Introduction Week--He Sent His Son--"Door #1 OR Door #2"

Crazy to think we're on to a new month already. I am excited to review this song with our primary. I am sure the entire Sr. Primary knows it by heart already, and so most of the work will go on in Jr. Primary....but, we're going to have fun learning the deeper meaning to the song this month for everyone, and of course have fun doing it.

Prep:

2 Heavy poster boards. ( First, Cut a door in each poster board making sure to leave one side attached so it can open and close like a door. Use Glitter Glue to write a #1 on one board and a #2 on the second board. Second, fancy the boards up any way you wish to make them bright and eye catching. Third, attach magnets or heavy tape to the back of the boards so they can be hung on the chalk board or wall.

6 3X5 cards that have the following questions written out (one question per card)

How could the Father Tell the World of Love and Tenderness?
How could the Father Show the World the Pathway we should go?
How could the Father Tell the World of Sacrifice, of Death?
What Does the Father ask of Us?
What do the Scriptures Say?
What Does He (the Father) Ask?

6 Pictures that coordinate (there are a lot) with the following phrases. (attach each phrase to the picture it goes with. Make sure the pictures and phrases can fit easily behind your doors)

He sent His Son a new born babe, with peace and holiness
He sent His Son to Walk with man, on Earth that we may know
He sent His Son to die for us, and rise with living breath
Have Faith Have Hope, live like His Son.
Help Others on Their way
Live Like His Son

6 Pictures that Coordinate with the following phrases...or create your own phrases and find pictures that go with them .

He Gave us All Ice Cream and Cake
He sent His Son to do all our chores for us so we could go play outside
He Sent His Son to die for us, but that was the end
Complain a lot to other people when things are not going your way
Only help others when there's something in it for you
Eat All your vegetables

Picture Prompts if needed


Presentation:

Before Primary Begins, set up your doors at the front of the room. Place the first two picture phrases behind each door. Tell the children that we get to find out what our monthly song is today. To help us discover it we're going to play a game called "What's behind door #1....or door #2". Call a child to the front. Sing the first line of the song to the child..."How could the Father Tell the World of Love and Tenderness?" Then ask the child if S/he thinks the answer is behind door 1 or 2. Open the door they choose. Ask the child if they think that is the correct answer. If it is...have the entire primary sing the question and the answer. If it is not, let the child have the option of seeing what's behind the other door. If the child says that they think the silly phrase is the right answer, humor them by trying to put that to the music....and then explain that not only does it not fit the music, but it doesn't fit Heavenly Father's plan either and quickly talk about the significance of the line your singing...and open the other door for them.

As the child is sitting down, quickly replace what is behind each door (or have an adult helper do this for you while you are singing the song) and go onto the next question.

Continue this until you have gone through the whole song. Asking questions and then answering them. If you have time at the end, sing the song once or twice all the way through. Make sure and bear Testimony that the Plan of Salvation was laid out before we came to Earth, and that if we understand and accept our Savior's Love we can come back to Father in Heaven.

**thecrazychorister

5th Sunday-Test Week "Singing Golf"

First, thank you to everyone who has left kind comments. It's been so wonderful knowing that so many of you are being helped and loving your callings. I am so grateful for the Internet and the many resources we have that assist us to teach these children in ways they learn the best.

Second, I just wanted to clear up something for everyone. Early last year, I posted my "monthly method" for teaching on the side of my blog. It was something I felt was inspired for my calling and was very helpful for me to be organized. I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that this is NOT an Official, Church Directed way to teach. This is not in the primary guide or the handbook. If it works for you, or part of it works for you, great. If not, you in no way have to use it. There are countless methods you can use, and I encourage you to pray and find what will help your primary the best.

With that said, let's move on. I realized I am doing "Test" week out of order, but I wanted a bit more time for this activity. An idea sparked in my brain from an idea suggested for a sharing time on Sugardoodle by Lisa Christiansen. I've adapted it to work for singing time. This can easily be used for your traditional 20 min or you can expand it to the entire time if you have that assignment.


PREP:

A small bucket or container

7 or more cut out pictures of Golf Balls (depending on how much time you have)

9 pieces of green paper (construction or card stock) Tape them together to form a "Green". On Each Paper have a different way to sing the song it...(Staccato, Stop/Go, Boy/Girl, Teach stands on one foot. etc)

1 Black circle paper to represent the hole...Have the words...."Teacher Challenge" written on the hole

A yard stick or something else long enough they can hit the ball with. You might even have an actual child size putter...that would be great.

1 part of the Program song written on a small piece of paper with a question and taped to each golf ball. (EX. "Wrapped in the Arms of His Gentle Love" Which verse of the song is this line in? 1st or 2nd?)

Some Lego's, or books, or something that you can put around the "Green" to contain the ball when it is putted. (I hope that makes sense...but think of it like a mini-golf course only with just this one hole. )

Presentation:

Set up the "Green" before primary begins. Tell the kids that we're going to test on our program song today. Show them the bucket with the golf balls in it (or the pictures of golf balls in the bucket). Explain that just like golf balls have holes and dents in them that help them go farther, we too, through life, will have to go through some things that will give us some dents and holes. Heavenly Father loves us so much that he gave us a perfect path to follow through the example of his son, Jesus Christ, and the things we go through can help us be stronger and go farther.

Have a child come and pick a ball. Read or have them read what the line of the song is. Have them answer the question. If they cannot, they can get help from others. When the answer has been answered correctly, have the child putt the ball. If the ball lands on the green, sing the song as suggested on the green paper the ball rests on. If they get it in the "hole" or it comes to rest on the black then the children get to choose a way for the teachers to sing the song. This can be really fun for the kids and teachers so be creative in suggestions. You might want to have a separate bucket with teacher suggestions in it the kids can choose from. Continue this process until all your golf balls are gone from the bucket.

Have them sing the entire song. Then, bare your testimony of its truthfulness.



*thecrazychorister

Concept Review--"It's For You!"

I wanted to help review the concept for week four in our outline "Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Love Me" by doing an activity with the kids that helps them understand this and helps them know that singing beautiful music is singing praise and showing our Heavenly Father and Savior that we love them too and want to be near to them.

I adapted this idea from an idea posted on the Sugar Doodle web site a few years ago.

Prep:

1 Cell phone that can play a primary song ring tone

An assistant that will stand in the hallway and call your phone at specific times. Provide them with a script that they can follow.

Presentaion:

Begin by baring your testimony that you know Heavenly Father loves you and loves them. Tell them that you are grateful for prayer so you can feel your Heavenly Father's love when you talk to Him. Tell them that you're grateful for music so you can sing praises to Him. Tell them that today you would like to talk about some ways they can better feel the love their Father and Savior has for them.

At this point, have your assistant ring your cell phone. Look surprised and maybe even a bit flustered. Dig in your bag and pull it out before it stops ringing. Answer the phone. Have your assistant ask to speak with one of the Primary kids. Hand the phone to the child and say, "It's for You!". Have your assistant tell the child how much they love to hear the primary sing and have your assistant ask the child to ask you if they could sing...."I Feel My Savior's Love". When the child asks you, be really excited and say yes. Have the assistant say thank you and goodbye. Get your phone back from the child. Have the primary sing the song.

Ask the children what that songs says about how we can better feel our savior's love. Write some of their answers on the board. During this...have your assistant call your phone again and ask for a different child. They'll ask the child to ask you if the primary can now sing...."My Heavenly Father Loves Me"....

Continue this process with two or three more songs....always talking about the meaning afterwards. Have the assistant always compliment the child who is talking on the phone and praising them for their singing efforts.

Have the phone ring one more time. Answer it. Put it on speaker phone. Have the assistant thank the primary for their beautiful music and tell them how it made them feel inside...that their music made them feel loved. Have them say goodbye and have the kids say goodbye.

Finish by telling the kids that much like talking on the phone, we can communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer and song and feel His love in return.

Pizza Instructions....

Hi Everyone,

I can't keep up with the requests for the Pizza instructions so I'd thought I'd make it easy on myself and just direct you to this YouTube video that has complete steps on how to make this cute pizza. I modified it a bit making it 8 slices instead of four, and made a whole lot more toppings using the same method (bacon, pineapple, anchovies, olives, tomatoes, extra cheese, sauce..etc). I made my own pattern using her specifications and I was trying to include that here, but my scanner is not working right now. I'm sure you really don't need the patterns anyhow...we all have mixing bowls at home that are the right diameters anyway...right?

This year, they get the crust for free and they earn their toppings week by week. I give the Sr. primary a "Challenge" each week to learn a certain part of the song. When they come back the next week, the first thing I do is have them pass off their weekly challenge and earn their topping for that slice of pizza.

So, just go to here. If you need more help, leave a comment here and I'll try and help you. Thanks for all the nice comments and requests.

Also, some of you wanted to do the Ice Cream Idea from last year. That is listed in 2009 Jan under Motivators for the year. They earned a scoop for every song learned "program perfect". I only had one Ice Cream chart for both Jr. and Sr. When we got through earning all the scoops...I let them earn some bonus toppings. It was so great when the party day came. It was a great highlight to the year. Also, some of you wonder if that would be tough on the budget.... i think it cost a total of $23.00 for out large 112 kid primary. And, everyone had at least two large helpings. So, I think it will work out for you. But, remember to get permission from the Pres. before putting any of this forward to the kids.

Have a great week. If you have all of 5th Sunday coming up in a few weeks-I've got you covered so hang in there.

*thecrazychorister

Program Review Week--Primary Cranium

Hi Everyone! This coming Sunday is Program Review Sunday. Obviously we don't have much by way of Programs songs to review yet, so...I thought this would be a great Sunday to combine efforts with your presidency member.

If you go to page 3 in our "Outline for Sharing Time" it gives a lot of fun suggestions to review concepts for weeks 3 and 4. I read this and it totally reminded me of a game my family loves to play. Cranium. If you have never played this game, that's okay. I suggest looking up the game on the web and just reading about it to get the general idea. My version is simple.

So, here's how I modified it to fit for Primary and the suggested Sharing Time in our outline.

PREP:

1. Talk to your sharing time presidency member and get them on board with you.

2. On Four pieces of paper, write four different categories. Mine will be ....
"Notable Notes" (guessing the song and then singing it),
"Back to the Drawing Board" (drawing a concept and others guess what it is...if it is a song sing it)
"Who Am I" ( giving clues to a person or concept in the Scriptures we recently studied...if it corresponds to a song sing it)
"Up, Down, All Around" (a few different things to get the kids up and moving to some music while reviewing a concept)

3. 4 Slips of paper for each category that give the suggested activity or song. Please feel free to come up with your own...here are just what I've decided to Use.

"Notable Notes"
1. My Heavenly Father Loves Me
2. I Feel My Savior's Love
3. I Know that My Savior Loves Me
4. I Am A Child of God

"Back to the Drawing Board" You could use Play dough for the older kids instead of having them draw.

(For Jr. Primary, have the child pick the category and you Draw the picture and have them guess it. For Sr. Have the child try their hand at drawing and help if they need you.)
1. Draw a Picture of one way Heavenly Father Loves You (have the child suggest this too you)
2. Draw a Picture of Your Family (Families can be together Forever)
3. Draw a Picture of the Temple (I love to see the Temple)
4. Draw a Picture of the Scriptures (Scripture Power)

"Who Am I"

1. John the Baptist. (Have written clues about him such as..."I was a prophet. I was the Cousin of Jesus Christ. I Baptised Jesus." Make them easier for Jr. and harder for Sr.) ....song could be BAPTISM

2. Joseph Smith

3. A Child in the America's who saw Jesus

4. A Primary Child, today, who loves Jesus Christ


"Up, Down, All Around"

1. Play hot potato with a bean bag. Have the children pass it around the room while singing a song. When the music stops, have the child holding the bean bag say the next word or line in the song.

2. Sing the Child's favorite wiggle song double time

3. Have the Children face the primary doors. Open them and have them sing a song. When someone passes the primary doors, have the children wave and smile to see if they can get someone to wave and smile back.

4. Have a child hide your bean bag, and have another child find the bean bag as the children sing softer and softer as they get closer to finding it.

Before Primary, Have the Categories up on the Chalk Board and a small bag of slips under each category that they can choose from.


Presentation:

Explain to the children that we get to play a fun game that will help us review all the wonderful things we've been learning so far this month. Explain the categories. Pick a child to come and choose a category. Have them choose a slip from that Category and then complete the challenge.

Make sure, if you are doing this activity to tag team with the presidency member. You can do the singing stuff and they can do the non singing stuff.

This activity should take all 40 min. Have fun with it, and make it your own.



*thecrazychorister

Repeat Week--Pick a Primary Pocket

Since our song is new, it is really important to repeat it this week to help cement the words. Here's the repeat week idea for January.

Prep and Presentation:

1 Large Apron with 7-10 large pockets (you could use a T-shirt, or even make a large poster board with different pockets on it if you don't want to wear it. Anything that you can attach some pockets too.) Put this on when your time to teach is here.

7-10 objects that will represent different ways to sing the song

Small Slinky: When the child pulls it out (louder but not too loud). When it is pushed together we go soft.

Small Stuffed animal monkey: Sing the song in Oohs and Aahs (this helps them memorize the beat and melody of the music without the distraction of words.)

An Apple: Have the teachers sing the verse and then the children sing the chorus. Have the child who picked the apple give it to their teacher.

Small Toy Hammer: Have them "hammer" the beat with their fists on their palms (not hard) and do this while singing Staccato.

Paper Streamer: Have the child lead the music by waving the streamer to the time of the music

A Wiggle Worm (you can find these at the dollar store) : Use this for a surprise wiggle worm song of the child's choice

A pocket full of Letters: Have the child pick a letter. Skip whatever words in the song start with that letter.

Flashlight: Spot light a random child or teacher some time during the song. Ask them to say the next word or phrase.

Note that says, trade places: You sit down where the child was sitting and have them conduct the song.

A Large Coin: Heads boys sing, Tails girls sing (have the child who came up flip it)

There are many many more ideas you could use, so be creative and have fun with it. Some of you have asked in the past if I have them sing the entire song all the way through each time. The answer is no. I usually mix it up and try to notice right off where they are struggling. I go back and forth between first and second verse, chorus, etc. It never gets boring because it never stays the same. I tell them before we start that our goal is to be able to sing the song at the end in its entirety without the picture prompts. Jr still usually needs a bit of time, but Sr. has always gotten it. The important thing to remember is if you are having fun, they will. So don't make yourself board with it, just be spontaneous.

Have a great week.


*Orginal idea by my primary teacher when I was in primary
**Idea Adapted by thecrazychorister

Motivation for the Year and Helper Pics for January

I usually do a Motivator for the year. Last year we built an ice cream "Sunday" one scoop at a time for each song we learned. When the children knew the song "Program Perfect" they earned their scoop and then we celebrated the Saturday before our Program with a big Ice Cream Sundae party. They were so excited about it all year long.

This year, we're going to build our Pizza. They get a slice each song Introduction Sunday, and then they get to add toppings as they make that song "Program Perfect" Then, the Saturday before our program in October...we'll have a Primary Pizza Party. If you like this idea, you can easily make a chart out of poster board. I recently got hooked on making felt food for my kiddos and so I'm going to make a pizza out of felt that we can use. It will be an eight slice pizza instead of a four slice pizza and more toppings too, but here's a picture to get the idea. I made a whole bunch of felt food for a Christmas gift for my kids and it was way easy and way fun. If you want me to send the pattern I made and the instructions on how to make this, leave your email in the comment box and I'll figure out how to get that too you.

Anyhow.... I also decided to solve my "picking helper" problem. I'm tired of the sticks...It was annoying and I had several children come to me saying that they hadn't been picked in forever and just knew their name wasn't in there. So, some brilliant person on the primusic website suggested a great idea to do something fun to pick the names and the child could keep it afterward. That helped me to think outside of the box for a min, and I ended up back in the box...the crayon box. Here's what my crazy brain came up with.

I'm going to buy 1 box of 64 crayons for Sr. and one for Jr. I'm going to print out some small labels that have the different children's names on them. It will say, "Thanks for being a great helper in music today. Child's Name." I'll bring my box of crayons with me and call it my "Primary Colors". Then, I'll choose a color (choose a child) and they get to keep their crayon. I'll make sure and have some extras so I can add newbies last min and also visitor crayons to include those who visit our primary.

When the boxes are empty, I'll post my next idea for choosing children here.

I'll be posting my Repeat Week game mid-week so stay tuned.

*Thecrazychorister

"It's Saturday Night and I need a Fast Idea" #1

Okay folks...I decided to add a new posting on Saturday Nights. I can't promise it will be every Saturday night, but hopefully it will help some of you who've had the kind of week I've had and just need a quick alternative to the idea right below this one.

So you basically present the idea just below this post for "I Know My Savior Loves Me" but you eliminate making the story book. Just tell the children the story while they are gathered 'round you. I would suggest going to the "Primary Singing Ideas" blog that is in my blog list on the side and print a copy of the flip chart for the song (It's a great flip chart). Then teach them the song using the flip chart in the same way and conclude the same way. I believe this will have close to if not the same impact as the idea below and it takes little no prep.

If you want the half-way-between idea..go to the library before primary and get a picture of Christ appearing in the America's and display this picture while you tell the story. Make sure you're not taking more than about 2 min to tell the story. You want the most time for the song.

Some have asked if I made my book with both first and second verses...the answer is, "Yes". I don't know how much time I'll have, but I came prepared to introduce the second verse if there is time.