Palm Sunday

PALM SUNDAY

Objectives:

Children should know that Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
They should be able to identify the characters in the icon and tell the story.

Possible Lesson Plan:

Read the story of Palm Sunday in the Beginner’s Bible, pages 427-432, the Children’s Bible Reader, pages 230-232, or the Read with Me Bible, pages 358-361. Supplement with the Golden Children’s Bible, pages 428-430, or the Arch book, The Donkey Who Served the King. Use the icon and point out the characters and their roles. How did Jesus get the donkey? What were the people doing? What were they saying? Are there children?

True False

Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus entered Jerusalem on an elephant.

The people were happy to see Jesus. The people shouted, “Crucify him!”

The people shouted “Hosanna!” The disciples stole the donkey.

The children waved palm branches. Jesus entered Rome on Palm Sunday.

People made a carpet for Jesus with People threw rocks at Jesus.

with their coats.

Show pictures of palm trees. If you have them, show the children a palm branch and a pussy willow. Let them hold and touch.

Make a Footprint Donkey and a Palm Branch. Using brown construction paper, trace around each child’s foot (OK in shoes) and elongate the toes to shape like ears. Cut out and add eyes, nose, and yarn for forelock. Then, cut green construction paper into varying-length strips and staple onto a posterboard (black, brown, or green) stem to make a palm leaf.

March around the room waving the palm branches and throwing coats on the floor, shouting over and over, “Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”