Stuff Storage

Going on 3 years in this Calling.... the stuff is taking over!
Where do you store your Primary Music stuff?

(Really though, this was during a cleaning session. Most of it is now next to the desk or in the garage or.....)

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!

Follow The Prophet Cute Hand Held Pictures

I Sing U Sing has very cute song prompts for the song Follow the Prophet.  See them HERE.  I am excited to make my own!

preview. source

VERSES (I'm brainstorming...):
Adam     APPLE

Enoch     CLOUD

Noah     BOAT

Abraham     ?
Moses     TWO TABLETS

Samuel     ? QUOTE BUBBLE?
Jonah     WHALE

Daniel     LION
World     EARTH

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This is now mine turned out!  Yay!

Moving Visual Aid for On a Golden Springtime

I used my Singing Meter Board to make a moving visual aide for the song On a Golden Springtime.

It is tricky to work and to re-load, so this is something I will operate - not the kids (I let them do the Meter Board sometimes).

Verse 1: seed
Verse 2: tomb
Verse 3: forest glade

UPDATE:
I must say, this really brought the Spirit in to round out the "Spring Break" activity.

"Real" Lamination

So, for over a year I was doing what I call "faux lamination" and using packing tape to cover my items. It worked, and is a viable option when you don't have access to a laminator.

But guess what I got for Christmas?  A home laminator!!!  Guilty confession... I love it!

Article of Faith Wordstrip Poster

We're going to work on the Article of Faith songs this year.  We'll sing, take down words and repeat until all words are off the board - then move on to the next AOF song. Hopefully we'll make it through all 13. If we learn them super fast, maybe we'll be repeating them sometime in the year. We'll just see how it goes.

Here's how I made my AOF visual aide:

BOARD:

• Buy a thick posterboard. (I anticipate it will get beat up by the end of the year.)
• Print off 13 pictures. Suggestions; Melonheadz, Simply Fresh, AOF Number Posters. (I printed them in 8x10 size at Sams Club).
• Tape a plastic sheet cover in the corner to hold the picture for that AOF song. One on both sides - for JR and SR. (I am thinking that JR and SR will go through the AOF songs at different rates. For the first little while I will use the same picture, just move it from side to side, until one group gets ahead of the other.)
• Leave the rest of the board blank for the taping on of the wordstrips.

WORD STRIPS:

• Type a doc with all the AOF lyrics.
• Print it off and cut it up.
• Put each AOF's word strips into a labeled envelope.
• Keep all envelopes together for easy access throughout the year. 
• Repeat if you're making one for JR and for SR.

envelope with the cut up pieces inside
AOF typed of the outside so I can figure out how to put the wordstrips on the posterboard!

organized envelopes

*Project timeline: It took me 7 hours to make this Interactive Article of Faith wordstrip poster.

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***While I label this as "my own idea", it's pretty much a just.a.poster. But the wordstrips and the envelopes and the putting it all together is what I claim.

Job Hazards

ouch

Do any of the other Chorstiers (in Sacrament, Relief Society, Young Women's, Priesthood meetings...) have the job hazards we do? So many times the Primary Music Leader calling has required me to use sharp objects... it was bound to happen....

(i was making this)

Article of Faith Number/Picture Posters

HERE is the link to the visual aides for the Article of Faith songs - the ones that have church pictures that sort of somehow go with the number. I found these on the LDS Primary Chorister's Facebook Group, but I can't always re-find stuff on that site - I really like these, so I'm bookmarking it here on my blog so I can find it later...

*If that link above doesn't work, here is the link to the post in the FB Group

...preview of the doc...

Make Your Own Crosswords and Word Searches

Discovery Crossword Maker:

http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/CrissCrossSetupForm.asp

Discovery Word Search Maker:

http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/WordSearchSetupForm.asp

Cookie Bouquet Display

A while back I bought my husband a cookie bouquet. I kept the sticks and display stand. They've worked wonderfully as a reusable visual aide!

*family pictures from OCD Chorister

Build a Temple Paper Puzzle

(say the title of this post 10 times fast.  heehee)

We built this Temple (Salt Lake) in our Primary as part of the Families Can be Together Forever monthly theme. We sang "I Love to See the Temple" while we assembled the Temple and "Families Can Be Together Forever" during the singing meter board.

In making this Temple visual aid I learned that my chalkboard is 4 papers tall (you learn something new every day, right? lol). So, luckily, this fit perfectly. I drew a chalk grid on the board to help the kids keep the pieces in line. In JR I had it already set up so they put it up in order. In SR it was more of a puzzle. (Also, all pieces are numbered on the back so I can figure it out after it's all mixed up). I did sort of a question and answer thing - ask a question, but a piece up, sing, repeat.

After the big temple was built we had extra time, in which I did the Singing Meter, this time with Temple spires on it. To use the singing meter board over and over again I told the kids there are lots of Temples being built nowadays and I reset the board and pick to kids to work the strings. The kids love operating the singing meter board.

SLC Temple Paper Puzzle,
separated so you can see the individual pieces

SLC Temple Paper Puzzle, all put together

all colored and ready to go

Singing Meter with Temple Spires

See how it works?
If the kids sing well the Temple gets built!

Singing Meter Board

The idea is that pictures are attached and as the children sing well the pictures go up. (Or down, or sideways, or however you are holding the board).

Here is my basic board. It's really easy to make:

• thick poster board
• string (I used yarn)
• scissors

1. Measure and mark where you want the holes for the string. If you want, leave more space at the top so you can put a title on it.
2. Poke the holes
3. Cut the string and thread it through
4. Tie it on the back side

*You want the strings tight, but not so tight that they won't move.  Too loose, though, and the items you attach to the front will droop and not stay close to the board.

5. Make the backing to which you'll attach items. Make sure the knot at the back is all the way up and the backing is all the way at the bottom. I used cardboard from a cereal box:

6. Attach items. I was making "fireworks" for the 4th of July, using gift wrap bows. I'm still working on putting the title on my board, but I was in a hurry to get this post up. When the kids sing well the fireworks will go up!

Item ideas are -

• flowers that grow up
• fireworks that go up
• cars that race (side-to-side, turn the board horizontally)
• thermometer
• snowmen that melt
• raindrops that fall down
• shooting stars (side-to-side)
• rocketships up to the moon
• tortoise and the hair (side-to-side)
• hearts for a "love o'meter"
• kites
• ... let me know your ideas! I want to know more ways to use this singing meter board so I can get lots of use out of it!

Here is the Pioneer Children (sang as they walked) version.

It's horizontal (which kind of causes the strings to sag if the pictures are too heavy).

I used sticks to put the sign on the side (it is on the top when the board is vertical):

Here is the "Build a Temple" version, used in THIS lesson:

Here is the "Family Vacation" version:

Here is the Valentine's Version:

Another Valentine's Version with "Conversation Hearts":

The March/windy weather version:

For all 3 verses of On a Golden Springtime

(more of just a visual aid than a singing meter)

two pics:

Meter Board for learning/reviewing more verses of the Sunbeam song:

"Tie Guys" Singing Meter Board for Father's Day

(Yes!,  They are the suns... repurposed!)

LDS Image Library Online

Here is the LDS Image Library online.
It's a great resource for making flip charts and visual aides.  :D

Lamb & Lion

I call this one... Lamb/Lion, aka Piano/Forte, aka Hot/Cold. Sometimes I'm indecisive. :)

image source

THE PLAN:

March is in like a lamb, out like a lion. (Or vica versa), right?

IDEA 1:
Make a lamb and a lion on popcicle sticks.
Lamb - sing Piano (soft)
Lion - sing Forte (loud). *sing, not scream!

IDEA 2:
Play hot/cold. One child goes out into the hallway. Another hides an item. The children sing Forte like a Lion if the 'finding' child is close to finding the item or Piano like a Lamb if they're far away.

IDEA 3:
a) Add-on to Lamb and Lion visual aides. (the class singing best gets to tape up stuff)
b) After all parts are up, point to Lamb (sing piano) or Lion (sing forte) while singing.

This is how Idea #3 turned out:

the kids get to add the pieces

all assembled

they come apart for storage...

...and fit in a 1GAL storage bag

"Eggcellent" Singers

image source

Have the lyrics on a poster board. Cut out a big egg and some small eggs. After each time we sing, invite a child to move the eggs to new spots on the board over some off the lyrics.

TELL THE KIDS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE SUPER DUPER “EGGSELLENT SINGERS” TO BE ABLE TO SING WITH WORDS BLOCKED. Can they do it and show me how “eggcellent” they are?!?!?!!!!       ;)

LDS Meetinghouse Library Cutouts

All of the cutouts you can find in the Library at the Meetinghouse can be found online, HERE.

screen shot of the site

example 1 - source

example 2 - source

My "HOW TO SING" Hearts / Heart Darts Game

These are 8x10. That size works well if you want to print them as photos (for durability). Or, use a home printer. Whatever works for you!  Two pages below:

*PS - I used them with the Prayer Is a Conversation With Heavenly Father: Valentine's Version Lesson for learning the song I Pray In Faith.

8x10

8x10

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Here is how I used them - for Heart Darts! (magnetic dart board):

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I used these conversation heart printables from AF Singing Time to make the finished product:

• CONVERSATION HEARTS with words
• BLANK Conversation Hearts