Category Archives: Song Teaching Ideas

Apr 19 2016

Praise to the Man – Verse Three

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Praise to the Man – Verse Three

Preparation

  • Print the word pages and the pictures. Cut out the pictures. Cut out the word strips if you are doing the drawing activity. Fold up each word strip. Put the word pages into page protectors.
  • Items needed: magnets, chalk and eraser, tape, paper, and pencils or crayons.

 

Presentation (I’ve included two teaching ideas for this verse, and they can be used together or individually.)

Explain to the children they are going to learn another verse of “Praise to the Man”, and it is about Joseph Smith’s rewards in heaven for his faithful service.

Post each word page on the board as you read them to the children. Explain that the chorus is sung after those four lines.

First teaching idea to help introduce and get the children thinking about the verse:

Give each child a paper and pencil, and explain that they are going to create visual aids for the verse. Give each class one of the folded up word strips that contain the lines from the verse. (If you have more than four classes you may need to divide the children into four groups.) Have each child in the group draw a picture of the line they’ve been given. Explain that they need to keep it secret from the other groups which line they are drawing.

When the children are finished drawing, have a random group come to the front and hold up their drawings so everyone can see them. Have the other primary children try to guess which line the class drew. Have the children vote for which line the pictures go with by raising their hands. Circle the one on the board with the most votes. Have the class reveal which line they drew by putting their pictures under the correct line (using magnets or tape). When only two classes are left, have both classes come up and show their pictures. Have the rest of the children vote on which line each group’s pictures go with.

In junior primary, if you are short on time, you can use the pictures that senior primary drew for this activity (if you are on the senior first schedule). Have junior vote for which line each group of pictures goes with. Choose a helper who can read, and give the helper the folded up matching line that goes with the class’s pictures. After the children vote, have the helper reveal which is the correct line by putting the pictures under the correct line.

Sing the verse. You may need to review one line at a time with junior primary, and then sing only that line before reviewing the next line.

Memorizing Activity
Explain that they are now going to memorize the verse. Cover up the words on the first page with the pictures that match each word. Discuss and explain those words if needed. Sing the verse. Continue in this manner until each page is covered with the pictures. Remove the word pages from the page protectors and see if the children can sing the song without the words.

Great – (large great) Great means large amount or wonderful.
Glory – (sun) Glory means the grandeur and blessings of heaven. Joseph Smith will inherit the highest degree of glory, the Celestial Kingdom, which is compared to the glory of the sun.
Endless – (arrow circle) Explain that the circle picture is used to represent the word “endless” because there is no end to a circle.
Priesthood – (Joseph receiving the Melchizedek Priesthood) Power and authority from God.
Ever and ever – (two rings)  Explain that ever and ever means forever, and the picture of the rings is used to represent forever because rings have no end. The two rings are also meant to help them remember to say the word “ever” twice.
Keys – (keys) Keys are the directive and governing powers held by presiding priesthood holders.

Hold – (hand holding a key)

Faithful – (Yellowstone’s Old Faithful) Explain that Old Faithful  is a geyser at Yellowstone National Park, and it got its name because its eruptions are regular and reliable, unlike other geysers in the park whose eruptions are unpredictable. Explain that Joseph Smith was also reliable. He could always be depended on to do what the Lord wanted him to do. He did the Lord’s bidding because he trusted and had faith in the Lord.
True – (blue diamond) Explain that real diamonds have great value and are hard rock-solid. Joseph was also solid; he was committed, and faithful to God. His beliefs were real and genuine, and his actions were always true to those beliefs. (The children can also try to remember the word “true” by thinking of true blue.)

Enter – (open door)
Kingdom – (castle)  Explain that the castle picture is used to depict the word “kingdom” because a castle is part of a king’s kingdom.
Crowned –  (crowns)  The word “crowned” means to confer royal status upon someone. (All those who are righteous, obedient, and faithful become heirs of God.)
Midst – (blue circle with the yellow middle) Explain that in the midst means in the middle of, or surrounded by.

Prophets of Old – (picture of prophets) Joseph, along with the prophets of old, will enter into the celestial kingdom, become heirs of God, and be crowned with glory because of their righteousness and faithful  service.

 

Mar 1 2016

Song: Stand for the Right

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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
Aug 1 2012

I’m Trying to be Like Jesus

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I’m Trying to be Like Jesus pg 78  

VERSE ONE

Activity Description: Each class chooses a picture that best depicts an assigned line from the song. The classes then take turns posing like the people in their picture, and the other children guess which picture they chose.

Preparation

  • Items needed: nine file folders and sticky tack.
  • Print two copies of the song lines. Cut out the song lines and glue one set onto the file folders (one song line on each folder).
  • Print the picture pages. Put each of the picture pages in their correct file. The pages are numbered to help you know which file to put them in.
  • Obtain matching copies of all the pictures from the library. The pictures are from the Gospel Art Kit, the Primary 2, 4, and 7 manual picture packets, and the Gospel Art Book. (If you can’t find a certain picture just cross it off in the file.)
  • Using sticky tack, hang the pictures from the library on the walls around the primary room before primary starts.

Presentation

Most of the older children already know this song. This activity will help them think more about what it means.

Put the second set of song lines on the board, horizontally, in the correct order.

Show the children the file folders. Explain that each folder has a line from the first verse on it, and each folder has some pictures in it. Point out the pictures that are displayed around the room of scenes from when Jesus was on the earth, and explain that the pictures in the files each match one of the pictures on the wall.

Explain that you are going to give each class (or group of kids) a file. Each class needs to pick one of the pictures in the folder that best goes with the line that is on their folder. Tell them not to let anyone else see or know which picture they picked.

Explain to the children that each class will try to pose like the people in the picture, and everyone else will try to guess which picture they chose. (Note: The handbook says the Savior should not be portrayed by children in dramatizations. I had the children pose like all the people in the picture except for Jesus, but you may feel this doesn’t qualify as a dramatization. If you do have children pose as Jesus, remind them to portray Jesus with reverence and dignity.)

Send the first class out into the hall to prepare their pose. Explain that the other children are going to sing the verse one time while they prepare. Once the children are done singing, invite the class back in to the front of the room to do their pose. Have a child, who thinks they know which picture the class is doing, go and point at the picture. The class tells if it is the correct picture or not. Choose another child to guess if it is not correct. Continue in this manner until someone guesses the correct picture.

Discuss the picture that was chosen. (Review the stories ahead of time so you are familiar with them.) Ask the children what they can learn concerning how to be like Jesus from the picture. (Such as, Jesus raised the dead – we can’t raise the dead, but we can comfort those who experience the loss of a loved one. Or, Jesus loved us and sacrificed his life for us  – we can show our love for others by sacrificing our time in service to them.)

Explain why the picture goes with the song line, and then take the song line off the board and put the picture in its place. Remind little ones what the words are and have them repeat them. Hopefully this will help those who aren’t familiar with the song to memorize it.

Send the class with line number two out into the hall to prepare their pose. Continue the activity as explained above until all the lines have been replaced with pictures on the board.

Note: Some of the pictures are in more than one file. If the children see a class doing the picture they chose they need to choose another picture.

VERSE TWO

Preparation – Print and cut out the second verse lines.

Explain to the children that they will be doing another activity where they mimic the actions of someone else. This is to help remind them to try and be like Jesus.

  • Why should we try to be like Jesus? Because he showed us the type of person we should be in order to gain eternal life; his life was full of love and service for other. We need to follow his example and fill our lives full of love and service for others. Point out that the second verse starts off with that theme. (Put the first line on the board.)

Activity:

Have the children put their seats in a circle or stand in a circle. Explain that you are going to choose someone to do some actions for the words in the line. Everyone else will  follow and do the actions that person is doing while they sing the line slowly three times. Explain that you are also going to choose someone else to try and figure out who is leading the actions. Send that person out in the hall while you choose the leader. Tell the chosen leader some actions they can do for the line. They will have to do a couple different types of actions so the children are following them and not just repeating. Tell the other children to do their best to follow the actions without looking directly at the leader. After the child comes back into the room, have the leader stand up if the child can’t guess who it is after the line has been sung three times.

Repeat and do the same activity above with each line of the verse.

Take off the lines from the board and have the children sing that part after every couple of lines are learned. Also remind the children now and then that they are following the actions of the activity leader, but in real life they should be trying to be like who?… (Jesus)

Action Suggestions:

I’m trying to love my neighbor – Hands form a heart, or put hands over heart for love. Put an arm around a child, or point to child next to you for neighbor.

I’m learning to serve my friends – Point to head for learning. Service actions – raking leaves, washing dishes, etc – helping them with chores

I watch for the day of gladness – A hand curved above eyes, or hands formed into goggles for watching. Point to smiling face for gladness.

when Jesus will come again – Point to a picture of Jesus and then to the earth, or have hands facing each other and coming down from heaven.

I try to remember the lessons he taught – Point to side of forehead for remember, or put both hands on sides of head. Palms like an open book for lessons taught, or one hand open in front of you as if explaining something.

Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying – One hand on top of the other as if giving a blessing for Holy Spirit. Hands on top of head for enters into my thoughts, or point to side of head.

 

May 5 2012

Mother I Love You

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Mother I Love You – Pg 207

Preparation

  • Items needed: ten clothes pins, ten strips of cardstock to cover each set of words, double-sided removable tape.
  • Print the colored hearts (or print the heart outlines onto purple and red colored paper). Cut out the hearts. Glue or tape a heart to the bottom of each clothes pin.
  • Print the song pages. Attach two heart clothes pins to the left side of each song page. Put the red on top and the purple on the bottom to start off.
  • Optional: Attach each song page to a sheet of colored construction paper. Or trim the pages, attach them to cardstock, and put them in page protectors.

Presentation

Introduce the song words to the children as you put each song page on the board. Have the children sing the song. (You may want to sing only a couple of pages at a time with junior primary, and then put it all together.)

Point out and show the heart clothes pins to the children. Assign one of the clothes pin colors to each side of the room. Explain that the children will only sing the lines that their color of clothes pin is pointing to. Have them sing the song. Afterwards have two children go to the board and mix up the clothes pins. They can put either color on any line. Some pages may have two of the same color. Have the children sing the song again, only singing the lines that their color is pointing to.

Have two more children mix up the clothes pins again. After they are done, cover up some of the words using the cardstock strips and double-sided tape. Have them sing the song again and see if they can remember the lines that are covered up. Continue in this manner, mixing up the heart clothes pins and covering up words, until all the words are covered up. This may be a review for senior primary so more words may need to be covered up at a time.

Another idea would be to change who sings what by assigning the colors to certain groups such as boys and girls, specific classes, blue eyed children and brown eyed children, etc.

Note: The song pages are a combination of a couple of flipcharts from Sugardoodle. Thank you to those ladies for the help.

Mar 2 2012

Choose the Right Way – Verse Two

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 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.

Jan 5 2012

As a Child of God

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I changed this activity a little. I realized I needed to break the song down a little bit more to help the children learn it easier. To do this I cut strips in the colored cover pages. The top and bottom strips cover the words, and the middle strip covers the picture. I had the children cover the words of the page of the matching color on the wheel, and then choose a picture to cover on another page.  If the wheel landed on a picture that had the words covered already, the child covered the picture and chose words on another page to cover. I had the children sing the song every time after they did this.

This helped the children because they still had the picture to help remind them of the words. Eventually everything was covered, but it helped the children learn it in smaller bites. I used this method in Junior and Senior Primary and it worked perfectly each time. I am using this for the second week too when I teach the second and third verse. On the third week I will use the big wheel and all the verses. I will have them cover a whole page at a time and choose another page to cover too because they should know the song by then.

If you use this method you will have to use tape along the edge of the two pages to hold them together instead of tying them together. Tape each strip on individually so you can open and close each strip individually. You will also have to put magnets on the front edge of each strip.

Dec 29 2011

As a Child of God: Song

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As a Child of God – Song

Preparation

  • Items needed: ribbon or yarn, 16 page protectors, magnets, two brads, and one of each the following colors of cardstock  – red, orange, blue, green, yellow, purple, brown, pink.
  • Print the song pages. Cut out the boy and glue him next to the arrow sign on the first page. Put the song pages into page protectors. Also put the colored cardstock into page protectors. Using pieces of ribbon or yarn tied through the page protector holes, attach one colored cardstock to the top of each song page. (Be sure to put brown, green, yellow and orange on the first verse to match the small choosing wheel.) Using glue or double-sided tape, attach strong magnets to the back of each song page. Then attach one magnet to the front of each colored cardstock page.
  • Print the choosing wheels onto cardstock. Cut out each of the blank wheels. Cut open the window boxes on the dotted lines with an exacto knife. Center each blank wheel over the top of its matching color dot wheel. Poke a hole with a pin through the center dot all the way through both wheels. Push a brad through the hole and spread out the brad arms in the back – not too tightly. Note: colored squares can be glued over the dots to match available paper.
  • EXTRA: Here is another choosing wheel for those who want to break the lessons up into three weeks. This wheel would be for the second and third verses and would be used the second week. The final week would use the large wheel and all the verses.

 

Presentation
This song is about two things. It tells us that good choices bless and strengthen our families, and the chorus reminds us that we have the guidance of the Holy Ghost to help us make good choices.

Week One
Put the song pages of the first verse on the board with the cardstock pages covering them. Uncover each song page as you discuss it.  (I have included discussion suggestions for each song line.)

 “I came to earth with power to choose.” – This means we were given free agency to decide what we will do on earth.

“Good choices bless me and my family too.” – Ask the children what choices would bless them and their family and why.

Have the pianist play the first two lines so the children can hear how they sound, then have them sing those lines.

“As a child of God I receive special light.” – This part of the song is the chorus and we sing this with each verse. It talks about a way we can receive help to know which choices are good and which choices are not good. (Ask the children to tell you what light they think the line is talking about, explain that it is a guiding light.)

“The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right.” – In what ways does the Holy Ghost communicate with us and help us know which choices are right. (Through good feelings, thoughts, or we may even hear a still small voice.)

Have the pianist play the chorus lines so the children can hear how they sound, then have them sing those lines.  Then have the children sing all four lines of the first verse.

Memorizing Activity
Using the small wheel, do the following activity to help the children memorize the first verse. Put the wheel on the board and show the children that there are four different colored spots on the wheel. Have a child spin the wheel and open the window to show which color it landed on. That child covers up the song page with the matching colored cardstock. Sing the song again. Have another child spin the wheel. If it lands on the same color as before, they have to uncover that song line. If it lands on another color they have to cover up that one. Explain that the object of the game is to get every song line page covered up. (After singing the song for the first two spins they only have to sing the song every two spins after that.)

Adapted version of the memorizing activity.

Week Two
The following week put all the song pages on the board. Put each verse in a column and the chorus under the columns. Discuss the lines from the second and third verse, then sing the verses. Afterwards play the memorizing game using the large wheel and all the song pages. Use the same rules as the week before, except add some choices to the game. After they close or open the color that the wheel landed on, they also get to choose another color (or the color they landed on) to close. The object once again is to get all the pages closed.

“I feel so safe and happy because”– Have the children look at the picture. Ask if they think the child looks safe and happy in his father’s arms. Ask why they think the child feels safe and happy. (Because his father protects, takes care of, and loves him.)

 “Such feelings of peace come from family love.”– Point out that the picture of the family and heart remind them of the words family love. Also point out that we feel peace in our home when it is filled with actions that demonstrate our love for each other. What actions might disrupt peace in a home? (Fighting and bickering, selfishness, not helping each other, etc.) Remind the children that the Holy Ghost can help them make good choices in their families, and then review the chorus.

“In my own home I’ll happily serve.” – Why do you think people happily serve in their homes? Because they know that their service helps promote the feelings of love, peace, and joy in their homes.

 “I’ll strengthen my family by my good works” – What good works can we do to help strengthen our family? (Ask what the boy in the picture is doing and how that helps strengthen his family.)

NEW: I added to this idea to make it more effective. See “As a Child of God”  in the song list.

Personal Note: This site  http://mypianolesson.blogspot.com/was the inspiration for this activity. Thank you!

 

Aug 9 2010

Song: He is Risen

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Easter Egg Punch Board Activity

In Primary I taught the hymn “He is Risen” during the month of August. I told the children that the song “He is Risen” celebrates Jesus’ resurrection, and we usually sing it in April. I asked what holiday we observe in April in celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. (Easter)

I asked the children if they knew why we use eggs in our Easter celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.  (For many people, the living bird coming out of the egg was a reminder of the living Christ coming out of the tomb on the third day.)

I told the children I was going to use Easter eggs to help them learn the song, and I showed them the Easter egg punch board. Inside the eggs were words to the song. I told them they were going to play a matching game. I had pictures to the song on the board, and the children matched the words that were in the eggs with the pictures on the board. Some of the eggs contained a foam hand, and the children who found those got to be my helping hand and fix any matches that were wrong at the end of the activity.

To break open an egg, a child had to peck at it with their finger, like a baby bird would peck to break the shell of an egg.

I had the children who found the foam hands sit in seats at the front. When all the words had been placed under pictures, I had the helping hand children take turns fixing the word strips. I held up numbers telling them how many were wrong before each of their turns. When they got all the words in the right place, we sang the song.  After that we talked about the words to the song.

I pointed out that the words “He is risen” is repeated two times with joyful emphasis. When we got to the part that says “He has burst his three day prison”, I asked what prison it was talking about? (Death)  On the part where it says “Let the whole wide world rejoice” I asked, “Why does the whole world rejoice about Jesus’ resurrection? (Because of Jesus’ resurrection we will also be resurrected and live again.)  Christ won the victory over death.  We honor Jesus, and show how grateful we are to him for what he has done for us, by singing this song with joy in our hearts.

The second week I hid Easter eggs around the room. In each Easter egg was a line from the song. I had a child look for an Easter egg while everyone sang the song. We took the words off the board that was in the Easter egg the child found. Then we sang the song again while another child looked for an egg.  This helped them memorize the song with fun repetition.

Punch board assembly instructions:

  • Items needed: one foam board 20″x30.5″, a knife, white lunch bags, a multi-color pack of gift tissue paper, double -sided permanent tape, four objects such as stickers or cut outs, and the He is Risen word strips and pictures.

I cut out  twelve 3 3/4 inch round holes on the foam board with a knife. The holes were about 3 1/8 inches apart side to side, and 2 1/8 inches apart top to bottom.

I cut about 2 1/2 inches off the top of each lunch bag.  I cut a slit 1 1/2 inches deep on each of the top four corners of the bags. I folded back the four edges. I put an open bag over a hole on the foam board and taped the folded back edges to the foam board.  Note: I used lunch bags because they could be folded up for easy storage of the punch board.

I cut out and rolled up each of the word strips. I put a paper clip on each one to hold it in place. I put each word strip into one of the paper bag openings on the board. I put a foam hand (any kind of item could be used for this)  in the remaining four holes.

I cut out 12 egg shapes from the tissue paper. The eggs were each 4 1/2 inches wide and 5 3/4 inches tall. I placed pieces of double sided tape around the outsides edges of the holes and placed a tissue egg over each hole.

I cut out 12 more eggs shapes from the tissue to replace everything for Junior Primary. The best way to use this activity with Junior Primary is to only use half the eggs at a time. Put the first part of the song in half the eggs, and the second part of the song in the other half of the eggs. It is easier for Junior Primary to learn the song when they only have to focus on half of it at a time.

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.