New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Christian celebrations: Holy Week and Easter

I can explain the significance of Holy Week and Easter for Christians.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel B

Christian celebrations: Holy Week and Easter

I can explain the significance of Holy Week and Easter for Christians.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Lent is a 40 day season, starting on Ash Wednesday, where Christians remember Jesus' time in the desert.
  2. Holy Week is the final week of Lent when Christians remember the events leading up to Jesus' death.
  3. Holy Week includes Good Friday, which remembers the day that Jesus was crucified.
  4. Easter begins on Easter Sunday, which is the day that many Christians celebrate Jesus' resurrection.
  5. The season of Easter lasts 50 days and ends on Pentecost.

Keywords

  • Easter - a Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus

  • Festival - a day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons

  • Holy Week - the week leading up to the important Christian festival of Easter

  • Lent - a 40 day period before Easter when many Christians focus on prayer, fasting and almsgiving (giving to charity)

  • Resurrection - the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, conquering death

Common misconception

Easter lasts for one day.

The season of Easter lasts for 50 days.


To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: Christian celebrations: Holy Week and Easter, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You may wish to remind students of the events of the Last Supper, Jesus' crucifixion and Jesus' resurrection prior to beginning this lesson.
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  • Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Many Christian Churches follow the cycle, which is a way of organising the year into seasons.

Correct Answer: liturgical, Liturgical

Q2.
Which of these is a Christian festival?

Thanksgiving
Correct answer: Pentecost
Bonfire Night

Q3.
What is the purpose of Advent?

to remember Jesus' resurrection
Correct answer: to remember Jesus' birth at Christmas
to eat plenty of eggs

Q4.
Many Christians celebrate Christmas by attending church services, singing , and exchanging gifts.

Correct Answer: carols, Carols

Q5.
Which is NOT a common Christmas tradition?

exchanging gifts
Correct answer: fasting for 40 days
attending Midnight Mass

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match each keyword to its meaning:

Correct Answer:festival,a day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons

a day or period of celebration, typically for religious reasons

Correct Answer:Holy Week,the week leading up to the important Christian festival of Easter

the week leading up to the important Christian festival of Easter

Correct Answer:resurrection,the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday

the belief that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday

Q2.
Lent lasts for days and begins on Ash Wednesday.

Correct Answer: 40, forty, Forty

Q3.
When does Holy Week take place?

at the beginning of Lent
Correct answer: at the end of Lent
on the first day of Pentecost

Q4.
How long does the season of Easter last?

44 days
Correct answer: 50 days
40 days

Q5.
Easter Sunday celebrates the of Jesus.

Correct Answer: resurrection, Resurrection

Q6.
Good Friday commemorates the of Jesus.

Correct Answer: crucifixion, Crucifixion