Holy Week looks at the events that lead up to Jesus’ unlawful trial.
Table of Contents:
1. Teacher’s background information.
In this lesson plan, the children learn how Jesus, knowing that the religious leaders were jealous of him and wanted to kill him, continued to go to Jerusalem to teach the crowds about God and the Kingdom of Heaven.
He even told his disciples that he was going to be beaten and crucified by the authorities, but he was going to be raised from death on the third day.
2. Lesson plans and resources for the Christian Festival of Holy Week
The Christian festival of Holy Week lesson plan (Palm Sunday to Thursday night)
Christian Festival of Holy Week worksheet 1
Christian Festival of Holy Week worksheet 2
3. Free children’s songs about Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
These songs can be used in R.E. lessons, assemblies, collective worship, church children’s talks, Sunday schools, etc.
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[1] ‘Cloaks and Branches’ by Richard Cootes.
Songs for Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter.
[2] ‘E is for The Easter and Holy Week Song with Actions’ by John Hardwick.
John’s aim with this song was to use each letter in the word E.A.S.T.E.R to explain a part of the Easter story in both a lively and reflective way with a catchy chorus.
4. How to fulfil the locally agreed syllabus on ‘Christian Festival of Holy Week’
Hopefully, you will be able to match your local agreed syllabus with what is here which satisfies eight councils:
These lesson plans are based on the Progression Documents of The Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education’ Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Peterborough, Rutland County Councils. This is in the light blue text.
The green text is from other Councils: Lewisham Borough, West Sussex, Hull and East Riding.
Here are the main aims for the lesson plan:
- Know the cycle of the Christian year, the meanings of the major festivals and how they are celebrated including the use of symbolic colours and special hymns.
- Find out how Christians celebrate this festival of Holy Week.
- Understand how these relate to Christians’ beliefs about God and Jesus.
- Talk about celebrations, worship, pilgrimages, and the rituals, which mark important points in life.
- Explore and describe the meaning of a range of beliefs, symbols, and practices.
- Demonstrate understanding of how people express their identity and their spirituality through symbols and actions.
- Make connections between the beliefs that underpin different celebrations, forms of worship, pilgrimages and rituals.
Key vocabulary: Bible, Christ, Easter, Faith, God, Gospel, Holy, Jesus, Prayer, Worship.