To Be a Pioneer

There are many of us who don't have Utah pioneer heritage.  To Be a Pioneer, p. 218, is a great song that includes all of us and it has a fun descant.

Verse 1:

• picture or cutout of a handcart
• picture of a family
• mile sign - 1000 miles to Utah, or just a sign with a number of miles

Verse 2: word strips of:

• great courage
• Faith to conquer
• work with might
• cause that's right

Descant:

    The descant is very easy because of the repetitive words.  Singing it a few times will help them learn it.

When you put it together, ask another adult to sing one part with half of the children while you sing the second part with the other half of the children.  The piano can be a big help by playing only the descant and the melody of the verse. Note that the descant is the same for both verses.

Little Pioneer Children

The songs about the pioneers in the Children's Songbook are fun to sing as well as teaching about the sacrifices made to be able to worship as Latter Day Saints.

"Little Pioneer Children" p. 216, is a fun one to sing as a round.

You will need pictures of:

• berries
• chips (dried cattle manure) or wood
• children helping each other or pioneer children

Second verse: word strips of - 

• Singing all the day
• There's still time to play
• Often singing and dancing

Sing the first verse using the pictures.  Have the children sing with you. Let come children hold the pictures and sing it again.

Sing the second verse using the word strips. Have the children sing with you. Let come children point to the word strips or hold them and sing it again. 

Use younger children to hold the pictures and older ones to hold or point to the words.  Have the younger children sing the first and then the older children sing the second verse. Try singing it in a round.  Ask an older child or teacher to sing with half of the children while you sing with the other half.  This will take a little practice but the children will enjoy singing in a round once they know the song well.  Don't give up!  There is always next week.