Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Introduction Week--I Know that My Savior Loves Me

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to our brand new year. Hard to believe we're starting over again on a new program, hu? I did do a few games over the Christmas Season with my primary, but I absolutely had no time at all to post. So, If anyone wants to know...perhaps I'll post it for future reference.

Keep in mind a couple of things before you launch into this Sunday...Remember that for most of us, children will change classes this Sunday. This in and of itself will deplete the time you have to present just because of the mild confusion and such. Also keep in mind that this is a brand new song and your goal will be to have the children familiar with the melody and rhythm. Don't worry so much if you don't get past the first verse. Anyhow, here's how I'm going to introduce our beautiful new song, I Know that My Savior Loves Me.


Preparation:

1. 12 page (homemade) story book telling the story of Jesus appearing to the children in the America's. Only have it be a Picture book for the first six pages. You can fill in the story for them. On the last six pages, show the same pictures with the lines of the song below each corresponding picture. Such as, the first picture would be of a beautiful landscape and the words below would read...."A long time ago in a beautiful place children were gathered round Jesus" etc. (Each of the pages of my book will be on half a poster board and then bound together with rings. I want it to be able to be easily seen by all the children. You can make it whatever size you wish)

Arrange the primary room by putting all teacher chairs in a semi circle. Put some blankets on the ground and have a child's size chair that you can sit in. Do not have your backs to anyone...make sure everyone is in front of you. (Check with your presidency member that will be doing sharing time to make sure they feel comfortable with this set up for their part.)

If you would like, bring a few articles of clothing you can easily put on before primary that would suggest you are from Book of Mormon times.

Presentation:

Invite the children to sit in a semi circle around your chair. Have the pianist play the melody of the song as they arrange themselves. Begin by asking the children how they would feel if I told them that the Savior Himself would walk through our Primary doors today to be with them. Let a few of the children answer this question.

Tell them that a long time ago, children just like themselves had that experience. Bring out your story book. Tell them the story of Jesus visiting the children in the Americas (You need not give every single detail...in fact, be brief and tell main points to the story . )

Tell them that for our new year and theme we also have a new song. Point to the title of your book(it should be the title of the song). Flip to the first picture that describes the first line of the song. Have the pianist play it. Have the children say and sing the line with you. Move on to the next. etc. Come back and review. When you get to the chorus, tell the children that we are going to stand and sing those lines. Help them to see that this part of the song is where they get to sing their testimony (which is very powerful).

Close by baring your testimony on how much you know the Savior loves little children, that He knows them personally, that He hears and answers their prayers.

PS... I just found an incredible flip chart that you could use for this song on Primary Singing Time Ideas..those gals are amazing! (the link is to the right of this post.)


**Thecrazychorister

12 comments:

PerryParty3 said...

Wow. This is perfect.
I love the reverence that it brings.

I was hoping to post my own ideas this year, but I think this one is too perfect to pass up. I'd like to link you to my blog, if that's okay. (primarysingingtimeideas) :)

Thanks for your great ideas!

Melanie said...

PerryParty3-

You bet! Loved your flipchart for this...thanks for you're help as well.

-Melanie

Sarah said...

Thank you so much for your help! I was struggling with how to teach this to the Junior Primary. You're so great!

Lindsey Cortes said...

I was fretting over what to do to introduce this theme and I think you have just hit the nail on the head. Thank you so much for this idea.

Tiffany said...

I look forward to your posts. I just got called as Primary Chorister and have been hoping to do fun things with them. A lot of them don't sing and are lacking in knowing their music. I've taught primary recently and also am in charge of the ward choir so I'm excited to hopefully get them excited to sing!! One question about your pictures. Did you draw them yourself or did you enlarge pictures? Thanks so much!!!
jtvranes.blogspot.com

Tiffany

Melanie said...

Tiffany

There are plenty of pictures online you could use. I plan on drawing the story myself and then using the filp chart from the Primary Singing Ideas blog for the actual song teaching...

I hope that helps Ya. Happy New Year!

-Melanie

Andrea said...

Thanks for your ideas, I really enjoy your posts, but actually the name of this song is "I Know My Savior Loves Me" not "I Know My Savior Lives." I got mixed up, so I just wanted to help out.

Kerstin said...

Did the "story book" just cover the words for the 1st verse and chorus, or did you also have the 2nd verse in there? I'm just wondering how you divided your words for the 6 pages. . .
Thanks for your ideas!

Layne Bushell said...

Melanie, Thank you! This is a wonderful idea. As I've been learning the song over the past few weeks, I can't sing it without tears coming to my eyes...It's so powerful. Teaching it to them in this way will help them feel the spirit and hence the truthfulness of it!

Lynda said...

Thanks for your help! I think it worked last week! I love the song, it was hard for me to talk about it without getting a little emotional... I am looking forward to the time when they( the junior primary)can really sing it like they know it! I look forward to future ideas with this and other songs????

Angie said...

I did this for our HUGE primary and you could have heard a pin drop. It was wonderful and the Spirit was very strong. Thanks for a wonderful idea.

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