Celebrating New Life

Overview

Subject: Religious Education
Age Group: Year 2 (Ages 6–7)
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 24 pupils
Curriculum Link:
This lesson links to the Religious Education element of the Key Stage 1 - National Curriculum for England, specifically focusing on:

“Pupils should learn about the beliefs and practices of major world religions, including Christianity, and begin to explore themes such as celebration, growth and new life.”

This lesson also addresses the EYFS and KS1 expectations from most local agreed syllabuses (e.g. Birmingham, Cornwall, and London RE syllabi), particularly in the following areas:

• Festivals and their meaning
• Understanding symbols and story in religion
• Learning about religious traditions and deep human ideas like rebirth, hope, and change

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Learning Objectives

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

• Recognise the concept of new life and growth in Spring
• Identify symbols of new life within religious celebrations (focusing on Christianity and a contrasting faith - Sikhism)
• Reflect on the feeling of hope, change, and renewal associated with both nature and religion
• Express personal responses through creative expression

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Resources Needed

• A small tree branch or bare twig per table (“Spring trees”)
• A tray of symbols (eggs, lamb, flower, cross, flame, chick, candles)
• Pictures of springtime and religious festivals (Easter, Vaisakhi)
• Spring-themed storybook: “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle (optional reading extract)
• Art materials: coloured card, tissue paper, pencils, scissors, glue
• A “quiet reflection zone” space with leaf mats and calming Spring sounds/music
• Sticky notes and a display board or wall

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Vocabulary Focus

• Spring
• New Life
• Rebirth
• Easter
• Vaisakhi
• Symbol
• Celebration

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Lesson Structure

⏱️ Starter (10 Minutes) – “Spring is Here!”

Activity: Picture Prompt & Discussion
Display a slideshow of signs of Spring (plants blooming, baby animals, sunshine, rain). Ask:

• What do you notice?
• How does Spring make you feel?
• What do you think "new life" means?

Record children's words on sticky notes and add to a growing "Spring Words" wall.

🎵 Optional enhancement: Play calming Spring nature sounds (birds, rain, breeze) quietly in background.

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⏱️ Main Input (15 Minutes) – “New Life in Religion”

Activity: Story Circle – Explaining through Stories and Symbols

• Begin with a short re-telling of the Christian Easter story with age-appropriate focus on hope and new life, not getting into the crucifixion detail, but focusing on Jesus’ return as symbolic of new beginnings.
• Introduce Vaisakhi (Sikh festival of harvest and new formation of the Khalsa) and show a simple photograph of dancing or colourful celebrations.

Discuss:

• Why do people celebrate during Spring?
• What do eggs, chicks, flowers and candles have to do with "new life"?

Let children touch and pass around symbol artefacts in small trays. They call out what each might represent.

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⏱️ Activity (25 Minutes) – “Build a Spring Tree of Life”

Creative Expression Task: Each group (tables of 6) has a bare tree branch in a flower pot. Children create individual paper or tissue-based “leaves” or “blossoms” to add onto the tree, symbolising:

• A feeling they associate with Spring
• A symbol from the religious festivals discussed
• A drawing of new life

Each child explains to their partner what their symbol or blossom means before placing it on the tree.

🌿 Teacher circulates, prompting deep thought:

“Does your flower mean hope, or joy? Could it be like Jesus’ new life, or a new seed ready to grow?”

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⏱️ Plenary (10 Minutes) – Quiet Reflection & Sharing

“Circle of Life” Moment:
Bring class into a circle near the calming reflection zone. Turn on spring ambient sounds again.

Ask:

• What changes in Spring outside?
• What changes for people inside (our feelings, our lives)?
• What would you like to grow in yourself this Spring?

Children are given one sticky leaf-shaped note and write a wish or hope for themselves. These are added to a “Wall of Hope” display.

As a closing moment, share a poem or a short extract from “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle to reinforce the metaphor of growth and new life.

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Extension Ideas (Optional)

• Invite a local Christian or Sikh visitor to speak at a follow-up session
• Link to a Science topic: plant actual seeds and track their growth as a metaphor
• Incorporate music by learning a Spring-themed song from RE Today resources or school hymnal

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Assessment Opportunities

Observation during:

• Group discussion – Are children making links between Spring in nature and in religion?
• Tree-blossom activity – Are they using symbols meaningfully?
• Reflection – Can pupils articulate personal meaning or feeling about change and new life?

Record insights in teacher assessment journal or class floor book for RE.

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Differentiation

• Visual learners: Use rich imagery and real-life artefacts
• EAL/SEN learners: Provide symbol cards and emotion word banks
• More able learners: Encourage connections to abstract large ideas like “change”, “re-birth”, “celebration” across different languages or contexts

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Evaluation & Follow-Up

After the lesson, evaluate:

• Did pupils demonstrate emotional and symbolic understanding?
• Which religious concepts did they connect with more easily?
• Any opportunities for home links (e.g. family celebrations of Spring)?

Plan a follow-up display using the Spring Trees of Life and the 'Wall of Hope' notes in the corridor or school hall for wider community involvement.

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WOW Factor Tip for Teachers

Why not let the children quietly enter the room to “Spring air” music and little scattered flowers or fabric leaves across the floor, setting an atmosphere of enchantment and seasonal change from the moment they enter? First impressions count – and this one becomes unforgettable.