Lent+and+Easter+At+St+Thomas'


 * Resources to support learning and teaching about Lent and Easter in Prep**

LENT:

Purple Sharing Time (Lenten Promises)
 * The children are given a purple heart to write and display the good thing that they could do during this Lenten Time - decorated and displayed in the classroom
 * The Grateful Tree - when they see someone doing something nice in the playground or in the classroom and create a tree of nice things that we do - Tamzin played with me.
 * Lenten Tree - starts with no leaves and a leaf goes on the tree everyday and then when we go on holidays there are lots of leaves (40 Days) so that when we come back there are beautiful butterflies that represent new life.
 * Relating to scriptures: Stories of Forgiveness, Sharing, reconciliation and Peace. Right and wrong, bad choices. Examples: The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32), The Lepers (Luke 17:11-19)
 * Arms Giving - Project Compassion Boxes - Fundraiser

EASTER TIME:

The Easter Story - Be sure to discuss the time and the context and what happened then and what would happen now; time has changed. http://www.refuel.org.uk/projects/ks1_topics/easter/index.html

The Easter Story - Cooking and discussing the importance of Jesus http://www.dltk-bible.com/recipes/easter_story_cookies.htm

To be made the evening before Easter
 * 1cup whole pecans (nut free school - smarties)
 * 1tsp vinegar
 * 3 egg whites
 * pinch salt
 * 1 cup sugar
 * zipper bags
 * wooden spoon
 * tape
 * Bible


 * 1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)
 * 2) Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
 * 3) Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
 * 4) Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
 * 5) Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
 * 6) So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
 * 7) Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
 * 8) Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
 * 9) Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
 * 10) Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
 * 11) GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
 * 12) On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

MAKING YOUR OWN STORY ABOUT JESUS: This is a great resource to show the children a lovely life of Jesus

http://www.dltk-teach.com/minibooks/jesus/index.htm

(so you can read through it before printing) ||
 * **Text of the Mini Book**
 * Pg 1 Jesus was born. || Pg 2 Jesus was baptized. ||
 * Pg 3 Jesus was a teacher. || Pg 4 Jesus prayed. ||
 * Pg 5 Jesus died for us. || Pg 6 Jesus was buried. ||
 * Pg 7 Jesus is risen. || Pg 8 Jesus loves us! ||

Jelly Bean Poem: (Jelly Bean Prayer)
http://www.dltk-holidays.com/easter/jellybean.htm


 * ===Red is for the love He gave. === ||
 * ===Green is for the grass He made. === ||
 * ===Yellow is for the sun so bright. === ||
 * ===Orange is for the edge of night. === ||
 * ===Black is for mistakes we made, ===

While we worked and while we played.
|| ====We use this poem and then place the jelly beans that we have on the poem with the right colours and then into a plastic egg to take home and tell of Jesus' love for us. This then helps children appreciate the love of Jesus. ====
 * ===White is for the grace He gave. === ||
 * ===Purple is for His sad, sad days. === ||
 * ===Pink is for our happy ways. === ||
 * ===An egg full of jelly beans, Colourful and Sweet === ||
 * ===Is a prayer, a promise, A loved one's treat!! === ||
 * *this is an edited version of the first published ones to adapt it to the early years. ||

Children create and paint their own egg cups that we then put eggs in when the "Easter Bunny" comes to visit our classroom and leaves us a note and footprints.
 * EASTER EGG CUPS**

The children will paper macho balloons and then we fill paint them and then cut the top off it and we can fill it will shredded paper and then we fill it with a little chick and chocolate crackles for the children to take home at the end of Term One for Easter.
 * PAPER MACHE EGGS**