Friday, August 22, 2014

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy - Singing Time Review Songs

I always liked to do a fun review of all the primary songs on one of the last Sundays of the month, to make sure the children haven't forgotten the songs that they have been learning for the program.

This Sunday's theme is about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. Our primary children have been a bit rambunctious lately too, so the timing couldn't be better to talk about this wonderful topic.

I'd like to recommend an idea that I'm actually going to be teaching as part of the lesson, but if I were still a chorister ... I'd do this instead.

Take seven paper plates, and decorate them to look like the earth. Each paper plate represents each of the six days that it took to create the earth, and the seventh day of rest. Associate each "day" with one of our primary songs that we have been learning.

Here's the fun part - what to do with all these earths. I can think of a few fun visuals but right now, I'm leaning toward having a symbol that depicts what happened on that day, and letting the children match the symbol with the earth, and then singing that song.

This sounds a lot harder than it is, because to match the items, there will be easy hints. These are just images I grabbed off the Internet to illustrate the idea, since I haven't made anything yet. Another thought is that instead of making seven of the same earths and matching them to a picture of "what happened that day," it could also be one half of the same picture, for junior primary, but with the same matching questions.



 
Day 1 - "I'll seek the Lord early while ..."
 
"... in my youth."

Made Day and Night
 
Day 2 - "How could the Father tell the world, of love and tenderness?"
 

"He sent his son a newborn baby, with peace ..."

Made the Sky

Day 1 - He created Light and Dark.
I'd draw a circle that was half black, half yellow. Then, the hint would be that on the earth, it would say, "I'll seek the Lord early while" and the hint on the half black, half yellow circle would say, "in my youth."

Day 2 - He made the sky.
I'd draw a big puffy sky. Then, the hint for the matching earth would be on one side, "How could the Father tell the world, of love and tenderness?" The answer on the other side would be, "He sent his son a newborn babe, with peace ..."

Make sense?

I'd hoped to put up real images. This is simpler than it looks. This is how I interpret Genesis 1 and 2 so be careful that you agree:

Day 3 - Made land, seas, grass, herbs, seeds.

Day 4 - Made lights to divide day and night, seasons, moon, stars

Day 5 - Made water, water animals, birds

Day 6 - Made land creatures, man

Day 7 - He rested

Tell the children the object is to match up all seven earths, so that they can also REST. Each earth is either a song, or a question about how they can keep the Sabbath Day holy. If they don't make a match on their turn, then they also have to give an example of activities that are good to do on the Sabbath.


Sunday, August 3, 2014

Singing Time Focused Around Lesson Topic - Family Prayer

There are so many fun ways to teach music this month, focused on the August theme, "Participating in Wholesome Activities Will Strengthen My Family."

The Week 1 Lesson is about Family Prayer, and gives the suggestion to invite children to "share something he or she might thank or ask Heavenly Father for in family prayer."

The children already know so many wonderful songs about prayer, why not combine the sharing time and singing time lessons to help emphasize this point.

Use the wonderful resources in the LDS Media Library on the topic of prayer to print out a picture, to cut up like a puzzle.

The list of https://www.lds.org/children/resources/topics/family-prayer

Then, put the following items on the back of each puzzle - either a question, or a song to sing. If they get a quote, then they just have to read the quote:

Quote #1
“When I was a little child, my parents taught me by example to pray. I began with a picture in my mind of Heavenly Father being far away. As I have matured, my experience with prayer has changed. The picture in my mind has become one of a Heavenly Father who is close by, who is bathed in a bright light, and who knows me perfectly.”
—Henry B. Eyring
“Exhort Them to Pray,” Ensign, Feb. 2012, 4

Quote #2
We can pray each morning to recognize opportunities to serve others. “Heavenly Father will guide you, and angels will assist you,” said David L. Beck, Young Men general president. “You will be given power to bless lives and rescue souls.”
3 -- (June 2014 visiting teaching message)

Quote #3
“Successful … families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.” (Prayer, LDS.org)

Quote#4
“The Savior told us, ‘Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name” (3 Nephi 18:21). In our day, the Church urges us to have family prayer every night and every morning. … Family prayer is a powerful and sustaining influence [a long-lasting power to help us change for good]. – President James E. Faust, April 2002 General Conference (1920-2007)

Question #1
In family prayer, we thank Heavenly Father for our blessings and ask Him to help and bless our families.
What could you THANK Heavenly Father for in family prayer?

Question #2
In family prayer, we thank Heavenly Father for our blessings and ask Him to help and bless our families.
What could you ASK Heavenly Father for in family prayer?

Song #1
(Write down song titles from the various prayer songs listed above.)

Song Trivia
Finish the sentence. "I'll seek the Lord _______ while in my _______"