Betrayal and Denial

Overview

This 60-minute session is designed for Year 3 students to explore the themes of betrayal and denial through the Easter story. It will meet the National Curriculum for England requirements for Religious Education (KS2), focusing on learning about Christianity and developing understanding of Christian beliefs and values.

---

National Curriculum Links

• Religious Education (KS2)
  • Pupils should learn about:
    • the key events of the Easter story and their significance within the Christian faith
    • how Christian belief and practice are linked to stories and teachings
  • Skills:
    • Reflect on and respond sensitively to religious stories and ideas
    • Ask and respond to questions about religion and belief, recognising different points of view
    • Develop understanding of Christian concepts such as forgiveness, repentance, and faith
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
  • Understanding feelings and the impact of actions on others
  • Building empathy and moral reasoning

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Describe the key events of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial within the Easter story.
2. Understand the motivations and consequences of betrayal and denial in these stories.
3. Reflect on the challenges people face in faith and making moral choices.
4. Express personal feelings and opinions sensitively in relation to themes of forgiveness and loyalty.

---

Resources Needed

• Bible or children’s version of the Easter story (simple text)
• Large printed pictures illustrating Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial
• Whiteboard and markers
• Story sequencing cards (key events from the Easter story)
• Emotion cards with faces showing feelings such as sadness, guilt, fear, forgiveness
• Paper, crayons, and pencils
• "Feelings spider" worksheet (a simple graphic organiser for pupils to connect feelings to the events)

---

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Engagement (10 minutes)

• Welcome and settle pupils
• Activate prior knowledge:
  Ask pupils what they know about Easter and why it is important for Christians.
• Introduce theme: Explain that today we are going to think about two difficult moments in the Easter story – when Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied knowing Jesus.
• Read story extract: Use a child-friendly version of the story to read about Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial. Show the pictures for visual support.

2. Guided Discussion (15 minutes)

• Use the whiteboard to write key questions to structure talk:
  • Why do you think Judas betrayed Jesus?
  • How do you think Jesus felt?
  • Why did Peter deny Jesus?
  • Have you ever felt scared or confused about doing the right thing?
• Encourage pupils to share their ideas and feelings.
• Link to Christian teaching: Explain that betrayal and denial show how people sometimes make wrong choices, but Christian teaching also speaks strongly about forgiveness and hope.

3. Group Activity: Story Sequencing and Feelings Spider (20 minutes)

• Story sequencing: In small groups of 5, pupils put cards showing key events of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial in the correct order.
• Feelings spider: Each group uses the "feelings spider" worksheet to connect emotions to the events they sequenced. They add examples of times when betrayal, fear, or forgiveness happen in their own lives or in stories they know.
• Rotate around groups to prompt discussion, deepening understanding of the moral lessons.

4. Reflection and Personal Response (10 minutes)

• On paper, pupils write or draw a response to the prompt:
  "What can we learn from Judas and Peter about forgiveness and making choices?"
• Some pupils may write sentences; others draw feelings or ideas.
• Invite a few volunteers to share their responses, reinforcing positive peer listening and respect for different viewpoints.

5. Plenary and Assessment (5 minutes)

• Recap the main ideas: betrayal, denial, forgiveness, and faith.
• Ask quick oral questions to assess understanding:
  • Who was Judas?
  • What did Peter do?
  • Why is forgiveness important in the story?
• Record observations of pupil participation and understanding for formative assessment.

---

Differentiation

• For pupils needing support: Provide sentence starters or picture prompts. Pair them with a peer buddy during group work.
• For pupils needing extension: Challenge them to suggest how Peter might have felt afterwards and what it means for Christians today.

---

Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Speaking and listening during discussions; sequencing and writing skills during activities.
• PSHE: Understanding feelings, making choices, and forgiveness.
• Art: Drawing feelings and story elements.

---

Reflection for Teachers

• Note which pupils demonstrated empathy and understanding of abstract concepts like betrayal and forgiveness.
• Consider adapting future lessons to explore forgiveness in other faiths or personal experiences to build on this foundation.
• Use pupils’ written/drawn responses to inform next steps in RE and PSHE curriculum planning.

---

This lesson supports pupils in thinking deeply about moral challenges through a key Christian story, building both knowledge and personal reflection skills in line with the National Curriculum for England.