Easter- Resurrection
Educational Framework: Heart for God
“Easter- Resurrection” Unit: Spring into Growth
LESSON PURPOSE: Celebrating Easter & Resurrection!
MATERIALS: Picture Book, learning toys, craft supplies
BOOKS: Stories about Easter and Faith-based Easter
SONG IDEAS: Jesus Love the Little Children, He’s Got the Whole World, This Little Light of Mine, By the Spring of Life, Ho-Ho-Ho Hosanna
SENSORY CENTERS:
Easter Sensory bin: fake grass, plastic eggs, rubber duckies.
Plastic Eggs: balancing eggs on empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Stacking plastic egg halves into tall towers.
Color Sorting: Have children sort pom poms or fruit loops in to the right color egg.
Playdoh Eggs: Have children make Easter eggs out of playdoh and place them in an empty egg carton.
SCRIPTURE: Display the weekly scripture reading, have an older child read it or use it in the lesson as you like.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” -2 Corinthians 5:17
“Through the resurrection of Jesus, the whole creation came to have new master, the way was paved for mankind to make a fresh start, Jesus won the spiritual victory in the struggle against Satan.” -True Father
INTRODUCE the Lesson:
WELCOME: SONG, PRAYER, TP Greeting
SONG IDEAS: Jesus Love the Little Children, He’s Got the Whole World, This Little Light of Mine, By the Spring of Life, Ho-Ho-Ho Hosanna, Jesus is Alive
REVIEW & TRANSITION:
Last week we learned about Caring for God’s Creation! What were some ways you cared for Creation this week? That’s wonderful! That makes God, our Heavenly Parent so happy! It also makes Jesus and True Parents smile and feel proud. Today we will be celebrating a very special holiday at church.
ATTENTION GRABBER: choose 1:
Easter things Show & Tell- show a bunch of Easter props- bunny, egg, grass, chick, tulips, chocolate... Ask children what this reminds them of? EASTER! Yes, that’s right! Today is Easter Sunday! All of these things remind us of Easter, Spring & New Life! (Bunnies are known to be very fertile and have lots of baby bunnies in Spring! Eggs are a sign of new life- they are also the same oval shape as a raindrop or seed- which both bring forth new life).
Easter Words Animation- Show this and introduce the different Easter words to children.
INTRO:
Bunnies, eggs, chicks, flowers= all represent new life! Spring time is a celebration of growth, beauty & life! All of these fun things help us to prepare for and celebrate Easter. On Easter, we remember that Jesus gives us new life too- in our hearts and spirits. It is also a special day celebrating the start of True Father’s mission.
CHOOSE 1 OR 2: READ A STORY, SING A SONG OR POEM, WATCH A VIDEO: *Use this before OR with your teaching point.
VIDEOS: click on the link for educational, sing along or dance videos
SONGS:
Ho-Ho-Ho Hosanna: Worship Song
Jesus is Alive Worship Dance Song
The Way the Bunny Hops Movement Song
EDUCATIONAL:
*Easter According to Kids light hearted & humorous telling of the Resurrection of Jesus by Southland Christian Church
The Beginner’s Bible: The Easter Story Animated Bible Story- Jesus is Arrested, Crucified & Risen by Zondervan
READ ALOUD VIDEO:
*We’re Going on an Egg Hunt Fun Read Aloud Full of Action like “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Storyshark
*My Little Easter Story by Christina Goodings - Kids Books Read Aloud Great Read Aloud of the story of Jesus including Jesus’ teachings by Kids Books Read Aloud
SONG OR POEM:
Easter Bunny Wheels on the Bus
The Easter bunny’s feet go hop, hop, hop. His big pink ears go flop, flop, flop. He is searching on his way to bring eggs on Easter day, With a hop, flop, Hop, flop, hop!
Bunny Hokey Pokey
You put your bunny ears in, You put your bunny ears out, You put your bunny ears in and you shake them all about. You do the Bunny Pokey and you hop yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.
You put your bunny nose in…
You put your bunny paws in…
You put your cotton tail in…
You put your bunny body in..
*TEACH the Lesson:
Discuss the following points together, asking children questions, drawing pictures, using anchor charts or post it notes.
TEACHING POINT 1: Easter- Resurrection
Tell this story using visualization, props or showing pictures to children:
Once upon a time, God made a very beautiful and perfect world. However, over time humans made mistakes and the world isn’t perfect anymore. That’s why this world needs a Savior to help bring us back into a real living relationship with our Heavenly Parent. It’s like “Winter & Spring”. Spiritually, the world became Winter (show a picture of dead trees) but through the Resurrection of Jesus & the Blessing of TP- we can become Spring! (show a Spring tree). We can blossom in God’s eternal love- everything can bloom & grow again like beautiful flowers in a garden.
Easter is the day we celebrate Jesus’s Resurrection- it's like a butterfly. Jesus was like the caterpillar. Then (his physical body passed away and) he went into a tomb- like a cocoon. Finally, He (his Spirit) raised to the sky like a beautiful butterfly! On Easter we celebrate his Resurrection! We celebrate that He is Alive- that His Spirit, teachings & love live on in our hearts!
For older children that are ready to receive the full Bible story watch one of the Easter Story videos or use this interactive storytelling idea here using “Resurrection Easter Eggs”
TEACHING POINT 2: Messiah gives us new life *OPTIONAL EXTENSION
Celebrating Jesus- Jesus came to this world as God’s Son and taught us about God’s love and loving others. At Christmas time, we celebrate Jesus’ birth- today on Easter- we celebrate Jesus’ life! Through Jesus and all He teaches us, we receive spiritual salvation and invite God to live within our hearts.
Celebrating True Parents- Easter is also a very special day in our faith because it is the Sunday that Jesus appeared to True Father. True Father was just 16 years old at the time and praying on a mountaintop in Korea. While he was talking to his Heavenly Parent, Jesus appeared to him and asked him to carry on and complete his mission! Together True Parents devoted their lives to this mission. This time the Messiah could receive his Bride (True Mother) and form a God centered family. And together True Parents give us family (& physical) salvation, inviting God to live in the center of our family through the marriage Blessing!
Now, Jesus & True Father are like butterflies with beautiful wings. They are our special angels that watch over us and live within our hearts.
CONCLUSION:
Today we celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection and new life & the start of True Father’s mission! We celebrate Easter together. It’s a beautiful day of joy, filled with God’s love and blessings. (The Easter bunny comes and brings us eggs to fill our hearts with joy on this special day!) As we wear our pastel colors, pretty Easter dresses, bunny ears, paint Easter eggs and go on egg hunts- let’s remember that we’re celebrating New Life, Resurrection & Salvation. God our Heavenly Parent is dwelling within each of our hearts!
TITHING & PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Parent, We thank you for Easter! Please join in our hearts and in this special day as we remember Jesus’ Resurrection & True Father’s special meeting with Jesus on Easter Sunday. We want to celebrate this Spring, new beginning with you and be grateful for all of our Easter eggs & blessings. We love you. Thank you. Amen. Aju.
APPLY the Lesson:
GROUP ACTIVITIES: choose 1 :
Easter eggs are hollow, like the empty tomb (or cocoon), to remind us of Jesus’ resurrection and that He lives in our hearts.
Easter Eggs-ercise: Fill eggs with “brain break” actions- hop like a bunny, spin like an egg, wiggle your bunny tail, hatch from an egg, grow like grass etc. Have children pick an egg & read the action- everyone join in on the action!
Easter Egg Hunt: Have a fun filled Easter Egg Hunt inside or outside! :)
Minute To Win It Easter: Quick fun little games you can play taking turns or in teams!
CRAFTS: choose 1
Paint Easter Eggs: Paint, dye, color or decorate boiled Easter Eggs!
SomeBUNNY Loves You- Children make handprints in the shape of a bunny. Draw on a face & add a ribbon for a special Easter Present!
Plastic Egg Flowers- Loop a green pipe cleaner through the egg and make it into an easter egg flower. Add in a special note or chocolate as a gift!
Fluffy Bunny- Have children make 2 sets of pink footprints- one for the bunny feet & one for the bunny ears. Glue a photo of each child on to a bunny cutout. Help children glue on cotton balls. (Tip- place glue on paper plates- dip cotton balls in the plates)
SNACK IDEAS:
Easter Peeps Fruit Kabobs
Bunny wrapped juice boxes
Easter Story Snack Mix
Surprise Snacks in Easter Eggs!
Enjoy the lesson! Feel free to submit photos to lgavin@unification.org Love seeing lessons come to life and each community