Palm Branch to Welcome Jesus

Kid's Palm branch craft: make a sturdy, blunt, palm branch!
In Bible times, people waved palm branches similarly to us today waving a flag if we saw the president of the United states or an Olympic gold medal winner pass by us in a parade . Palm branches symbolized victory and triumph and were used to honor someone. Palm branches weren't easy to come by, so they were special. On very special occasions, the people might cover a dirt road with palm branches to create something like a carpet of palms. Biblically, Palm Sunday comes from "Jesus' Triumphal entry into Jerusalem".

In some churches that distribute Palm fronds on Palm Sunday, the leftover palms are saved to be burned the following year to be used as the ashes in Ash Wednesday services. (see About Lent)

PALM branches look like they have lots of leaves. What looks like a branch on a palm tree seems to be the whole leaf. The things that look like leaves seem to be FRONDS. But you can check it out and decide for yourself using some of the botanical links below.

After having experienced distributing of real palm fronds in Sunday School for many years, I think paper palms are much safer. I've had palm fronds up to 6 feet long, and these "spears" were rather sharp. In the hands of children, they can be an attractive nuisance for sword fights, and an inadvertent object for poking people.

BRANCH, LEAF OR FROND?
1. A frond is the entire section of leaf, from the trunk outward.
2. Botany.com says :FROND: A leaf of a palm or fern.
3. ...The "true" date palm from which the tasty fruit is obtained is Phoenix dactylifera ...The date palm will grow to heights of 100 ft. The broad gray trunk is patterned with diamond-shaped leaf scars and is up to 16 inches in diameter. The large greenish or bluish gray pinnate leaves are typically 18-20 ft long.

PALM TREE FROM JESUS' TIME!
In June, 2005 Israeli researchers germinated a date palm from 2,000-year-old seeds, in an attempt to find new medicines.

FOR THIS STURDY PAPER PALM BRANCH CRAFT:
I'm not a botanist, so I'll call the whole thing a Palm branch, and the individual parts, fronds.

Using the Palm branches: To re-enact Jesus going to Jerusalem, Bring a plain white cloth sheet if your Sunday School does not have costumes. See teacher information below.

	Copy of activity page for each student
	Green printer paper (optional) to speed up the process. Coloring the fronds takes longer.
	Glue
	Scissors
	Markers (if colored paper isn't used) Use crayons only on the back of the already colored version but see special instructions.
	1 plastic soda straw for each student (best not to use the flexible ones)
	Tape

Choose the plain one when printing on colored paper, or for hand coloring both sides. Will print well on color or black and white printer.	Choose and print the one-sided color version on a color printer so the children only have to color the backs

For faster and even easier one-piece palm branch, see our pre-school palm.

If you are providing the materials on your own for this craft, a multi-color pack of paper is the best deal for most classes. Be sure the pack has enough of one color for this craft.

Get straws. Get green paper if you want the project to go faster. Print copies of pages for your class.

Note: crayons are not preferred because glue usually does not stick well over the wax, and you need to color both sides of the fronds, then glue. Crayons may be used on the back side of the pre-colored version only.

1a If you have printed this craft on colored paper,
      go to # 2.
1b. If you have a color printer, use the colored version and       have the children color the back side of each frond with
      marker then go to step #2.
1c. If you are using a black and white printer, choose the plain version as a palm coloring page. Color both sides of the leaves with marker before you cut them out. It's easier and cleaner. Color the printed side first, then lift the paper to the light to see where to color the backside. Light-handed scribbly coloring is better than heavy solid coloring. Be sure these are dry before going on because the paper fronds can become very limp when soaked in marker. Children can "clean-up" the backside coloring after cutout, if they choose to do so. Then go to step #2

2 (Above) Cut out all the pieces

3 . Find the top frond. It is different than the others. Cover the area that says "glue" with glue.

4.(above) Put the straw on the frond all the way up to the line.

5. Wrap the glued area around the straw and press for a moment.

6. Using clear magic tape,(which has a dull surface) tape around the stem of the frond and the straw.Wipe off excess glue if necessary. (tape keeps it in place)

8. take a frond and glue from the dot to the bottom of the frond - including over the folded flaps. (Entire red area boxed in picture)

9 Start the first side frond over the tape of the top frond.

Wrap the glued end of the frond over (around) the straw until the end of the frond covers its dot.

When the end of the frond covers the dot, PRESS the end on the dot pretty hard so they stick together.

10. (right) Learn about opposites!

The next palm frond should be opposite the first one.

Put a dab of glue between the fronds to keep them glued together. Be sure you have the fronds touching each other. Gently push together while the glue is wet, if needed.

12. Repeat the opposites using steps 8 & 9 until you have all the palm fronds on the straw.

With both sides of the frond colored, you can flip the palm branch over to glue on the next opposite frond, if it is easier for the child.

Mini Palm Sunday Pageant.
This is a happy day!
When the palm branches are dry, try a re-enactment of Jesus going into Jerusalem and the welcoming people with palms. No one need say anything except cheering and shouting, "Hosanna!" Choose someone to be Jesus. If you do not have costumes, use a plain white sheet for Jesus, and wrap it over other clothing. Before you go further, discuss why the people were so joyous. Discuss what "hosanna" means (save us or rescue us).

Have the children line up and hold their palms high over their heads. As you read the story, have Jesus SLOWLY walk by. Just imagine the donkey - or have a dramatically oriented child pretend they are riding a donkey. Let the children smile and shout "Hosanna!" as they wave the palms directly over their heads. (this is important so nobody, including Jesus, gets wapped with a palm). After a run-through, have the children do it again, and encourage them to be much more enthusiastic. Some children may over-do it, but don't you imagine some people did become very excited when they got to see Jesus?

Lent - the days of preparation before Easter.