Pre

-R

eader Leader Guide

STORY AT A GLANCE

Supplies:

Holy MolyDVD

Holy MolyLeaflets

Holy MolyBible Storybooks

Crayons Scissors

The Crowds• Greet Jesus like a king, praising him for his miracles.

• Quote the words of a Psalm to welcome Jesus (Ps 118:26).

• Echo words the angels said to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born (Lk 2:14; 19:38).

Coats and Palm Branches• Crowds cut leafy branches from their

fields and put them in front of Jesus’ donkey.

• Cloaks on a path were a sign of honor for a new king (2 Kings 9:13).

CLOSING PRAYER

Fewer kids?Practice shouting “Hosanna!” loudly and whispering it softly, chanting it while clapping it in rhythm and singing it up and down the scale.

More time?Invite kids to take turns retelling the story of Jesus riding on the donkey. Other kids can be the crowd, shouting “Hosanna!” and pretending to spread palm branches and cloaks in the donkey’s path.

More kids?Guide pairs of kids to be a donkey that another pair of kids can pretend to prepare for Jesus with cloaks, rope, and carrots. Urge them to have fun turning rambunctious animals into prepared helpers.

Dear God,We are ready to share your love with our friends and families. We are ready to cheer for Jesus every day. Hosanna to Jesus!

Amen!

Less time?Pre-cut the donkeys and other items on each leaflet. Create a sample that kids can use as a model.

ACTIVITY TIPS

PALM SuNDAY

Gra

de

s K–2 Leader Guide

Grades K–2. Palm Sunday Leader Guide. Holy Moly. wearesparkhouse.org. © 2013 sparkhouse. All rights reserved. May be reproduced for local use only provided each copy carries this noticeA.

KEY VERSE “Go into the village . . . and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here . . . The Lord needs it.”

Luke 19:30-31

Jesus needs us—ready or not. Hosanna!

Jesus• Enters holy city of Jerusalem

in triumph for the Passover festival.

• Roman and Jewish leaders can’t ignore him after this show of popularity.

• Says that “the stones would shout out” if the Pharisees silenced the crowds (Lk 19:40).

The Donkey• Symbol that Jesus comes in peace. A conqueror

would ride a horse.

• Fulfills prophecy that Jerusalem would rejoice when a humble king came riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9).

• Also called a colt, another name for a young, male donkey.

• Never been ridden before.

• Jesus knows exactly where the disciples can find it for him.

(10-15 min.)

(5-10 min.)

(20-30 min.)

CREATE

(5-10 min.)

DISCOVER

RELATE CONNECT Fold the center of the donkey and the base to stand up

the donkey.

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Get ReadyPreparation is important, no matter what the task! On a special day for Jesus, he asks disciples to do something surprising to get ready. Ask kids to choose what they need to get ready for these activities. Encourage kids to offer their own ideas and then act them out!

• What do you use to get ready to go to bed?

• What do you use to get ready to go to school?

• What do you use to get ready to go swimming? Why are all of those things important?

• Have you ever needed an animal to get ready for anything? When? Why?

Introduce the Characters• Jesus travels into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

• The disciples find an animal to ride and bring it to Jesus.

• Donkeys were often used to carry people and move things in Jesus’ day.

• A crowd of people wave palm branches and cheer, “Hosanna! Hosanna!” for Jesus as he rides into the city.

• “Hosanna! Hosanna!” means, “Hurray! Our king has come!”

CREATE

Watch how the donkey the disciples find is

prepared for Jesus.

If time permits, watch it again!

Play the Palm Sunday Video

Talk about the Palm Sunday Video• What were the signs that Jerusalem and its people

were ready for Jesus? Was anyone NOT ready?

• How did the colt show he wasn’t ready to go with the disciples? How hard did they work to get him ready?

• Why did Jesus need the colt?

• What kind of animal would you expect a king to ride on?

• I wonder how the colt felt as it rode with Jesus through the crowd outside Jerusalem.

• What surprised you about how the scribes acted when they saw Jesus?

Open the Holy Moly Bible StorybookRead A Palm Parade on pages 7-10.

Look at the pictures of the donkey in this story.

• Have you ever seen an animal that didn’t want to move? What happened?

• What changed about the donkey during the story?

• How would carrying Jesus change you?

This story is about a parade.

• What did people do and say when Jesus passed by on the donkey?

• What do you do and say during a parade?

• What would you do and say if Jesus passed by?

Cheer for Jesus and wave palm branches like the people that day. Hosanna!

5 Holy Moly!• What does Jesus need us to

be ready to do? Why does Jesus need us?

• What do you need in order to be ready for Jesus?

• How can you show Jesus you are ready for him?

GET THE DONKEY READY FOR JESuS: Kids make a paper doll donkey to get ready for Jesus.

Color the things for the donkey.

1

Cut out the donkey and everything it needs to be ready for Jesus.

2 Holy Moly!Give kids time to imagine and help them reflect.

• What do you like getting ready to do?

• What do you not like getting ready to do? What do you have to do?

• Who helps you get ready?

• Who do you help get ready for something?

Cut and fold the base pieces so Jesus can stand. Arrange the things around

the donkey.

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