Author Archives: Camilla

Jul 20 2010

Song: Come Follow Me

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Friend October 2020 “I Can Play It: Come Follow Me” Also includes a Sing-Along video.

Teaching Idea: Walking in His Footsteps Activity

To introduce the song “Come Follow Me”, I did the song “Do As I’m Doing” with the children.  We did cleaning (washing windows and dishes), and we did praying (folding arms, bowing head, closing eyes). We also did jumping jacks, but singing the song three times was a little much.

I had the children guess what action we were doing. After they guessed, I asked if it was important that we do that thing and why? After the song, I pointed out that they had followed my actions during the song, doing important things we should do every day. Then I explained that following Jesus’ example (July’s theme) means doing the same things Jesus did. I asked the children, “What things did Jesus do when he was on the earth?”.

I had made copies of the footprints found on page fifteen of the 2010 Outline for Sharing Time (click on blue words under the footprints). On the blank side, I had put one of the following labels on each footprint: forgave, prayed, loved, was baptized, taught, obedient, served, humble. We talked about the ways Jesus did each one of these things. 

I used the flip chart from Primary Singing Ideas  to introduce the words to the song. We talked about how “following in Jesus’ footsteps” meant to follow him and to do the same things he did.

We also discussed the part where it talks about being one with the Savior. I explained that being one with the Savior means having the same purposes, desires,and goals he has. I asked the children what his main goal is. They responded that it was to help people return to Heavenly Father’s kingdom.  I expained that as we do the same things Jesus did, our hearts gain that same goal, and that it was the only way (for thus alone) to become one with the Savior.  

Activity                                                                                                                                                                                                                               After we were done reviewing the words to the song, we sang the song once, and then we did the activity that would help them learn the song. I put the footprints on the floor in a circle, with the words of the song facing down and the labels of things Jesus did facing up. I picked four volunteers. I had them walk around the footprints while everyone sang the song.  The pianist stopped playing half way through, and the kids stopped walking. I had folded papers in a small bowl with the same labels that were on the footprints. I picked one out and whoever was standing on that footprint picked it up. That child then told how they could follow Jesus by doing the thing that was on the footprint. Sometimes they had a hard time thinking of things, so I told them they could call on someone else to answer.

The child then showed the words that were on the bottom of the footprint, and we took those words off the flip chart. (In order to make the words removable, I had cut the words off the flip chart pages and had put the pictures into page protectors. I taped the words to the outside of the page protectors so they could be removed.)

After we took those words off, I had that child stay and pick the next word from the bowl when we stopped singing again.  When there were four footprints left, I had another four children come up. This group could only walk on one foot print at a time.

The activity was an effective way to teach the meaning of the song and have repetition so they could learn the song.

Note: The children do have a hard time singing at first when they are watching the other children walk around the footsteps. Tell the children you are watching for good singers to be the helpers in doing the footstep activity. This well help them sing.

Jul 18 2010

Song: The Holy Ghost

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The Holy Ghost – Lifesaver Candy Activity

To teach the second verse of  The Holy Ghost, I used Bridgette’s flip charts to initially introduce the verse. I did change the picture on the page “by sacred priesthood power” to a picture of  the Melchizedek Priesthood being restored to give the visual aids in the first part of the verse more variety and more teaching moments.

When I teach a song I like to explain each line and visual aid. When I came to the part “and with his light I’ll do what’s right”, I showed the picture of the lighthouse and explained what lighthouses do; they guide ships away from danger. Then I explained that the Holy Ghost can light the way in our lives to guide us away from spiritual and physical danger.  

I told an abbreviated version of the story Turn Upside Down and Push, found in the July 2010 Friend. The story is about how the Holy Ghost helped a boy in a dangerous situation. I showed a picture of a life saver/preserver and talked about its purpose. Then I told the children they were going to do a choosing activity using lifesaver candies to help them remember that the Holy Ghost, like a life preserver, can help keep them safe from physical danger (and spiritual danger).

 I had put different colored backgrounds on each picture of the flip chart. I had a baggie with eight corresponding colors of lifesavers in it. I put a blindfold on a volunteer and had the volunteer tell what color the lifesaver was by tasting it. If the child got the color right, I only covered up the words on the matching picture. If they got it wrong, I took down the picture with its words. 

The children loved the activity and tried to guess the color correctly so they would at least have the picture to help remind them of the words. We sang the song each time after the words were removed. By the end they had it memorized.

I gave each of the children an individually wrapped lifesaver when we were done.

I got the candy choosing idea from the primarysingingtimeideas.blogspot.com/ skittles game idea. 

Many thanks to the blogs and websites that help inspire fun ways to teach!

Jun 16 2010

Missionary #5 – Song

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“Because I Have Been Given Much” – Hymn # 219 (First verse)

Preparation

  • Print the song pictures. Cut out the boy and girl figures, the word strips, the word bubble, and the gift boxes. Fold the box lids on the lines and glue or tape the lid down.
  • Items needed: a display board, tape to post pictures on the display board, a CD player, and the music CD’s of the hymns. (This song is not on the church website because of copyright issues, but CD’s of the hymns can be found at meeting house libraries or church distribution centers.)

Song Instructions

Post the main picture of the two girls on the display board. After discussing a line of the song, put up the word strip under the picture.  Also add the pictures called for that go with that line.

Because I have been given much

Discussion – Ask the family what are some of the gifts and blessings we enjoy because we are members of the restored church of Jesus Christ?

Picture – As the family gives their answers, put  a couple of the gift pictures next to the child with the scriptures. 

I too must give.

Discussion – Because we have been given the knowledge of the gospel, we  must share that gift with others so they too can enjoy the blessings of the gospel.

Picture -Take one of the gifts off and put it next to the other child.

Because of thy great bounty Lord

Discussion – Bounty means generosity.

Picture – Put two more gifts next to the child with the scriptures to represent bounty.

Each day I live.

Discussion – Because of these gospel gifts, we live in happiness. Point out how happy the girl on the right looks, and that she wants to share that happiness with her friend.

Picture – Point to the girl’s happy face.

I shall divide my gifts from thee

Picture – Put one of the gifts over by the child on the left.

With every brother that I see,

Discussion – Who are our brothers and sisters? (Everyone in the world, because we are all sons and daughters of Heavenly Father. )

Picture – Put the other children next to the child on the left.

Who has the need of help from me.

Discussion – Why would others have need of help from you to learn about the gospel?   (In D&C 123:12 it says that they are kept from truth because they know not where to find it.)

Picture – Put up word bubble next to the children on the left.

Sing the Song.

Use the CD for accompaniment. Take off the pictures before singing the song, and add them as you sing.

After singing, remind the family what the first two lines of the song are, and then take those word strips off. Using the picture aids as reminders, sing the song again. Do this with each two lines of the song until the family can sing the song without word reminders.