Both Christmas and Easter can be difficult subjects in Christian Religious Education, here it is broken down into an easy-to-use lesson plan.
Table of Contents:
1. Teacher’s background information.
[a] Here the children can discover the real, tough story of Christmas – a poor girl heavily pregnant having to travel 90 miles [145 km] on a donkey over rough country. Then at Bethlehem, everywhere was full up and so there was nowhere to have her baby…
The story goes on and the children can immerse themselves in the drama of it all
[b] Easter is a difficult event to describe, but we look at the true events and why they happened, from Jesus knowing that he was going to die, an unlawful trial, standing before the powerful rulers of the day and ending at an empty cave…
2. Lesson plans and resources for Christmas and Easter simply explained
See: Christmas explained lesson plan
Christmas drama: Christmas Nativity drama
See: Explaining Easter lesson plan
3. Three free children’s songs about Christmas.
These songs by John Hardwick can be used in R.E. lessons, assemblies, collective worship, church children’s talks, Sunday schools, etc.
Attention – by clicking ‘play’ your browser will load all of the Youtube Cookies.
Clicking ‘play’ means you are consenting to these Cookies.
[1] The song ‘A Band of Angels’ is truly fun, uplifting and memorable – a real Christmas favourite with the children.
[2] ‘Let us Go to the Manger and Join the Celebration’.
Little Kids, Kindergarten, Toddler Christmas Praise Song.
The first part ‘Let Us Go to the Manger’ is a beautiful peaceful song written by Rachel Munoz when she was a child.
The actions are a similar idea to the hugely popular ‘Sleeping Bunnies’ song with the children lying down and sleeping alongside Baby Jesus but then everyone wakes up and wants to celebrate the birth of this special baby King verse with everyone jumping up and dancing for joy during the chorus!
[3] ‘Animal Christmas Manger’ Little Kids Praise Song
You know the Bible doesn’t say much about the birth of Jesus but it does say ‘Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them.’ (Luke 2:7).
A manager or crib is a feeding trough food box that holds hay for larger farm animals like cattle, horses, and donkeys. – so maybe there were animals there too! So let’s imagine the animals praising and dancing around because this was such a special occasion!
4. How to fulfil the locally agreed syllabus on ‘Christmas and Easter simply explained’
Hopefully, you will be able to match your local agreed syllabus with what is here which satisfies eight councils:
- Know the stories about Jesus connected with Christmas and Easter and the importance of these for Christians.
- Explore questions about belonging, meaning and truth.
- What stories are told at different religious festivals?
Key vocabulary: Advent, Bible, Christ, Christmas, Easter, Faith, God, Holy, Jesus, Worship.