Hey guys,
I hope you all are having fun reviewing for your programs. I hope you've been able to take some of these ideas and make them your own. I would love to hear from any of you who would like to tell me which ideas have worked best for you. Let me know what you did to expand on them.
New posts should start in a few weeks for the coming months. It will be a fun three months to relax before our new year starts.
Keep it up! They're all counting on you. Let me know if I can help with anything specific.
-Melanie
Friday, September 4, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Program Review Activity #10--All Business
This activity doesn't sound fun on the surface, but it will really polish up those kids for their program. I do this activity the Sunday Before the Program. Most of the time this ends up being in the chapel, so it needs to be as reverent as possible.
Prep:
Two Gigantic Elephant ear cut outs
Huge Smile cut out
Big Sunglasses (dollar store)
Presentation:
Explain to the children that their program is next Sunday! Tell them that today we are going to pretend its the real thing. Focus on Dynamics today, posture, and keeping your eyes on the chorister.
Start with warming up their voices. Have them begin with breathing. Have them breath in for 4 counts and out for 6. Do this a few times until everyone is very calm. Take one of the program songs and sing it in Oohs, aahs, mmms, eees, lalas. Talk to them about opening their mouths and throats to sings the music.
Practice the stand and sit together. Have them watch you for the cue. This can be fun. Don't get out of hand by doing it too much.
Take each song in turn and start some where in the song. You don't have to do the beginning. Perhaps start in the part of the song where they are having the most trouble or you want them to change the dynamic. Work for 2-3 min only on a song. Go through it quickly, stopping every third song or so to check the stand and sit reflex with a quick wiggle song for the little ones.
Use the ears to have them sing louder. Use the mouth to prompt them to smile. Use the Glasses to get their eyes on you.
You can do this so many ways. I plan on really winging it. It should be great. Good luck.
Prep:
Two Gigantic Elephant ear cut outs
Huge Smile cut out
Big Sunglasses (dollar store)
Presentation:
Explain to the children that their program is next Sunday! Tell them that today we are going to pretend its the real thing. Focus on Dynamics today, posture, and keeping your eyes on the chorister.
Start with warming up their voices. Have them begin with breathing. Have them breath in for 4 counts and out for 6. Do this a few times until everyone is very calm. Take one of the program songs and sing it in Oohs, aahs, mmms, eees, lalas. Talk to them about opening their mouths and throats to sings the music.
Practice the stand and sit together. Have them watch you for the cue. This can be fun. Don't get out of hand by doing it too much.
Take each song in turn and start some where in the song. You don't have to do the beginning. Perhaps start in the part of the song where they are having the most trouble or you want them to change the dynamic. Work for 2-3 min only on a song. Go through it quickly, stopping every third song or so to check the stand and sit reflex with a quick wiggle song for the little ones.
Use the ears to have them sing louder. Use the mouth to prompt them to smile. Use the Glasses to get their eyes on you.
You can do this so many ways. I plan on really winging it. It should be great. Good luck.
Program Review Activity #9--Concept Challenge
I want to make sure the kids remember the whole purpose to our program by reviewing the meanings of our songs. I believe if the song is sung with the concept understood...we'll have a successful program.
Prep:
Chalk to write the Titles of the program songs on the board.
8 Concept Questions on 3X5 cards --one for each program song (You might have to make two sets -Jr and Sr.)
Questions Examples:
1. My friend asks me if I think we lived before we came to earth and what our purpose is here. (Name the song that could BEST answer your friends question. 'I lived in Heaven')
2. My Mom asks me what I know about the Baptism of Jesus Christ. (Name the song that could BEST answer your mom's question. 'Baptism')
3. My Friend wants to know why I like my church so much and why I put my faith in God. (Name one of our program songs that could help answer his question. 'How firm a Foundation')
Presentation:
Explain to the children that our program songs have taught us some very important concepts of the Gospel that can help them be better family members and missionaries. Tell them you will ask each class a question. Have the children figure out which program song will Best answer the question they have been asked. Go over the words of that part of the song that would answer the question. Sing the song.
Continue through the questions until time is over.
*thecrazychorister
Prep:
Chalk to write the Titles of the program songs on the board.
8 Concept Questions on 3X5 cards --one for each program song (You might have to make two sets -Jr and Sr.)
Questions Examples:
1. My friend asks me if I think we lived before we came to earth and what our purpose is here. (Name the song that could BEST answer your friends question. 'I lived in Heaven')
2. My Mom asks me what I know about the Baptism of Jesus Christ. (Name the song that could BEST answer your mom's question. 'Baptism')
3. My Friend wants to know why I like my church so much and why I put my faith in God. (Name one of our program songs that could help answer his question. 'How firm a Foundation')
Presentation:
Explain to the children that our program songs have taught us some very important concepts of the Gospel that can help them be better family members and missionaries. Tell them you will ask each class a question. Have the children figure out which program song will Best answer the question they have been asked. Go over the words of that part of the song that would answer the question. Sing the song.
Continue through the questions until time is over.
*thecrazychorister
After the program celebration Idea #2-- Stump the Chorister
My primary kids love to see me be silly and mess up. I do it all the time with songs just to see if they are paying attention. That's kind of where this idea stemmed from.
Prep:
Several funny dress-ups (ties, hats, shawls, wigs, glasses...etc)
3-4 children's Hymn books
Presentation:
Congratulate the children on a fine program. Explain that in order to celebrate you get to play a game called "Stump the Chorister". Pass out the children's Hymn books to a few of the teachers. Tell them to have their class look through the Hymn book and come up with a question about a song. (Rules: No questions on page numbers, no obscure hymns that they themselves don't know the words to, no questions such as "what is the 5th word in this song"...etc)
Have a one child come up from each class (in turn) and ask you their question. Explain that if you get the question right, you get to pick a dress-up that their teacher has to wear. If you get it wrong, they get to pick a dress-up that you have to wear. Have fun with it. Most likely you'll end up looking really funny...but that's the whole point. The sillier you end up looking, the more reward the kids end up getting.
Sing the song that the question was about, and then call up the next child. Continue until time is up.
*thecrazychorister
Prep:
Several funny dress-ups (ties, hats, shawls, wigs, glasses...etc)
3-4 children's Hymn books
Presentation:
Congratulate the children on a fine program. Explain that in order to celebrate you get to play a game called "Stump the Chorister". Pass out the children's Hymn books to a few of the teachers. Tell them to have their class look through the Hymn book and come up with a question about a song. (Rules: No questions on page numbers, no obscure hymns that they themselves don't know the words to, no questions such as "what is the 5th word in this song"...etc)
Have a one child come up from each class (in turn) and ask you their question. Explain that if you get the question right, you get to pick a dress-up that their teacher has to wear. If you get it wrong, they get to pick a dress-up that you have to wear. Have fun with it. Most likely you'll end up looking really funny...but that's the whole point. The sillier you end up looking, the more reward the kids end up getting.
Sing the song that the question was about, and then call up the next child. Continue until time is up.
*thecrazychorister
After the program celebration Idea #1-- Play it again
I like to have a really fun activity to celebrate the success of our program. Our program is set for the end of October, but I know a few of you have it coming up in September. I have a few ideas this year, and haven't choose between them yet...so you get to read my ramblings as I figure it all out.
This first idea is really pretty simple. Two weeks before your program, hand out a paper to all your teachers with three to four activities that you've done throughout the year that the children really enjoyed. Have the teachers quickly take a vote in their class. Collect the papers from your teachers the following Sunday, and choose the activity based on the majority vote. If there is an obvious tie between two activities...try and combine them.
Instead of singing the program songs...have the children pick their favorite songs to sing during the activity.
*thecrazychorister
This first idea is really pretty simple. Two weeks before your program, hand out a paper to all your teachers with three to four activities that you've done throughout the year that the children really enjoyed. Have the teachers quickly take a vote in their class. Collect the papers from your teachers the following Sunday, and choose the activity based on the majority vote. If there is an obvious tie between two activities...try and combine them.
Instead of singing the program songs...have the children pick their favorite songs to sing during the activity.
*thecrazychorister
Monday, August 17, 2009
Program Review Activity #8--Ideas from last year
Hey guys,....
I hope you've found some ideas you could use for this years program review. I hope the next few weeks are fun and productive for your primary, and that you can look forward to the great privilege of helping the children bring the spirit to your Sacrament meeting through this beautiful music.
If you haven't found anything that works for you or you need more than what I've listed in the past few weeks...let me direct you to last years postings around this time. I think most of them will be in September of '08. Some of my favorites were:
All of them worked very well and were a lot of fun. I plan on posting ideas for "after the program" celebration activities shortly. I hope you all have a great time.
Way to go! It's been quite a year.
-Melanie
I hope you've found some ideas you could use for this years program review. I hope the next few weeks are fun and productive for your primary, and that you can look forward to the great privilege of helping the children bring the spirit to your Sacrament meeting through this beautiful music.
If you haven't found anything that works for you or you need more than what I've listed in the past few weeks...let me direct you to last years postings around this time. I think most of them will be in September of '08. Some of my favorites were:
1. Singing Olympics
2. Song Hospital
3. Bishop's Tie
4. Walkie Talkies
5. Spin the Teacher
All of them worked very well and were a lot of fun. I plan on posting ideas for "after the program" celebration activities shortly. I hope you all have a great time.
Way to go! It's been quite a year.
-Melanie
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Program Review Activity #7-- Eternal Family Fun!
This is a spin on the traditional game of "Family Feud". You could use this for a normal 20 min time frame, or it can easily take the entire time if you wish.
Prep:
2 flyswatters
8 questions written out that coincide with the program songs.
1 table set at the front of the primary room
Presentation:
Divide the room into two. Call one child from each team to the front. Give them each a flyswatter. Tell them that you are going to ask a question. If they know the answer they need to quickly slap their fly swatter on the desk. Then the child answers the question. If they are right, then they get a point. Then their team sings the song for an extra point....or they can choose to have the other team can sing it for no extra points. You could even make it teachers vs. kids if you want for added fun.
Make sure and make your questions very, very simple for Jr. Primary. You could even have the pianist play part of the song while you ask the question. Keep it very positive and don't worry about points so much as getting them to sing the songs.
*thecrazychorister
Prep:
2 flyswatters
8 questions written out that coincide with the program songs.
1 table set at the front of the primary room
Presentation:
Divide the room into two. Call one child from each team to the front. Give them each a flyswatter. Tell them that you are going to ask a question. If they know the answer they need to quickly slap their fly swatter on the desk. Then the child answers the question. If they are right, then they get a point. Then their team sings the song for an extra point....or they can choose to have the other team can sing it for no extra points. You could even make it teachers vs. kids if you want for added fun.
Make sure and make your questions very, very simple for Jr. Primary. You could even have the pianist play part of the song while you ask the question. Keep it very positive and don't worry about points so much as getting them to sing the songs.
*thecrazychorister
Program Review Activity #6-- 8 Questions
This is a pretty simple and easy game for quick reviewing. I'll use it for a normal 20 min singing time in September.
Prep:
Chalk
8 Pictures that coincide with the program songs (you could just use one picture from your past picture prompts.)
Presentation:
Jr: Call up a child. Have them face the primary. Tell them that you are going to put up a picture that goes along with one of the program songs behind them where they cannot see it but the rest of the primary can. The rest of the primary is going to give you clues to what the picture is. You have 8 guesses. Have the children raise their hands if they want to give a clue. When the child guessed correctly what the picture is, help them figure out what song it goes to, and then sing that song. If they don't guess correctly, just pull the picture down and let them see it.
Sr: Call up a child. Explain that you will write a phrase on the board that they will not see, but the rest of the primary will. Tell them that they have 8 guesses to try and get the correct answer. The primary kids cannot say any of the words in the phrase to describe what it is. If they get it in 8 guesses or less, sing the song. If they do not, have the pianist play the notes to that part of the song and give them one last guess. Then sing the song. Remember to have the children raise their hands in order to give a clue (no one should be shouting anything)
*the crazy chorister
Prep:
Chalk
8 Pictures that coincide with the program songs (you could just use one picture from your past picture prompts.)
Presentation:
Jr: Call up a child. Have them face the primary. Tell them that you are going to put up a picture that goes along with one of the program songs behind them where they cannot see it but the rest of the primary can. The rest of the primary is going to give you clues to what the picture is. You have 8 guesses. Have the children raise their hands if they want to give a clue. When the child guessed correctly what the picture is, help them figure out what song it goes to, and then sing that song. If they don't guess correctly, just pull the picture down and let them see it.
Sr: Call up a child. Explain that you will write a phrase on the board that they will not see, but the rest of the primary will. Tell them that they have 8 guesses to try and get the correct answer. The primary kids cannot say any of the words in the phrase to describe what it is. If they get it in 8 guesses or less, sing the song. If they do not, have the pianist play the notes to that part of the song and give them one last guess. Then sing the song. Remember to have the children raise their hands in order to give a clue (no one should be shouting anything)
*the crazy chorister
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