Reading Comprehension: “Painting Easter Eggs”

Hello!

Easter is one of the biggest celebrations in the Christian year. There are three days typically celebrated: Maudy Thursday, the night of the Last Supper; Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus and Easter Sunday, the day of His resurrection.

In a similar way to Christmas, this religious holiday is considered by many now to just be a holiday. And all holidays have traditions. One fun tradition is that of the Easter Egg. In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Lent is a period of 40 days before Easter during which many Christians do not eat certain foods or do certain pleasurable activities as a way of remembering the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Since nobody could eat eggs for over a month, what happened to all the eggs the chickens laid? Well, people boiled them or preserved them. People then painted them and gave them as gifts during the Easter holiday.

Decorating Easter eggs is really fun and today you will learn how to do it! (if you do, please post your egg photo on our ABA English Facebook page)

What you will need

• Eggs
• Saucepan
• Food colouring
• Newspapers
• Vinegar
• Empty egg cartons
• Wax crayon
• Rubber bands
• Spoon

How to paint Easter eggs

1. Boil the eggs for 10 minutes
2. Put the eggs in cold water
3. Put the newspapers on the table, so you don’t stain the table
4. Fill the cups with water and the food colouring and vinegar
5. Put the eggs into the cups and wait about 20 minutes
6. Use the spoon to take the eggs out of the cups
7. More fun decorating ideas:
   – Write or draw with the wax crayon and then put the egg in the dye. The wax resists the dye so you’ll see what you designed after the egg is dry.
   – Wrap rubber bands around the egg to create fun patterns and stripes
8. Put the eggs into the empty egg carton to decorate the kitchen
9. Be creative by using different materials or drawing different patterns
10. Give them to friends and family, or…
11. Eat them!

Vocabulary

Commemorating – to do something special in order to remember and honor (an important event or person from the past).

Crucifixion – an act of killing someone by nailing or tying his or her hands and feet to a cross: an act of crucifying someone.

Forbidden – not permitted or allowed.

Laid – to produce (an egg) outside of the body : to push (an egg) out of the body.

Boiled – to become so hot that bubbles are formed in a liquid and rise to the top.

Preserved – to prevent food from decaying.

Saucepan – a deep, round cooking pan with a handle.

Egg carton – a light box or container usually made of cardboard or plastic.

Wax crayon – a stick of colored wax that is used for drawing.

Rubber bands – a thin, flexible loop that is made of rubber and used to hold things together.

Stain – to leave a mark on something.

Video

(Link to How to make Easter Egg video)

Remember to send us photos of your eggs!