Ethos Education

Hoppers: Why Rules?

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Assembly Objective

This assembly uses clips from Hoppers to explore why rules exist and why they matter in different environments. Through the story of Mabel entering a new community, pupils will be encouraged to reflect on how rules can feel restrictive but are often necessary and to introduce the idea that different communities may need different rules.  They will also be encouraged to recognise that rules help keep people safe, create fairness, and enable communities to live well together. This assembly links this to the Bible, where Christians believe rules are part of how God guides people to live well with one another.

Film Clips Hoppers (Disney Pixar) Certificate: U

Special Look (45s). Play from the start and stop at 0:45 straight after the lizard says “That was intense”

What are the Pond Rules? (54s) Play the whole clip.

Bible

Matthew 22:37–40 (NIRV) “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind.’ This is the first and most important commandment. And the second is like it. ‘Love your neighbour as you love yourself.’ Everything that is written in the Law and the Prophets is based on these two commandments.”

Supporting Values Education

This assembly supports key British Values by helping pupils understand the importance of the rule of law, recognising that rules are essential for keeping people safe and ensuring fairness within a community. It also promotes mutual respect and tolerance by encouraging pupils to consider how rules help people live well together, even when they have different perspectives or ways of life. In addition, it explores individual liberty by highlighting that freedom comes with responsibility, and that rules help create the boundaries that allow everyone to flourish.

Opening Activity

Choose one or more of the following activities as appropriate for your pupils:

  • Option 1: “Rule or No Rule?” (Whole Assembly Participation)
    • Say:
      • “I am going to read out some situations. If you think rules are needed, put your hand up. If not, keep your hands down.”
    • Teacher note:
      • Some of the examples are deliberately paired to contrast situations where rules are needed with situations where more personal freedom is appropriate. This helps pupils begin to see that some things need rules, while others do not. You can mix up the order if pupils start responding automatically rather than thinking carefully
    • Read out some examples, drawing from:
      • “Should there be rules when playing a game?”
      • “Should there be rules about what game you choose to play?”
      • “Should there be rules when you are borrowing a book from the library?”
      • “Should there be rules about the stories you imagine in your head?”
      • “Should there be rules when getting your lunch from the canteen?”
      • “Should there be rules about what food you like to eat?”
      • “Should there be rules when painting a picture?”
      • “Should there be rules about what colours you choose when drawing?”
      • “Should there be rules when singing a song?”
      • “Should there be rules about what music you like?”
      • “Should there be a rule about running in corridors?”
      • “Should there be a rule about being kind to others?”
      • “Should there be rules about how you decorate your bedroom?”
      • “Should there be a rule about what time you go to bed?”
  • Option 2: “New World, New Rules” (Imagination Activity)
    • Say:
      • “Imagine you wake up tomorrow… and you are in a completely different world.”
    • Give examples:
      • “In this world, no one waits their turn”
      • “In this world, people can take whatever they want”
      • “In this world, no one is in charge”
      • “In this world, everything is allowed”
      • “In this world, there are no rules at all”
    • Ask:
      • “At first, that might sound quite fun… but would it actually be?”
      • “Would it be exciting… or a bit of a disaster?”
      • “What could go wrong?”
    • Follow up:
      • “What rules would you want to bring in straight away?”
    • Link:
      • “Even in a brand new world… we quickly realise we need rules to make life work”
  • Option 3: “Desert Island” (Pairs Activity)
    • Say:
      • “Imagine you wake up… and you are on a desert island.”
    • Say:
      • “There are people there… but there are no rules yet.”
    • Instructions:
      • “Turn to the person next to you”
      • “You have one minute”
      • “Decide your top 3 rules for living on that island”
    • After discussion, ask:
      • “Would the island be fun with no rules at all?”
      • “Would everyone be happy?”
      • “What kinds of rules did you come up with?”
    • Draw out:
      • Rules about sharing
      • Rules about safety
      • Rules about fairness
    • Link:
      • “Even when we start from nothing… we still create rules”
      • “Because rules help people live together well”

Scripted Talk

  • Say:
    • “Today we are thinking about rules. Not just school rules… but rules in every part of life. Why do we need them… and do they stay the same everywhere?”
  • Say:
    • “I am going to show you a couple of clips from the film Hoppers. It is about Mabel, an animal lover, who gets her mind transferred into a beaver robot so that she can save the animals who live in a glade that she used to visit with her grandma.”
  • Play Hoppers Special Look clip (stop at 0:45 straight after the lizard says “That was intense”)
  • If you cannot play this YouTube video, instead display the slides from the Hoppers Why Rules PowerPoint and say:
    • [PowerPoint Slide 1]
      • “In the film Hoppers, we meet Mabel.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 2]
      • “Mabel is in a science lab where a new technology has been created.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 3]
      • “This technology allows a person to enter the body of a robot animal so they can experience the animal world.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 4]
      • “Mabel tries this technology against Dr Sam’s advice. Mabel’s mind is transferred into a beaver robot.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 5]
      • She suddenly finds herself in a completely different world — the animal world.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 6]
      • “The animals think she is one of them and begin to include her.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 7]
      • “But Mabel doesn’t really understand what is happening, and she doesn’t understand the rules of this new world.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 8]
      • “Very quickly, things become confusing and intense.”
  • Say:
    • “So, Mabel has entered a completely different world. Everything is new. Everything is unfamiliar.”
  • Ask:
    • “What do you notice about what’s happening to Mabel?”
    • “Does she understand how this world works?”
  • Draw out:
    • She doesn’t understand what’s going on
    • She doesn’t know the rules
    • The animals expect certain things from her
  • Say:
    • “Mabel is in a new world… but she doesn’t yet understand the rules of that world. Now let’s see what the rules of this world actually are.”

Play What are the Pond Rules? clip (play the full clip 54s)

  • If you cannot play this YouTube video, instead display the slides from the Hoppers Why Rules PowerPoint and say:
    • [PowerPoint Slide 9]
      • “After arriving in the pond, Mabel is welcomed by the King Beaver called George. She is told that if she wants to live there, she needs to learn the pond rules.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 10]
      • “The leader explains that the animals all follow certain rules to help their community work.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 11]
      • “One rule is ‘Don’t be a stranger’ and that everyone should know each other’s names.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 12]
      • “The second rule is that ‘When you got to eat, eat,’ even if it means eating other animals.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide13]
      • “The third rule is ‘We are all in this together’ and should look out for each other.”
    • [PowerPoint Slide 14]
      • “These rules might seem unusual to us, but they help the animals survive and live together.”
  • Say:
    • “So now we can see… this world has rules.”
  • Ask:
    • “Can you remember any of the rules they mentioned?”
  • Draw out:
    • Know each other’s names
    • When you’ve got to eat, eat
    • We’re all in this together
  • Say:
    • “Some of those rules might feel a bit strange to us. Some might even feel a bit surprising.”
  • Ask:
    • “Why do you think those rules exist in that world?”
  • Draw out:
    • To survive
    • To keep things working
    • To help the animals live together
  • Say:
    • [PowerPoint Slide 15]
      • “This is really important. Different worlds… have different rules.
    • [PowerPoint Slide 16]
      • The rules in a playground are different from the rules in a classroom. The rules in a game are different from the rules at home. But here’s the big question…”
  • Ask:
    • “Does that mean all rules are different? Or are there some rules that should stay the same… wherever you are?”
  • Say:
    • [PowerPoint Slide 17]
      • “Christians believe that underneath all rules… there is something deeper. Jesus was once asked, ‘What is the most important rule?’ He said the most important rules are to love God and to love your neighbour as yourself. Christians believe that all rules are built on this idea of love.”
      • “Even in the animal world we saw, the rules were helping them live together, survive, and look after each other.”
      • “Rules are not just there to stop us doing things. They are there to help people. To keep people safe. To make things fair. So yes… different worlds may have different rules. But the reason behind rules is often the same.”
      • “At their best… rules are about helping people live well together. And showing care for one another.”

Headings and Bullets

  • [PowerPoint Slide 1]
    • Meet Mabel
  • [PowerPoint Slide 2]
    • New secret technology
  • [PowerPoint Slide 3]
    • Technology means you can enter a new world
  • [PowerPoint Slide 4]
    • Mabel becomes a beaver
  • [PowerPoint Slide 5]
    • Mabel enters a new world
  • [PowerPoint Slide 6]
    • New and unfamiliar
  • [PowerPoint Slide 7]
    • Doesn’t understand the rules
  • [PowerPoint Slide 8]
    • Different worlds. Different rules. Confusion.
  • [PowerPoint Slide 9]
    • Mabel welcomed to the new world
  • [PowerPoint Slide 10]
    • Pond rules
  • [PowerPoint Slide 11]
    • Know each other’s names
  • [PowerPoint Slide 12]
    • When you’ve got to eat, eat
  • [PowerPoint Slide 13]
    • We’re all in this together
  • [PowerPoint Slide 14]
    • Why rules matter
    • Safety
    • Fairness
    • Helping things work
  • [PowerPoint Slide 15]
    • Different worlds different rules
  • [PowerPoint Slide 16]
    • Are all rules different?
  • [PowerPoint Slide 17]
    • Or is there one thing that stays the same?
    • Jesus’ teaching
    • Love God
    • Love your neighbour
    • Rules and love
    • Rules help people
    • Rules show care
    • Rules help us live well together

Reflection

  • [PowerPoint Slide 18]
  • Say
    • “Take a moment to think quietly.”
      • “Think about the rules you follow every day — at school, at home, or when you are with your friends.”
      • “Which rules help keep people safe?”
      • “Which rules help make things fair?”
      • “Which rules help people feel cared for?”
      • “And is there one thing you could do today to help others by following those rules well?”

Prayer

“Dear God, thank you for the rules that help us live safely and fairly together. Thank you that Jesus said that the most important rules are to love God and to love others as we love ourselves. Please help us to care for one another, to make good choices, and to help our school be a place where everyone can live well together. Amen.”

You will need:

Photo copyright: Disney Pixar (from IMDB) except slides 16 and 17 (Microsoft Word)

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