Easter is the most important Christian holiday that celebrates Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. Christians believe Jesus died to forgive people's sins so they can live pure lives and someday live with God forever. While the date of Easter changes yearly, in 2008 it will be March 23rd. Some churches hold sunrise services to symbolize the light of Jesus' resurrection. Eggs were incorporated into the celebration due to spring traditions mixing with Easter, though they are not part of the original story.
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Warm up activity easter reading
1. WARM UP ACTIVITY
WHAT IS EASTER?
Easter is the most important Christian holiday. At Easter, Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ and His resurrection (return to life) three days later. Christians believe that Jesus Christ died so
that the wrong things people think and do could be forgiven by God. They believe that those who accept
God's forgiveness can stop doing wrong things and live pure, clean lives. They also believe that those
who accept God's forgiveness will someday live forever with God.
The early Christian church celebrated Easter at different times. Then, in 325 A.D. the Council of Nicaea
fixed the holiday as the first Sunday after the first full moon after March 21. This always places Easter
sometime between March 22 and April 25. In 2008, Easter Sunday will be March 23.
Today some people use lillies to decorate their homes and churches at Easter time. The large white
blossoms make them think of the clean new life they can have because of Jesus Christ's death and
return to life.
Churches celebrate Easter with Saturday evening and Sunday morning services. In the United States,
many churches have outdoor Easter services at sunrise. The light of the rising sun reminds them of the
light that came back to the world with the newly risen Jesus.
Easter eggs are not a part of the Easter story. These were first a part of non-Christian celebrations of
spring. Spring is a time of new life. Trees put on their leaves in spring. Grass begins to grow, and flowers
appear. Many baby animals are also born in spring.
Eggs made people think of new life because many animals hatch from eggs. People would celebrate
spring by decorating eggs and giving them as gifts. Since Easter is celebrated soon after spring begins,
the two celebrations began to mix. Today, Easter eggs, like lillies, remind Christians of the new life Jesus
Christ offers them.
Reading Comprehension
Who celebrates Easter?
What do Christians believe?
Is Easter the same date every year?
When will Easter be this year?
When do some churches have Easter services? Why?
What else is celebrated close to the time of Easter?
Are eggs a part of the Easter story?
2. How did eggs become part of the Easter celebration?
Sentence Completion I
Use the vocabulary words to complete the sentences
VOCABULARY below.
baby Jesus Christ died by ____________________.
celebrate
Three days later he returned to _______________.
Christian
________________ believe that Jesus Christ died so
crucifixion that the wrong things people think and do could be
_________________.
decorate
forgive Easter eggs were first a part of the non-Christian
__________________ of spring, but today they remind
full moon people of the new life they can have because of Jesus
Christ's death and return to life.
hatch
lily
Some churches have Easter services at
_______________.
life
Sentence Completion II
pure
risen
Use the vocabulary words to complete the sentences
spring below.
sunrise ________________ is a pretty season because flowers
appear.
Tomorrow we will ____________________ my baby
brother's birthday.
I am going to ________________ my bedroom this
weekend.
The _______________ cried for its mother.
Did you know that some snakes _______________
from eggs?