It just dawned on me that Easter is less than 2 weeks away and I had not even begun to make plans for Easter week!  So I sat down tonight and looked around at a few websites and came up with a tentative plan for our Easter Study.  Using a combination of ideas from DLTK Bible and an article from Christianity Today, I think I've managed to put together a fun unit, with the focus on the true meaning of Easter.

Each day will begin with a Bible reading, followed by a book, and then a craft or other activity.  I found with my Advent study, that less is definitely more!  Our study will begin on Palm Sunday (March 16) and end, of course, on Resurrection Sunday (Easter, March 23).  We'll also be putting together the Easter lapbook from Hands of a Child.

Palm Sunday

Bible:  Mark 11:1-11

Book:  The Colt and the King

Craft/Activity:  Palm frond collage

Monday:  Jesus Clears the Temple

Bible: Mark 11:12-19

Video:  The Easter Story Keepers (dvd)

Craft/Activity: plants seeds in egg cartons

Tuesday:  The Most Important Commandment

Bible:  Mark 12:28-31

Book:  The Parable of the Lily

Craft/Activity:  make a handprint lily bouquet, deliver real Easter Lilies to neighbors

Wednesday:  Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

Bible:  Mark 14:1-10

Book:  Lilies, Rabbits, and Painted Eggs:  The Story of the Easter Symbols

Craft/Activity:  make bath salts

Thursday:  The Last Supper

Bible:  Mark 14:12-47

Book:  The Very First Easter

Craft/Activity:  baked unleavened bread, deliver bath salts to neighbors, wash each other's feet

Friday:  The Crucifixion

Bible:  Mark 14:48-72, 15:1-40

Book:  The Easter Story

Craft/Activity:  stained-glass cross

Saturday:  Jesus is the Light

Bible:  Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:16, Isaiah 60, Matthew5:14, 5:16, John 8:12, 12:46, Matthew 5:14, John 8:12

Book:  Easter Around the World,  The Egg Tree

Craft/Activity:  dye  Easter eggs

Sunday:  He Is Risen!

Bible:  Mark 16:1-19

Book:  Benjamin's Box

Craft/Activity:  Resurrection biscuits, Resurrection eggs, Easter basket