Why Sundays Matter

Age Group

Year 1 (5-6 years old)

Duration

45 minutes

Curriculum for Excellence Links

• Religious and Moral Education (RME):
  • Experiences and Outcomes (Es and Os):
    • I am developing my awareness of the Christian story and can talk about the importance of Sundays for Christians in their worship and rest. (SOC 0-05a)
  • Organisers:
    • Beliefs and Values
    • Christianity
• Health and Wellbeing (HWB)
  • SOC 0-15a: "I know that keeping active and making healthy choices contributes to my health and wellbeing."

---

WALT

• We are learning to understand why Sundays are important to Christians.

Success Criteria

• I can share what I do on a Sunday.
• I can explain that Sunday is a special day for Christians.
• I can recognise the story of creation and why Jesus rested on the 7th day.
• I can complete a worksheet explaining why Sunday is important.

---

Resources

• Video of the Creation story showing Jesus resting on the 7th day (simplified and age-appropriate)
• "Sunday is Important Because..." worksheet (with images and simple prompts)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Large paper/flip chart for mind mapping pupils’ ideas
• Dyslexia-friendly printouts (clear font, larger text, coloured paper option)
• Story props (optional): soft toy representing Jesus, picture cards of days of the week

---

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Discussion (10 minutes)

• Engage pupils with questions:
  • “What do you do on a Sunday?”
  • “Why is there no school on Sunday?”
• Capture answers on the board or large paper.
• Guide pupils to realise that Sundays are often for rest and family time — something special.
• Introduce the idea that Sunday is especially important for many Christians.

2. Story of Creation Video (10 minutes)

• Show a short, age-appropriate video telling the story of creation focusing on the 7th day when Jesus rested.
• Pause at key moments to check understanding:
  • Ask: “Who made the world?”
  • “What did Jesus do on the 7th day?”
  • Reinforce the idea that rest is important and that Sunday comes from this story.

3. Group Discussion & Mind Mapping (10 minutes)

• In small groups or as a whole class, ask pupils:
  • “Why do Christians rest on Sundays?”
  • “What do you think Sunday means to them?”
• Record answers on the flip chart.
• Use visual aids or symbols to support pupils with lower literacy skills.

4. Worksheet Activity (10 minutes)

• Pupils complete the "Sunday is Important Because..." worksheet.
  • The worksheet includes pictures to match simple sentences (e.g., rest, family, church).
• Encourage pupils to draw or circle their favourite thing about Sunday if writing is challenging.

5. Plenary – Share and Reflect (5 minutes)

• Invite some pupils to share one thing they learned about Sunday.
• Highlight differences and similarities between their ideas and Christian beliefs.
• Recap the importance of rest and spending time with loved ones.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Support Learners Who Need Help:
  • Use visual aids and props to reinforce concepts.
  • Provide sentence starters on worksheets.
  • Pair pupils for peer support during activities.
  • Use positive reinforcement and praise contributions.
• Dyslexia-friendly Support:
  • Provide worksheets printed on pastel-coloured paper.
  • Use Dyslexia-friendly font types such as Arial or Comic Sans.
  • Allow extra time to complete tasks.
  • Use reading aloud and verbal explanations where needed.
• For Advanced Learners:
  • Prompt to think about how Sunday as a day of rest relates to their own weekends.
  • Encourage articulation of ideas about why rest is good for wellbeing.
  • Offer to write a short sentence or draw a picture about what they would do on a special day of rest.

---

Assessment

• Formative:
  • Observe pupil participation during discussion.
  • Check understanding through answers given after the video.
  • Review worksheet completion for comprehension.
• Summative:
  • Use the pupils’ responses in the plenary to gauge their grasp of why Sundays are important.

---

Additional Notes

• Keep language simple and relatable.
• Emphasise respect for different beliefs, noting that this lesson focuses on Christian traditions.
• Use lots of praise and encouragement to build confidence in sharing ideas.
• This lesson can be linked to HWB by discussing the importance of rest for everyone, regardless of belief.

---

This plan aligns with Curriculum for Excellence by developing knowledge, understanding, and respect for Christianity, nurturing communication skills and wellbeing awareness in a context age-appropriate for Year 1 pupils.