Optional Easter lesson: Why does Easter bring hope to many Christians?
A Year 2 optional lesson recognising that Easter celebrates Jesus coming back to life and exploring how it gives many Christians hope.
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Learning objective
- To recognise that Easter celebrates Jesus coming back to life and express this through art.
Success criteria
- I can discuss what ‘hope’ means to me.
- I can describe what many Christians celebrate at Easter.
- I can explain how Easter brings hope to many Christians.
- I can use colours to show how some Christians may feel about the Easter story.
Before the lesson
Check all images, videos, links and presentation slides are suitable for your class.
- Presentation: Jesus.
- Presentation: Hopes.
- Presentation: Colours of hope.
A4 black card (one sheet each).
Scissors (one between two).
Colourful chalk (a selection between two).
The Knowledge organiser provides a visual summary of the key facts and vocabulary for the unit. The children can use it throughout the unit to check keyword meanings or spellings and to help them remember important information when completing an activity.
Find further ideas for using the Knowledge organiser to support adaptive teaching here.
Subject knowledge
Easter
Most people who follow the Christian worldview believe Jesus died on the cross on a day called Good Friday and came back to life (the resurrection) as part of God’s plan to save humanity from sin on Easter Sunday (salvation).
The Easter story is a crucial part of this belief.
The resurrection of Jesus is remembered at Easter and celebrates victory over sin and death, offering believers hope of eternal life.
The Last Supper
In English translations of the Bible, it explains how Jesus shared bread with his disciples at the Passover meal.
According to Jewish law, leavened food (food made with a raising agent such as yeast) would not have been eaten at Passover so it is likely that this was an unleavened bread such as flatbread or cracker.
- In the Pupil video: Holy week just the word bread is used reflecting the language used in English translations of the Bible.
Misconceptions
The children may believe that:
'Easter is about chocolate eggs and bunnies' - it is important to explain that while Easter is celebrated in different ways across cultures, its religious significance for Christians focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus. The symbols of eggs and new life represent the Christian message of hope.
'Easter is only celebrated by Christians' - explain that while Easter is an important religious festival for Christians, some people with different worldviews also participate in cultural or family Easter traditions, such as egg hunts or spring-themed celebrations.
'Jesus stayed on Earth after coming back to life' - explain that Christians believe Jesus returned to heaven to be with God.
- 'Anyone can come back to life' - explain that Christians believe Jesus was special because he is God’s son.
Lesson organisation
External visitors
Local community members could be invited to discuss how they celebrate Easter.
- For further guidance, see the link: Teacher guidance: External visitors.
Terminology
In Key stage 1, the phrase ‘Jesus came back to life’ is used rather than the term 'resurrection'.
This is to ensure the children can engage with the key message of the Easter story in an accessible and age-appropriate way.
If you know a child has specific issues, consider discussing the lesson with them in advance and adapting it as needed. They might benefit from adult support.
If problems emerge during the lesson, consult your Senior Leadership Team.
It is the teacher’s responsibility to check all resources and lesson content to ensure they are suitable for their class setting.
Sensitivities
When teaching the Easter story, present it sensitively and age-appropriately, avoiding graphic details about death and punishment and focusing instead on the broader message of hope and new life.
The subject of death can be sensitive and may be personally affecting for some children.
Approach this topic with compassion and consideration for the experiences and emotions of all children.
The wonder box
Remind children that they can use the wonder box if they have questions or concerns they would rather not share in front of the class.
The wonder box gives the children the opportunity to share questions they may not feel comfortable asking in class. More challenging questions can be researched and additional time can be given to consider them. Children who may find writing questions challenging could either use a recording device or ask an adult to scribe for them.
- See: Teacher video: The wonder boxfor information on how to create and use this resource.
Lesson plan
Display the Presentation: Jesus and ask the children to discuss with their partner how they would complete the sentence:
'Some Christian people believe that Jesus is…'
Take feedback. The children may suggest:
'...the son of God and God on Earth.'
'...strong and powerful because he can do miracles like calming the storm.'
'... loving and kind because he cared for his friends and kept them safe in the storm.'
Ask the children to imagine they really want to play outside but it has been raining all morning. In pairs, ask them to briefly discuss what they would like to happen.
Take feedback and suggest they may have hoped it would stop raining so they could play outside. Explain that hope means believing that something good might happen in the future.
Display the Presentation: Hopes and read what the characters hope for.
Ask the children to discuss in pairs:
- What do you hope for? (The children may suggest: a new toy; a friend feels better soon; pizza for dinner; going somewhere special at the weekend, etc.)
Invite some children to share their ideas.
Explain that Easter is a Christian festival celebrating the life, death and coming back to life of Jesus.
Display the Pupil video: The Easter story.
Remind the children that this is a story from the Christian Bible (scripture believed by many Christians to be the word of God) and that many Christians believe it happened but not everyone believes it is a true story.
Ask the children:
- Which part of the story might make some Christian people feel hopeful? (The children may suggest: when Jesus went to Jerusalem; when he came back to life.)
Display the Presentation: Colours of hope and explain that the colours are a symbol of what people might feel during different events in the Easter story, such as hope or sadness.
Invite children to drag and drop the ‘colourful stickers’ next to the titles of each of the events in the story.
Discuss how brighter colours, like yellow or pink, often make people feel happier and more hopeful. Some people may have felt happy and excited to see Jesus on Palm Sunday; others may have felt joyful and hopeful on Easter Sunday because Jesus came back to life. As a result, these parts of the story could be linked to brighter colours.
- Which colour matches this part of the story? Why?
- Are there any other colours that match this event in the story?
Hand out the Activity: Cross template (one each), black card and colourful chalk.
Model the activity to the children using the following steps:
- Cut out the cross and place it in the centre of the black card.
Place a small piece of sticky tack on the back of the cross template to hold it in place on the black card and prevent it from moving.
Using coloured chalk, colour sections in alternating colours all around the edge of the cross template.
Ensure the sections overlap slightly onto the black card to create a vibrant, blended effect.
Carefully remove the cross to reveal the bold cross shape surrounded by the colourful chalk background.
Gently shake off any excess chalk dust.
Remind the children to use colours that remind them of feeling hopeful.
Display the Presentation: Crosses of hope to show the children an example.
Display the Presentation: Wrapping up words.
Ask the children to discuss in pairs:
- Why is Easter celebrated? (Answers may include: because when Jesus came back to life in the Easter story it gives Christian people hope; to remember Jesus; because it is a happy time; because Jesus came back to life and showed God's love; to celebrate new life.)
Books
‘The Garden of Hope’ by Isabel Otter.
‘The Easter Story’ by Katherine Sully.
‘The Story of Easter’ by Fiona Boon.
‘The Easter Story’ by Heather Amery.
‘The Promised One: The Wonderful Story of Easter’ by Antonia Woodward.
‘Alive Again! The Easter Story’ by Raffaella Ligi Sarah J. Dodd.
‘The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross Storybook: The true story of why Jesus died and rose again’ by Carl Laferton.
‘Alive Again! The Easter Story’ by Raffaella Ligi Sarah J. Dodd.
‘The Easter Story’ by Brian Wildsmith.
Full-screen slides, ready for your classroom, chosen by you.
- To recognise that Easter celebrates Jesus coming back to life and express this through art.
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