Picture Pack A set of 16 pictures showing The Salvation Army s work, with accompanying lesson and assembly ideas. Ideal for upper primary and lower secondary RE and Citizenship lessons.
Picture Pack activities Make the most of your Picture Pack with these 12 simple lesson and assembly ideas. 1. Exploring the pictures Put pupils in pairs and give out a picture to each pair. Make sure they only look at the picture side and don t turn it over. Give pupils one minute to discuss the following questions with their partner: a. What can you see in the picture? What could be happening? b. What do you think the people might be thinking or saying to each other? c. What do you think this picture might show about The Salvation Army? When all the pupils have discussed the questions, ask them to turn the pictures over and see if their ideas match, or are similar to, the information on the back, before passing the picture on to the next pair. Repeat four or five times. 2. Drama Once pupils have explored and discussed a picture, ask them to make up a two-minute sketch or mime which brings the picture to life. 3. Who, what, why, where, when? Ask pupils in small groups to think of questions beginning with who, what, why, where and when for some of the pictures, then discuss their questions before turning over to read the information on the back. 4. Get inside the picture Divide pupils into small groups and ask them to imagine they are inside the picture. Where would they put themselves? What would they be doing or thinking if they were inside the picture / in that situation? (This activity may work better with some pictures than others.) 5. Speech and thought bubbles Give pupils, or groups of pupils, a packet of Post-it Notes (speech bubble-shaped if possible) as well as one or more picture cards (or display the picture cards around the room). Ask them to imagine and discuss what each person in the photograph could be saying or thinking, write this on a Post-it Note and stick it on the picture. 6. Connections Divide pupils into groups of four or five and give each group three or more pictures. Challenge them to think of any connections which link the pictures together. Encourage them to think of unusual or meaningful connections, rather than they are all about The Salvation Army. Alternatively, is there an odd one out? 7. Belief in action Look up and print out some of the following Bible teachings and stories: 1 John 3:16-18; Luke 10:25-37 (The parable of the Good Samaritan); James 2:14-19; Matthew 25:35-40; Isaiah 58:6-10; Luke 15:11-24 (The parable of the lost son); 1 Timothy 4:12; Psalm 69:33; Acts 1:14. Use a modern translation of the Bible such as the Contemporary English Version, New International Reader s Version, or, for older children, The Message or The Word on the Street. Ask pupils to work together and link up the Bible teachings and stories with the pictures, to help them think about how The Salvation Army is showing what they believe through their actions.
8. Headlines Distribute the pictures between small groups of pupils and ask them to work together to create a newspaper headline for each photograph, imagining that a newspaper is running a feature on The Salvation Army, using a different photograph for each article. Encourage them to think further about what other information the article would include and how they could investigate to find out more. 9. What s the story? Some of the pictures could have possible stories behind them. Pupils could develop a narrative around some of the photos, using the picture as the starting point for a monologue or conversation. 10. Find out more Pupils could do their own research and find out more about The Salvation Army by exploring these web-based and printed resources: l What is The Salvation Army? booklet (available from the Schools & Colleges Unit). l www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/primary-pupil-factfiles (fact files for 7-11 year olds) l www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/id (international work) l www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/annualreview (general work, mission and beliefs) l www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/heritagevisitus (history) 11. Acrostic At the end of a lesson or series of lessons about The Salvation Army, challenge pupils to create their own acrostic using the letters The Salvation Army. Why not develop this into a classroom display? 12. A simple assembly or talk about The Salvation Army Preparation (Optional) Stick a white strip of paper or card over the text at the bottom of each letter if you want pupils to try to guess what the letter stands for. Make sure there is room for 16 pupils to stand (or sit on benches or chairs) in a line at the front of the room. Talk After a welcome and introduction, ask for 16 volunteers to come and stand or sit in a line at the front. If you re a visitor you could ask a teacher to choose the volunteers. Give out a card to each pupil so that the letters spell out The Salvation Army. Tell the pupils that you are going to find out 16 different things about The Salvation Army, and that at the end you re going to see how many they remember. Invite each volunteer to stand up or forward one at a time and hold up their letter. If you are a visitor, make it more personal by asking the pupil s name and seeing if they have any ideas about what the letter could stand for. Then invite the volunteer to turn over the card and use the simple explanations to tell the pupils about the picture. The pupils should remain standing and keep their picture visible so everyone can see it; this should help pupils to remember them later! Repeat for each volunteer and letter. At the end, see what the pupils remember. Ask the pupils to turn their pictures back to the letter side. Go through each one and see if the pupils can remember what each one stands for. Hopefully they will be able to remember all 16!
Picture information Time Taking time to listen to people and understand their problems and feelings is one of the most important parts of The Salvation Army s work. Time is very precious, so when a person gives someone else their time, it shows them that they are important and valuable. Homelessness The Salvation Army is well known for helping people who are homeless. Its members (Salvationists) have always believed God wants them to care for people who are forgotten by others. The Salvation Army has street teams, advice centres, breakfasts and lunches, as well as Lifehouses where homeless people can stay and start to rebuild their lives. Emergencies When there is a fire, flood, earthquake or bomb, The Salvation Army is often quickly at the scene. There are special emergency vans, and teams of people serving hot drinks and food to emergency workers and victims. They also comfort people who are hurt or upset and often provide emergency shelters. Shelter There are 62 Salvation Army centres in the UK where people who have no place to stay can get shelter, but they provide more than just a bed for the night. The centres help people learn new skills, deal with their problems and build confidence in themselves. They support them in finding a job and a home of their own. Actions The Salvation Army strongly believes in putting faith into action. The things it does for people in the community are just as important as worship and prayer. Salvationists fix up gardens, give out food parcels, visit the elderly, run after-school clubs, and try to meet any needs people have in practical ways. Love As a Christian church, The Salvation Army believes in a God who loves every person he created. Salvationists try to show his love to others through the way they live and the work they do. That means caring for anyone who is suffering or hurting and helping anyone in need. Visiting prisoners Many Salvation Army officers (ministers) and members visit prisoners. They want them to know that whatever they have done, they are still loved by God and they can be forgiven and make a new start. The Salvation Army also cares for prisoners families who need support. Advice Helping people to find good solutions to their problems is an important part of The Salvation Army s work. It gives advice to people who are finding it hard to get a job, people who have money problems, those who need help with an addiction and families who are struggling to cope.
Together In Salvation Army churches people like to be together. Every week they meet to worship, pray and learn more about their faith. They also play music and sing together, eat together and care for each other as a family does. Anyone is welcome to come to a Salvation Army church and can find a place to belong. International The Salvation Army works in 126 countries around the world. As well as having churches and community centres in most of these countries, there are also hospitals and clinics, schools, wells to provide safe and clean water, homes for street children, nurseries and much more. Older people When people get older they sometimes need more care and support. They can feel lonely and find it harder to cope on their own. The Salvation Army has day centres and homes for the elderly. It also has lunch clubs and friendship groups, and it members visit people at home to chat and help with shopping or gardening. Neighbours Members of The Salvation Army believe that loving God and loving your neighbour is the most important thing in life. For them, neighbours aren t just friends, or people who live next door. Neighbours can be anyone in their community or in the world who needs love and help. Appeals Every year The Salvation Army in the UK has appeals to help raise money for its work. Members and volunteers take part in door-to-door collecting, collecting in towns and shopping centres and organising other fundraising events. Without people s donations, The Salvation Army couldn t do all the work it does. Reuniting families The Salvation Army has a Family Tracing Service which helps people find family members who have gone missing, or reunite those who have lost touch with each other over time. The Salvation Army believes families are very important and it helps to reunite 2,500 people every year. Meals Every day, hundreds of meals are served at Salvation Army centres across the UK and Ireland to families, older people, children and people who have no homes. At Christmas, The Salvation Army serves special meals for people who would otherwise be on their own. Youth There are lots of activities for children and youth in The Salvation Army. Youth clubs, music groups, summer camps and volunteering are just some of the ways that young people can get involved. They also have their own times of worship where they pray, sing, have fun together and learn about their faith. The Salvation Army (UK & Ireland Territory) Schools & Colleges Unit Tel: 020 7367 4706 Email: schools@salvationarmy.org.uk www.salvationarmy.org.uk/schools
Time Taking time to listen to people and understand their problems and feelings is one of the most important parts of The Salvation Army s work. Time is very precious, so when a person gives someone else their time, it shows them that they are important and valuable.
Homelessness The Salvation Army is well known for helping people who are homeless. Its members (Salvationists) have always believed God wants them to care for people who are forgotten by others. The Salvation Army has street teams, advice centres, breakfasts and lunches, as well as Lifehouses where homeless people can stay and start to rebuild their lives.
Emergencies When there is a fire, flood, earthquake or bomb, The Salvation Army is often quickly at the scene. There are special emergency vans, and teams of people serving hot drinks and food to emergency workers and victims. They also comfort people who are hurt or upset and often provide emergency shelters.
Shelter There are 62 Salvation Army centres in the UK where people who have no place to stay can get shelter, but they provide more than just a bed for the night. The centres help people learn new skills, deal with their problems and build confidence in themselves. They support them in finding a job and a home of their own.
Actions The Salvation Army strongly believes in putting faith into action. The things it does for people in the community are just as important as worship and prayer. Salvationists fix up gardens, give out food parcels, visit the elderly, run after-school clubs, and try to meet any needs people have in practical ways.
Love As a Christian church, The Salvation Army believes in a God who loves every person he created. Salvationists try to show his love to others through the way they live and the work they do. That means caring for anyone who is suffering or hurting and helping anyone in need.
Visiting prisoners Many Salvation Army officers (ministers) and members visit prisoners. They want them to know that whatever they have done, they are still loved by God and they can be forgiven and make a new start. The Salvation Army also cares for prisoners families who need support.
Advice Helping people to find good solutions to their problems is an important part of The Salvation Army s work. It gives advice to people who are finding it hard to get a job, people who have money problems, those who need help with an addiction and families who are struggling to cope.
Together In Salvation Army churches people like to be together. Every week they meet to worship, pray and learn more about their faith. They also play music and sing together, eat together and care for each other as a family does. Anyone is welcome to come to a Salvation Army church and can find a place to belong.
International The Salvation Army works in 126 countries around the world. As well as having churches and community centres in most of these countries, there are also hospitals and clinics, schools, wells to provide safe and clean water, homes for street children, nurseries and much more.
Older people When people get older they sometimes need more care and support. They can feel lonely and find it harder to cope on their own. The Salvation Army has day centres and homes for the elderly. It also has lunch clubs and friendship groups, and it members visit people at home to chat and help with shopping or gardening.
Neighbours Members of The Salvation Army believe that loving God and loving your neighbour is the most important thing in life. For them, neighbours aren t just friends, or people who live next door. Neighbours can be anyone in their community or in the world who needs love and help.
Appeals Every year The Salvation Army in the UK has appeals to help raise money for its work. Members and volunteers take part in door-to-door collecting, collecting in towns and shopping centres and organising other fundraising events. Without people s donations, The Salvation Army couldn t do all the work it does.
Reuniting families The Salvation Army has a Family Tracing Service which helps people find family members who have gone missing, or reunite those who have lost touch with each other over time. The Salvation Army believes families are very important and it helps to reunite 2,500 people every year.
Meals Every day, hundreds of meals are served at Salvation Army centres across the UK and Ireland to families, older people, children and people who have no homes. At Christmas, The Salvation Army serves special meals for people who would otherwise be on their own.
Youth There are lots of activities for children and youth in The Salvation Army. Youth clubs, music groups, summer camps and volunteering are just some of the ways that young people can get involved. They also have their own times of worship where they pray, sing, have fun together and learn about their faith.