Watching for SIGNS - "Stand for the Right" by being TRUE!

My goal for this Sunday is to review "Stand for the Right," placing special emphasis on teaching them what the song means when it says to "Be true, be true and stand for the right." I also want time to review the other songs we have been working on since January, "Choose the Right," "As a Child of God," and "I Often Go Walking."

                                      

What Does it Mean to "Be True?"
Introduce the activity/lesson for the day by talking about "Stand for the Right," and asking if someone can explain what it means in the song to "Be True." Talk about what it means to be true, and about how if we listen carefully, the prophet guides us and gives us ways to help us be true.

Put an image of a road up on the board, as well as a picture of the prophet. Then, add signs around the road. While doing this, talk about how there are signs everywhere, and that signs often protect us and guide us. Point out some of the signs, for example, the "Children Walking" sign that reminds drivers that there are children in the area. Talk about how President Monson gives us instruction that works as signs for us to help us "Be True, Be True."

Talk about how President Monson lists six road signs for our safety (from "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice: Follow the Signs").

Read the quote, where President Monson says, "May I offer you six road signs which, when observed and followed, will guide you to safety."

Then, have the children match the road signs specifically made for quotes from the prophet. There are so many ways to do this but for this Sunday, I think I will go with:

• Junior Primary - Put the signs up on the board but away from the quote. Read a quote out loud and ask for volunteers to match the quote to the sign. Write songs on the back of each song that the children will sing after they choose that correct sign.
• Senior Primary - Pass out the quotes. Ask a child to read their quote. Then ask children to find the matching sign on the board. Sing the song listed behind the sign. Write songs on the back of each song that the children will sing after they choose that correct sign.
• Bonus - Have children choose one of the "real" road signs on the board, which will have a fun way to sing the long listed behind the sign (staccato, crescendo/decrescendo, clap it out, etc.)

I am using the following songs for the following signs:

• good friends - "Stand for the Right"
• parental guidance - "I Often Go Walking" 
• study the gospel - "Choose the Right" vs. 1
• obey the commandments - "Choose the Right" vs. 1-2
• serve with love - "As a Child of God"
• pray with purpose - "Love is Spoken Here"

I saved the quotes and matching signs (to cut out) in a PDF, which you can download here.

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Credits for this Idea
I stumbled onto the "Follow the Signs" article I read above and came up with the road signs lesson, but I originally was planning to go with conversation bubbles only, which is an idea that was inspired by posts on multiple blogs this week. The idea morphed from blog to blog (including mine!) but originally revolved around using conversation bubbles to discuss the ways the prophet has taught us to "Be True." This fit in perfectly with my desire to share another story about what it means to "be true," but was so much better.

I realized that the idea is from an October 2001 Friend magazine article specifically for this song, as quoted here:

2. Music Presentation: Review the song “Stand for the Right” (CS, p. 159). Display a picture of President Hinckley (GAK 520). Give each older class a different statement from his October general conference addresses. Give young classes a picture representing something the prophet asked us to do. Have each class choose a spokesperson to explain what the prophet said. Post the quotes or pictures under his picture. Sing “Stand for the Right.” Explain that whenever we choose to do what the prophet asks us to do, we are being true and are standing for the right.

However, I do want to credit where I found the first recent version of the conversation idea, which was listed on SugarDoodle.net by Jessica Dahlquist, who morphed some great ideas from Kathleen Mower of The Children Sing blog - I followed the trail back to the October 2001 Friend.

"Stand for the Right" Take Home Sheet

I am still working out how I want to teach this Sunday's lesson but in the meantime, I am probably going to pass the below drawing out to the children in Junior Primary. I drew this onto a standard 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper in ink, so pardon the mistakes. I hope you can tell that the below image is for the the words/pictures to "Stand for the Right."

I will still have some activities around this but I am hoping that this is something I can take home to encourage the children to sing during Family Home Evening, and to help the new Sunbeams learn the song that the rest of the children have already learned.

If you would like a full-size copy, please send me an email or post your information in the comments below.

"Stand for the Right" Song Review

The primary children already know this month's theme song, "Stand for the Right," (they learned it last year) so I treated it as more of a review today. I spent most of my time on "I Often Go Walking" (see previous post.) In fact, I ran out of time in junior primary so I will cover "Stand for the Right," with them next week instead. The Sunbeams have not yet learned this song so I actually will spend some time teaching it to them, not just reviewing it. Fortunately, it is a short, easy song.

I changed my mind right before sacrament started about how I wanted to review this song, so I grabbed a permanent marker and sketched out some images that represent each line of the song. I think if I had more time, I would have attached magnets to the backs of them or for that matter, found some color pictures on the Internet. I think I will do the magnet part anyway, since I haven't reviewed this song with the junior primary yet. I think for them, I will draw a little scene on the chalkboard so that as I am putting up the pictures, they are fitting into the scene. I will draw the house open, like a dollhouse, so you can "see" into the house and see the children during their chores "At work or at play ..."

I am also tentatively planning some sort of take-home sheet, specifically with the Sunbeams in mind, but that I can give to all children in Junior Primary. I already made something for "I Think When I Read that Sweet Story," which I will be reviewing in April, if I can wait that long. Sigh. I am planning to share a downloadable PDF once I introduce it to the class - I am super excited and may break down and introduce the song earlier.

Anyway ... In junior primary, I will talk about what each picture represents as well as give the message that I gave to senior primary today. In senior primary, I told the children today that they know this song, and that I wanted them to hold up their hands as they recognized what song the pictures represent. A few hands went up with the first two pictures, but by the time I reached the end, almost all of the hands were up. I then called on a child to identify the song.

*Stand for the Right 
Our prophet has some words for you,
And these are the words, "Be true, Be true,"
At work or at play, 
In darkness or light,
"Be true, be true, and stand for the right."

(*Song can be copied for noncommercial church or home use. Please see link above for source information.)

I quickly ran through what each picture represents (since the children already knew) and then spent some time talking about what it means to "Be True."

One child thought it meant to not lie, which is a very good answer, but not the full story.

I shared (summed up of course, rather than reading the entire thing) the prophet's story called "Dare to Stand Alone" that was in the November 2011 New Era preparing for General Conference:

Dare to Stand Alone

“I believe my first experience in having the courage of my convictions took place when I served in the United States Navy near the end of World War II.

“Navy boot camp was not an easy experience for me, nor for anyone who endured it. For the first three weeks I was convinced my life was in jeopardy. The navy wasn’t trying to train me; it was trying to kill me.

“I shall ever remember when Sunday rolled around after the first week. We received welcome news from the chief petty officer. Standing at attention on the drill ground in a brisk California breeze, we heard his command: ‘Today everybody goes to church—everybody, that is, except for me. I am going to relax!’ Then he shouted, ‘All of you Catholics, you meet in Camp Decatur—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!’ A rather sizeable contingent moved out. Then he barked out his next command, ‘Those of you who are Jewish, you meet in Camp Henry—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!’ A somewhat smaller contingent marched out. Then he said, ‘The rest of you Protestants, you meet in the theaters at Camp Farragut—and don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!’

“Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought, ‘Monson, you are not a Catholic; you are not a Jew; you are not a Protestant. You are a Mormon, so you just stand here!’ I can assure you that I felt completely alone. Courageous and determined, yes—but alone.

“And then I heard the sweetest words I ever heard that chief petty officer utter. He looked in my direction and asked, ‘And just what do you guys call yourselves?’ Until that very moment I had not realized that anyone was standing beside me or behind me on the drill ground. Almost in unison, each of us replied, ‘Mormons!’ It is difficult to describe the joy that filled my heart as I turned around and saw a handful of other sailors.

“The chief petty officer scratched his head in an expression of puzzlement but finally said, ‘Well, go find somewhere to meet. And don’t come back until three o’clock. Forward, march!’

“As we marched away, I thought of the words of a rhyme I had learned in Primary years before:

Dare to be a Mormon;

Dare to stand alone.

Dare to have a purpose firm;

Dare to make it known.

“Since that day there have been times when there was no one standing behind me and so I did stand alone. How grateful I am that I made the decision long ago to remain strong and true, always prepared and ready to defend my religion, should the need arise.”

I talked about thinking about how we can listen to the prophet's words to BE TRUE and that, like the words of this song, "Choose the Right," and "As a Child of God," if we prepare in our minds TODAY what we feel is right, that we will be able to stand for what is true when the time comes, without hesitation. I then had us sing the song, and told them to think about what those words, "Be true, be true" meant. I was impressed at how reverent the class became for this portion of singing time.

I think I might tell them ANOTHER "Be True" story next week and sing it again - and in that way, give some quality attention to this song. I want them to truly understand what it is that they are singing. I might even talk about how in choirs I participate in, it is not uncommon for the chorister to talk about the song and how understanding it will help us sing with more conviction and honesty to truly convey the beauty of the lyrics and music. I think I will use a different story for Junior Primary though ... guess I'll have it figured out by the next post. :)