• An Empty CrossCross image by Robzilla from Fotolia.com
  
  Easter is the celebration and remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Using different methods to illustrate the Easter story is important because not everyone learns the same way. One approach may help one student grasp the concept or idea while another may work for someone else. Use posters, illustrations, videos, music and hands-on demonstrations to help students understand the Easter story.
  
  

Unless a Seed Dies

• Jesus told his disciples before he died that unless a seed falls to the ground and dies, it cannot produce fruit. He used this illustration from nature to teach a spiritual principle and foreshadow his death and resurrection. Use this idea to teach students about the process of death, burial and resurrection. Have the students bring in a piece of fruit or vegetable with seeds such as an apple, orange or a pear. During class have them eat the fruit and save the seeds. Take the seeds home and place them in the oven to dry them out (death). The next week provide a small pot with soil and instruct the students to "bury" the seed in the pot, take it home and water it throughout the week. Inform them that within a few days, new life will spring forth. Have them bring their pots back in once they begin to sprout.
  
  

Wall Cross

• Create a large wall cross out of construction paper or poster board. Separate the cross into a 5 sections using a marker. Each week leading up to Easter, share a different Easter story such as Jesus riding into town on a donkey, going before the the Sanhedrin, being sold for 30 pieces of silver and Jesus' death and resurrection. Each week, fill in one section of the cross with a picture or icon representing that week's lesson. The last class before Easter, fill in the last section of the cross with an empty tomb to complete the story.
  
  

Drama

• Use drama to tell the story of Easter. Separate the class into three different groups. Assign a leader to each group that will help organize and facilitate the activity. Provide each group with a different event in the Easter story. One group can create a drama sketch about Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, another can create Peter's denial of Jesus and the last group can enact the resurrection. Give the students an entire class period to work on their dramas. The following week have each group perform in chronological order.