Overview

Unit: Why Jesus Was Special (Lesson 4 of 5)
Duration: 30 minutes
Class: EYFS & KS1 (Ages 3-7) mixed class of 14 students
Setting: Small rural C of E primary school, Selside, Kendal, Cumbria
Curriculum Reference:

• Religious Education: Understanding Christianity (National Curriculum links for EYFS & KS1 RE)
• Development Matters (EYFS): Understanding the world – People and Communities
• Early Learning Goals (ELGs): Past and Present, Understanding the World
• Key Stage 1:
  • RE Curriculum: Identify key stories from the Bible and what these stories reveal about Jesus.
  • Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage: Communication and Language – Listening and Attention; Understanding.

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Learning Objectives

“I can…” statements for this lesson:

• I can listen and recall three miracles of Jesus: Stilling the Storm, Feeding of the Five Thousand, and Turning Water into Wine.
• I can describe what these miracles tell us about Jesus’ character and power.
• I can share my thoughts about why Jesus performed miracles.

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Success Criteria

• Students can retell the key points of each miracle story in their own words.
• Students can express one idea about what these miracles show about Jesus (e.g., He was caring, powerful, kind).
• Students engage in discussion and listen respectfully to others’ ideas.

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Resources

• Storybook or picture cards illustrating the three miracles
• Simple props (e.g., small boat toy for the storm, paper plates with pretend loaves and fishes, small cups for water/wine)
• Large story circle carpet or outdoor space (weather permitting)
• Whiteboard or flipchart with picture prompts
• Drawing and colouring materials for reflection activity
• Visual “I can…” success criteria chart
• Differentiated worksheets: simple sequencing cards (EYFS) and sentence starters (KS1)

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Prior Learning (Recap)

• Jesus was a special person in the Bible.
• Previous lessons introduced Jesus as a teacher and healer.

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Lesson Structure

1. Welcome and Introduction (5 minutes)

• Gather children on the carpet/outdoor reading area. Use a visual timetable to outline today’s lesson visually.
• Briefly recap previous lesson: "Who is Jesus and why do people think he was special?"
• Introduce today’s focus: Miracles of Jesus – Explain what a miracle means in simple terms: “Something amazing happens that helps people or shows us something special.”

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2. Storytelling & Interactive Talk (12 minutes)

• Story 1: Stilling the Storm

  • Show picture cards and props. Tell the story simply: Jesus and his friends are in a boat when a big storm comes. Jesus tells the wind to stop, and it becomes calm.
  • Ask guided questions: How do you think the friends felt? What does this tell us about Jesus?

• Story 2: Feeding the Five Thousand

  • Use props to show five loaves and two fish multiplied to feed many people.
  • Briefly retell the story and discuss: Why did Jesus help feed the people? What does this say about him?

• Story 3: Turning Water to Wine

  • Explain this happened at a wedding. Jesus turned water into wine to help people celebrate.
  • Discuss: How did Jesus help his friends here? What does this tell us about Jesus?

Use active questioning and allow younger children to respond verbally, older ones to connect ideas.

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3. Reflection and Discussion (5 minutes)

• Ask the whole group: “What do these special stories tell us about Jesus?”
• Encourage children’s answers linked to power, kindness, helping others.
• Use a flipchart or whiteboard to capture children’s ideas as a mind map to revisit later.

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4. Differentiated Activities (7 minutes)

• EYFS (Nursery & Reception):

  • Story sequencing cards for one miracle story (e.g., Stilling the Storm).
  • Drawing time: Draw your favourite part of one miracle story and say what Jesus did.

• KS1 (Year 1 & Year 2):

  • Write or draw about one miracle.
  • Sentence starters: “Jesus helped people by...”, “This shows Jesus is...”.
  • Extension: Suggest your own miracle Jesus could do today and draw it.

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5. Plenary/Sharing (1 minute)

• Invite a few children to share their drawings or sentences.
• Recap “I can…” statements and revisit success criteria. Congratulate on listening and sharing.
• Link next week’s lesson: “Next time, we will explore more miracles Jesus did!”

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Group	Strategy
SEN/EAL/Lower Ability	Use picture symbols and real objects to support comprehension; repeat key phrases; one-to-one adult support where possible; minimise language complexity.
Higher Ability/KS1	Encourage use of descriptive language in writing; provide extension task with creative thinking (creating own miracle).
EYFS	Storytelling through play and sensory experience (touching props, role-play). Focus on oral language and sequencing.

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Role-play the miracle stories in small groups, encouraging children to use their own words and expressions to retell the story.
• Create a “Miracle Book” illustrating different miracles of Jesus with captions.
• Discuss the idea of ‘helping others’ in everyday life – write or draw how they could do miracles by being kind or brave in school or at home.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation during story retelling: check understanding using open questions.
• Evaluate reflection activities for ability to link miracle to Jesus’ character.
• Use oral feedback in discussion to note children’s ideas and vocabulary development.
• Mark simple worksheets for understanding sequence and comprehension (KS1).

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Links to National Curriculum and Frameworks

• Understanding Christianity: Thematic Unit: “People of God” and “Incarnation” – recognising key stories about Jesus and their meaning.
• EYFS Framework: Understanding the world – Past and Present – Understanding stories from the Bible as important cultural stories.
• KS1 RE: Gain knowledge of Christian beliefs about Jesus and how stories reveal his special nature and role.
• Communication and Language (EYFS): Listening, attention, and understanding through storytelling and discussion.

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Reflection for the Teacher

• Did the children engage with the stories and express ideas about Jesus?
• How effectively were differentiated tasks scaffolded? Do children with SEN understand and enjoy the stories?
• Note which children may benefit from additional storytelling or reinforcement activities next lesson.
• Consider using outdoor spaces more extensively to engage children with kinaesthetic learning in future lessons.

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Enjoy exploring the wonders of Jesus’ miracles with your class!