RE at key stages 1 and 2

• Ask the children to identify the fruit and vegetables that are pulled out of a shopping bag. Discuss how and where the produce was grown. How do we get these fruits and vegetables? Show the children a variety of harvest pictures and introduce harvesting words, eg cutting, picking, gathering, collecting, netting.
• Teach the children a traditional children's harvest hymn or song. Ask the children to draw or paint their favourite fruit and vegetable.

• Show the children some pictures of Christian harvest festivals. Discuss how and why Christians like to say thank you to God for the harvest.
• Ask the children to listen to (or learn) a harvest hymn.
• Ask the children to look at the words of a harvest prayer.
• Introduce the idea of thankfulness and the different ways that we 'say' thank you. Ask the children what they say thank you for and to whom.

• Talk to the children about their school's harvest festival. What is the theme? What are we saying thank you for? Where will the festival be held?
• Introduce the idea of a festival as a special celebration that has a special religious meaning to some people. Talk about preparations, decorations and invitations. Ask the children to help with the preparations for the school's harvest festival, eg make a collage on the theme of the festival.

• Look at pictures of the festival of Sukkot and discuss the festival and its origins with the children. Why do Jewish people make a Succah? What were they originally? How are they made today?
• Tell the story of the Israelites in the wilderness. Help the children to build a Succah in the classroom and decorate it with leaves and fruit.
• Discuss how Jewish people might invite others to share a meal in their Succah, and explain why they do this. Ask the children to invite guests to their classroom Succah. Talk about times when they share meals with others.

• Remind the children about the Christian harvest festival. Do you remember how Christians say thank you to God? What happened to the produce we displayed?
• Remind the children about the Jewish festival of Sukkot. How did the Jewish people say thank you?
• Talk about what the school did with the harvest gifts. Ask the children why they think some people want to give to help others.
• Introduce the idea of giving to God by giving to others. Look at posters from charities which offer help and relief to those who have no harvest. Ask the children if they have helped others.
• Ask the children to make 'thank you' posters, individually or as a class.