Overview

This is lesson 4 of 5 in the unit "Understanding Good Friday" focusing on Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus. Students will explore the significance of Easter Sunday for Christians and engage in a creative activity illustrating the empty tomb. The lesson is designed for a mixed Year 3 and Year 4 class with lower attainment and some gaps in prior learning.

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National Curriculum Links

Religious Education (based on local SACRE guidance abiding by the National Curriculum framework for England and OFSTED requirements):

• Attainment target 1: Learning about religion and belief – Pupils should be taught to:

  • Recognise and explore the meanings of religious stories, symbols, and beliefs.
  • Retell and suggest meanings to some religious and moral stories, including those about Jesus.
  • Understand how and why Christians celebrate Easter as the resurrection of Jesus.

• Attainment target 2: Learning from religion and belief – Pupils should be taught to:

  • Reflect on how Easter might make Christians feel and why it is important to them.
  • Discuss their own ideas and feelings about new beginnings and hope.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Understand the story and significance of Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus.
• WALT: Express the meaning of the empty tomb through a creative illustration.
• WALT: Explore and explain why Easter Sunday is a celebration of hope and new life for Christians.

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Success Criteria

Children will be able to:

• Retell the story of Easter Sunday in simple terms.
• Describe why the empty tomb is important to Christians.
• Create an illustrated representation of the empty tomb showing understanding of the story.
• Discuss what Easter Sunday means to Christians and link it to feelings of hope and joy.

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Resources Needed

• Large paper or A3 sheets
• Coloured pencils, crayons, and tissue paper
• Pre-written simplified story cards about Easter Sunday (with dyslexia-friendly font and pictures)
• Visual timeline of Easter week (including Good Friday and Easter Sunday)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Sticky notes

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Lesson Structure (45 minutes)

1. Introduction & Recap (10 minutes)

• WALT reminder: Write on board - “We are learning to celebrate Easter Sunday.”
• Recap briefly from previous lesson about Good Friday to connect (ask: What happened on Good Friday? What do you remember?). Use the visual timeline for support.
• Explain that Easter Sunday is when Christians celebrate Jesus coming back to life, which is called the resurrection.
• Read together a simplified story card of the resurrection using dyslexia-friendly text, with images to support comprehension.
• Check understanding by asking simple questions: What happened to the tomb? Who found it empty? How do you think they felt?

2. Class Discussion (10 minutes)

• Discuss why Easter Sunday is a happy day for Christians. Link to feelings they know: happiness, hope, new beginnings.
• Use sticky notes for pupils to write or draw one word or picture about how Easter Sunday makes Christians feel. (Support writing with sentence starters or word banks as needed.)
• Share some responses and group related feelings: hope, joy, surprise, new life.

3. Creative Activity – Illustrate the Empty Tomb (20 minutes)

• Explain the creative task: Pupils will create their own picture of the empty tomb to show the story visually.
• Provide options: drawing, colouring, collage with tissue paper for the stone rolled away and bright colours for the joyful mood.
• Support lower-attaining pupils by providing templates or partial drawings to complete.
• Encourage advanced learners to add labels with key words like “resurrection,” “empty tomb,” or a short sentence.
• Teachers and assistants circulate, praising effort and asking open-ended questions to deepen understanding (“Why do you think the tomb was empty?” “How does your picture show hope?”)

4. Plenary & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Invite a few pupils to explain their pictures and what Easter Sunday means based on their work.
• Reinforce that Easter Sunday is important for Christians because it reminds them of new life and hope.
• Exit question for reflection: “If Easter Sunday means hope, what can we hope for in our lives?”
• Collect artwork to display in class Easter reflection area.

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Differentiation Strategies

Group	Strategy
Lower-attaining	Use simple sentence starters and visual supports; provide story cards with pictures; allow drawing only if writing is hard. Provide templates and one-to-one support.
EAL learners	Use key vocabulary with images; pair discussions; allow use of mother tongue if beneficial for understanding.
Dyslexic learners	Provide dyslexia-friendly text (sans-serif font, line spacing); read story aloud with visual aids; allow oral responses or drawing instead of writing.
Advanced learners	Challenge with adding labels, sentences, or a short paragraph about Easter’s significance. Encourage linking the story with other Christian beliefs.

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Extension Activities

• Create a short class poem or chant about Easter Sunday focusing on themes of hope and new life.
• Explore how other cultures celebrate new life and spring to create a cross-curricular connection (Art or Geography).
• Use role play to act out the discovery of the empty tomb to deepen empathy and understanding.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observe group discussions, questions answered during recap, and children’s explanations of their pictures.
• Summative: Evaluate their illustrations and explanations against the success criteria. Use a simple checklist to note understanding of story, meaning of Easter Sunday, and ability to express feelings connected to the resurrection.

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Notes for Teachers

• Given gaps in prior learning, keep language clear and repeat key points several times.
• Use interactive and multisensory approaches to ensure engagement.
• Maintain a supportive, encouraging atmosphere to build confidence, especially for lower-attaining pupils.
• Display word banks and visual aids prominently for ongoing reference.
• The creative task allows for personalised expression, which helps with emotional connection to the religious concept.

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This plan ensures coverage of the National Curriculum’s religious education expectations for Years 3 and 4 and supports varied attainment levels with targeted differentiation and accessible materials.