Hosanna!

I loved getting to march down the church aisle as a child while waving a palm leaf each Palm Sunday. The fun of yelling “Hosanna!” was just the beginning of the Easter fun to come.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and is a wonderful opportunity to teach students about Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Kids can begin to understand the significance of the event and how Jesus fulfilled prophecy as He rode in on a donkey.

If you’re looking for engaging ways to bring this moment to life, I have a fantastic free resource for you, plus a comprehensive paid lesson that will make your teaching even easier!

Teaching Palm Sunday to Upper Elementary Students

When teaching this lesson, start by reading Matthew 21:1-11 with your class. Discuss how the people welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches and shouting, “Hosanna!” This was a moment of celebration, but it also foreshadowed Jesus’ journey to the cross and Good Friday that was to come. Ask students why they think the crowd reacted this way and what it means to honor Jesus today.

Engaging Activities for Palm Sunday

To reinforce the lesson, hands-on activities are a great way to help kids connect with the story. I have a FREE two-page activity pack that includes fun worksheets to help students reflect on the meaning of Palm Sunday. These activities are perfect for in-class use or as take-home materials to review with families.

Providing multiple opportunities for students to engage with scripture helps them to remember and understand the story. One way to do that in this lesson would be to write out the different parts of the story (i.e. untying the donkey, placing coats on the donkey, placing coats on the road, etc) on separate pieces of paper. Hide these around the room and have students find them and then put them in order.

This coloring activity requires no prep and gives students the chance to color a palm branch as a visual reminder. It comes in two different levels of difficulty which is great for classes with students of a variety of ages and abilities.

A fun and easy activity for your tactile learners is to give them actual palm leaves to wave. If you can’t find real leaves, have your students make them by tracing their hands multiple times on a piece of green paper, cutting the hands out, and gluing them to a paint-stirrer. Easy peasy!

For those looking for even more ways to engage students, I also have a complete Palm Sunday lesson pack that includes everything you need for a complete lesson plan. This pack features:

• A teacher’s guide with scripture breakdowns and prompts to help structure the lesson effectively
• Scripture Reference Cards
• A word search
• Two hidden picture coloring pages
• A word scramble puzzle