Silent Night Christmas Challenge is an event being run by SAT-7 which is a Christian charity, broadcasting over satellite and social media in Arabic, Persian and Turkish. It is watched by millions of people in 25 countries across the Middle East and North Africa! This year they are holding a Christmas Challenge with lots of curricular activity possibilities linked.
“SAT-7 wants to make some noise with a special international recording of the well-known carol, Silent Night. They are inviting schools and community groups to record and film their own version of the carol, which will then be edited into a multi-language production. Everything you need, including MP3 backing track and sheet music, has been provided to ensure that everyone plays in time and sings in the right key!”
The aim is to make people in the Middle East, who often feel isolated, a part of something much bigger.
There are different ways to get involved:
- Record and film one version of the carol, using the backing track along with any school musicians, orchestra, percussion, etc. during an assembly.
- Record different classes (all using the backing track to keep in time) and then edit the different videos together. A few students can read the voiceover script during the third verse instrumental (see lyrics and voiceover script). (This also contains an optional message for parents to give Christmas donations. If you also want to take donations for SAT-7 at a school event, please let them know.)
- RECORD the carol and show it at a school Christmas carol service.
- or PERFORM and record the carol live!
- SHARE with parents and on social media #silentnightchallenge (@SAT-7 UK)
- SHARE the file with us via WeTransfer. We’ll add it to our website with all the other schools and youth and community groups taking part!
The Silent Night Christmas Challenge actually can be touched upon along with the Football World Cup too, children may well be learning a little about the Middle East so this could slot in beautifully!
There are lots of curricular ideas on the page and writing a new verse to Silent Night sounds like great fun!
