Subtitles
Associated Teachers TV programme
KS1/2 RE: Big Ideas for Small People
0001 10:00:03:13 10:00:05:21
(narrator) Primary RE is a balance
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between learning about
and learning from religion.
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Pupils should learn about
stories and artefacts,
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but young minds must also
learn from religion
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and engage with big philosophical
and religious questions.
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In this programme, we see Paul
Newbould at MinchinhamptonSchool,
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a Church of England school
in Gloucestershire,
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using big thinking techniques
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to help enable year 1 pupils'
deep thinking in an RE context.
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In the first session,
Paul draws on the pupils' own ideas
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to introduce important vocabulary
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and uses the techniques of
Think-Pair-Share and thinking books
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to remove the writing
barrier to learning,
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enabling freedom of thought.
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After lunch, in session two,
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Paul opens up their thinking,
but also reinforces the RE context.
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And, using artwork as a stimulus,
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asks the class to generate
questions relating to God.
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In session three, the final session,
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Paul gathers all of the questions
which have been asked in the day
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and gets the pupils
to reflect on what they consider
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their biggest question of all.
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I want to explain a bit about big
questions and the answers you get.
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Look at this chair of mine.
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- What colour is this chair?
- (children) Red.
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- Is that an easy answer?
- Yes.
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It is, isn't it?
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What's this chair made of?
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- Charlie.
- Plastic.
0030 10:01:45:13 10:01:46:16
Metal.
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(Paul) Plastic, metal.
You had to think a bit about it.
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That was a little harder,
wasn't it, that question?
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What's the story of this chair,
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from when it... of how it was made
and how it got here?
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Is that a bigger question?
0036 10:02:01:02 10:02:03:12
Yeah. It's a bigger question,
isn't it?
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So if I asked you, "What colour's
this chair?" "It's red."
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That's like a little question.
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If I ask you,
"What's the story of this chair?"
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Hm, have to do some finding out.
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Have to do some puzzling.
Have to do some hard thinking.
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So we're thinking today
about big questions
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that aren't easy to answer.
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These lessons really are
an exciting opportunity, I think,
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to exercise and demonstrate
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the value of pupils' thinking
shown in their talking.
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The theme in the curriculum
was "rules for living".
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What is it inside of us
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that helps us choose
to do the right thing?
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Phoebe?
0051 10:02:50:12 10:02:54:16
- It's your heart inside?
- (Paul) Ah!
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That's one that we can write down.
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Scribes, please.
0054 10:02:59:08 10:03:03:21
What is it that helps you choose?
It's your heart inside.
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Now, there's a word for
this part of us inside.
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I don't know whether any of you
have come across it before.
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- George?
- Common sense.
0058 10:03:15:13 10:03:18:21
(Paul) We do need to use common
sense. What is common sense, George?
0059 10:03:18:21 10:03:23:15
Like, it's like a, like,
it's like a ghost inside your brain
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and it tells you
what's right and... um...
0061 10:03:27:04 10:03:32:00
(Paul) Ahh. Very interesting.
We're getting closer, aren't we?
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I tried to introduce and reinforce
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all the important vocabulary
they needed
0064 10:03:37:10 10:03:40:22
without telling them a list of
vocabulary to learn at the start.
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So most of the time it was
using words and praising words
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that came from the group
throughout the lesson,
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and, where necessary, highlighting
phrases or words and writing them up
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so they could then begin
to extend their thinking.
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There are lots of things
that happen in life
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that we do,
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and when we've done them,
maybe we feel bad.
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What is it inside of us
that feels bad when we do something?
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Or feels sad?
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It's all about the common sense
that George was talking about.
0075 10:04:16:19 10:04:20:22
It's all about the heart
that Phoebe was talking about.
0076 10:04:20:22 10:04:24:01
And it's called "conscience".
0077 10:04:24:01 10:04:28:12
And I want you to think about
that word. Let me write it down.
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Conscience is a word...
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for what goes on inside you.
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It's a word for
your common-sense heart.
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And I think those two together...
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your common-sense heart,
0083 10:04:50:04 10:04:54:07
is a very good explanation
of what the word "conscience" is.
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We've all got a conscience.
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To actually say to a child,
"That was a fantastic thought."
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"I'll write that down.
Let's put it up on the wall."
0087 10:05:03:02 10:05:06:10
"Let's celebrate this thought
or this question."
0088 10:05:06:10 10:05:09:18
really gives them
a good feeling inside.
0089 10:05:09:18 10:05:14:13
So, now, talking partners
sit face to face,
0090 10:05:14:13 10:05:17:12
talk about the same thing,
0091 10:05:17:12 10:05:20:16
and listen carefully to each other.
0092 10:05:20:16 10:05:23:06
(narrator) After introducing
important vocabulary,
0093 10:05:23:06 10:05:25:10
Paul slows down the pupils' thinking
0094 10:05:25:10 10:05:28:23
and gives them the opportunity
to develop the ideas raised,
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firstly in pairs, and then
on their own in thinking books.
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I don't know how Jesus gets in your
heart. I think he can think as well.
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Your turn now.
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Now, the Think-Pair-Share technique
0099 10:05:43:17 10:05:46:11
I think is very important
to get them talking.
0100 10:05:46:11 10:05:48:11
To simply ask a question
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and then get the children
to put their hands up and answer
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doesn't give them opportunity
to develop their thoughts,
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but to give them time where they
specifically think about it first
0104 10:05:59:12 10:06:01:18
then they talk about it
with their partner
0105 10:06:01:18 10:06:07:08
enables them to strengthen
those ideas and develop them.
0106 10:06:07:08 10:06:09:14
Everyone in heaven is a ghost
0107 10:06:09:14 10:06:12:10
because when they're dead
they're a ghost.
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(Paul) Can you think of
another word for "ghost"?
0109 10:06:15:06 10:06:16:14
- Isaac?
- Soul.
0110 10:06:16:14 10:06:20:02
(Paul) Ooh. Soul.
Another word for it? Hannah?
0111 10:06:20:02 10:06:22:08
- Spirit.
- (Paul) Ah.
0112 10:06:22:08 10:06:28:13
In your thinking books,
think about how you, on your own,
0113 10:06:29:17 10:06:31:20
understand what's right.
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Think about your conscience.
Think about your common-sense heart.
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Thinking books
0116 10:06:39:21 10:06:46:04
is an opportunity for them to
develop their thinking privately.
0117 10:06:46:04 10:06:50:05
It slows their thinking, gives them
a chance to develop their ideas,
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to articulate and experiment
with their thoughts.
0119 10:06:52:19 10:06:54:18
With adults moving around,
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they can support and scribe
their thoughts for them.
0121 10:06:59:22 10:07:03:20
(Paul) You obviously chose
to do those three...
0122 10:07:06:11 10:07:10:11
OK. And what are you doing together
in your picture?
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(Paul) It's close to lunchtime now.
0124 10:07:12:11 10:07:14:04
(child) Yes!
0125 10:07:22:23 10:07:27:03
(narrator) After lunch, in session
two, using art as a stimulus,
0126 10:07:27:03 10:07:31:06
Paul now encourages the children to
produce questions relating to God.
0127 10:07:31:06 10:07:33:24
But we're going to open it up
much bigger than that.
0128 10:07:33:24 10:07:36:21
We're going to think about God.
0129 10:07:36:21 10:07:38:20
Pretty big, isn't he, God?
0130 10:07:38:20 10:07:42:05
You can't get much bigger than God.
0131 10:07:42:05 10:07:44:21
And I want you...
Just close your eyes now
0132 10:07:44:21 10:07:49:02
and think about "What is God like?"
0133 10:07:49:22 10:07:51:20
What is God like?
0134 10:07:51:20 10:07:54:15
What does he look like?
What does he do?
0135 10:07:55:14 10:07:57:24
Is he a person?
0136 10:07:59:10 10:08:01:17
Is he a bit different from that?
0137 10:08:01:17 10:08:05:08
Open your eyes again.
You're going to do pictures of God.
0138 10:08:05:08 10:08:09:02
But you need to be
asking questions as you do it.
0139 10:08:09:02 10:08:12:14
So I want you to think about
puzzling questions to do with God.
0140 10:08:12:14 10:08:15:05
We're still trying to get
the biggest question of all.
0141 10:08:15:05 10:08:18:10
"What?" What is God like?
0142 10:08:18:10 10:08:22:11
"Why?" Why does God do this or that?
0143 10:08:22:11 10:08:23:14
"How?"
0144 10:08:23:14 10:08:27:04
Can you give me an example of
a "how" question to do with God?
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How, um, does he make the world?
0146 10:08:30:16 10:08:33:05
(Paul) How does he make the world?
0147 10:08:33:05 10:08:36:12
Lots of these. We want lots
of these questions coming up.
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- Abi?
- Where is God?
0149 10:08:38:04 10:08:40:24
(Paul) Where is God?
Massive question.
0150 10:08:40:24 10:08:43:01
Big, big question.
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- Where does he come from?
- (Paul) Where does he come from?
0152 10:08:47:16 10:08:51:07
Right, go quietly
into your talking groups.
0153 10:08:51:07 10:08:55:13
And find somewhere to sit
together at a table.
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I've put the big words up here.
Here they are.
0155 10:08:58:15 10:09:01:06
"What", "why", "when",
0156 10:09:01:06 10:09:05:20
"where", "how" and "who".
0157 10:09:05:20 10:09:09:11
OK. Now, you don't have to answer
all those questions,
0158 10:09:09:11 10:09:12:12
but it'll be lovely,
like we did this morning,
0159 10:09:12:12 10:09:16:21
to get plenty of your questions
and ideas down in these bubbles
0160 10:09:16:21 10:09:18:15
while you're working.
0161 10:09:20:13 10:09:23:18
Why is God an angel?
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Every, like, picture of God
in the church,
0163 10:09:28:08 10:09:33:02
it always has wings.
0164 10:09:33:02 10:09:35:19
(woman) The first one's
a really big question, isn't it?
0165 10:09:35:19 10:09:38:10
(Paul) I think
the most important technique
0166 10:09:38:10 10:09:41:12
is that of not asking
the children to write.
0167 10:09:41:12 10:09:44:10
Too often we ask them
to write or record,
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when really their thoughts
are only beginning to form.
0169 10:09:49:18 10:09:53:02
What about you, Isaac? Have you
come up with any questions yet?
0170 10:09:53:02 10:09:55:14
Three adults
in a key stage 1 classroom
0171 10:09:55:14 10:09:58:04
is not so unusual these days.
0172 10:09:58:04 10:10:01:12
Work like this needs
the right kind of support,
0173 10:10:01:12 10:10:03:23
and so it's important
to provide adults
0174 10:10:03:23 10:10:08:18
who can harness
the learning that's going on.
0175 10:10:08:18 10:10:13:21
I've got in front of me your
bubbles, and lots of ideas,
0176 10:10:13:21 10:10:16:18
and quite a few questions.
0177 10:10:17:24 10:10:22:19
Jordan asked the question,
"Where is God?"
0178 10:10:25:10 10:10:28:22
What I wanted to do today
was to get them thinking about
0179 10:10:28:22 10:10:32:03
things that they could not see,
that they could not feel,
0180 10:10:32:03 10:10:35:10
and start thinking about themselves,
and themselves
0181 10:10:35:10 10:10:41:00
in relation to the person of God,
and whatever that meant for them.
0182 10:10:41:00 10:10:44:22
"How does God look at us
to watch us?"
0183 10:10:44:22 10:10:47:03
How does God look at us...
0184 10:10:47:03 10:10:49:11
(narrator) Gathering up
all the questions,
0185 10:10:49:11 10:10:53:06
Paul now, in the final session,
asks the pupils to reflect
0186 10:10:53:06 10:10:56:24
on what they consider
is their biggest question.
0187 10:10:56:24 10:10:59:16
(Paul) All those questions
0188 10:10:59:16 10:11:02:18
have magically appeared
on the whiteboard.
0189 10:11:03:08 10:11:05:00
Just like that.
0190 10:11:05:00 10:11:07:11
These are the "where" questions.
0191 10:11:07:11 10:11:10:24
This is the... We only had
one "who" question, but that's...
0192 10:11:10:24 10:11:15:08
The lessons which follow will
bring in the Christian context.
0193 10:11:15:08 10:11:18:01
It's very important
that that happens
0194 10:11:18:01 10:11:20:22
after they've had the opportunity
to think through
0195 10:11:20:22 10:11:22:13
some of these bigger issues.
0196 10:11:22:13 10:11:27:06
We're still trying to work out
the biggest question of all,
0197 10:11:27:06 10:11:30:03
and we're going to choose.
0198 10:11:30:03 10:11:34:17
Now, that table's got an A on it.
0199 10:11:34:17 10:11:38:03
That table's got a B on it.
That table's got a C on it.
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I want you to go and stand by
A or B or C, all of you,
0201 10:11:43:20 10:11:46:06
if you think it's
the biggest question.
0202 10:11:46:06 10:11:48:17
"How does God
look at us to watch us?"
0203 10:11:48:17 10:11:51:13
"How does God get down to earth?"
0204 10:11:51:13 10:11:55:01
"How did God get up into heaven?"
0205 10:11:58:23 10:12:03:17
(muttering) ..which is 8.
Which is 19, I think.
0206 10:12:03:17 10:12:04:17
(children) Yes!
0207 10:12:04:17 10:12:07:08
No. It doesn't mean you've won.
0208 10:12:07:08 10:12:09:23
It's not a competition.
0209 10:12:09:23 10:12:11:23
It just means that more of you...
0210 10:12:11:23 10:12:15:14
They might actually think that
that is the biggest question
0211 10:12:15:14 10:12:17:16
because there's
a lot of thinking to it.
0212 10:12:17:16 10:12:21:00
Now come and sit down.
We'll look at another one.
0213 10:12:21:00 10:12:26:12
"Where is God?" might be different
from "Where does God live?"
0214 10:12:26:12 10:12:28:13
Off you go when you've
made your mind up.
0215 10:12:28:13 10:12:30:20
Don't think about other children.
0216 10:12:30:20 10:12:33:06
The most important objective
in today's lesson
0217 10:12:33:06 10:12:35:23
was to bring out
the opportunity for children
0218 10:12:35:23 10:12:38:05
to talk and think for themselves,
0219 10:12:38:05 10:12:41:22
to get beneath the surface
of the issues involved,
0220 10:12:41:22 10:12:46:06
and, in particular, to work on
attainment target 2 in RE,
0221 10:12:46:06 10:12:48:05
which is learning from religion.
0222 10:12:48:05 10:12:49:23
Not just learning content,
0223 10:12:49:23 10:12:53:23
but actually being able to respond
to it and think for themselves.
0224 10:12:53:23 10:12:58:07
We've been ranking them,
putting them in order
0225 10:12:58:07 10:13:01:06
of what we think
is the biggest question.
0226 10:13:01:06 10:13:05:16
You've decided - what is it? -
the biggest question of all is...
0227 10:13:05:16 10:13:09:13
(all) "Why is God so special?"
0228 10:13:09:13 10:13:12:18
(Paul) Who can begin
to start us off with some thoughts?
0229 10:13:12:18 10:13:16:04
Because, um, he's Jesus's dad.
0230 10:13:16:04 10:13:18:16
- (Paul) Mm-hm.
- Because he's in the Bible.
0231 10:13:18:16 10:13:19:18
(Paul) Uh-huh.
0232 10:13:19:18 10:13:23:14
Because he was alive
before every single person.
0233 10:13:23:14 10:13:26:02
God is special in...
0234 10:13:26:02 10:13:29:16
Um, he... um...
0235 10:13:29:16 10:13:33:11
He is invisible and glows up,
0236 10:13:33:11 10:13:35:17
and stands on water.
0237 10:13:36:17 10:13:40:03
(Paul) Lovely collection
of thoughts there, Leah, thank you.
0238 10:13:40:03 10:13:43:17
That's something to take home
with us, isn't it, and think about?
0239 10:13:43:17 10:13:47:15
That's your homework
(laughs) for next week.
0240 10:13:47:15 10:13:50:00
To find out why God is so special.
0241 10:13:55:15 10:13:58:00
Visiontext Subtitles:
Kerrie Slavin
0242 10:13:58:00 10:14:00:00