This week in RE, Year 2 focused on the story of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus. We read the account from Luke 3 and explored who John the Baptist was and why he was such an important figure. The children learned that John was a prophet who first helped people prepare for Jesus by calling them to turn back to God and live differently, and then later pointed out that Jesus had now come.
We looked at a range of artistic representations of Jesus’ baptism and discussed how artists show God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The children noticed the dove, which represents the Holy Spirit, and the water, which is a sign of baptism. They then created their own pastel artwork, carefully including these symbols, and added short explanations describing the story and John the Baptist’s role. Their work will be displayed in the classroom.
During another lesson this week, we revisited the prophet Isaiah and compared his message with that of John the Baptist. The children reflected on how Isaiah encouraged people to prepare for Jesus, while John pointed out that Jesus had now come. We discussed how both prophets listened to God with open hearts and were guided by the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the week, the children shared thoughtful ideas about what it means to be open to the Holy Spirit and how they can live this out in their own lives, such as by listening carefully, making kind choices, helping others, and following God’s guidance. The children engaged really well in both discussion and creative activities, building on their previous learning about prophets and deepening their understanding of Isaiah and John the Baptist.
