Easter Information and Activities
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When is Easter?
Easter is always the
first Sunday following the full moon on or after the spring equinox (the first
day of spring). The earliest date is March 22 and the latest date is April 25.
Why the Easter
Bunny?
The hare is a symbol for the moon
(Egyptian mythology). The Easter date is associated with the full moon, as
stated earlier. Over many, many years, the term "rabbit" has come to be
associated with Easter, and today we know this rabbit as the Easter Bunny.
Have students make fuzzy-looking Easter bunnies by using small sponges and tempera paint. Encourage them to make their hand "hop like a bunny" with the sponge, as they create their rabbit shape (two circles, a tail, and two long ears). If they do make the sponge hop up and down on the paper, the effect is light and airy, rather than heavy like a thick elephant line.
The Easter Egg
The egg is a symbol of life. At one time,
Chinese parents sent a red egg to relatives or friends when a baby was born.
This was like an announcement card. Many of our Easter greeting cards are shaped
like an egg. Students can have fun making an egg-shaped card for Easter
greetings. In the Ukraine, eggs were popular gifts to exchange at Easter, and
young girls rubbed their cheeks with the red-colored eggs when they found them
to give their cheeks a rosy glow after a long winter.
The Traditional Easter Parade
There are many Easter
parades with people dressed up in new clothes, marching along the street to
welcome the spring. In England, it was once considered bad luck to be seen on
Easter Sunday wearing old clothes. Today, people wear old and new clothes for
Easter, but many still buy a new Easter outfit. In the United States, there is
the traditional New York City parade along Fifth Avenue, and another famous one
along the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Does your city or town have an
Easter parade? Why not have a classroom parade to celebrate spring?
An Easter Nest
In Germany and Switzerland (locate these
countries on a map or globe), children make nests of grass in the garden in
order that the Easter Bunny may fill them with eggs. Our green "grass" (or
purple, yellow, or pink) that we buy for Easter baskets may have been handed
down from this custom.
2008 Summer Olympics
Celebrate this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, China, with our resources, activities, and lessons.
Teaching about Natural Disasters
The world has suffered two natural disasters this May — Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. These tragedies may have your students wondering why such large catastrophes occur. We have resources to help you explain earthquakes and cyclones, and for dealing with the subjects of death and crisis with your class.
July Events
Find educational activities for every day in July. Take a look at our Summer Activities Slideshow for our favorite summer-themed activities, lessons, and printables.
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New Customizable Printables
Easily create personalized hall and office passes or teacher stationary with our customizable classroom passes and notes. Prepare for substitute teachers, field trips, parent-teacher conferences, and more with our customizable charts and forms.
Drama Resources
Explore our drama resources – from Shakespearean plays to The Miracle Worker to Readers Theater – to widen your curricular focus. Students will enjoy the change of pace that putting on a classroom play will bring!
ADD/ADHD Resources
From frequently asked questions to assessment accommodations, these articles and resources will help you to deal with the special nature of students with ADD/ADHD.
