Choose the Right Way Archives - Teaching Children the Gospel

Choose the Right Way – verse one

Preparation

Items needed: a picture of Jesus, tape, sticky tack, a recording of the song “Choose the Right Way” and a electronic device to play it on (or you can sing the song to the children).
Print the song pages and cover strips onto heavy paper. Cut out the cover strips. Cut three additional cover strips the same width as the biggest cover strip. Using double-sided removable tape, place the small cover strips on the song pages in the spots indicated in the pictures above.
Before the start of Primary attach the picture of Jesus to a side wall using sticky tack.

Presentation

Tell the children you are going to play a recording of (or sing) the first two lines of the song, and they need to listen carefully because you are going to ask them questions about it afterwards. (The song can be replayed at any time during the activity if they don’t know an answer) Pause the recording after the first two lines. Show the first song page and ask the following questions – following the directions after each question.

Can anyone tell me what the words are that are covered up on the song page? (live and be happy) When the children say what the words are, take the covers off. Put the song page on the board.
According to the song what is the right way to live and be happy? (Choosing the Right) Show the children the second song page.
When should we choose the right? (every day) Remove the word cover. Put the song page on the board and have the children sing those two lines.

Play the recording of the third and fourth line. (Note: If you paused the recording after playing the first two lines it should be ready to go. ) Show the third song page and ask the children the following question.

What does the song say I am learning? (the teachings of Jesus) Put the song page on the board. Show the children the fourth song page.
What are the two things the song says the teachings of Jesus will do? (help me & show me the way) Point out the two paths on the picture, and point out the stones that have the teachings of Jesus on them to help show the right way to go. Put the song page on the board and have the children sing those two lines. Then have them sing all four lines.

Memorizing Activity

Tell the children they are going to do an activity to help them memorize the verse. Have the children line up against the wall that is facing the wall where the picture of Jesus is. Tape the song pages near the picture of Jesus. Explain that you are going to cover all the words on one page (review the words with the children before covering them with the big cover strips). Tell the children they are going to sing the song, and if the majority of them remember and sing the covered words they will get to take two steps toward the picture of Jesus. If less than half the people sing the covered words they will only get to take one step. But they can earn the additional step by singing the song again and doing better.

Remind the children that the song is called “Choose the Right Way” and as we choose the right in life it brings us closer to Jesus.

Continue the activity in this manner until all the words are covered. Then start taking the song pages off the wall and doing the same activity until they can sing the song without any pictures.

Before doing this activity remind the children it is not a competition. Also remove things and people from the aisles if the children will be walking through the chair areas.

Review Idea

Put the song pictures in a vertical row on the board with all the words covered with the big cover strips. Have a child choose which song page is the first one in the verse. If the child chose correctly ask if any of the children can remember the words that go with the picture. After the words are reviewed move the next three song pages over about a foot. Have a child either draw a line with chalk to the next song page, or tape a ribbon from the first song page to the second song page. If they are correct ask if anyone can remember the words that go with the second song page. (Have the children sing the first two lines of the song.) After the words are reviewed move the last two song pages over about a foot and have another child draw a line, or tape a ribbon, from the second song page to the third song page. After the words are reviewed move the last song page over about a foot. The child who draws the line, or puts the ribbon on, connecting the third to the fourth song page must also be able to tell what words go with that song page. Sing the last two lines of the verse, and then sing the whole verse.

This is an activity that goes with the title of the song- “Choose the Right Way”.

Note: The pictures came from flipcharts made by Laurey Lee and Wendy Brown that were posted on Sugardoodle. Thanks a bunch!

The memorizing activity idea came from the Friend August 2003 Sharing Time Suggestion.

Song: Choose the Right Way – Verse two

Object of the Game: Put the song cards in the right order on the pages. Check to see if they are correct by flipping over the top cover sheets. It is correct if the picture under the cover sheet matches the card beneath it.

Preparation

Items needed: 15 sheets of construction paper, magnets, a timing device such as a watch.
Print the song cards onto cardstock. Cut the excess paper off the top and bottom of each card leaving only the visual aids and the words. Attach a strong magnet to the back of each card. Divide the cards into two stacks. The first stack should contain the five cards that go with the first half of the song, and the second stack should contain the five cards that go with the last half of the song. Each stack should be in random order.
Print the matching pictures. Cut the pages in half so one picture is on each half. Glue each picture to the top of a sheet of construction paper. Cut the remaining five sheets of construction paper in half, and place one on top of each picture. Tape the top edges of the two sheets of construction paper together.
Be prepared to play a recorded version of the song on an electronic device, or be prepared to sing the song to the children (or have someone else sing the song to the children).

Presentation
Using magnets put the first five construction paper pages on the board in the correct order. Make sure the half sheets of paper are covering the pictures. Explain to the children that under each of the cover sheets is a picture that goes with each line of the verse, and the pictures are in the correct order. Show the children the song cards and explain that each of the song cards also have the pictures (and the words) on them, but they are all mixed up. Tell the children they are going to play a game where they have to put the song cards in the correct order. They will place each song card below a cover sheet on one of the construction paper pages. The order can be checked by uncovering the picture to see if it matches the card that is under it.

Explain that you are going to play or sing the second verse only once, and they need to listen very carefully so they will be able to put the words in the correct order.

After the children have heard the song, have a volunteer come up. Give that child the first stack of cards. Tell the child they have twenty seconds to put the cards in the correct order on the board. When their time has run out, check the order by uncovering one picture at a time above the cards. Start with the first picture and go in order until you come to one that isn’t correct. Compliment them on their efforts.

Take off all the cards and put the cover sheets over the pictures again. Mix up the cards and give another volunteer twenty seconds to try and put them in the right order. Check the answers again. Continue in this manner until all the cards are in the correct order.

When all the song cards are in the right order, have the children sing that part of the song. Afterwards have them do the same activity with the second half of the song, but this time add an activity to help them memorize the first half of the song. At the start of the activity have everyone close their eyes. Take off one set of words and pictures from the first half of the song, and then have the children open their eyes. The first person who raises their hand and can say the words that are missing will be the person who gets to try and put the song cards in order. Continue in this manner – singing the song, removing pictures and words, and putting song cards in order until the children have the second half in the correct order.

After all the song cards are in order, continue singing the song and removing pictures and word sets, but have the child who tells what words are missing be the one who picks which set to remove next.

Note: An alternate idea for this activity would be to use easels on a table instead of the board.