Celebrating Easter

Lesson Information

Unit: Easter: Joyful Discoveries (Lesson 3 of 3)
Curriculum Area: Religious Education
Level: Early Childhood Education
Duration: 30 minutes
Number of Students: 8

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Express their understanding of Easter as a joyful celebration through craft.
• Develop fine motor skills by creating Easter-themed artwork.
• Collaborate with peers and share their creations.
• Reflect on the emotions associated with Easter joy.

Resources Needed

• Paper plates
• Colouring pencils, crayons, or markers
• Cotton balls
• Glue sticks
• Safety scissors
• Pre-cut bunny ear templates
• Pre-drawn egg shapes on card
• Stickers, sequins, and other decorative elements
• Small mirrors (for children to see themselves in their bunny masks)

Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

Karakia: Begin with a short, simple karakia (prayer) to set a respectful and joyful tone.

Discussion: Sit in a circle and ask the students:

• "What do you remember about Easter?"
• "What makes Easter feel happy?"
• "How do we celebrate special moments with our whānau?"

Encourage responses and help reinforce that Easter is a time of love, joy, and sharing.

2. Craft Activity – Easter Egg Decorations and Bunny Masks (15 minutes)

Children will rotate between two activities:

Easter Egg Decorations (7 minutes)

• Each child receives a pre-drawn egg shape on thick card.
• Encourage them to colour their egg using crayons or markers.
• Provide stickers, sequins or small paper shapes they can glue onto their egg to create patterns.
• Talk about how Easter eggs symbolise new life and new beginnings.

Bunny Masks (8 minutes)

• Each child receives a paper plate with holes pre-cut for their eyes.
• They glue cotton balls onto the lower part of the plate to create bunny fur.
• They can colour and attach bunny ears using pre-cut templates.
• Once finished, they can look in a small mirror and practise their "bunny hop" together.

3. Sharing Our Creations (5 minutes)

• Ask each child to hold up their egg or bunny mask and describe what they created.
• Encourage them to use words like "joyful," "colourful," and "happy."
• Discuss how sharing and creating bring people together, just as Easter celebrations do.

4. Closing Reflection and Karakia (5 minutes)

• Gather in a circle and reflect:

  • "What did you like about today’s activity?"
  • "How can we share Easter joy with our whānau?"

• Finish with a short closing karakia to acknowledge gratitude and togetherness.

Assessment and Teacher Reflection

• Observe how children engage with the craft and how they share their work with others.
• Listen for key words related to Easter joy and connection.
• Take photos of the finished crafts (with permission) to display in the classroom or send home.

Extension Opportunities

• Read a short Easter story at the end of the lesson.
• Create a classroom Easter display with the children’s artwork.
• Plan a small Easter hunt where students work in pairs to find hidden picture clues.

This hands-on, creative lesson ensures that preschool learners engage with the joy of Easter in a developmentally appropriate and exciting way while fostering a sense of community in the classroom.