Easter
Christians celebrate Easter each year. You will learn more about this under the month of March tab and in your computer lessons.
Easter is not just about the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs. It commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. This can be difficult for children to understand and so authors have tried to retell the events of the story in specially produced books for children to help them make sense of the story.
This book, "Jesus is Risen" uses the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to retell the story to children. The author combines those Gospels in such a way as to make the story appropriate for children.
For Christians, Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, a full week before Easter Sunday and this is where this book commences too. Easter, of course, celebrates the new, risen life of Jesus when he rises on Easter Sunday.
Easter is not just about the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs. It commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God. This can be difficult for children to understand and so authors have tried to retell the events of the story in specially produced books for children to help them make sense of the story.
This book, "Jesus is Risen" uses the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to retell the story to children. The author combines those Gospels in such a way as to make the story appropriate for children.
For Christians, Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, a full week before Easter Sunday and this is where this book commences too. Easter, of course, celebrates the new, risen life of Jesus when he rises on Easter Sunday.
Week 7
Read "A Parade for Jesus"
Can you think of any other names given to this event?
Is there another name for the colt?
Look at the pictures of the people. How are they feeling?
How do you think Jesus is feeling?
What do they mean when they say Jesus is King?
Read "The Last Supper"
As Catholics, we commemorate this part of Jesus' life every time we go to Mass. Do you know what part of the Mass this is remembered in?
Do you think Jesus knew that he was going to die while he was having this meal with his friends?
What is another name we give to this group of special friends that Jesus was with?
Read "The Garden of Gethsemane"
What did Jesus do when he felt sad and afraid?
What did he ask his friends to do?
Why did they fall asleep?
How did Jesus feel about his friends falling asleep?
Read "Soldiers in the Garden"
Why did Judas kiss Jesus?
Peter ran to Jesus' side to help him. Did Peter do the right thing? Why?
Why do you think Jesus told Peter to put away his sword?
Why did Jesus heal the man's ear?
What does this tell us about Jesus?
Imagine that you were one of Jesus' friends there that night. What would you have done and how would you have felt?
Read "Peter's Sin"
What did Peter do?
Why do you think Peter denied knowing Jesus three times?
How would you have felt if you were Peter?
Why did Peter burst into tears and run outside?
That's all for this week. Continue from here next week.
Week 8
Read "The Trial"
Did Pilate sentence Jesus to death?
Do you think he could find Jesus guilty of anything?
Is Pilate weak or strong in these events? Why?
What part of the story is an example of someone mocking Jesus?
Look at the pictures to see different emotions. Why are people feeling differently about Jesus carrying his cross to his death?
Read "The Crucifixion"
Crucifixion was a terrible way to punish people. Even the thieves didn't deserve to die for their crime.
How do you think Mary was feeling seeing what was happening to her Son?
What did Jesus do and say that showed that this was very difficult for him?
How does the Crucifixion make you feel?
Read "He is Risen"
Who were the first people to witness that Jesus was missing?
Who was it that told them that Jesus is not here and has risen from the dead?
Do you think they would have believed him straight away?
Read "Seeing and Believing"
Jesus' friends were afraid when they heard that Jesus had risen. Why?
What did it take for them to believe that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead?
Read "Jesus Forgives Peter"
Why did John know that it was Jesus on the shore?
Can you think of any other stories where Jesus helped the fishermen?
How do you think Peter felt when he knew he had Jesus' forgiveness?
Now after reading the whole story.....
How does this "version" of the Easter story compare with other stories that you have heard in the past?
Were some details added or some left out?
Why would the author choose to leave some out in a children's version of the story or add some in?
Are the important/main parts of the story the same?
Do you think this version would appeal to everyone? Why or why not?
Can you think of any other names given to this event?
Is there another name for the colt?
Look at the pictures of the people. How are they feeling?
How do you think Jesus is feeling?
What do they mean when they say Jesus is King?
Read "The Last Supper"
As Catholics, we commemorate this part of Jesus' life every time we go to Mass. Do you know what part of the Mass this is remembered in?
Do you think Jesus knew that he was going to die while he was having this meal with his friends?
What is another name we give to this group of special friends that Jesus was with?
Read "The Garden of Gethsemane"
What did Jesus do when he felt sad and afraid?
What did he ask his friends to do?
Why did they fall asleep?
How did Jesus feel about his friends falling asleep?
Read "Soldiers in the Garden"
Why did Judas kiss Jesus?
Peter ran to Jesus' side to help him. Did Peter do the right thing? Why?
Why do you think Jesus told Peter to put away his sword?
Why did Jesus heal the man's ear?
What does this tell us about Jesus?
Imagine that you were one of Jesus' friends there that night. What would you have done and how would you have felt?
Read "Peter's Sin"
What did Peter do?
Why do you think Peter denied knowing Jesus three times?
How would you have felt if you were Peter?
Why did Peter burst into tears and run outside?
That's all for this week. Continue from here next week.
Week 8
Read "The Trial"
Did Pilate sentence Jesus to death?
Do you think he could find Jesus guilty of anything?
Is Pilate weak or strong in these events? Why?
What part of the story is an example of someone mocking Jesus?
Look at the pictures to see different emotions. Why are people feeling differently about Jesus carrying his cross to his death?
Read "The Crucifixion"
Crucifixion was a terrible way to punish people. Even the thieves didn't deserve to die for their crime.
How do you think Mary was feeling seeing what was happening to her Son?
What did Jesus do and say that showed that this was very difficult for him?
How does the Crucifixion make you feel?
Read "He is Risen"
Who were the first people to witness that Jesus was missing?
Who was it that told them that Jesus is not here and has risen from the dead?
Do you think they would have believed him straight away?
Read "Seeing and Believing"
Jesus' friends were afraid when they heard that Jesus had risen. Why?
What did it take for them to believe that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead?
Read "Jesus Forgives Peter"
Why did John know that it was Jesus on the shore?
Can you think of any other stories where Jesus helped the fishermen?
How do you think Peter felt when he knew he had Jesus' forgiveness?
Now after reading the whole story.....
How does this "version" of the Easter story compare with other stories that you have heard in the past?
Were some details added or some left out?
Why would the author choose to leave some out in a children's version of the story or add some in?
Are the important/main parts of the story the same?
Do you think this version would appeal to everyone? Why or why not?