Overview

This sequence of three RE lessons (Weeks 3–6) explores key moments in the Easter story with Year 3 students. The focus is on discussing challenging concepts within Christianity through interactive, visually supported activities tailored for young Muslim pupils with little prior knowledge of Christianity. The lessons align with the National Curriculum for England for Religious Education (non-statutory but follows the Locally Agreed Syllabus framework), fostering understanding of festivals and key Christian beliefs, while promoting respect and thoughtful dialogue.

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Week 3 | Peter’s Denial

Learning Objective

• Understand and discuss the challenges faced by followers of the Christian faith, using Peter’s denial as a case study.
• Link to NC Framework: "Explore religious stories and recognise that believers may find them challenging" (KS2 RE)
• Develop listening, speaking, and comprehension skills through structured talk and visuals.

National Curriculum Relevance

• Religions and beliefs: Christianity
• Focus: Understanding stories about figures from the Bible and their significance for believers.
• Cross-curricular links: PSHE – recognising emotions like fear and courage.

Success Criteria

• Can explain who Peter was and what happened when he denied Jesus.
• Can identify ways faith might be difficult for Christians.
• Can share own thoughts and listen respectfully to others.

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Resources

• Large colourful picture story strip of Peter’s denial (with speech bubbles)
• Simple infographic: “What makes faith challenging?” with symbols (e.g., fear, peer pressure)
• Discussion prompt cards
• Differentiated worksheets (3 levels, see below)

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Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

Time	Activity	Detail
0–5 mins	Introduction & Recap	Briefly remind class about Easter and introduce Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples. Use a friendly cartoon visual of Peter.
5–15 mins	Story Time with Visuals	Show picture story strip of Peter’s denial. Teacher narrates, stops to ask questions checking understanding (“Why do you think Peter said he didn’t know Jesus?”). Use EAL widgets – word banks for ‘fear’, ‘denial’, ‘friendship’ with pictures.
15–25 mins	Think-Pair-Share	“What do you think it feels like to be scared to stand up for what you believe?” Pupils discuss in pairs (mix EAL/native speakers). Use sentence starters on cards (e.g., “I think Peter was scared because…”).
25–35 mins	Whole Class Discussion	Gather ideas on board: challenges Christian people might face today and in Peter’s time. Relate to feelings and courage. Use infographic as a talking point.
35–45 mins	Worksheet Activity	Pupils complete differentiation sheets:

• Emerging: Match emotions to pictures from story
• Expected: Sequence the story and write 1-2 sentences about Peter’s feelings
• Greater Depth: Write a short paragraph explaining why it’s sometimes hard to follow faith |
  | 45–50 mins | Plenary | Share a few ideas from worksheets, reinforce key message “Even heroes like Peter find faith hard sometimes.” Praise respectful listening and openness. |

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Week 4 | Women at the Crucifixion

Learning Objective

• Understand the role of women in the Easter story and why they were present at the crucifixion.
• Link to NC: "Explore the significance of key events in Christianity."
• Develop empathy and perspective-taking.

National Curriculum Relevance

• Christianity focus: explore religious practices and festivals
• Link to British Values: respect, equality, understanding diverse roles (including women) in faith stories.

Success Criteria

• Can explain who the women were and why they were at the crucifixion.
• Show understanding that women were important in Jesus’ story.
• Participate in thoughtful talk and complete worksheet.

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Resources

• Illustrated timeline highlighting women at key points in Easter story
• Role cards with simple facts about Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of Jesus, and others
• Big picture of crucifixion scene, simplified and annotated
• Sentence starters and word banks for EAL pupils
• Differentiated worksheets with drawing and writing tasks

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Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

Time	Activity	Detail
0–5 mins	Recap & Set Context	Recap last lesson’s key ideas. Show timeline visual focusing on the women who supported Jesus.
5–15 mins	Story Exploration	Introduce 3 women using role cards (with pictures). Read a short script/dialogue in groups to imagine their feelings.
15–25 mins	Group Discussion	“Why do you think these women stayed with Jesus when others left?” Prompt pupils to think about loyalty and bravery. Use sentence stems and visuals.
25–35 mins	Whole Class Sharing	Collect ideas and list reasons why the women were important on the board (e.g., caring, brave, faithful). Compare briefly to views in pupils’ own cultures about women’s faith roles.
35–45 mins	Worksheet Activity	Differentiation:

• Emerging: Colour the women and label their names
• Expected: Write simple sentences about what the women did and why they were important
• Greater Depth: Draw and write a short story imagining the feelings of one woman at the crucifixion |
  | 45–50 mins | Plenary | Reinforce: “Women played an important part and showed courage.” Praise respect and thoughtful ideas. |

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Week 6 | Most Important Easter Person

Learning Objective

• Discuss who might be the most important person in the Easter story.
• Develop reasoning skills and appreciation of different viewpoints.
• Link to NC: “Consider and talk about what people believe about significant religious figures.”

National Curriculum Relevance

• Christianity: focus on Easter story and beliefs about Jesus
• Skills: discussion, respect for diversity, critical thinking

Success Criteria

• Can name key people from the Easter story (Jesus, Peter, Mary Magdalene, etc.)
• Share own opinion on who is most important and give a reason
• Listen to and consider others’ views

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Resources

• Character cards with pictures and simple descriptions (Jesus, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Judas, Pilate)
• Large Venn diagram or ranking chart on the floor or board
• Sentence starters and thinking bubbles for/reflection
• Differentiated worksheet with opinion and reasoning challenge

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Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

Time	Activity	Detail
0–5 mins	Recap Easter Story	Brief recap using storyboard pictures. Identify key people.
5–15 mins	Introduce Question	Write question on board: “Who is the most important person in the Easter story?” Explain thinking talk will help explore answers.
15–25 mins	Character Sorting Game	Pupils work in groups to sort character cards by importance on a big chart. Encourage discussion and reasons. Use prompts like “I think… because…”
25–35 mins	Circle Discussion	Each group shares their top choice and reasoning. Highlight diversity of views as positive. Teacher models respectful disagreement and open questions.
35–45 mins	Worksheet	Differentiation:

• Emerging: Circle favourite Easter character and copy a sentence: “I like __ because __.”
• Expected: Write two sentences giving opinion and reasons
• Greater Depth: Write a short paragraph comparing two characters and explaining who is most important and why |
  | 45–50 mins | Plenary | Reflective talk bubble: “It is OK to have different ideas. What matters is listening and learning.” |

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Additional Notes for All Lessons

• EAL Support: Use word banks with visuals, simple sentences, thumbs-up/down for comprehension checks.
• Behaviour: Use “talking ball” or “widget” to ensure all pupils have a speaking turn.
• Assessment: Teachers use worksheet outcomes and participation in discussions to assess understanding and communication.
• Cultural Respect: Clarify that discussing Christianity does not replace pupils’ own beliefs but helps them learn about others.
• Inclusivity: Highlight common values like courage, loyalty, and respect that cross faiths.

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This three-lesson plan sequence offers a thoughtful and engaging approach to exploring Christianity’s Easter story tailored for Year 3 Muslims with little Christian background knowledge. Its focus on talk, visuals, and scaffolds ensures accessibility and deep thinking, fully aligned with current National Curriculum expectations for RE at Key Stage 2.