Exploring Palm Sunday

Lesson Overview

• Duration: 45 minutes
• Class: Mixed Year 3 and Year 4 (Low attainment, foundation gaps)
• Unit: Understanding Good Friday (Lesson 1 of 5)
• WALT: We Are Learning To explore the story and significance of Palm Sunday, understand Jesus' entry into Jerusalem during Holy Week, and create palm crosses as a reflective activity.

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National Curriculum Links

• Religious Education (Key Stage 2):
  Understanding Christianity / Thematic Approach
  • Beliefs and Practices: Pupils should learn about the key events in the life of Jesus, including Palm Sunday, and the significance of these events for Christians.
  • Interpretation and Enquiry: Pupils reflect on religious stories and symbols helping them make connections to their own lives.
• Learning Objective (KS2 RE Programme of Study):
  • Pupils should be able to recall Bible stories and talk about their meanings.
  • Pupils should explore Christian celebrations and understand their significance.

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT explain the story of Palm Sunday in simple terms.
• WALT identify why Palm Sunday is important for Christians in Holy Week.
• WALT create a palm cross to help remember the meaning of the celebration.

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Success Criteria

I can:

• Retell the main events of Palm Sunday using key vocabulary (Jesus, Jerusalem, palm branches, crowd, king).
• Explain why Christians celebrate Palm Sunday.
• Make a palm cross with support to take home as a reminder.

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Resources

• Illustrated storybook or simplified Bible version of Palm Sunday (dyslexia-friendly)
• Laminated picture sequence cards depicting the Palm Sunday story
• Green paper palm leaves or palm leaf templates
• Scissors, tape or glue sticks
• Strips of green paper for palm cross making
• Pre-prepared palm cross visual guide
• Story sacks or tactile props (optional)
• Large whiteboard and colourful markers
• Visual timetable for the session

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Differentiation Strategies

Group	Support Strategy	Extension Activity
Lower Attainment	Use picture cards and tactile props to reinforce story events. Use a simplified story with dyslexia-friendly font and audio support if possible. Scaffold palm cross making by pre-cutting strips. Use sentence starters for retelling.	Draw and label own sequence of Palm Sunday events.
Higher Attainment	Encourage thinking about why palms and crowds welcomed Jesus like a king. Verbally express the symbolism of palm branches. Make more intricate palm crosses or write a short prayer as part of the activity.	Write a short paragraph about how Palm Sunday makes Christians feel.

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Lesson Structure

1. Settling & Introduction (5 mins)

• Welcome and visual timetable overview.
• Recap prior learning briefly about Holy Week (if any).
• Introduce WALT and Success Criteria. Write on the board.
• Engage with a question: "Have you ever greeted someone very special? How did you show they were important?"

2. Story Exploration with Visuals (10 mins)

• Read the Palm Sunday story aloud using an illustrated and dyslexia-friendly text.
• Show laminated story sequencing cards and encourage children to place them in order.
• Use tactile props or story sacks where possible to engage different learning styles.
• Pause to clarify vocabulary (Jerusalem, palms, crowd, king).
• Ask simple comprehension questions: "Who was coming?", "Why did people wave palms?"

3. Group Discussion (5 mins)

• Discuss why the crowd welcomed Jesus like a king. What does that mean?
• Relate the symbolism of palms (peace, welcome) with pictures.
• Use thoughtful prompts: "How do you think the followers felt?"
• Record key words on the whiteboard for reinforcement.

4. Creative Activity: Making Palm Crosses (20 mins)

• Explain the significance of palm crosses as a reminder of Palm Sunday.
• Demonstrate step-by-step how to make a simple palm cross with green strips of paper.
• Pupils work either independently or with peer/adult support to make their crosses.
• Support learners with fine motor difficulties by offering pre-cut strips or using thicker card.
• Encourage writing their name or drawing a symbol on their cross.
• For early finishers: they can colour a Palm Sunday picture or write a sentence about the day.

5. Reflection & Plenary (5 mins)

• Invite children to share their palm crosses with the class and explain what it reminds them of.
• Recap WALT and Success Criteria together.
• Use thumbs up/down or a simple smiley face scale to assess understanding informally.
• Preview next lesson focus: "Next time, we will find out what happened after Palm Sunday on Good Friday."

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Assessment for Learning

• Formative questioning during story and discussion.
• Observation and completion of palm cross activity.
• Check for sentence starters or verbal retell from lower attainment children.
• Use plenary smiles/thumbs for self-assessment of learning.

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Additional Ideas for WOW Factor

• Create a classroom “Jerusalem street” on a wall display with palms and crowns made by children during the week.
• Use child-friendly music or a short video clip of ‘Hosanna’ songs to bring atmosphere.
• Invite children to think about and share times when they have welcomed someone important.
• Offer tactile palm leaves (real or artificial) to feel while learning.

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This lesson plan aims to provide an accessible, multisensory, and enjoyable introduction to Palm Sunday keeping all children engaged while meeting the National Curriculum expectations. It also sets a solid foundation for the next lessons in this unit about Good Friday.