Easter around the World

• New lesson editor
• Religious education
• Geography
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Introduction

Hello and welcome to this lesson on Easter around the World! You can easily modify this lesson to suit your learners. The angle is mainly cultural but there is a religious element to the slides - very easy to enhance this element if you wish, it's been kept deliberately broad to suit a wider range of potential uses. There are polls, word clouds and a video here, as well as scope for pair or group work. Have an egg-cellent time!

Welcome to this lesson on Easter around the world. Apologies in advance for the egg puns! You can adapt this lesson (over?) easily for your learners.

Is Easter too commercialised?

1

Yes

2

No

A little starter to get discussion going. The eggs are often out in early January!

How is Easter celebrated in the UK?

How is Easter celebrated elsewhere in the world?

What do you already know about Easter?

Word cloud with ctageories to draw on eisting knowledge. Part two of the starter exercise.

Learning Objectives

1. Explore how Easter is celebrated in different countries.

2. Understand why some traditions connect to religious meaning.

Learning objectives page. Should you find the jumping bunny a step too far he is deletable!

What is Easter?

1. Easter marks the Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2. Symbolism: e.g., the egg = new life, spring = renewal.

3. Many traditions, even when cultural, link back to these ideas of life, renewal, community.

Information slide.

Egg-samples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Greece: On Easter Sunday many people play egg-tapping (each tries to crack the other’s egg) — the red egg symbolises the blood of Christ.

Easter around the world informative slides.

Egg-xamples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Germany: The “Osterbrunnen” tradition – decorating wells/fountains with eggs and garlands to celebrate life and water’s renewal.

Egg-xamples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Colombia/Brazil: Processions, street performances, family feasts during Holy Week culminating at Easter Sunday.

What do people crack during egg-tapping in Greece?

A

Red hens' eggs symbolising Christ's blood

B

Chocolate eggs

C

Plastic eggs

D

Ant eggs

Quiz questions to check learning.

What is decorated in Germany's Osterbrunnen tradition?

A

Church altars

B

Easter trees

C

Street lamps

D

Wells and fountains

Egg-xamples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Bermuda: On Good Friday people fly kites — bright kites high in the air symbolise Christ rising.

More informative slides.

Egg-xamples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Australia: The traditional “Easter Bunny” is often replaced by the native marsupial the Bilby, to raise awareness of wildlife.

Egg-xamples of Easter Traditions around the world...

Ethiopia: The festival “Fasika” is very important — people fast for 55 days then celebrate Easter with rich food and joyous church services.

What do people in Bermuda do on Good Friday?

A

Decorate Easter baskets

B

Bake Easter eggs at home

C

Attend a sunrise service

D

Fly bright kites in the air

More multiple choice questions for student engagement.

Which animal replaces the Easter Bunny in Australia?

A

Bilby

B

Kangaroo

C

Koala

D

Dingo

A video on Easter traditions around the world.

Which tradition interests you the most and why?

Open question follow up on the video.

Easter Egg-sploration....

Find a country we haven't looked at so far, and identify an Easter tradition and why it is significant to that country/culture.

5

minute

00

second

+30 s

Research activity - open question for feedback on the next slide. Timer can be adjusted for the needs of your learners! This activity can be undertaken individually or in pairs.

Feedback - Global Easter Traditions

Feedback slide for the research activity.

Summary

• Easter is celebrated in many different ways around the world — culture and geography matter.

• Traditions often link back to renewal, spring, community and sometimes religious beliefs.

• By learning about others’ traditions we understand our own better and appreciate cultural diversity.

1. 
   

Summary of the lesson. Happy Easter if you celebrate it!

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One final egg pun.......but the lessons really are egg-cellent!