Jesus Has Risen

What a great day to teach "Jesus Has Risen," pg. 70!  This is an easy song to teach - 1 verse.

• Sing it through once.
• Ask how many times they heard the phrase "Jesus has risen?" (3)
• Sing it again and have them count as you sing.
• Sing the first 4 phrases then have them sing with you.
• Sing the last 2 lines.
• Tell the children that "Jesus has risen, Savior divine" is repeated.
• At Easter we should all sing praises to Jesus and that's what we are doing in this song.
• Sing the last 2 lines with the children.
• Sing the whole song several times as time permits

If you have time, review songs that you have taught so the children will remember them.

I love to hear the children as they meet their parents after church, singing the songs we have sung in primary.  You make a difference!

God speaks to us

We have the opportunity to sustain a new prophet and two new apostles April 1, 2018.  What a great event!

This is a good time to review the words to "If the Savior Stood Beside Me."  We have been given a prophet to guide us and help us live as if the Savior were beside us.

Share with the children your testimony, especially with Easter being next week.  The third verse tells us how Christ is always there for us, how he "dearly" loves us and watches over us.

Remind the children that God uses his prophet and apostles to give us His message.  So, If we want to know what the Savior wants us to know today, listen to General Conference and we can all know.

*Note:
There are ideas for Easter activities in earlier posts if you need more ideas.

Easter

Help the children understand the event leading up to the resurrection of Christ.

Choose songs (about 8) from the Easter songs that the children know, include Popcorn Popping, p. 242, In the Leafy Treetops, p.240, Rain Is Falling, p. 241, My Heavenly Father Loves Me, p.228.

Choose several pictures (8) that tell about the last week of Christ's life. Use large pictures from your ward library so they are big enough for the children to see. Tape or hang them around the room.  Ask the children to put them in chronological order or have a child tell about the event.  Sing a song in between each picture.

Easter Basket of Love

Fill the basket with love for our Jesus.

• Find several pictures of Christ on the cross, in Gethsemane, the last supper, at the tomb and the resurrected Christ.  Place them on the board or where the children can see them.
• Bring two or more dozen plastic eggs.
• One large basket with Easter straw or grass in it.

Tell the children that each egg is empty.  Each egg will represent what things we can do to remember His sacrifice for us.  The children can also tell about one of the pictures.

After each comment, ask one or two children to put an egg into the basket.  Sing one of the Easter songs or a review song after every two comments.  Add an egg for a song well sung.

*There are several ideas for Easter in earlier posts.  Check them out for more ideas.

Easter

The meaning of Easter is told simply in the Primary Songbook.  Choose 3 or 4 to sing this week and next week.  Show pictures that depict the crucifixion and resurrection.  Ask the children to tell about each picture then sing one of the songs that you have chosen.

Remember to review the songs that the children have recently learned to keep them fresh in their minds.

Did Jesus Really live Again

This is a perfect song for Easter but it also explains the resurrection in a simple, understandable way.  I teach this song in phrases with picture hints.

1st verse

• 1st phrase - on a paper draw a large question mark
• 2nd phrase - draw the number "3" on a paper or hold up three fingers
• 3rd and 4th phrase - use the picture of Christ with Mary kneeling outside the tomb

2nd verse

• 1st phrase - use another or the same question mark
• 2nd phrase - a picture of feet or point to your feet
• 3rd and 4th  phrase - a picture of a fish and honeycomb

3rd verse

• Use a picture of the resurrected Christ
• point to your hands and side
• use the question mark to finish

Using pictures and actions helps all the children visualize the meaning of this song as well as learning the words..You also include the young non-readers.

Easter Egg Singing Time

I have done an Easter Pageant in past years.  There is an outline for a pageant if you click on Easter in past posts.  This year I have put questions about the last week before the crucifixion on strips of paper and put them inside colored, plastic Easter eggs. There are also songs about Easter in the eggs.  The children answer the question or we sing the song.  Here are a few suggestions for questions and songs:

• What did Jesus ride on when He entered Jerusalem?   Donkey
• What did the people lay on the street as Christ entered?   Palm Leaves/branches
• What garden did Christ pray in?
• What was the dinner called the night before He was crucified?
• What did Jesus do for the disciples before they ate their dinner?   washed their feet
• Who betrayed Jesus?
• What was placed on Christ's head before He was crucified? 
• Who carried Christ's cross?
• What was Christ given to drink on the cross?
• Were His legs broken?
• What happened when the cock crowed 3 times?
• How long was Christ in the Tomb?
• Who's name did he call when he left the tomb?

Songs:

• Did Jesus Really Live Again?  p.64
• He Died That We Might Live Again  p. 65
• Hosanna  p. 66
• Easter Hosanna  p. 68
• Jesus Is Risen  p. 70
• I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus  p.  78
• I Feel My Savior's Love  74
• I Stand All Amazed  Hymn # 193
• He Sent His Son  p.  34

Easter Pageant

This is a great "Easter Pageant!" If you sing all 4 verses of "I Am a Child of God" it will take about 15 minutes. I like to use pictures for each song and tell a little about Easter celebration. With the narration, it will take longer.

I Am a Child of God p. 2     picture of Christ with little children
He Sent His Son p. 34    picture of baby Jesus
Did Jesus Really Live Again p. 64    picture of the resurrected Christ
Easter Hosanna p. 68     picture of Samuel prophesying on the wall
Hosanna p. 66     picture of Christ visiting the Americas
My Heavenly Father Loves Me p. 228     picture of nature
If the Savior Stood Beside Me     picture showing kindness
I Will Be Valiant p. 162     picture of missionaries

Easter Egg Choosing Time

One of my favorites -- and probably the children's, too, is the "Easter Egg" singing time.  You will need several (12 -24) plastic Easter eggs that open.  On slips of paper, write the titles of songs that you would like to sing/review.  My list is:

My Heavenly Father Loves Me p. 228

I Am a Child of God p. 2

Did Jesus Really Live Again p. 64

I Will Be Valiant p. 162

Fun to Do p. 253

If the Savior Stood Beside Me 

Hosanna p. 66

Easter Hosanna p. 68

He Sent His Son  p. 34

On a few other slips of paper, write a few questions about Easter.

Why do we celebrate Easter?

How was Jesus crucified?

What was placed on Jesus' head?

Where did Jesus pray before he was crucified?

Where did they put Jesus' body?

What happened in 3 days?

Who did Jesus see first after He was resurrected?

Who did he visit after His resurrection? 

Use only enough songs and questions that you will have time for in singing time.  Place slips of paper in each egg.  You can hide them in the primary room or I prefer to have them in a basket and choose children to open the eggs. 

Eastertime

Easter is 4 weeks away (counting this week).  There are several Easter songs listed in the index of the Children's Songbook.  I like to add a few "springtime" songs as well.  "Heavenly Father Loves Me," p. 228  fits into this genre so you could review it with the children so they keep it up for the Sacrament Meeting Program. 

This year our primary will have an "Easter Pageant" during singing time.  It isn't a "big" program, just a little different from what we usually do during that time.  I will be reviewing the Easter songs and springtime songs with the children - two or three songs a week.  We will also continue learning the rest of "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" this month.

As you review or learn the Easter songs, ask questions about this event that are answered in the songs.  Questions for "Did Jesus Really Live Again" could be:
What day was Jesus risen?  "Yes, when the third day came."
Who did He see first?   Mary
What did He eat?   Fish and honeycomb
What was in His hands?   nail prints
What was in His side?   spear wound
Is Jesus the only one who will be resurrected?  No, "and so shall I."

Easter Week

Write the follow events on a paper then fold it and put it in a plastic Easter Egg.

• Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem
•  The Last Supper  (washing the apostles' feet)
• Jesus praying in Gethsemane
• Peter's denial
• The crucifixion
• Burial of Jesus
• Mary and the Resurrected Lord

Obtain the pictures of each of these events -- it is a good visual for the children.

Choose 7 songs that go along with the Easter theme or about Jesus.  Place the eggs in a basket.  Write the numbers 1 - 7 on the board.  Place the pictures on the floor or on the board in a scrambled order. Explain to the children that they will be putting the pictures in order of when each event happened the last week of Christ's life.  Choose a child from each class or pick names from a jar with all the children's names in it.  Let the child choose an egg and read what the event was.  Sing a song.  While you are singing have the children decide where that event (and picture) goes in order of when it happened.  Repeat until all the pictures are up in order.  Always share your testimony -- it will have great impact on the children as they remember their Primary experiences.

Easter Presentation through Music

Using the Easter Primary songs, you can teach a beautiful lesson on the resurrection of Christ.

• He Sent His Son  p. 34
• Did Jesus Really Live Again  p. 64
• He Died That We Might Live Again  p. 65
• Easter Hosanna  p. 68
• Jesus Is Risen  p. 70
• Hosanna  p. 66

If your primary knows all of these songs, it will probably take most of singing time.  Have a few pictures of Christ's last week.  In between each song ask the children to tell about one of the pictures.  This is also a great time for you to share your testimony.

Easter and Spring Songs

In the March Friend, there is a beautiful Easter song,"He Came to Us."  You can use pictures of Christ during His last week on earth as well as the Resurrection.  These pictures will help the children understand the words to the song and the purpose of the crucifixion and resurrection.  If time permits, "Popcorn Popping" p. 242, is a perfect "active" song.