from Mrs. Bee's Busy Classroom!  
Easter Activities

Basic EggDye
Use this recipe to dye hard-boiled eggs. In a cup or small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 teaspoon vinegar, and about 1/2 teaspoon food coloring. Dip one egg at a time into the mixture.

Foot Bunny
This is a quick and easy project
white and pink construction paper
pencil crayons, markers or leads
scissors
glue
cotton ball
optional: pipe cleaners,
curling ribbon,
1/2 " pink pom pom
Remove one shoe, leave sock on. Bunny's head and body are made by tracing your foot onto white construction paper with your pencil.Cut out. Turn tracing upside down. Cut out two long ears from white and pink paper. Glue pink pieces onto the white. Then glue on top of heel outline. Color in bunny features with crayons, etc. If desired, some features may be glued on: pipe cleaners or curling ribbon for whiskers,pom pom for nose,
and what's a bunny without a fluffy cotton tail!

Read Easter ,Gail Gibbons & The Easter Story,Brian Wildsmith
Here are some discussion questions to ask after:
*Did the people change their minds about Jesus from Palm Sunday to Good Friday? In what ways?
*What do you think you would have done if you were with Jesus during this final week?
*What do you notice about the use of color in this book?
*Why is a cross so important to many people today?
*Why do you think we use such things as flowers and eggs on Easter Sunday? *** Review the sequence of events in The Easter Story focussing on:
Palm Sunday
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Have the children make an illustration for each day and
write a sentence or two to explain the illustration.
***  In Gail Gibbon's story, record all the items we associate with Easter . Divide them into items which are directly related to the Easter story (cross, bread, crown of thorns,etc) and those which are not (eggs, bonnets, bunnies,etc.)discuss the significance of these items, helping the children realize the deep religious meaning of some, and the ways in which some others have become associated with Easter, and how they help make the celebration joyful. Some joyfully celebrate Easter Sunday and some are associated with the sadness of Good Friday. Some are symbols and some are customs.

Have the children choose a symbol or custom and illustrate it
and write a sentence about it, describing the significance of it
as it relates to the Easter story.

Have children write a journal entry about how they celebrate Easter.

Have children create an Easter card incorporating both religious and secular symbols. for example, signs of new life such as flowers and eggs can be placed on the cross shape, or religious symbols such as the palm branches, cross, bread and wine could be placed on an egg shape.

Little Brown Bunny
Follow these directions to make a bunny bag for a friend.
1. Take a brown lunch bag.
2. Cut out ears. (Cut down in a V shape halfway down the bag)
3. Draw and color: pink ears,black eyes, black nose, a little mouth
4. Add black paper whiskers and a cotton tail.
5. Staple the ears together.
6. Open the bag and put treats in for a friend.

Rabbit Award

Create a crossword puzzle or search-a-word using these words. basket,bunny,candy,chick,colored,decorate,dye, eggs,gather,gold,hunt,lace,laugh,nest,party,pink,read, shell,shoes,sight,wear,white,yellow
The children can also write sentences using these words as they relate to Easter.

Easter Object Lesson
Buy a six inch paper mache Easter egg and collect the following items to put inside, in order , and use during the lesson. These items can be found at a dollar store or amongst household items or toys. As you hold up each item, let the children tell the story of Easter, and you can fill in any details as you wish.
1. DONKEY- reminds us of Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey.
2. SMALL PURSE OR BAG CONTAINING COINS-Judas' betrayal of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
3. SMALL ROOSTER- Peter's denial of ever knowing Jesus.
4. PIECE OF ROPE- "After they had bound him, they led Him away."
5. THORNS FROM A ROSE OR HAWTHORNE BUSH- reminds of the crown of thorns.
6. SMALL WOODEN CROSS- He carried His cross (Simon the Cyrene)
7. PIECE OF SPONGE-They gave Jesus vinegar to drink as he was dying on the cross.
8. SMALL BOX WITH GRAVEL AND ROCKS- the rocks rent and the earth quaked.
9. SOLDIER-Centurian said, "Truly this is the Son of God."
10. PIECE OF WHITE LINEN-Nicodemus and Joseph took Jesus' body down from the cross and wrapped Him in linen. 11. ANGEL- "He is not here, He is risen."
12. COTTON OR ANGEL HAIR- the ascension story, Jesus rises to Heaven in the clouds.
 
Easter Baskets
2 litre soda bottle  
scissors  
decorations of choice
Measure up about 5" and cut the bottle around leaving  2 pieces about 1" wide for the handle. The ways to decorate is endless.   
Easter Placemats
 Old Easter cards  
Easter pictures from magazines  
your childrens drawings  
light weight cardboard or heavy construction paper  
glue  
contact paper
Gather up Easter cards from past years, pictures from magazines or your children's favorite  drawings. Glue onto light cardboard or construction paper in decorative fashion the size of a placemat.  Cover this collage with clear contact paper to seal the placemat. Be sure to have your child date and sign it.  These make great gifts for grandparents.
 

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* Easter Activities Page 1 *
* Easter Activities Page 2 *
* Easter Activities Page 3 *
* Easter Recipes *  Easter Book List *
* Easter Poems and Songs *