Clap It Out

This is an idea for Praise To the Man for Senior Primary.

It looks like a game. But it's really a way to define those tough words in Praise To the Man. Tell the kids you're going to clap out all of the big words in the first verse...

*Sing through the Verse one time first. Then,

1. Have a child choose a definition wordstrip. 
2. Find the word for that definition somewhere in the Verse.
3. Write the word on the board. Tape the definition next to it.
4. Talk it out. Discuss the word and it's definition.
5. Now, "Clap it Out" of the song. .... When singing, clap the syllables of that word.
6. Repeat and repeat until all the big words are being "clapped out" as you sing.
   
   (The secret is that, although they are clapping the words/syllables, they are still thinking them in their heads - and you are getting them to sing over and over again.)

Verse 1 Definitions → Words:
Conversed with a Higher Source → Communed
Heavenly Father? / Jesus? → Jehovah
Called to Holy Office → Anointed
Proclaimer of the word of God → Prophet
Group of time → Dispensation
Praise enthusiastically → Extol
Feel deep respect and admiration → Revere


PREP:

• Definitions on wordstrips
• Chalk to write each "hard" word on the board as we talk about it.
• Tape / magnets

More Service Songs - G.I.V.E.

After singing Give Said The Little Stream with actions, extend the lesson by singing more Service Songs. This really does need to be done in coordination with Give Said the Little Stream, as it's a continuation on the word GIVE...

Before Primary, put the letters G - I - V - E around the room. It's going to be kind of a match game, where the letter will be stuck on the beginning of a phrase.

G - How do we serve?  We go the extra mile!  pg: 167

I - Who can serve others?  I can, with my own two hands!  pg: 272

V - How does serving others make us feel? Serving others makes us very happy!  pg: 197

E - Who do we serve?  Every one of God's children.  pg: 263

THE PLAN:
Talk about how GSTLS is a song about service! ASK; But what other things can we think about when doing service?.... The letters on the wall will help us find out!

• Choose a child to go get a letter off the wall.
• When the child brings the letter to you, ASK the question about service. Then show the the letter combined with it's phrase and hang it on the board (save room for all 4 phrases).
• Sing the song. Maybe a few times.
• Repeat.
  
  

  

  (I had the letter, the question, and the song page number written on the back of the phrase page.)

Little Children Seeds

I can't believe I haven't posted one of my favorite gross motor movement activities for Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep!

Tell the children they are seeds. Have them 'bury' themselves in the ground. (Crouch, get low. Yes, some kids lie on the ground.) Have them cover themselves up with soil and get ready to sprout!

• 1st Verse. Stay crouched. During "wake up wake up calls the sun", use a "blinking" hand above head to be sun's rays)
• 2nd verse, slowly 'wake up' and stretch tall!

*I randomly came up with this on the spot one day. The kids love it!

Halloween Candy Activity

This is the easy song-review activity I'm doing the day after Halloween:

1. Have a bowl of various Halloween Candy.
2. Give the Pianist a pre-determined list of songs.
3. Invite a child to choose a piece of candy. The candy they choose will determine the next song. (So they think... but really, you're just going down the song list).
4. Sing.
5. Repeat.

*Beware of peanut allergies. I did not pick any peanut candies to be in the bowl....
*Be sure that the kids are aware that they do not actually get to eat the candy... that it's just for choosing songs...

Lullaby Babies

picture source, LDS.org

*This is a Christmas singing time. It will take some forethought and preparation...

PREP:
-Rocking Chair/Glider (from the Nursery or Mother's room?)
-Swaddled Baby Doll
-Ask 2 female singers to prepare Mary's Lullaby. Ask them to wear white.
-Ask a Mom to be "Mary". Have her dress appropriately and bring a swaddled baby doll (or even better, a Mom with a real baby!!!). And possibly manger prop (we happen to have a family who has one).

----> Discreetly set up manger in the back of the room before Primary. Instruct guest adults that they will quietly enter the room while we are singing our lullaby in the dark. Mary sits near the manger, caressing or holding the baby, the singers near/behind Mary.  When it's their turn, Mary tends to the baby while the others sing Mary's Lullaby to the Primary.


LESSON:

• Hold the swaddled baby doll and "shush" the children, pointing out that a baby is trying sleep! Maybe learning a song can help the baby sleep....

• Learn Oh Hush Thee, My Baby. (flip chart? or actions?)  Teach SR Primary the harmony on the chorus.

• Tell the children that we are going to rock a baby to sleep with this beautiful lullaby.  Dim the lights. Invite a girl to hold the baby and rock in the chair while we sing.

• After singing the lullaby to the baby, Ask: "Do you think Mary would have sung a lullaby to baby Jesus?"  (yes, probably, uh-huh).  Well, let's see for ourselves.... (direct attention to the other side of the room - cue pianist for Mary's Lullaby to be performed by guest singers).  [I wish, I wish, I wish I had a spotlight to shine on them.... I'm going to have to think about this...]

Actions for: Jesus Once Was a Little Child

Here are some simple actions that seemed to help my JR Primary with Jesus Once Was a Little Child (55);


little child    PINCH FINGERS TO SHOW 'LITTLE'
like me     POINT TO SELF
pure and meek and mild     FINGERS 1,2,3
as a little child should be     PALMS UP HANDS OUT
so little children     FINGER UP
you and I     POINT TO THEM AND TO SELF
try to be like him     THUMBS UP
try, try, try     TAKE THE THUMBS UP AND GO "DOWN THE STAIRS" (lower each "try")

Jesus' Life in Songs

Have pictures of Jesus' life (that coordinate with the songs).

1. Sing Tell Me The Stories of Jesus  57
2. Choose a child to pick a picture.
3. Sing the picked song.
4. Repeat.

Song suggestions:
PRE            I Lived in Heaven  4

BIRTH        Sleep Little Jesus  47

                    Mary's Lullaby  44

CHILDHOOD      Jesus Once Was a Little Child  55
BAPTISM            Baptism  100
MINISTRY         Jesus Said Love Everyone  61

                             Love One Another  136
CRUCIFIXION    To Think About Jesus  71

                             He Died That We Might Live Again  65

RESURRECTION       Jesus Has Risen  70
NOW          I'm Trying To Be Like Jesus  78
                   I Feel My Savior's Love  74

                   I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ  77

SECOND COMING     When He Comes Again  82

Wagon Review

I'm using this idea in July to review our Program Songs (and a few Pioneer Songs).

PREP:
I'll have to revamp my Singing Meter to be Pioneer themed. Like this (but with blank spaces to affix wagons instead of faces):

In Action:

• Have a child choose a wagon
• The wagon is a "family" (song name)
• Attach wagon to the Meter Board
• See if the wagon makes it to Zion! (if not, there's an option to sing it again*)
• --->If it makes it to Zion (the other side of the board), take it off and tape it to the chalkboard or piano or something.
• REPEAT.... Call on a child to either choose a new wagon, or *help a wagon that's still trying to make it across the plains.

Here are the wagons...

I put the title of the songs we're reviewing as the "Family Name".
In JR I'll say 'this' family's favorite song is ____, then we'll sing it.
In SR, I'll let them know each "Family Name" is a clue! Then I'll let them figure out what we're singing.

*One wagon got in an accident in my laminator. RIP.

*If you're playing along, the answers to the "Families" in this pic are below:

Dressing Up To Be a Pioneer

We have some Pioneer dress-ups left over from a parade. Perhaps you have some from Trek or something?  It's always fun to discover things like this in the closet!

I am going to use them for the song To Be A Pioneer....

LESSON PLAN:

1. CLOTHES LINE (learn song)

• Sing song through 1x 
• Have a child pick something off the clothesline. 
• The item has a phrase from the song - make up an action for it! 
• Repeat until all clothes are picked 

2. DESCANT

• Have dress up box on the other side of our L shaped room
• A class puts on a dress up item (1 per kid)
• The class sings the descant, while the rest of us sing the main part

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*This is how I broke up the song (the red words are highlighted to give the kids an idea of what word possibilities to make up action for.  You know, so we don't have to stand up there in an awkward state for tooooo long).

You don't have to push a handcart

Leave your family dear

Or walk a thousand miles or more  
 
To be a pioneer!  

You do need to have great courage,
  
Faith to conquer fear

And work with might for a cause that's right

ACTIONS FOR: To Be a Pioneer

Here are some actions (mixed with ASL) for the song To Be a Pioneer :

You don't have to push a handcart,     "NO" FINGER WAG / PUSH A HANDCART HANDLE
Leave your fam'ly dear,     WAVE BYE   /   ASL: FAMILY
Or walk a thousand miles or more    WALK
To be a pioneer!    ASL: PIONEER  (This long sign can be timed to go with this phrase. Just practice!)

You do need to have great courage,    HEAD NOD / ASL COURAGE
Faith to conquer fear,     ASL FAITH
And work with might for a cause that's right    ASL WORK / STRONG BICEP / THUMBS UP
To be a pioneer!    ASL: PIONEER

Tie Guys SINGING METER BOARD

I'll be using this Singing Meter Board to review our Father's Day songs this year.  :)

*Here is the original Singing Meter Board post.  With how-to and ideas.  :)

LESSON PLAN: The Holy Ghost (verse 1)

THE PLAN - The Holy Ghost 105

 

1.      INTRO (CONSTANT COMPANION):

          -- Show metronome.

          -- Listen to the song and clap the beat

          --  *Explain that the beat of the song is constant. It is always there and always reliable. Explain that, just like the beat of a song, the Holy Ghost can also be a steady, constant companion.

          -- Do the song again, this time hum and clap the beat.

2.      OBJECTS for VERSE 1

When Christ was on the earth,           SMALL GLOBE, BALL, OR PICTURE of the EARTH

He promised he would send               ENVELOPE

The Holy Ghost to comfort us,          BLANKET

Our true, eternal friend.                     TWO KIDS

The Holy Spirit whispers                   CHILD w/FINGER ON LIPS

With a still small voice.                       CHILD POINT TO VOICEBOX

He testifies of God and Christ          PICTURE of HEAVENLY FATHER & JESUS

And makes our hearts rejoice.            PAPER HEART

·        *****Invite children to hold each thing and line up in front.

·        Sing.

·        Then have them trade with someone sitting down.

·        Repeat.

3.      REPEAT SING Verse 1 - Cup Beats

          -- Explain that just like we discussed in the beginning, the Holy Ghost can be a steady, constant companion.  AND, songs have steady beats, right?!  You remember we did a simple 1-2-3-4 beat earlier, right?  Well, now we're going to use cups to make the beat a little more fun. Still steady.... and fun.  :)

          -- Show cups and how to use them. Very simple drum pattern in JR, a little more complicated in SR.

            --Sing and repeat!

Objects for The Holy Ghost (105)

I thought of objects to bring to use to teach Verse 1 of  The Holy Ghost 105...


When Christ was on the earth,     SMALL GLOBE, BALL, OR PICTURE of the EARTH
He promised he would send     ENVELOPE
The Holy Ghost to comfort us,     BLANKET
Our true, eternal friend.     TWO KIDS
The Holy Spirit whispers     CHILD w/FINGER ON LIPS
With a still small voice.     CHILD POINT TO VOICEBOX
He testifies of God and Christ     PICTURE of HEAVENLY FATHER & JESUS
And makes our hearts rejoice.     PAPER HEART

Constant Companion

A way to introduce the song The Holy Ghost 105...

1. Show metronome.
2. Listen to the song and clap the beat 
3. *Explain that the beat of the song is constant. It is always there and always reliable. Explain that, just like the beat of a song, the Holy Ghost can also be a steady, constant companion.
4. Do the song again, this time hum and clap the beat.
   
   

*Idea modified from something I found in the August 2005 Friend.

"We Are Trying to Be Like Jesus" Match Game

uhhhh.... sorry this picture is squished. I don't know how to fix it right now....

Mine were too heavy for magnets. So I taped them on the side and they flipped open.
 I added a tape dot to the corner to help hold it them shut.

SET UP:
Write on the board: "We Are Trying to Be Like Jesus"
Set up pieces under the title, facing the board.

INTRO: Say, "We're going to play a matching game to see who can try to be like Jesus..."

1. Sing I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus
2. Choose a child to come up and make a match.
3. Flip to reveal pictures of the kids!
4. When a class match is made, have each child in that class say a way they try to be like Jesus.
5. Repeat

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PREP:

• Beforehand, take pictures of each class, and print doubles of each!

Flowers in Meadows of Clover

I came up with this after I found an unused pack of foam clovers left over from St. Patrick's Day....

Act out the song I Often Go Walking:

Clovers and flowers from the Dollar Store.
I had at least 12 of each.

FIND HELPERS:

• Choose a class to be the "meadow"....
• *Class picks an item off the table and stands in front (or all around the room) as "the meadow"
• Choose a child to be the "Mom" (put on an apron).
• Choose another child to go "walking" (put on a hat).

SING:

• ---> Sing and have the child walk and pick only flowers (not the clovers!)
• When the song ends, bring the bouquet to the "Mother".

THEN:

• Repeat the whole activity

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PREP:

Flowers

Clovers

Apron

Kid Hat


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*Notes:

• This is probably an activity for a larger sized Primary.
• I finally found an activity that made good use of my odd and awkward "L" shaped Primary room!  The kids sat in chairs on one side of the room and we made the "meadow" on the other side of the L. It worked out great!  Hooray!
• It's fun to act it out while signing. My SR Priamry was good at timing it just right to hand the bouquet to the "Mom" as the song ended. They're awesome kiddos.
• I thought this one would give everyone a chance to participate. And it did! Everyone did something. Yet I still had kids who didn't get to do the part they wanted and whatnot... and whined and cried and we had tears. STILL! Aye.... cest la vie, I suppose!
• My kids can get crazy with gross motor move-about-the-room activities. But I know to expect it by now.

Sun Wheel

There are FOUR verses in the old orange Sing With Me Book.  I made a visual aide for them all...

*This was probably the most labor intensive visual aide I've made. It was A LOT of work. It took a month to make.  This is now a family heirloom.

*I was going to make this a how-to post. But.... uh.... to start with, cutting the shape of a sun is harder than you might think!  And, believe it or not, the sun is made of cereal boxes. And lots of packing tape (because, how do you laminate something this size?).  Anyway... if someone really wants a how-to I'll type it up. But for now I'm short on time...

*I need to take a picture of the back side! I've put hints that show me where to turn the wheel on what verse, etcetera. The whole thing - from project inception/completion to useage - is a lot of work!

Meter Board for Super Sunbeam Singing!

This is my meter board for SUPER SUNBEAM SINGING! I'll use it when we learn the additional verses to Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam.

*Here are all of the ways I've used my Singing Meter Board.

Sing Sunbeam Style

For the song Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam...

Make crepe paper 'Sunbeams' so everyone can have something in their hand:

how to make

Use the crepe paper 'Sunbeams' to move while singing these "Sunbeam Style" ways:

• back and forth
• high and low
• "disco"
• around in circles
• sunbeam lead (3/4 time)
• "lasso"
• draw an X
• little waves
• "rainbow" above head
• vertical zig zag
• figure 8
• flick and fall
• loop de loop

*I'll have a child pick from these sun sticks (I have a whole bunch in a vase) to determine which Sunbeam Style way to sing:

how to make

WE Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ MATCHING GAME

For reviewing/repeat-singing the song I Belong to the Church of Jesus Christ...


PREP:
Take pictures of Primary kids, print 2 copies of each picture and make a matching game out of them. (II want to take pictures of their classes at church, to try to include as many kids as possible. Maybe even get pictures of the Bishopric, Primary Presidency, Teachers and other Ward Members.)


IN ACTION:

• Tell the kids that we're going to play a game to find people who belong to the church of Jesus Christ!
• Invite a child to make a match
• Sing - look for a super singer to come up next!
• Repeat