February 2, 2016 WBB Lent, WBB Primary, WBB Intermediate, REL Seasons - Lent, REL Seasons - Triduum/Easter, REL Asset - Activity, REL Catechetical - K–6, REL Catechetical - Jr High
By: Allie Johnston
The season of Lent prepares us for the great celebration of Easter. One of the celebrations during the season of Lent is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter, commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and marks the beginning of Holy Week. According to the Gospel of Matthew, “The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:8–11)
As you prepare the students in your religious education programs for the season of Lent, download a Palm Sunday Project Activity designed for students in the intermediate elementary grades. The project encourages students to first research the celebration of Palm Sunday in different countries and then to plan and design web pages about these celebrations. This Palm Sunday activity will especially appeal to the linguistic, interpersonal and intrapersonal leaners in your classroom.
Before you begin this Palm Sunday activity, prepare slips of paper with the names of countries you want the students to research. Decide whether students will work individually or in pairs or small groups for the research portion of the activity. Have each student or group of students draw from the slips you have prepared the name of the country to research. Provide students with time and reference materials such as periodicals, Catholic magazines, safe searches using the Internet, or other appropriate resources to research the celebration of Palm Sunday in their chosen countries. Help students focus their research by identifying key topics, and provide assistance as necessary.
Once students have had ample time for research, distribute a copy of the Palm Sunday activity handout to each student. Remind students of key information that they should include in their completed projects. Encourage students to be creative when designing their web pages, and be sure to provide art materials for their use. Allow students to present their finished web page designs in small groups or to the entire class. If possible, display the completed Palm Sunday web page ideas in the form of a bulletin board. If students have suggestions for or prefer to design a different type of digital application, allow them to be creative!
The Palm Sunday Project Activity is available in English or Spanish.