, let’s board our plane and start our journey to our first country. On the way to the country, encourage the children to lean to the side and back etc as you take off and turn around in your flight – be as creative as possible! Use the questions below to encourage the children to get into role and wonder about the country they will be visiting.

What do you think the weather will be like when we get there? Do you think life there will be the same as it is here in (insert local town or city)? Why or why not?

What do you think could be the first thing we will see when we get there? What one question would you like to ask when we get to (insert country)?

Well, it’s almost time to land (improvise plane landing etc). We have arrived safely, thank goodness for that! Let’s look together to see if we can find this country on our world map/globe. Pick out the prop relating to the country and ask one of the pupils to find the right postcard from a display or large envelope. Read the postcard aloud, or ask one of the pupils to read it. Ask the child to pause where indicated and reflect as a group on the following question. Is there anything you are surprised about, or which


makes you feel sad/happy/cross? Encourage them to share specific feelings. Now read the second half of the postcard. How do you think life is different now that The Salvation Army is working in their community? How would the person writing the postcard feel now? Pupils can now complete a section of their passport by writing or quickly drawing what they have learnt about The Salvation Army’s work there. They can then be given a Red Shield sticker to stick in the circle. Now it’s time to get back in our plane and travel to the next country. Repeat the activity for the other countries. In this zone we have learnt a lot about the work of The Salvation Army in different countries, but there is a lot that we haven’t had time to talk about. Isn’t it amazing to think that The Salvation Army is working in 113 (update as necessary) countries? Just think of all the millions of people they are helping all over the world.

extra activities Worship around the world (2-3 minutes) We have one last stop to make, where we can see/hear how members of The Salvation Army in (insert country) are worshipping God. Show a DVD clip of Salvation Army worship in a different country. There is a good clip on Link 22. Alternatively play ‘Living water’ on the Music zone CD. There are Salvation Army churches all around the world too and they all worship in different ways with different kinds of songs and music and dancing. However, we all worship the same God and believe the same things which means we’re like one very big church family.


international zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we are going to:

• discover how people live in different countries • learn about the work of The Salvation Army around the world

Getting ready (5 minutes) Where is the furthest place you have travelled to? Well, today you’re going to travel thousands of miles and visit some of the countries The Salvation Army works in – without even leaving this room! Before we set off, we need a passport. Hand out the passports and ask pupils to complete their personal details. Now let’s have a look at a map of the world to see where we’re going. Challenge pupils to put together the world map jigsaw (or have it already assembled to save time) or simply use the inflatable globe. In which places do you think you might find Salvation Army churches, centres and projects to help people? Invite them to name or point to countries or continents on the map or globe. The Salvation Army works in 113 (update as necessary) countries around the world, including North and South America, counties in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and countries in Africa and Asia. We’re going to visit just countries in this zone. Before we leave each country I want you to fill in your passport by writing down (or quickly drawing) what you learnt about what life is like and about The Salvation Army’s work in that country. You can also collect a Red Shield sticker for each place you visit. Off we go! (5-10 minutes per country) China – Barefoot doctors First we’re going to visit China. Who can find China on the map/globe? Watch the DVD clip (1 min 42).

What do you think it is like to live in a place which is so far away from the cities and hospitals etc?

Why do you think people don’t just move to the cities? How is The Salvation Army trying to help the villagers? Why do you think they are called Barefoot Doctors? (They travel by foot!)

Support pupils as they complete a section of their passports and give out Red Shield stickers.


Tanzania – Water project Before we go to our next country, I have a watery challenge for you – as a group, you have one minute to say as many different ways you use water as possible. Time one minute and count how many ideas they come up with. Water features in our next clip. We’re off to Tanzania. Who thinks they could find it on the map? Watch DVD clip (2 mins 10).

If you walked from your home for three hours, where do you think you would get to? Show pupils a local/UK/Ireland map and help them to work out or guess where they would get to.

How would you feel if you had to do this every day? A lack of safe clean water is one of the main problems in the world which causes children to die. The Salvation Army really wants to change that.

Support pupils as they complete a section of their passports and give out Red Shield stickers. Haiti – Pig deal project Next we’re going to travel to Haiti. Can anyone find it on the map? Watch DVD clip (2 mins 41).

In the clip, we found out that pigs have always been very important in Haiti. Can you remember what happened to them in the 1980s?

How do you think the people in Haiti might have felt about the American government when they replaced their pigs with ones which were too difficult and expensive to look after?

Do you think what they did was fair? How will The Salvation Army make sure they have enough pigs to keep giving them out to people who need them?

Support pupils as they complete a section of their passports and give out Red Shield stickers. Zambia - Mustard Seeds project We’re going to travel back to Africa now, to a country called Zambia. Can anyone find it on the map? Watch DVD clip (2 mins 10).

What was The Salvation Army micro-credit project called? Why do you think it was called that? Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It’s so tiny that you can hardly see it, but it grows into a very large tree – a bit like a small loan growing into a business which will make enough money to feed a family every day.

Do you think it’s a good idea to give people in developing countries a small loan to help them to start a business? Why do you think The Salvation Army doesn’t just give away the money? You may want to check pupils understand the word ‘loan’.

What other businesses do you think people could set up in developing countries? What business would you set up?

Support pupils as they complete a section of their passports and give out Red Shield stickers.


Sri Lanka - Emergency work We’re going to travel back to Asia now, to a country called Sri Lanka. Who can find it on the map? Watch DVD clip (3 mins 58).

How do you think you would feel if your home and everything you owned was destroyed? Encourage them to think of different words to describe their feelings.

Can you remember any of the ways The Salvation Army was helping after the Tsunami? (Providing tents, a Salvation Army doctor, new tools and advice for their businesses, listening to people and comforting them.) The Salvation Army helps in emergencies all the time. Show the ‘Emergency’ map.

Support pupils as they complete a section of their passports and give out Red Shield stickers. It’s time to go back home. I hope you’ve found it interesting visiting different countries. Perhaps one day you would like to actually visit some of the countries, and help people in some of the ways The Salvation Army does.

extra activities Pupil book (5-10 minutes) Pupils can complete page 15 in their pupil books. The activity links quite well to the Sri Lanka DVD clip. Worship around the world (2-3 minutes) We have one last stop to make, where we can see/hear how members of The Salvation Army in (insert country) are worshipping God. Show a DVD clip of Salvation Army worship in a different country. There is a good clip on Link 22. Alternatively play ‘Living water’ on the Music zone CD. There are Salvation Army churches all around the world too and they all worship in different ways with different kinds of songs and music and dancing. However, we all worship the same God and believe the same things which means we’re like one very big church family.


about the symbol zone (recommended for Key Stage 2) Overview In the Symbol zone, pupils take on the role of secret agents and complete a number of missions in order to explore and uncover the meanings of some Salvation Army symbols. They also think about why we sometimes use signs and symbols instead of words and have the chance to design a flag which represents their own beliefs or things which are important to them. Points to note • Two sets of each Mission pack are provided for this zone, so that pupils are divided into two

teams. If you would prefer pupils to work in smaller groups or in pairs then just request extra packs.

• As pupils complete each mission remind them to put all the pieces back in the pack, so that the resources are ready for the next group to visit the zone.

• If possible, try to get into role as much as possible and refer to pupils by their secret agent names.

Setting up the zone This zone can be set up simply using the resources provided, or you could create even more of a ‘secret agent’ feel to the zone with a backdrop/scenery/theme music. Check out The Secret Show cartoon/website for inspiration for presenting and setting up this zone (www.thesecretshow.com). Resources provided

Symbol Zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (blue) Secret agent glasses and trilby-style hat for leader 8 x individual identity badges for pupils (additional badges available for larger groups) 2 x Mission packs for each of the four missions (extra sets available) Crest investigation report sheet (download from CD-ROM)

You may also need

Examples of everyday signs and symbols (eg recycling symbol, road sign) Other ‘secret agent’ props (eg detective-style coat)/backdrop/music Flip chart for briefing and reporting back sessions A few pieces of blank paper for Mission 1 Coloured pencils for design a flag activity


Pupils can complete three missions, and do the ‘design a flag’ activity back in the classroom. • Make the zone longer:

Use all of the four missions and suggested extra activities. • Whole class session:

Order extra sets of mission packs and divide the class into groups of four to six pupils which work together to complete the missions. You could also get pupils to design their own identity badge on an adhesive label and make up their own secret agent name following Mission 1. A PowerPoint template is included on the Resources CD-ROM to help you adapt the activities if necessary.

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symbol zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we will:

• think about why we use signs and symbols instead of words • become secret agents and uncover the meanings of Salvation Army symbols

Mission 1: Code cracker (4 minutes) In this zone you will have a number of missions to complete. However, in order to become official secret agents and get your top secret identity badges, you must first successfully complete a trial mission called ‘Code cracker’. Divide the group into two teams and give out Mission 1 cards and blank paper. You have two minutes to complete this mission. Most pupils should be familiar with this kind of activity, but be ready to help any pupils who are struggling. When one team has finished ask them to read out the message. Congratulations! You have successfully completed your trial mission and you are now official secret agents. Give out identity badges and any other props you decide to include. Signs and symbols briefing session (3 minutes) Now you’re all kitted out it’s time for our briefing session. The secret message you have just uncovered was made up of different symbols. What is a symbol or a sign? Why do you think we use them instead of just using words? What do you think is the difference between a sign and a symbol? (Show examples of everyday signs and symbols to help them.) Signs usually give information, but symbols often have special meanings and we may have to study them to find out exactly what they mean. The Salvation Army, like many other churches and religions, has special symbols which show its beliefs, and in this zone you are going to uncover their meanings. Now you have been fully briefed on signs and symbols it’s time for you to get started on your real missions. Missions 2 & 3 (8-12 minutes) Here are some important instructions. Listen carefully! Your next two missions must be completed in two teams. For each mission there is a mission pack containing instructions, a code breaker or other special clues. The answers must be recorded in your pupil book. When you have completed Mission 2, you must report back with your mission pack and I will issue you with your next mission.


Hand out a ‘Mission 2: The red shield’ pack to each team. Pupils can find their own space but stay within the zone. Support pupils as necessary, ensuring they understand the instructions and are on task. Collect and hand out mission packs as teams complete each mission. Some pupils may work faster than others and can also complete Mission 4. MISSION OVERVIEWS - NOTES FOR LEADER Mission 2: The red shield Pupils find out the meaning of the red shield symbol using the code-breaker tube. Allow pupils to work out how to use the code-breaker tube using the instructions provided. If pupils are really struggling, explain that the strip should be wrapped around the tube diagonally, so that it covers most of the tube. Start with the top of the strip on the right end of the tube. This sentence should be revealed – ‘God is like a shield to protect and save’. Mission 3: The Salvation Army flag The different parts of the flag (blue background, red foreground, yellow star and ‘Blood & Fire’ motto) must be arranged correctly. Pupils then match the labels with the correct colour – some pupils may need some support in thinking about the different colours and what they represent. Make sure that a flag is displayed somewhere fairly near to the zone and allow pupils to look at it carefully to help them complete this mission. Mission 4: The Salvation Army crest (extension/extra activity) Pupils examine the original designs for the crest to uncover the meaning of each symbol. (There is a separate investigation report sheet which pupils complete during this mission.) Missions completed! Reporting back (3 minutes) Ask the teams to report back by explain the meaning of one or two of the symbols. Well done, secret agents! Between you, you have successfully uncovered the meaning of some Salvation Army symbols. It’s time to hand back your secret agent badges.

extra activities Design a flag (5-10+ minutes) Pupils design a flag which says important things about them, their family, their beliefs, or anything they care about or feel strongly about. Encourage them to use symbols, pictures and colours rather than words. This can be completed in their pupil booklets (page 8).


about the music zone Overview This zone begins by introducing pupils to the kinds of musical instrument used in The Salvation Army. Pupils can try out the traditional brass and percussion instruments, and find out what other kinds of instrument they might see in their local Salvation Army church. Pupils then discover more about the history of music in The Salvation Army, as well as its place in worship today. To help pupils think about how feelings and beliefs can be expressed through music, pupils listen to a series of different kinds of music and show, through movement or holding up expression faces, how the music makes them feel. The extra activities help pupils to understand more about how music, as well as dance, mime etc, are used to express feelings and beliefs. Points to note • The musical instruments used in this zone can reflect the type of music used in the corps.

However, try to include at least one or two brass instruments, as well as a range of other instruments, to show the different styles of music used within the wider Salvation Army.

• For some schools, inviting pupils to join in with a children’s worship song, or a worship dance or mime, may not be appropriate. Do check with the school before including these activities.

Setting up the zone This zone should be set up in a separate room (eg a music group room) away from the other zones as it can be fairly noisy! Resources provided

Music Zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (red) Psalm 100 A3 card Fry Family A4 card and Modern music group A4 card Open air and march A4 picture cards Different instruments A4 picture cards 1 x set of Purpose of music activity cards 8 x sets of expression faces (extras available) CD of different styles of Salvation Army music Lyrics to full track songs (download from CD-ROM)

You may also need

CD/DVD player A selection of musical instruments, including (but if possible not exclusively) brass Wet wipes to clean instrument mouthpieces in between pupils’ turns Percussion instruments* Paper and coloured pencils etc for extra activities Other music for extra activities. Possible suggestions:

‘Far Away’ from Angel Voices, Libera (www.libera.org.uk) ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’, Copland (3.41 approx) Soundtracks (eg Passion of the Christ)

Video of a piece of dance/mime or similar Children’s worship/action song music CD/DVD




Limit the time spent trying out the instruments and/or skip some of the extracts of music from the CD during the ‘expressing beliefs and feelings’ activity. (You may be able to program your CD player with the tracks you want.) Just make sure you still have a good range of different styles and emotions.

• Make the zone longer: Add one or more of the extra activities suggested at the end of the zone. You may want to add your own activities which show how you express worship in your own church, such as showing (or teaching) pupils a dance or mime – see ‘Point to note’.

• Whole class session: It would be possible to adapt most of the activities in this zone for a whole class. For the ‘Expressing beliefs and feelings – listen and respond’ activity, pupils could write down how the music makes them feel (choosing from words displayed on a board/screen) and then compare them with others afterwards. Order extra sets of cards as necessary for other activities.


music zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we’re going to:

• find out how and why members of The Salvation Army use music to express their beliefs

• explore how different kinds of music make you feel Introduction - musical instruments (5-10 minutes) In The Salvation Army, music is very important. We use music when we worship in this church. Here are some of the musical instruments we use. Show the instruments and/or use the picture cards. Very carefully, you’re going to have a go at playing some of the instruments. Organise this according to the number and variety of instruments you have. For example, you could give each pupil a different instrument and try to get them to play a note each and then a note together, or (perhaps for younger pupils) you could have pupils choose an instrument to try, one at a time. Put the instruments back to one side. Why The Salvation Army uses music (5 minutes) The Bible tells Christians to worship God with music and songs. This is the main reason that The Salvation Army uses music – to worship God. Show the Psalm 100 card and read it aloud. When The Salvation Army started its members used brass instruments (point out which ones they are). Can you guess why? The Salvation Army has always had lots of their church services outside, so everyone who didn’t normally go to church would hear about God. Show open air picture card. The brass instruments are quite loud and they attract attention and so when people heard them they would stop to listen. You can also carry them outside, unlike an organ or a piano! Today, many Salvation Army churches still use brass instruments. They also use other instruments. Show some of the other kinds of instrument used in your corps, or hold up the picture card showing a modern music group. There is also lots of singing and clapping and sometimes dancing too. Can you remember why The Salvation Army uses music?


Expressing beliefs and feelings – listen and respond (10 minutes) What is your favourite song or type of music? Can you tell me why it is your favourite? Music is a good way to express or show how you feel. In our next activity we’re going to listen to some different kinds of music which are used in The Salvation Army. Make sure that there is enough room for the children to safely move around to the music. As we listen to each piece of music, I want you to move around the room in a way which shows how the music makes you feel or what it reminds you of. For example, if the music sounded like it would be used for marching, you may want to march around the space or if it is an angry piece of music, you may want to stomp around and have an angry face. Demonstrate to the children so that they clearly understand the expectations. Remind them to be careful and to always watch where they are going. Play the CD and join in if you think they need encouragement. Each extract lasts approximately 30 seconds. There are 14 short extracts, so remember to stop at the last one, before the whole tracks at the end of the CD. When Christians listen to, play or sing music it helps them to show how they feel about God and about life. It can also show different beliefs about God. Plenary/extra activity (3 minutes) Use the ‘Purpose of music’ cards to help pupils to think about and recall why The Salvation Army uses music. On these cards are some different reasons why we use music in The Salvation Army. Some of them are right reasons and some are not. I want you to decide which answers are right and which ones are wrong.

extra activities Expressing joy through music (5+ minutes) • Music can sometimes express beliefs about God. In this activity we’re going to

listen to a piece of music which shows that God often makes people feel joyful and happy. Invite the pupils to play percussion instruments along to the music. Choose from the full pieces of music on the CD or choose your own lively music.

Music and actions (5+ minutes) • Teach pupils a children’s worship/action song, eg ‘Great big God’. Explain that it is

the kind of music which children sing when they worship. Children who feel uncomfortable singing or doing the actions could play a percussion instrument. (This activity is also suggested in the Worship zone.)


Music and art (5+ minutes) • Try this activity if you’re feeling creative and have plenty of extra time! For this

activity I want you to listen to a whole piece of music and draw, paint or write something which you think the music is saying. Think about the colours which could go with the music. Does it make you think of a story or picture or perhaps just different kinds of shapes and lines? Try to show in your work how the music makes you feel. Choose from the full pieces of music on the CD or use one of the other suggested pieces or similar.


music zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we’re going to:

• find out how and why members of The Salvation Army use music to express their beliefs

• explore how different kinds of music make you feel Introduction - musical instruments (5-10 minutes) In The Salvation Army, music is very important and helps people to worship. These are some of the musical instruments we use in this church and some which are used in other Salvation Army churches. Show the actual instruments and/or picture cards. Very carefully, you’re going to have a go at playing some of the instruments. Organise this according to the number and variety of instruments you have. For example you could give each pupil an instrument and try to get them to play a note each and then a note together, or you could have pupils choose an instrument to try, one at a time. Put the instruments back to one side. Why The Salvation Army uses music (5 minutes) The Bible tells Christians to worship God with music and songs. This is the main reason that The Salvation Army uses music. Show the Psalm 100 card and read it aloud. When The Salvation Army first started almost 150 years ago they used brass instruments (point out which ones they are). This is the Fry family who formed the first Salvation Army band. Hold up the Fry family card. Why do you think they chose brass instruments? The Salvation Army has always had lots of their church services outside, so everyone who didn’t normally go to church would hear about God. Show the open air/march picture cards. The brass instruments are quite loud and they attract attention and so when people heard them they would stop to listen. You can also carry them outside, unlike a piano or an organ! The Salvation Army didn’t just use different instruments; they also used some different tunes. People wrote religious words and sang them to popular tunes that people sang in the pub or music hall. It would be a bit like putting religious words to pop songs today. When religious people criticised The Salvation Army, William Booth said, ‘Why should the devil have all the best tunes?’ He meant that all music can be holy and sacred if you use it to honour and worship God. Members of The Salvation Army still believe this today and so they use all kinds of music to worship God.


The Salvation Army still uses brass instruments, but many churches also use guitars and drums like in this picture. Hold up the picture card showing a modern music group. Some churches may have a gospel choir, or a jazz band, or they may use dance, mime or actions to worship God. Expressing beliefs and feelings – listen and respond (10 minutes) What kind of music do you like to listen to? How do you feel when you listen to your favourite music or song? Music is a good way to express and show how you feel. In our next activity we’re going to listen to some different kinds of music which are used in The Salvation Army. As we listen to each piece of music, I want you to think about how the music makes you feel, and to respond by holding up one of the emotion cards. Give each pupil a set of cards and look through the different emotions shown on them before playing the CD. Make sure all the pupils understand what each emotion means. Each extract lasts approximately 30 seconds. There are 14 short extracts, so remember to stop at the last one, before the whole tracks at the end of the CD. Alternatively, use the Key Stage 1 version of this activity if you prefer. Plenary/extra activity (3 minutes) Use the ‘Purpose of music’ cards to help pupils to think about and recall why The Salvation Army uses music. On these cards are some different reasons why we use music in The Salvation Army. Some of them are right reasons and some are not. I want you to decide which answers are right and which ones are wrong and try to explain why.

extra activities Words and music – recommended for Year 5/6 (5+ minutes) • Music helps members of The Salvation Army to express their beliefs about God and

things which are very important to them. It can also make them think about their faith and the way they live. In this activity I want you to listen to a song and especially think about the words. Underline or circle the words which you like best or which you think are most important. Use ‘Compelled by love’* or ‘Everyday’ from the CD (full tracks) and the accompanying lyrics sheet. (*Explain that the word ‘compelled’ means feeling like you really have to do something.) After the song discuss the words the pupils have underlined. What was the music like? Do you think it went with the words and helped to express the feeling of the words?


Music and actions (5+ minutes) • Teach pupils a children’s worship/action song, eg ‘Great big God’. Explain that it is

the kind of music which children sing when they worship. Children who feel uncomfortable singing or doing the actions could play a percussion instrument. (This activity is also suggested in the Worship zone.)

Music and art (5+ minutes) • Try this activity if you’re feeling creative and have plenty of extra time! For this

activity I want you to listen to a whole piece of music and draw, paint or write something which you think the music is saying. Do you think the music is telling a story? Think about the colours which could go with the music. You might want to use different colours (such as red if it is an angry piece of music or blue if it is soft and gentle) to show your feelings. Try to think about how the music makes you feel or what it makes you think of. Choose from full pieces of music on the CD or one of the other suggested pieces or similar.

about the history zone Overview In this zone, pupils use their imagination to travel back in time, finding out about life in Victorian Britain and discovering the story of how William & Catherine Booth started The Salvation Army. Pupils explore artefacts, objects and clues from a time capsule or character bags, or take part in a drama in which they play different characters involved in the story. The zone ends with a picture activity or quiz to help reinforce what pupils have learnt. Points to note • If the school have brought a camera this zone could provide some good photo opportunities! • For Key Stage 2 the zone can include a DVD clip of some footage of William Booth’s funeral.

Some pupils may be particularly sensitive about the topic of death and funerals and so it may be wise to ask the teacher whether this could be an issue for anyone before the visit.

Setting up the zone • This zone can work well by simply placing the time capsule box or character bags in the middle

of the zone and inviting pupils to sit around it/them. However, you may also want to dress up in Victorian costume and add some extra Victorian-style props and scenery to help create the feeling of travelling back in time to a different era.

• Although not essential, the Key Stage 2 drama might be enhanced by using the PowerPoint slides provided on the CD-ROM if you have a large screen and projector available.

Resources provided History props (provided)

Top hat 2 x Victorian-style caps 2 x Victorian-style bonnets Old Bible Old mug Money bag Tankard Copper pipe fitting Lights in darkest England matchbox Victorian-style slate and pencil Character bags x 8 (KS2) Time capsule sign and clues (KS1) ‘1912’ newspaper Diary excerpts, photos, letters etc

You will also need

Old SA bonnet* Old SA cap* Shawls* Black umbrella Extra old SA uniforms (optional) Blanket/old cardboard box Old worn out socks, shoes or clothing


History Zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (red) Odd One Out cards (Key Stage 1) T/F cards (download from CD-ROM) Props etc for time capsule/character bags/drama (listed opposite)

Details of character bag/time capsule contents (download from CD-ROM)

Drama/story scripts (download from CD-ROM) PowerPoint slides for drama (CD-ROM) DVD Clip: William Booth’s funeral Picture quiz cards Caps and bonnet templates for pupils - (order from Schools & Colleges Unit)

Caps and bonnet instructions (download from CD-ROM

You may also need

DVD player/laptop/projector/CD player A ‘time capsule’ – large bag, box or chest Bell or similar for KS2 drama Extra Victorian artefacts/costumes/scenery etc Display boards with picture trail cards (loan separately from Schools & Colleges Unit)




Keep it fast-paced and simple with a short introduction, main activity and short plenary. • Make it longer:

Use a longer plenary and include some or all of the extra activities. • Whole class session:

This zone is jam-packed with artefacts, drama and other activities which would work very well as a whole class session. The class could be divided into eight groups for the character activity, or if you use the drama, ask for volunteers to take part whilst the rest of the class act as the audience. Order extra sets of cards as necessary.


history zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we are going to travel back in time to discover how and why The Salvation Army began. Starter: Odd One Out (3-5 mins) First I want to find out how much you know about what life was like in Victorian times which is around 150 years ago. I will show you three pictures at a time and I want you to tell me which one is the odd one out – something which people would not have been able to do in Victorian times. Show the cards in the following groups: 1. Send a letter Read a newspaper Make a telephone call 2. Watch TV Play the piano Take a photo 3. Go to school Go to church Watch a film 4. Travel by train Go into space Travel by boat Life was very different in Victorian times. Lots of things people use all the time today had not been invented. Now we know a little bit about what life was like back then it’s time to find out about some people who lived during that time. Choose from the following activities: 1. Time capsule activity (15-20 minutes) Invite the pupils to sit around the time capsule, making sure everyone can see. In front of you is a very special and mysterious object. Can anyone see what it is? That’s right it’s a time capsule. Do you know what a time capsule is? Sometimes people fill a container or bag with lots of objects and clues about what life is like and about important events, and then they bury it in the ground. It stays buried for a very long time. Years and years later, when other people find it and open it up, they can find out about the past. In our time capsule there are lots of objects and clues to help us find out about how The Salvation Army began, more than 150 years ago. Shall we open it up and see what’s inside? First take out the 1912 newspaper. It looks like this newspaper was the last thing to be placed in the capsule. Unfold the newspaper and lay it out so all the pupils can see it. Can anyone see a date on the newspaper? Who can tell me what important event has happened? Read the first part of the article to the pupils, or pick out the most important points.


William Booth must have been someone important. I wonder why so many people went to his funeral. I think we should find out more about him and about the other people who have left clues in the capsule. As you take the other objects out of the capsule invite pupils to touch and ask questions about the objects. Ask them what they think some of the objects might have been used for and why they were put in the box. What might they have to do with the story of how The Salvation Army began? Allow them to use their imaginations – there are no right or wrong answers at this stage! Encourage them to put on hats and other items of clothing so they feel part of the story and identify with the characters. I wonder if there is anything else in the box to help us find out how The Salvation Army began. Look again in the time capsule and ‘discover’ the extra clues (time capsule cards). Each of these extra clues matches with an object to give us more information. Let’s see if we can work out which clue goes with each object. One by one, invite different pupils to take a clue and read it aloud, and then match it with the correct object. Alternatively, spread all the clues out on the floor and allow pupils to work together to match them all up. Read each clue together to check if they are matched correctly. Support with reading if necessary and encourage pupils to think about what they are learning by picking out anything interesting or surprising in the clues. We’ve explored all the objects in the time capsule and found out lots of important things about how and why The Salvation Army started. Now it’s time to see how much you remember. Let’s put all the objects away. Put all the objects and costumes back in the time capsule ready for the next group, before you move on to the plenary. or 2. Dramatic story (10-15 minutes) You are going to take part in a dramatic story about William Booth and The Salvation Army. Give out any hats, bonnets and shawls etc for pupils to wear to help them to feel that they are part of the story. Now I need you to help me to tell the story. You must listen out for certain names and words that you will hear in the story and each time you hear these names and words you will have an action to perform. The names and words you hear are important and will help you to remember the story.


Teach the children the actions for the following names/words. William Booth Booth often wore a top hat which was the fashion in the Victorian era. Imagine that you are wearing a top hat. When you hear William Booth’s name mime tipping your hat forward as if you are greeting someone. Catherine Booth Booth’s wife, Catherine, had a strong faith in God and prayed often. When you hear Catherine’s name put your hands together as if you are praying. poor Booth wanted to help the poor and needy who often felt deep despair and helplessness. When you hear the word ‘poor’ hold out your hands as if you are begging or asking for help. pawnbroker Booth became a pawnbroker’s apprentice when he was a teenager. This meant that he accepted valuable possessions like watches and jewellery from the poor in exchange for money. When you hear the word ‘pawnbroker’ rub your hands together as if you are pleased to receive more money. money A little money exchanged hands at the pawnbroker’s shop but the poor still found that they didn’t have enough to spare. When you hear the word ‘money’ rub your fingers together as if you have coins between them. match or matches The Salvation Army used to have its own matches. When you hear the word ‘match’ or matches’ strike a match on a matchbox. The Salvation Army William Booth founded (started) The Salvation Army. When you hear the words ‘The Salvation Army’ perform the Salvation Army salute. You may want to display the names/words throughout the story so that the children are reminded of what they are listening out for. See Key Stage 1 story script.


Quick plenary (3-4 mins) Use some or all of these questions to check what pupils have learnt.

Who started The Salvation Army? Can you remember what made William Booth feel that he should start The Salvation Army?

What else do you remember from the story? Can you tell me about anyone else helped by The Salvation Army? What did you like best about the story of how The Salvation Army began? Which part of the story did you think was most important?

Alternative plenary: Picture quiz (5-7 minutes) Show the pupils the series of pictures relating to the story of how The Salvation Army began. Ask them to tell you what is happening in each picture, giving as much detail as they can. Then read the back of the cards to check their answers.

extra activities Making bonnets and caps (10-15 minutes) Using ready-made cut-out shapes, a yellow or gold pencil and a stapler, pupils can construct their own Salvation Army bonnet or cap. (See instruction sheet – download from CD-ROM.) Pupil book (5 minutes) Pages 11 and 12 have a research activity with questions which pupils should be able to answer after completing the activities in this zone.


history zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we are going to travel back in time to discover how and why The Salvation Army began. Introduction: Visit the Victorians (3-5 minutes) The Salvation Army began in Victorian times, more than 150 years ago. Now, you may think you are experts on life in the Victorian times or you may think you know nothing at all. This game should tell me exactly how much you already know. So, here goes. I’m going to tell you a number of facts. For each fact that I say you can hold up either the ‘F’ card if you think the fact is false, or a ‘T’ card if you think the fact is true. So, let’s see how much you really know. If you had lived in Victorian times you would have been able to: • Watch television (F) • Buy a newspaper (T) • Do a crossword puzzle (F) • Play tennis (T) • Drive a car (F – cars were invented in Victorian times but only rich people could

afford them) • Take a photograph (T) • Sing ‘God save the King’ (F) • Make a phone call (F – not until later - the telephone was only invented during

Victorian times) • Go to church (T) • Go to school (T – only if you had enough money. At the beginning of the Victorian

times many poor children had to work in mines and factories. They had no choice because their families were so poor. Later, a law was made to say all children had to go to school and shouldn’t work.)

Life was very different when The Salvation Army began. Lots of things people use all the time today had not been invented, or were only just being invented. Now we know a little bit about what life was like back then it’s time to find out about some people who lived during that time.


Choose from the following two activities: 1. Character bag activity (15 minutes) In front of you are a number of bags which contain objects and clues. Each bag belongs to a different character who lived in Victorian times, and who has something to do with the beginnings of The Salvation Army. In a moment you’re each going to take a character bag and explore the objects and clues inside. If you have a hat or something to wear you might want to put it on to help you identify with your character. For each of the objects in the bag think about these questions: • What does this tell you about your character? • What do you think it has to do with the story of how The Salvation Army began? You can explore your character bags in pairs or groups of three. Ok, come and choose a bag. There are 8 character bags. If your group has fewer than 8 pupils, some pupils could be given two smaller characters to explore. If there are more than 8 pupils, some pupils could explore one character together. After about five minutes gather pupils back together and ask them what they have found out. You could ask each pupil to explain their objects and clues and read their diary excerpts, or have a more open discussion about what they have learnt. Encourage them to make connections between the characters (eg what does Catherine say about William? How are they related?). At the end of this activity ask pupils to put their objects back in the bag ready for the next group. Try to make sure the correct objects go back in each bag! or 2. ‘That was your life’ drama (10-15 minutes) Drama is a great way to find out about important events in history, and so you’re going to take part in a drama about how The Salvation Army began. The drama is based on an old TV show called ‘This is your life’, in which the presenter surprised famous people with the phrase ‘(name), this is your life!’ The person would then be taken to a TV studio, where their family, friends and old acquaintances would be waiting. The show was all about the person’s life and what they had achieved. See Key Stage 2 drama script.


Give out the character cards, making sure that everyone is comfortable with the amount of reading their character has in the drama. Now give out the props and costumes which go with each character. Give pupils a minute to look at their character cards before you begin. As well as reading your lines, every now and again I will ring a bell and ask you to come out of character and answer a question or two about the story. I will also look at you when it’s time to read your lines, or to hold up the ‘Clap’ sign. Depending on the facilities and space you have available, you may want to use the PowerPoint show which fits into the drama. DVD clip: William Booth’s funeral (5 minutes) The Salvation Army was founded by William Booth. By the time he died, in the year 1912, The Salvation Army had grown and had churches and was helping people in 58 countries. We’re going to watch part of a real film of William Booth’s funeral procession to realise just how much people respected him and what an impact he had made on the world. Make sure everyone can see the screen and show the DVD clip (3 mins 44). How many people do you think went to his funeral? (More than 35,000.) Why do you think there were so many people there? The film said that William Booth had been ‘promoted to Glory’ which is a Salvation Army way of saying he had gone to heaven. He had served God well and given his whole life to helping others, especially the poor and destitute and unloved. Now he had been given a kind of promotion – a place in heaven to live with God. Choose from the following plenaries: Plenary: Back to back quiz (3-5 minutes) To check what you have learnt about William Booth and the history of The Salvation Army, we’re going to have a quick game called ‘Back to back’. Two pupils will play at a time, standing back to back. I will ask a question, and the first pupil to turn around to the other player and say the answer wins the round. Play this individually, where the winner of each round takes on the next player, ie ‘last man standing’, or in two teams if you have a larger group – a different player from each team plays each round. 1. True or false? William Booth was born in 1929 (False – 1829.) 2. True or false? All children went to school when William Booth was growing up.

(False – lots of poorer children had to work in places like coal mines and factories.) 3. What was William Booth’s first job? (He worked in a pawnbroker’s shop – that’s

where he first saw real poverty.)


4. True or false? William became a Christian when he was a teenager. (True – he also made a special promise: ‘God shall have all there is of William Booth’.)

5. How did Booth feel about poor people? 6. Where did William and Catherine first meet? (At Catherine’s church when William

was preaching there) 7. True or false? William and Catherine got married in 1855. (True) 8. True or False? Bramwell Booth started The Salvation Army. (False – it was his father,

William, but Booth carried on his work) 9. What job did William Booth do after he was a pawnbroker, but before he started

The Salvation Army. (Preacher) 10. True or false? The Salvation Army started in 1865 in London. (True – although it was

called The Christian Mission at first until Booth changed its name in 1878.) 11. In 1887 William’s son Bramwell found a tram shed to use as a shelter. Who was the

shelter for? (Homeless men.) 12. The Salvation Army made its own matches. What were they called? (‘Lights in

Darkest England’) 13. True or false? William Booth died in the year 1905. (False – 1912) 14. The Salvation Army set up a scheme for hungry children. What was it called?

(‘Farthing breakfasts’) or Plenary: Picture quiz (5 minutes) Pupils work together to put the pictures in order to explain how The Salvation Army began. Ask them to explain which part of the story each picture represents.

extra activities Picture trail (10/15 minutes) You will need a set of Schools & Colleges display boards for this activity (see resources list). Pupils complete the history picture trail, discussing questions and finding out information about the beginnings of The Salvation Army. Making bonnets and caps (10-15 minutes) Using ready-made cut-out shapes, a pencil and a stapler, pupils can construct their own Salvation Army bonnet or cap. (See instruction sheet.) Pupil book (5 minutes) Page 13 has a research activity with questions which pupils should be able to answer after completing the activities in this zone.

about the uniform zone Overview In the Uniform Zone pupils think about why different people wear uniform and have the opportunity to dress up in a range of Salvation Army uniforms. Pupils trace the development of the Salvation Army uniform and think about why there are different uniforms for different cultures and climates, and for different occasions and jobs. Finally, they either make a Victorian bonnet and modern-day cap, or design their own Salvation Army uniform for the future. Points to note • If the school have brought a camera this zone could provide some good photo opportunities! • Some pupils may feel awkward about dressing up; if so give gentle encouragement but try not to

make them feel uncomfortable. You could offer them a uniform that doesn’t require as much dressing up. Alternatively pupils could just hold the uniforms.

Setting up the zone • If possible, hang up all the different kinds of uniform on a rail (or coat rack etc) to avoid the

‘jumble sale’ look! • If you’re feeling really creative, set up the Uniform Zone like a kind of walk-in wardrobe, with rails,

hat boxes, drawers and anything else you can think of! • You may also need a table and chairs for the design/craft activity. Resources provided

Uniforms (provided – loan only) Victorian style woman’s jacket Old SA bonnet and cap Victorian-style man’s jacket International uniform(s)

You will also need some/all of the following SA uniforms

Stand up collar tunics Modern open-neck tunic/shirt Red Shield hoody/T-shirt* Cap, bonnet, hat* Children’s uniform* Polo shirt* Red Shield hat* Red Shield high visibility jacket*


Uniform Zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (red) Pictures of different uniforms (Key Stage 1) Uniform timeline activity (Key Stage 1) ‘Why wear a uniform?’ cards (Key Stage 2) Uniforms (see opposite) Cap and bonnet card templates for pupils (order from Schools & Colleges Unit)

Cap and bonnet instructions (download from CD-ROM)

You may also need Hangers and a rail/coat rack Table and chairs Extra uniforms (see opposite) Fake rocks – screwed up grey/brown paper For making caps and bonnets: scissors, yellow

pastel pencils, staplers, black crêpe paper For designing a new uniform: good quality colouring pencils


The art and design activities could be completed at home or back in the classroom.



• Make the zone longer: Use the extra activities suggested, and allow more time for the art and design activities.

• Whole class session: There is a good variety of activities in this zone, most of which would work well in a whole class setting. Order extra sets of activity cards if necessary. The design a uniform activity included in the pupil book is also available to download separately from the CD-ROM.


uniform zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone we are going to:

• explore why members of The Salvation Army wear uniform • look at how The Salvation Army’s uniform has changed since Victorian times

Introduction: What is a uniform for? (5 minutes) To begin we’re going to look at some different uniforms which people wear. Sit the children in a circle and scatter the pictures showing people in different kinds of uniforms (police, fire fighter etc) in the middle of the circle. Pupils take it in turns to choose a card and say a) what job the person does/group the person belongs to and b) why they think this person needs to wear a uniform, until all the pictures have been discussed. How do you feel when you wear your school uniform? Salvation Army uniform (5 minutes) Now show the picture of a person in Salvation Army uniform. Why do you think many members of The Salvation Army wear a uniform? After hearing their ideas, tell the following short story: ‘A bomb had gone off in the centre of town. The police had cordoned off the whole area. Members of The Salvation Army arrived to find that no one was allowed inside, but when the policeman on duty saw them he said, “Oh, come in, you’re very welcome. People need your help.” The Salvation Army could comfort people who were hurt and give out hot drinks to the police and fire fighters.’

• How did the policeman know they were from The Salvation Army? It can be very important to wear a uniform to show who you are and what group or religion you belong to. Do other churches and religions have special clothes which show that they belong to their religion? Allow time for pupils to share their answers, either from personal experience, or recalling what they have seen or learnt before. Many religions show who they are and what they believe through what they wear.


Dressing up (10 minutes) Now it’s time to get dressed up! Help pupils to try on one of the uniforms (include as many as you can from the vintage and modern-day uniforms you have). Question pupils using some or all of the following questions:

How do you feel wearing that uniform? Is your uniform very smart and formal or relaxed? Which one do you think is a uniform don’t we wear any more? This is the kind of uniform which was worn when The Salvation Army first started. Point to the bonnet and explain that a long time ago lots of people were against The Salvation Army and would throw rocks and dangerous things as members marched down the street, so they needed something to protect their heads.

What kind of uniform do you think is worn by a Salvation Army minister today when he is leading a church service?

What kind of uniform might be worn to help in an emergency? What kind of uniform do you think children or young people wear? Explain that there are different uniforms for different activities and occasions and different uniforms for children and adults.

Which uniform would you like to wear if you were a member of The Salvation Army?

Art & design activity (10+ minutes) Choose from the following activities: • Design a new Salvation Army uniform for the future (pupil book/activity sheet) • Make a Victorian bonnet or cap (see instruction sheets)

extra activities Uniform timeline (3-5 minutes) When The Salvation Army first began in 1878, almost 150 years ago, its members decided they wanted to wear a uniform so people would know they were members of The Salvation Army. The uniform has changed a bit since 1878! I have five pictures of different Salvation Army uniforms and I want you to put them in order, going from the oldest uniform to the newest or most recent uniform. Pupils can complete this task as a whole group, or it could be done in two or more groups as a race (order extra sets of cards). This activity would work well before the dressing up activity.


uniform zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims: In this zone you will be:

• exploring why members of The Salvation Army wear uniform • looking at how The Salvation Army’s uniform has changed since Victorian times

Introduction: Why wear a uniform? (5 minutes) Can anyone tell me why they think they wear a school uniform? Encourage pupils to discuss the question together. What other kinds of people wear a uniform? People wear uniforms for lots of different reasons. On these cards are some of the different reasons a person might wear a uniform. Read through the cards then ask the following questions:

Which one do you think is most important? Which one do you think would be most important to a policeman? Which one would be most important for a footballer? Which one would be most important to a fire fighter? Which one would be most important to a soldier in the military army?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but they should promote some discussion about the different reasons people wear uniform, and pupils should be encouraged to explain their choices. Salvation Army uniform (5 minutes) The Salvation Army has a uniform too – do you think it’s unusual for a church to have a uniform? Do other churches and religions have a uniform? Do they have any special clothes which show that they belong to their religion? Allow time for pupils to share their answers, either from personal experience, or recalling what they have seen or learnt before. Many religions show their beliefs and identity through what they wear. Listen to this short story: ‘A bomb had gone off in the centre of town. Within minutes the police were at the scene and they cordoned off the whole area. Not long afterwards, members of The Salvation Army arrived, but they found that no one was allowed inside where the bomb had gone off. When the policeman on duty saw them he said, “Oh, come in, you’re very welcome, people need your help.” The Salvation Army was able to comfort people who were hurt and give out hot drinks to the victims and the fire fighters.’


• How did the policeman know they were from The Salvation Army and had come to help?

• What could have happened if they hadn’t been wearing a uniform?

Members of The Salvation Army wear a uniform for lots of different reasons. It shows people that there is someone on hand to talk to or to provide help, someone they can trust, especially in an emergency like in the story. Even more than that, it is a symbol of our beliefs and commitment to God, and our promise to serve and love others. It is a way of showing we are really serious about what we believe and what we do. Dressing-up activity (10-15 minutes) Now it’s time to explore some different kinds of Salvation Army uniforms – and it’s time for a bit of dressing up! Give out the uniforms and help pupils to try them on. Ask the pupils how they feel in their uniforms or what they think of them. You can now use them as a visual aid as you share the following information and questions. Begin with the Victorian uniforms.

• When The Salvation Army first began in 1878, people decided they wanted to wear uniforms to show people that they were serious about their mission to tell others about God’s love and to fight against evil and poverty. These were the kind of uniforms they wore. They were similar to the style of clothes other people were wearing at the time.

• This may surprise you, but at first some people really didn’t like The Salvation

Army. (For example, people who ran pubs were angry because lots of alcoholics were becoming members of The Salvation Army and they stopped drinking, so pub owners were making less money.) People often threw things at members of The Salvation Army as they marched down the street, like tomatoes and even sharp stones and rocks, so they had to wear something to protect their heads. There was a cap for the men and a bonnet for the women. (Demonstrate by asking one or more of the other pupils to throw the fake rocks at the pupil wearing the bonnet/cap.) Soon, people began to respect The Salvation Army, but the bonnet was still worn for a long time, although its shape changed.

• Why do you think the uniform changed to look like this, and then like this etc?

Point to some of the more modern uniforms. (It needed to be updated to fit in with the kind of clothes other people were wearing, so it wasn’t old-fashioned.) The uniform today looks more like a modern suit, and there are also hoodies and T-shirts for people who prefer to look more informal.


Apart from the Victorian uniforms (and stand-up collar uniforms etc) all of these outfits are worn by members of The Salvation Army today, even though they’re all different. See how quickly you can answer these questions:

Which uniform(s) looks like it might be worn in different countries? How can you tell? Why do you think there are different Salvation Army uniforms for different countries? (People wear different uniforms in countries like India and Africa because of the weather, and also to fit in with the type of clothes other people wear, but they still have the same symbols and often the same design.)

Which uniform do you think would be the best one for helping in an emergency? Why? (High visibility jacket - it’s very visible, has a large Red Shield and could be put on over any outfit if you were in a hurry.)

Which would be best for leading a church service, or a wedding or funeral? Why? (Tunic - it’s formal, people will know you’re the minister and it shows God respect.)

Which uniform would be best for talking to people living on the streets, late at night? (Hoody/hat – it’s warm, has a Red Shield and members won’t look out of place talking to people living on the street.)

Which one would you wear if you were helping to serve breakfast in a drop-in centre for homeless people? Why? (Polo shirt - it’s very practical, has a Red Shield and can be washed easily).

Which uniform do you think a child might wear? (Polo-shirt/jumper – it’s designed especially for children.)

Pupils can take the uniforms off now. Art & design activity (10+ minutes) Choose from the following activities: • Design a new Salvation Army uniform for the future (in pupil book/activity sheet) • Make a Victorian bonnet or cap (see instruction sheets)

extra activities Questions and extra information (2+ minutes) Ask pupils whether they have any questions about the uniform. The information below may help to answer some of them, or simply give extra information if there’s time.

• What do the different epaulettes or trimmings mean? Formal uniforms are all the same apart from the trimmings or epaulettes, showing our belief that everyone is equal – no one is more important than anyone else. However, there are different coloured epaulettes for officers (full-


time ministers) and for soldiers (members - who do not work for The Salvation Army full-time). The trimmings can also show how long someone has been an officer, or what position they hold. For example, the General, who is the leader of the whole Salvation Army, has different coloured epaulettes so people will know who he or she is.

• What do the ‘S’s on the collar stand for?

The ‘S’s may stand for ‘Salvation’. Some people say they stand for ‘saved to serve’ or ‘saved to save’. Members of The Salvation Army believe they have been saved by God, and so God has called them to save and serve others. What could it mean to be saved by God, or to save others?

• Does everyone have to wear a uniform?

Salvation Army ministers (officers) do, but only when they’re on official business, not when they’re at home or on holiday – a bit like a priests in other churches. Members (or soldiers) usually wear a uniform for church and for some other events, but they don’t have to wear it, and many choose not to. Why do you think some members might choose not to wear a uniform? (They may want to make other people who are not members feel more welcome.) If you don’t have to wear a uniform to be a member of The Salvation Army, what other ways could you show that you are a member? (By your actions and the way you live! Also by telling people.)


about the homelessness zone Overview In this zone pupils reflect on what it might be like to be homeless and find out how The Salvation Army tries to help. They begin by thinking about what makes a home and what they think is important in a home. Whilst acknowledging that people can be homeless in different ways, the main activities in this zone focus on people who live on the street. Pupils create a dramatic ‘freeze-frame’ scene to explore different attitudes and responses to homeless people, and build their own living space. A selection of objects and an optional DVD clip showing a Salvation Army hostel help pupils to understand different ways in which The Salvation Army supports homeless people. Setting up If you’re feeling creative, construct a simple street scene for this zone, with a wall and/or shop doorway, pavement, lamppost etc. Arrange the cardboard boxes, newspapers etc as they might be found on a street (eg in a rubbish bin/ready for collection) so that they are ready to be used for the ‘build a shelter’ activity. Resources provided

Homelessness zone A3 sign Display stand for A3 sign (green) Picture of homelessness A4 card What makes a home? cards (Key Stage 1) What makes a home? cards (Key Stage 2) Red shield cup Listening ear Picture of a hostel/flat Matthew 25 A3 card DVD Clip: A Salvation Army hostel 54321 number cards

You may also need

Cardboard boxes, newspapers, a blanket, dustbin bags (full of newspaper or empty), a few coins etc for building a shelter/living space

Empty cardboard box for items below (and some above) New toiletries, eg shower gel/toothbrush Torch/radio Sleeping bag/blanket Shoes Clothes and new socks Plate/food TV/DVD player



It may be difficult to deliver this zone in a meaningful and in-depth way if time is very limited. However, there are a number of ways to save time and speed up the zone. For example, use the introductory ‘What makes a home?’ activity as a simple question for reflection and discussion rather than using the cards. For Key Stage 2, choose either the freeze-frame or build a shelter activity.

• Make the zone longer: Use all the activities! There are also extra activities in the pupil book.

• Whole class session: There are a variety of activities in this zone and, providing you have good amount of space, they would work well as a whole class workshop. The activities in the pupil book would allow pupils to reflect on what they have learnt.


homelessness zone - key stage 1 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• think about what it is like to be homeless • discover how The Salvation Army helps homeless people

What makes a home? (5 minutes) Our first activity is called ‘What makes a home?’. Place the outline of the house in the middle of the group and scatter the cards around it. Here are some different things which you might have in a home. As a group, I want you to choose just six cards to place in the house to make it into a home. Discuss each card in turn and encourage the children to explain their choices. Home can mean different things to different people. For some people it might just be where their family is and where they feel safe and loved. For others it may be important to have their own space and their own belongings. Sadly, many people in this country don’t have a home. What is it like to be homeless? (5 minutes) People can be homeless in different ways. A family who has had to move into a bed-and-breakfast or a hostel might be homeless, even though they have a shelter. A person who has had to leave their own country where they grew up, because of danger or war, might be homeless. All kinds of people can become homeless. In this zone we’re going to think especially about homeless people who live on the street. Show pupils the picture card showing a homeless person sleeping on the street. Depending on where you live, pupils may or may not have encountered people who are homeless. Have you ever seen people living on the street? How do you feel about them? Encourage the children to share any experiences they have had. Build a shelter (8 minutes) To help us think more about what it is like to be homeless, we’re going to build our own living space or shelter. I want you to imagine that all you have is a pavement or a shop doorway. Here are some things you have found on the street to help you make your own place to live. In two groups, you will have three minutes to use the items you have to create the warmest, most comfortable and safe place you can, which you will use to live and


sleep in. Divide the group into two smaller groups. Give out a selection of items (boxes, newspapers etc) to each group to help them make their shelter. At the end of three minutes ask each group some or all of the following questions: • Is your living space comfortable? • How will you keep warm? What have you used to keep the rain out? • How will you clean yourself each day? • Where will you get your next meal? • What will you do if you get sick? • Who do you have to talk to? • How do you feel living on the streets? These questions should promote some discussion about how it may feel to be homeless and some of the difficulties homeless people face. How does The Salvation Army help homeless people? (5 minutes) I wonder what else a homeless person would need to make their shelter more comfortable. In this box I have some objects to help us understand the different ways The Salvation Army tries to help people living on the streets. Take items out of the box one at a time and ask pupils what they think each one shows or represents. Add the following explanations: • Cup – in some cities there are soup runs which go out late at night giving out hot

drinks and food. • Plate – breakfast or lunch is served to homeless people in many community centres

and hostels. • Sleeping bag, toiletries, torch – there are lots of drop-in centres which give out

things which are useful to people who live on the streets. • Shower gel, clean clothes/socks etc – some drop-in centres have showers where

people can get clean, and they give out fresh clothes and shoes. • Ear – homeless people need someone to listen to them, be friends with them and to

show they care. This is just as important as all the practical things like food and clothes.

• Picture of a home – the most important way The Salvation Army helps homeless people is by helping them to get off the streets and eventually into a proper home. There are more than 50 Salvation Army hostels in the UK and Ireland where homeless people can stay.


Summing up (2 minutes) I am now going to count down until the end of the session and I need you to help me. Hold up each number card as you count down.

• Tell me 3 different ways The Salvation Army helps homeless people who live on the street

• Tell me 2 different ways people might treat a homeless person • Tell me 1 feeling a homeless person might have

extra activities Pupil book (5+ minutes) There are activities relating to this zone on pages 5 and 6 of the pupil book.


homelessness zone - key stage 2 Welcome pupils to the zone and remind them of your name. Aims In this zone we’re going to:

• think about what it is like to be homeless • discover how The Salvation Army helps homeless people

What makes a home? (5 minutes) I wonder what you think of when you hear the word ‘home’. Spread out the cards in the middle of the group. On these cards are some answers to the question ‘What makes a home?’. As a group, I want you to decide on six statements which best answer that question and describe what you think a home is, then place them in order of importance. This activity should create some discussion as pupils agree and disagree on which statements to choose. If necessary encourage more discussion by questioning pupils about the statements, eg just because a place has a bed does it make it a home? When pupils have decided on five, briefly look through them and ask pupils to explain their choices. Stress that there are no right or wrong answers to these questions and that ‘home’ might mean different things to different people. What is it like to be homeless? (2 minutes) Sadly, there are many people who do not have a home. People can be homeless in different ways. For example, a person living on the streets can be homeless, and so can a family who have had to move into a bed-and-breakfast or a hostel, perhaps because their house has been flooded. Someone who has had to leave their own country because of war, or someone who has to stay with friends all the time can also be homeless. Maybe you know someone who has become homeless. In this zone we’re going to think especially about homeless people who live on the street. Show pupils the picture card showing a homeless person living on the street. Depending on where you live, pupils may or may not have encountered people who are homeless. Have you seen people living on the street? How do you feel about them?


Freeze-frame activity (8-10 minutes) Together we’re going to create a dramatic freeze-frame photograph. This will help us to think about what it is like to be homeless and living on the street, and about how people act towards homeless people. Designate a space to create the freeze-frame. I want one of you to be a homeless person in our photograph. You need to get into a ‘frozen’ position which you think shows the feelings of a homeless person. If you can, think about who your character might be and how they became homeless, and keep that in your mind. Now I would like the rest of you, one at a time, to get into different positions around the homeless person. Think about how you might feel or act towards that person. Suggest characters they could be in the scene (businessperson, school pupils, busy mum, street cleaner, shopkeeper of the shop next to where the homeless person is sitting, a religious leader, a person who is late for a meeting). Guide the pupils as necessary, eg you may feel like you want to help the person so you might lean towards them as if you are giving them something. You may have not noticed the homeless person, or have turned away on purpose. Think about your attitude to the homeless person and try to show that with your body and expression. Once all the pupils are frozen in their positions, wander around the freeze-frame photograph. In a moment I am going to tap one of you on the shoulder. When I do, I want you to relax and come out of your frozen position and I will ask you some questions. Then you will go back into position when I say ‘freeze’. Ask each character in turn how they feel towards the homeless person and why. The homeless person will be the last person that you unfreeze, using the following questions: • How do you feel about that person? Point to a few of the characters in turn. How

about this person? • Is there anyone here you think you can trust? • What would you say if you could speak to these people? • How do you feel living on the streets? Pupils can come out of character and sit back in the circle.


Why do people become homeless? (3 minutes) People become homeless for all kinds of reasons. Can you think of any? Here are a few: • an argument with their family • run out of money and can’t pay rent • addicted to alcohol or drugs (leads to running out of money or arguments) • family can’t or won’t look after them any more Do you think your feelings towards a homeless person would change if you knew more about them, how they became homeless and how they felt? Build a shelter (8 minutes) This activity can replace the freeze-frame activity if time is limited. All of you are now going to think more about what it is like to be homeless. I’m going to split you into two groups. Each group will be given a number of items to create their own living space. Give out a selection of items to each group, or allow them to find things which are spread out along your street scene. You have three minutes to use the items you have to create the warmest, safest, most comfortable place which you will use to live and sleep in. You need to try out your living space and get into role as a homeless person. At the end of three minutes ask each group the following questions: • Is your living space comfortable? • How will you keep warm at night? • What have you used to keep the rain out? • How will you clean yourself each day? • Where will you get your next meal? • What will you do if you get sick? • Who do you have to talk to? • What else would you like to make your life better? How does The Salvation Army help homeless people? (5 minutes) In this box I have some objects to help us understand the different ways The Salvation Army tries to help people living on the streets. Take items out of the box one at a time and ask pupils what they think each one shows or represents. Add the following explanations: • Cup – in some cities there are soup runs which go out late at night giving out hot

drinks and food.


• Plate – breakfast or lunch is served to homeless people in community centres. Sometimes restaurants and supermarkets donate their left-over packaged food to be given out by The Salvation Army.

• Sleeping bag, toiletries, torch – there are lots of drop-in centres which give out things which are useful to people who live on the streets.

• Shower gel, clean clothes/socks etc – some drop-in centres have showers where people can get clean, and they give out fresh clothes and shoes.

• Ear – homeless people need someone to listen to them, be friends with them and show they care. This is just as important as all the practical things like food and clothes.

• Picture of a home – the most important service The Salvation Army provides is to help people to get off the streets and eventually into a proper home. They have more than 50 hostels for homeless people in the UK and Ireland. The Salvation Army wants to put an end to homelessness.

Summing up (2 minutes) To see how much you have remembered in this zone I’m going to count down to the end of the session, but I need you to help me. Hold up each number card as you count down.

• Tell me 5 items that The Salvation Army might give to a homeless person who lives on the street

• Tell me 4 things a homeless person might use to make a living space • Tell me 3 different ways people treat homeless people • Tell me 2 different ways someone could become homeless • Tell me 1 way The Salvation Army helps homeless people to get off the street.

extra activities DVD clip: Tour of a hostel (2 minutes) Show DVD tour of a hostel (1.35) in the ‘How does The Salvation Army help homeless people?’ section. Pupil book (5+ minutes) There are activities relating to this zone on pages 11 and 12 of the pupil book.


think tank Once all the pupils have visited the zones, they come back together for a final plenary session – the think tank. Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed travelling around the zones. Have you had a good morning/afternoon/day? I’m going to give you a few minutes to fill in the Think Tank page in the back of your pupil booklet and write down the new things you have learnt about The Salvation Army, what the visit has made you think about and what you have enjoyed. Support any pupils who need help writing their thoughts down, or remembering what they have learnt – they may be a little overwhelmed with information! After a few minutes, invite pupils to share their answers with the class – first what they learnt, then what the visit made them think about, or what they enjoyed. Encourage pupils to try to give different answers to the others, if possible. For Key Stage 2, you could refer back to the initial ideas they had about The Salvation Army in the welcome session and see whether any of these have changed. Thank pupils and teachers for engaging in the activities and for being so enthusiastic to learn about The Salvation Army and for working very sensibly. Hand out copies of ‘Kids Alive!’, information leaflets etc and make sure pupils take everything with them!

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Ultimate Church Visit zone outlines and scripts

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