Song: Stand for the Right

Preparation

• Items needed: a razor utility knife, tape, and magnets.
• For easy assembly, follow just the basic instructions. Basic assembly instructions: Print the song pictures onto white cardstock, including the extra shutters. Cut out the pictures. Glue the extra shutters to the opposite side of the regular shutters so they are double-sided. Attach the shutters to the house by cutting a line down the side edges of the window with the utility knife.  Fold the white rectangle towards the original shutter side. Insert the white rectangle into the the window cuts, then tape the white rectangle to the back of the house. Glue the TV to the bottom right side of the window area.
• Attach magnets to the back of each of the pictures.
• Optional: To make this activity more interactive, follow the basic instructions and the optional instructions. Watch the video to see an example of the more interactive version.

 Presentation:

Tell the children they are going to be learning a new song  in March, and it is called “Stand for the Right.” Ask the children what it means to stand for the right. Explain that there will be situations in their lives where they will have to decide if they are going to follow the Lord and do the right things or if they are going to go in a different direction. For example, the Lord wants us to be kind to others, but suppose your friends are leaving out a new boy in your class when they play football. You would have a choice to make: follow along with the other kids or stand for the right and be kind. Another example would be that the Lord has asked us to be obedient to our parents, but suppose your mom asked you to finish the laundry before going to play, but your friends want you to come play with them and they insist that you don’t have to obey your mom. You would have a choice to make: do you stand for the right, or do you go the opposite direction, the way Satan would have you go.

Put the house picture and the picture of the boy on the board. Explain that the song starts off with the following words:

Our Prophet has some words for you. (Open the shutters.)

And these are the words: Be true, be true. (Put on the word bubble, and tell the children they will say the words “Be True” two times.)

Ask the children what the words “Be True” mean. Explain that it means the prophet wants us to honor our commitments to follow the Lord and keep His commandments.  (Have the children sing the first two lines.)

At work or at play (Put the laundry basket in the arms of the boy, and then exchange it for the football. As you do this, remind the children of the example stories you told them earlier.)

In darkness or light  (Put the moon picture slightly behind the roof of  the house, and then exchange it for the sun picture. Place the sun picture so only half  is showing above the roof of the house.) (Optional: You may want to glue the two pictures together, back to back, to make it quicker and easier to place them.)

These two lines mean that we are to be true at all times and keep the commandments, no matter what we are doing or what time of day it is. (Have the pianist play the two lines so the children can hear what it sounds like, and then have the children sing this part.)

Be true, be true (Point to the word bubble, and remind them to say the words twice.)

And stand for the right. (Put the CTR shield in the boy’s hands, and put the word strip on the board.)

Inform the children that when we stand for the right, we are showing that we are on the Lord’s side. We are also setting good examples for those who are around us.

(Have the pianist play this part, and then have the children sing these two lines.)

Have the children sing the song all the way through. Go over any words they have problems with, and then sing the song again. Have one of the children put the pictures on the board while the other children sing the song. Have another child try to put the pictures on the board at the right times as the children sing. Keep doing this until the children have the song and the picture placement correct.

  Stand for the Right visual aid from Camilla Whitman on Vimeo. Optional assembly instructions:

• Items needed: a half sheet of white poster board, double-sided tape, and clear packaging tape.
• Attach the house to the poster board with double-sided tape around the side and bottom edges. Also attach the boy to the poster board with double-sided tape. Using the other half sheet of the poster board, cut out the following strips: a one inch by two and a half inch piece, (two) one and a half inch by three inch pieces, a two inch by three and a half  inch piece, a two inch by four inch piece, a two inch by five inch piece, and a one and three quarters inch by ten inch piece.
• Cut a fourteen inch piece of packaging tape. Lay the tape on a flat surface, sticky side up. Lay the the 2″x3 1/2″ strip on one end of the tape so that the tape covers one side of the long strip. Place the word bubble on the tape, 5 1/2″ from the edge of the strip. Cover the whole thing with another 14″ piece of tape, or with a clear piece of  plastic such as from a ziplock bag. Using the razor utility knife, cut a straight slit from the top of President Monson’s left shoulder to the outside edge of his ear, and then all the way to the top edge of the window.  Cut another slit from the top left corner of the window edge, and down along the edge of the window until it is the same length as the other slit. (These slits must go all the way through the poster board.) Lace the 14″ piece of tape through the slits so that the word bubble shows in the front and the end strip is on the left side of the poster board.  Tape the end of the 14″ piece of tape to the back side of the poster board an inch from the slit. Tape the sides of one of the 1 1/2″ x3″ strips to the back of the left edge of the poster board so that is sits over the tape. This will serve as a guide for the tape.
• Cut a sixteen and a half inch piece of packaging tape. Lay the tape on a flat surface, sticky side up. Lay the 2″x5″ long strip on the end of the tape. Place the laundry basket on the tape 2 1/2″ from the edge of the strip. The laundry basket should be 1/4″ from the bottom of the tape. Angle the football slightly and lay it on the tape 5/8″ from the laundry basket (1/4″ from the bottom of the tape). Place the CTR shield on the tape 5/8″ from the edge of the football. Cover everything with another 16 1/2″ piece of packaging tape or with a piece of ziplock plastic. Cut a 2″ long slit along the outside edge of each arm of the boy. Start at the top of his shoulders and go down. Lace the 16 1/2″ piece of tape through the slits so that the 2″x5″ strip is on the right of the poster board. Tape the other end of the tape an inch from the second slit. Tape the sides of the other 1 1/2″x3″ strip to the right side edge of the poster board in the same manner as the first guide.
• Tape the 1″x2 1/2″ strip to the top of the moon picture. This will serve as the pull strip. Cut a twelve inch piece of packaging tape and lay it on a flat surface, sticky side up. Place the moon picture on the end of the tape so the tape starts at the top edge of the picture and goes down the middle of the picture. Place the sun on the tape in the same manner, 2″ below the moon picture.  Place another 12″ piece of tape on top, or cover the sticky side of the tape with a clear piece of plastic. Place the sun picture all the way in the pocket that is behind the roof. Place it as far left as it will go. Pull it straight up and make a small mark with a pencil on the left edge of the sun picture, next to the edge of the roof. Poke a pin through that mark. Measure down on the back of the poster board 4″ from that pin mark, and make a 4 1/2″ horizontal slit going toward the right. Be careful not to cut through the house. Put the sun in the pocket. Pull the tape, that is attached to the bottom of the sun picture, through the slit and tape the end of it an inch from the bottom of the slit. Push the sun picture half way through the slit. Push the moon picture down behind the sun picture in the pocket.
• Place the top edge of the 1 3/4″x10″ strip along the bottom edge of the house. Center it between the two side edges of the poster board. Tape the top of the strip to the poster board. Tape the 2″x4″ strip to the bottom middle edge of the “Stand for the right” word strip. This will serve as the pull. Cut two 3 3/4″ pieces of packaging tape. Place both pieces of tape on a flat surface so that they are vertically perpendicular to each other and the outside edges are 9 1/8″ apart. Place the 9 1/8″ long word strip over the bottom edges of the tape, so that you end up with a piece of tape on each side. Cut two more 3 3/4″ pieces of tape and place them over each of the other pieces of tape, or cover the tape with clear ziplock plastic. Flip up the 10″ strip, and cut two 2″ slits, one starting on the right end of the strip and going along the top edge of the strip towards the middle, and the other starting on the left end of the strip. Push each piece of tape through a slit. Flip down the 10″ strip and tape its sides down. Turn over the poster board, and tape the ends of each piece of  tape an inch from its slit.
• Set each item so the board looks like the beginning of the video. Use white tacky putty to close the shutters. Practice with the music so you are familiar with how each item works and how to reset each item afterwards. The children love interactive visual aids, so give them a chance to try it (maybe by having three children operate the different items). Please send me an email if you have any questions camillamw@gmail.com