Different Santa

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/12/03/black-santa-solidarity/

The Kennedy family live in Arkansas, USA. They put up their Christmas decorations this year, as they do every year, in front of their house. The decorations include a large inflatable Christmas tree and inflatable Santa next to twinkling lights. But this year after a week the family received a letter saying they should take the Santa down. The letter claimed to be from Santa and said, "I am a white man to you and have been for the last 600 years." At the end of the letter the writer suggested the family move to a different neighbourhood.

The family wondered if they had made the right choice and if they should move. They shared the letter on social media  but they were immediately deluged with messages of support from their neighbours. What do you think the neighbours did next? Slowly, one by one, Black Santas started appearing all over the neighbourhood. 

One of the first people to put up a Black Santa was 70 year old Chip Welch. Chip said the letter was, "not reflective of the kind of country I want to live in. We were all pretty concerned about it and we decided it would be poetic for everyone to get Black Santa's."

Will and Paula Jones live across the street and have put up a Black Santa. Paula said when she heard about the letter, "My first thought was, 'Where can I get one?"

Neighbour Ben Keller had a two year old son who is black. Ben says their son is "absolutely thrilled to see some Santa's that reflect back to him."

People have also sent donations to the Kennedy family, who have donated everything to charity. They have received over $1000.

- why would someone write that letter, what was their aim?

- how do you think the Kennedy family felt when they first read the letter?

- Chip Welch says the letter is "not reflective of the kind of country I want to live in" what does that mean?

- why do you think Paula immediately thought, "Where can I get one"?

- why do you think so many neighbours put up black Santas and shared photos?

- what does this story show about lots of people in America today and their attitude to diversity and difference?

- how do you think the Kennedy family felt when they saw their neighbours' reactions?

- Ben Keller says his Black son is "thrilled to see some Santas that reflect back at him" what does this mean?

- what does representation mean and why is it important today?

- Do you think it matters what skin colour Santa has?

- what can we learn from the Kennedy family?

- what can we learn from their neighbours?

- why is this about No Outsiders?

- Which British value is this about?

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Train lines

 

https://londonist.com/london/transport/london-overground-line-names-now-out-in-the-wild

https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2024/february/london-s-overground-lines-to-be-given-new-names-and-colours-in-historic-change-to-capital-s-transport-network

What do you see in the picture? Where is this taken? What does it mean?

This photo is taken on a platform at a London overground train station.

Last month, London train maps had 6 new names added. Train lines have been renamed or rebranded.

The new names are:

Suffragette Line

Liberty line

Lioness line

Mildmay line,

Weaver line

Windrush line

When a train line is changed, it takes a lot of work. Think about where passengers see those names as they travel on the trains; what things need to be changed (timetables, maps, signs on platforms and in carriages, announcements at stations.)

The aim, when London Transport looked for new names, was to honour histories and communities and choose names to showcase London's rich history, heritage and diversity."

What do you think that means?

How might they do that?

Do you know where each of the names come from?

Suffragettes line celebrates how people fought for votes for women and paved the way for women's rights. The line runs to Barking, which was where the longest surviving suffragette lived. Annie Huggett died there aged 103.

Windrush line- runs through areas of London with strong Caribbean communities and honours the contributions that people who arrived in England on the Empire Windrush ship that arrived in England from the Caribbean in 1948. People on the ship had been invited to Britain to help rebuild the country after World War 2.

Mildmay line honours a small hospital in London that for years has cared for people for many years, particularly LGBT people.

Weaver line honours diverse migrant workers in Bethnal Green and Hackney who built up London's textile trade.

Lioness line honours the achievements of the England's women's football team who continue to empower the next generation of women and girls in sport.

Liberty Line celebrates "the freedom that is a defining feature of London"

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said; "The new names and colours have been chosen through engagement with passengers, historians and local communities, reflecting the heritage and diversity of our amazing city."

- Why do you think London transport decided to do this?

- Why choose names of events and people that happened a long time ago, why not look forward instead?

- What do you think "The freedom that is a defining feature of London" means?

- Is freedom a defining feature of our town, our school? How do you know?

- Why didn't they choose more names like liberty; why not choose names like "Equality" or "Democracy" or "Welcome line"? Why choose real people/ real events?

- What does this show about the UK today?

- What can we learn from London transport?

- Why is this about No Outsiders?

- Which British value is this about?

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Astronaut

 

She was working at McDonald's at 17. Now, she's become the first Mexican-born woman in space - Scoop Upworthy

What do you see in the picture? Who do you think is in the space suit, what do they look like in person? What kind of person becomes an astronaut?

  

This is Katya Echazarreta, Katya was an immigrant in America who was working in McDonalds serving fries aged 17. Today she is the first Mexican born woman to travel to space. 

- What is an immigrant?

- What is a stereotype and how is Katya challenging stereotypes about immigrants?

Katya is an engineer and science communicator. 

-What is an engineer?

- What do you think a science communicator is?

Katya says travelling to space has a huge impact on her and she wanted others to have the experience; "The only thing I could think of when I am back down was that I need people to see this. I need Latinas to see this. And I think it just completely reinforced my mission to continue getting primarily women and people of colour up to space and do whatever  it is they want to do."

Lot's to discuss in that quote- what do you think of what Katya says?

- What is a Latina?

- Why is she saying she wats to get primarily women and people of colour in to space; is that fair?

"Our greatest wish is that this experience encourages young people and children to dream and to dedicate themselves to STEM and to build a better future for all."

- What is STEM? (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics?

- How can STEM build a better future for us all?

- why does Katya want young people to dream and dedicate themselves to STEM?

Katya was an immigrant as a 7 year old when her family moved to America. She felt like an outsider because she couldn't speak the language. A teacher at the time told her she was not making progress and would have to be held back in class; "It just really fuelled me, and I think ever since then, ever since third grade, I kind of just went off and have not stopped."

- What made Katya feel like an outsider; her language or something else? (it was the other pupils not making her feel welcome)

- Do you think the teacher was right to say that?

- why didn't Katya give up in school?

Aged 17 Katya was determined to go to college so she had four jobs, including one at McDonalds, to earn enough to pay her bills and feed her family. 

- why do you think college so important to Katya?

Katya is now doing a masters degree at John Hopkins University and she works at NASA. She wants to be a role model for others.

- what is a role model?

- who do you think she wants to be a role model for?

Katya says, "Throughout my journey in engineering school, I was very aware of the lack of women in the field. I've been given the opportunity to help guide those girls and women who, like me, are looking for someone with experience in what they are going through. in the field"

- why do you think there are a lack of women in STEM?

- do you thin there are still stereotypes about scientists today?

- what can we do about this at our school?

- what can we learn from Katya?

- Why is this about No Outsiders? 

- Which British Value is this about?

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Magician

 

Magic Circle tries to track down first female member – who posed as a man | Magic | The Guardian

What do you see in the picture? Are these recent photos? These people are related -how do you think they are related?

The photos show Raymond Lloyd on the left and Sophie Lloyd on the right. They are the same person. 

Sophie is a magician and in 1990, she applied to join the magic circle. The magic circle is an official group of magicians that has been running since 1905, when 23 magicians met at a restaurant in London and decided to form a society. There are currently 1700 members. To apply to be a member today, you have to pass a 20 minute magic test.  

Sophie joined the magic circle as Raymond in 1990. 

Why do you think she joined as Raymond?

Since 1905, the magic circle only admitted male members. Sophie would not be allowed to join as a woman so she dressed as Raymond, passed the test and was admitted.

Sophie was helped by another female magician, Jenny Winstanley, to get in to the magic circle. Jenny was interviewed at the time and said, "We really wanted to prove that women are as good as men."

Within 18 months, the magic circle changed its policy and in 1990, the group announced female magicians were allowed to join.

Sophie then felt she could reveal her true self and she told the group she was female.

What do you think happened next?

Many of the members were angry at Sophie, calling her actions a "deliberate deception". Sophie was expelled from the magic circle.

Do you agree this was "deliberate deception"? What is your opinion about Sophies actions?

What is your opinion about the magic circle and their response? Can you understand their position?

Today the magic circle is trying to find Sophie Lloyd. 

Why do you think they are trying to find her?

The magic circle want to apologise to Sophie and invite her back, over 30 years after expelling her.

Why do you think they want to do this?

Today the magic circle has a female chair, Laura London. Laura says, "It's almost as if they just made her vanish from thin air, tried to brush it under the carpet, but obviously now the story has come out and we're so desperate to right this wrong."

What does "brush it under the carpet" mean? Why were the magic circle doing that? 

"I think just to even sit down with her and hear her side of the story would be wonderful for us. But more than that, we could invite her back in to the society, which would be the most incredible thing."

But no one can find Sophie, it is almost as if she has vanished! 

Laura says, "We really don't know what happened to her. But I'd like to think that maybe we can give her some closure to this extraordinary thing that she did, let her know it was remembered, that it will go down in history. I think it's really important to tell her: thank you for everything and we're very sorry for what happened."

Laura says what Sophie did is "so appreciated from all of us women now."

- Why do the magic circle want to apologise for something that happened over 30 years ago?

- Does it matter if it was so long ago?

- "We really wanted to prove that women are as good as men." why did Jenny and Sophie want to prove that?

- Why do you think no one can find Sophie? Has she really vanished? (she is a magician, after all!)

- If she is found, do you think Sophie should re-join the magic circle?

- What can we learn from Sophie in this story?

- why is this story about No Outsiders? 

- Which British value is this about?

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Paddington

 

New Paddington Bear mural arrives at London’s South Bank | News Shopper

A mural has appeared at the Southbank in London, a short walk from Waterloo station, to celebrate the new Paddington film.

The aim of the mural is to give visitors to London a warm welcome.

The creator was a Peruvian artist Gisella Stapleton whose task was to celebrate Paddington being London’s first ever “Welcome Ambassador.”

Director of Visit London, Simon McCaugherty, says, “As Paddington himself says, ‘In London everyone is different and that means anyone can fit in’.”

The Paddington bear character was created in 1958 by author Michael Bond and is today one of the most famous characters in British literature.

Gisella says, “This image represents the heart of Paddington – and the heart of every immigrant. With open doors, where inside the love for our land, represented by the Andes, is mixed with the love for the land that welcomes us, our beloved London.

For me, living in London for 13 years has been an enriching experience, meeting people from many parts of the world and their cultures, it is a magical city, just like Paddington, I have always felt that I fit in.”

-          -What is an immigrant?

-          -Is the Paddington character an immigrant? What makes him an immigrant?

-          -What do you think a welcome ambassador is, how can a fictional character who is not real be a welcome ambassador?

---- Could we have welcome ambassadors at our school? What would that look like? 

-          -‘In London everyone is different and that means anyone can fit in’.” Do you agree? Is it true where we live? Is it true for our school? How do you know?

-          -One of the most famous characters in British literature is an immigrant; what does that show about British people today?

-          -“With open doors, where inside the love for our land, represented by the Andes, is mixed with the love for the land that welcomes us, our beloved London.” What do you think Gisella means by this?

-          -Can you feel love for a land where you were born if you no longer live there? Can you feel love for two lands?

-          -“Meeting people from many parts of the world and their cultures, it is a magical city, I have always felt that I fit in.” Why do you think Gisella feels she fits in?

-          -How do we make sure everyone feels they fit in at our school?

-          -Why is this about No Outsiders?

-Which British value is this about?

KS1 version of this assembly here 

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Remembrance Sunday 2024

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46124467

What do you see in the picture? What is this story about, what happened on Sunday?

People across the UK held a two minute silence on Sunday to remember all those who lost their lives in World War One and all wars around the world. World War One lasted from 1914-1918 and ended at 11:00 AM on 11th November 1918. 

Imagine a World War 1 soldier - what did they look like? What kind of person fought in World War One? 

What do you see in this picture? What is happening, what do you notice about the people in the foreground and the people in the background. Where / when do you think the photo was taken? 

The photo shows soldiers in World War One serving with the British army praying outside a mosque in Surrey during the war.

It is estimated that 1.5 million Indian troops fought with Britain in World War 1, and 400,000 of those were Muslim soldiers. Recent research shows that over 4 million Muslims either fought or served as labourers during the war. But another survey shows only 22% of people in Britain knew that Muslims had fought in the war. 

Did anyone imagine a Muslim man when I asked you to think about what a soldier from World War 1 looked like?

Today many historians are trying to make sure people know about everyone who fought and died in the war. Historian Steve Ballinger says, "Finding out that Muslim soldiers fought and died for Britain to protect us and protect the freedoms we enjoy today, that's an important history for everyone to know." 

Last summer there were protests in some cities against refugees in England. what do you think the people protesting could learn from this photo?

-why do we have Remembrance Sunday, what is the 2 minute silence for?
- World War One ended over 100 years ago, why do we remember it, why don't we just move on?
- In the photo there are lots of people in the background watching the soldiers pray; what do you think they are thinking?
- why do you think some people today forget the soldiers in the war were diverse?
- "It's important history for everyone to know," why?
- what can we learn from the soldiers of World War One?

- why is this story about No Outsiders? 

- Which British value is this about?

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Wheelchair sticker

 

 

What do you see in the picture? What do you think this may be about?

This photo is from Boston, USA and there is an accompanying plaque that reads:

Design activists Brian Glenney, Sara Hendren and Tim Ferguson Sauder were unimpressed by how passive the wheelchair user looked in most symbols for wheelchair accessibility. Instead, they created their own icon and stickered accessibility signs across Boston, USA as an act of protest. They released their symbol free of charge and it is now used throughout the world.

- Where do you see the original sign used?

- What does passive mean?

- Why do you think Brian, Sara and Tim think the original symbol looks passive? Do you agree?

- Does the image on the sign matter?

- What do you think the aim was for Brian, Sara and Tim?

- The plaque says the sticker was an act of protest. What is an act of protest? Do you agree this is an act of protest?

- You could argue Brian, Sara and Tim are vandalising public property. Is this the right thing to do?

- why is this about no outsiders?

- Which British value is this about?

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