A Journey of Hope

Curriculum Area: Religious Education | Te Whāriki – The Early Childhood Curriculum

Strand: Belonging | Mana Whenua
Goal: Children develop a sense of belonging, connecting with family, culture, and traditions.

Lesson Duration: 30 Minutes

Age Group: Preschool (3-5 years)
Class Size: 8 students

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the basic themes of the Easter story: love, kindness, and hope.
• Express their understanding through interactive storytelling and role-play.
• Connect the Easter story to real-life experiences of caring and kindness.

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Preparation & Materials

• Soft puppets (Jesus, disciples, angel, and a stone for the tomb).
• A small play tunnel or cardboard box (to represent the tomb).
• Small basket filled with egg-shaped cut-outs with kind actions written on them.
• Gentle instrumental music (optional, for storytelling ambiance).

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Welcome & Settling In (5 Minutes)

• Begin by gathering the children in a circle on the mat. Use a soft, welcoming tone to greet them.
• Start with a short karakia (prayer) to set a reflective, peaceful mood.
• Ask: "What do we remember about Easter?" and encourage brief responses.

2. Storytelling: The Easter Journey (10 Minutes)

• Introduce the story using puppets, softly narrating:
  • "Jesus was kind and loved everyone." (Show Jesus puppet hugging the disciples.)
  • "Some people were not kind, and Jesus was hurt." (Use gentle language, avoiding frightening details.)
  • "His friends were very sad when Jesus was placed in a quiet tomb."
  • "But on the third day, something special happened!" (Use the angel puppet to 'roll away' the stone.)
  • "Jesus was alive! His friends were filled with joy." (Puppet rejoices and hugs others.)
• Encourage children to participate by making happy or surprised faces and using soft claps when Jesus rises again.

3. Role-Playing the Easter Story (7 Minutes)

• Assign children roles (Jesus, friends, angel, stone, etc.).
• Invite them to act out the story using the tunnel as the tomb.
• Guide them in expressing emotions: sadness turns into happiness and celebration.

4. Kindness Egg Hunt (5 Minutes)

• Children take turns picking an egg from the basket.
• Each egg has a simple, kind action (e.g., give a friend a high-five, say "thank you", give someone a hug).
• Encourage them to practice these actions, reinforcing kindness as part of the Easter message.

5. Closing Reflection & Celebration (3 Minutes)

• Invite children to share what they enjoyed about the story.
• Finish with a simple waiata (song) about joy and kindness.
• Provide big smiles and gentle praise for their participation.

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Assessment & Reflection

• Observe children's engagement and comprehension during storytelling.
• Listen for connections they make between the story and their own experiences.
• Provide positive reinforcement, celebrating their understanding of kindness and hope.

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Teacher's Notes:

This lesson uses a gentle and child-friendly approach to the Easter story, ensuring that young learners can engage with key themes in a safe, joyful way. The emphasis on role-play and kindness activities helps reinforce both cultural and relational learning.