We’ve been preparing for Holy Week, starting with Palm Sunday. We begin with the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem for Passover from my children’s Bible. People waved palm branches at him … and we still use palms today to mark that event.

We learn what palm branches are in several different ways. I bring a palm branch from home that we use to decorate the chapel, and a live palm plant as well. I also show the children pictures of palm trees and branches.

What must it have been like to stand in the crowd watching Jesus and his followers arrive? We think it was like a big parade! Many people were so excited to see Jesus that they gathered on the road to cheer him on.

We then draw a Palm Sunday picture (which also makes this religion lesson a great art lesson). We talk about how pictures have backgrounds. I ask, what are some things we might see in the background? The students say buildings, grass, sky, trees.

I start drawing as they talk. I explain to the students what I am doing. I start with the road and then I add buildings and put windows and doors on the buildings. I draw a sun in the sky. Then I begin to draw people. Of course Jesus is first on his donkey! I draw people on the road, and people in the windows.

Finally, we cut out palm shapes from a piece of green paper and add them to the picture. It’s a unique, beautiful and fun project for Palm Sunday!!