KS1 Christianity. Why is Christmas celebrated by Christians? How will it be celebrated in our local churches? (Year1 Autumn 2)
Session 1 - What is meant by the idea of something 'precious'?
KEY WORDS: Gifts; Giving; Precious; Christmas; Saviour
Look at the selection of attractively wrapped presents...
Can you guess what's inside? What would you like to be inside?
Look at discussion 1 below.
Drama activity: in pairs, take turns at acting out the scene of giving, receiving and opening a gift.
Next come back together to complete discussion 2.
DISCUSSION 1
Discuss precious or special gifts.
What makes a gift special or precious?
Talk in groups about your own 'best present ever' and explain why it was so special to you.
Look at some photos of people giving presents, try to recognise the occasions. Put yourself into the picture and explore it using your senses and imagination.
DISCUSSION 2
Discuss the different feelings that the children experience.
Ask them to think about gifts that cost nothing but can make people happy.
Ask the children to write a sentence about such a gift, saying why they have chosen it.
Why are we thinking about gifts in an RE lesson? At what events do we give gifts? What event will be happening at the end of this term?
Explain the key question that we are going to be thinking about for this unit of work. Who can tell me what they already know about Christmas?
Is Christmas a gift? Why do people give gifts at Christmas?
There is one last gift.
Use you imagination to think about the most precious gift which is in that box then you can have a quick peak, but you musn’t tell the others. Sshhh!
What part of ourselves can we offer as a gift to others which doesn’t cost anything, e.g. kindness, a smile, playing a game together etc.
What is the most precious gift that you could give to others?
Christians believe that Jesus was a precious gift who was their Saviour. Who was the gift from and who was it to? What difference would that gift make? What is a Saviour?
Give me an example of a precious gift?
Session 1 - What is meant by the idea of something 'precious'?
What would you like to be inside? Discuss precious or special gifts. What makes a gift special or precious? Ask children to talk in groups about their own 'best present ever' and explain why it was so special to them.
Activity - in pairs, take turns at acting out the scene of giving, receiving and opening a gift. Discuss the different feelings that the children experience. Together let us think about gifts that cost nothing but can make people happy. What part of ourselves can we offer as a gift to others which doesn’t cost anything?
Discussion - At what events do we give gifts? What event will be happening at the end of this term? Is Christmas a gift? Why do people give gifts at Christmas?
Circle time - Use your imagination to think about the most precious gift which could be in this box, have a quick peak, but you must not tell the others.
What is the most precious gift that you could give to others?
Christians believe that Jesus was a precious gift. Who was the gift from and who was it to? What difference would that gift make?
Session 2 - What happened before and after the birth of Jesus?
Today we are thinking a lot about Mary and an angel who was called Gabriel, the move to Bethlehem and the birth in the manger.
BUT I have an empty nativity. I think I may have lost the characters of the Nativity scene, have they become lost somewhere in the classroom? Can you help me look to find them?
Story of the First Christmas - Nativity story BBC
Discussion - I wonder how Mary must have felt at the different stages in the story and how her feelings changed?
Who were the angels, did they help, how? Look at the nativity figurine.
Did Mary and Joseph believe in God? How did this belief effect their actions?
What did the Angels then do? Why did God choose Mary for this special job? She was young, poor, not yet married, from Nazareth, why not pick a Queen instead?
I wonder what is an angel?
I wonder if I believe in angels?
I wonder if this is good news or bad news?
Retell the nativity story to the class mixing up all the key words.
Session 3 What was special about the gifts that were given to Jesus?
Starter discussion - Let’s look at ALL the nativity figures. Do we know who they are yet?
Let’s look at the shepherds and wise men? Who can remember how they are included in the story? How is their role important and why do we think they are there?
What gifts did they each bring?
At your tables explore Christina Rossetti’s words from in the Bleak Midwinter…What can I give him….
Listen to the words from the third verse....If I were a poor man what would my gift be?
Question - What gift would you have given at the stable?
Activity - Draw three ideas but remember they can’t all be bought gifts.
Discussion - Why do you think Christians give gifts at Christmas?
Did God give a gift?
Carpet area - Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Pass some gold round, perhaps a piece of jewellery. Why would this be given to a baby? Explain that it was a valuable gift fit for a King.
Frankincense. Smell it as an essential oil. How does it make you feel? It is used for a pleasant smell and to calm people down. It can also represent prayers going to God. This oil was to show that Jesus was a holy man.
Myrrh. How does it make you feel? Why might someone rub a lotion into someone else? Talk about being gentle and making someone feel special. Myrrh was used when someone died and it was a way to show love and care.
Session 4 - Which parts of the Christmas story are still good news for Christians today?
Let's take a quick look at the nativity scene again. Which nativity figures have been placed on to the nativity scene so far? Who still hasn't arrived at the stable?
Task - Look at some pictures from the Christmas story. With a partner can you put the sequencing cards into an order which makes sense and would help you to tell the Christmas story.
Take it in turns with a partner to tell the Christmas story using the sequence cards.
Come back to the carpet and as a class work out the correct order for the cards. Can we come up with an action for each of the cards to help us to remember the story?
Our next part of this session, is voting if you think it is good news or bad news?
Which parts of the Christmas story are good news for Christians today?
Why do Christians believe Christmas and the birth of Jesus to be good news today?
What is peace and how can we help to have peace in our classroom, our school, our community.
Why was Jesus a saviour?
Is he still a Saviour for Christians today?
Christmas play and practices during this time.
Session 6Why do Christians believe that Jesus was a gift from God?
Christians believe that Jesus was God’s Son and that he was a gift to the world.
What do you think this means?
What qualities do you think Jesus brought to the world?
If Jesus came today what do you think his gifts could be to make the world a better place? ***
Discussion - How Christians prepare for Christmas through Advent and look at the symbolism of the Advent Wreath.
Activity - Advent Wreath
Circle time - How do you feel when you are waiting for something really exciting to happen?
How did you feel during the time of waiting?
How do you wait for Christmas at home?
Do you have an advent calendar?
What do your families still need to do to prepare for Christmas?
Teachers Notes