Lenten Traditions

Curriculum Area

Religious Education – Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
National Curriculum Link: While Religious Education is not part of the National Curriculum in England, this lesson aligns with locally agreed syllabuses, encouraging pupils to explore and understand religious festivals, traditions, and diversity within Christianity.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils should:

• Understand that Lent is observed in different ways around the world.
• Recognise key Lenten traditions from at least three different countries.
• Appreciate how different cultures express their faith during Lent.
• Work collaboratively to present findings to the class.

Lesson Duration

60 minutes

Resources Needed

• World map (printed or digital).
• Images of Lenten traditions (printed or displayed on the board).
• Prepared information cards on different countries’ traditions.
• Scissors, glue, coloured pencils.
• Large poster paper for group presentations.

Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 minutes) – Lenten Guessing Game

• Begin by displaying a world map on the board.
• Ask pupils: “How do you think Lent is celebrated in different parts of the world?” Encourage discussion.
• Read out short descriptions of various Lenten traditions (without naming the countries). Examples:
  • "In this country, people cook and eat pancakes before Lent begins."
  • "In this country, people dress in bright costumes and have big parades before Lent starts."
  • "In this country, people decorate and break large eggs during Lent."
• Pupils guess which countries the traditions belong to (UK, Brazil, or Greece).

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2. Main Activity (30 minutes) – Group Research and Presentations

Step 1: Assign Lenten Traditions (10 minutes)

• Divide the class into six groups of five pupils.
• Assign each group a country with a unique Lenten tradition:
  • United Kingdom – Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day).
  • Italy – Carnevale before Lent.
  • Brazil – Carnival and Ash Wednesday.
  • The Philippines – Processions and fasting.
  • Mexico – Passion Plays and re-enactments.
  • Greece – Clean Monday and kite flying.
• Provide each group with an information card containing facts and pictures about their assigned country’s tradition.

Step 2: Group Poster Creation (10 minutes)

• Each group creates a colourful poster showcasing their country’s Lenten tradition. Posters should include:
  • The country's name and a drawing of its shape.
  • A short description of the Lenten tradition.
  • A drawing or symbol representing the tradition (e.g., pancakes for the UK, masks for Italy).
• Groups work collaboratively, with each pupil contributing (writing, drawing, colouring).

Step 3: Class Presentations (10 minutes)

• Each group presents their poster to the class, explaining the tradition in simple terms.
• Other pupils listen carefully and can ask one question per group.

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3. Plenary (15 minutes) – Reflection and Discussion

• Gather pupils on the carpet for a class discussion. Ask:
  • “What was the most surprising Lenten tradition you learned about?”
  • “Why do you think different countries have different traditions?”
  • “What do these traditions tell us about the importance of Lent in different cultures?”
• Conclude by reinforcing the idea that while cultures might celebrate differently, the message of Lent—reflection, preparation, and faith—is the same across Christianity.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Verbal contributions during discussions.
• Group collaboration and teamwork in creating posters.
• Quality of explanations during presentations.
• Engagement during plenary discussion.

Differentiation Strategies

• Support for lower ability learners: Provide sentence starters for presenting, pair them with stronger readers within groups.
• Challenge for higher ability learners: Encourage them to incorporate extra facts, compare traditions, or create a quiz question for the class.

Extension Activity

• Pupils write a short reflective piece: “If you could celebrate Lent in another country, which one would you choose and why?”
• They can include drawings alongside their reflections.

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Teacher Reflection

• Did pupils engage with learning about different traditions?
• Were they able to identify similarities and differences between practices?
• How well did they work in groups and present their information?

This lesson provides an interactive and engaging way for pupils to see how Christianity is practiced worldwide while reinforcing key aspects of Lent. Each pupil’s creativity and curiosity will drive discussion, making this a memorable and valuable lesson.