"I Will Follow God's Plan"

Review "I Will Follow God's Plan"  using the following activity.

Put the pictures used last week on the board in the correct order.  You will need a ball of string or yarn that can go around the primary room or at least half of it. Hold the end of the string and ask a child to take the ball and walk around the room while you stand at the front and hold the end.  Let the string fall to the ground so it outlines the room.  Ask the child to return to you with the string once he has gone around the room.

Tell the children that Jesus has given us a path or plan to return to Him.  Explain to the children that this song helps us understand how Jesus helps us.  Sing the song.  Ask the children what ways or things did we sing about in this song that Jesus has given to us to help us return to Him.  (a plan, purpose, choice, seek His light, His word, His love, etc.)  

Choose a few children to hold onto the string and walk around the room while you sing the song.  Choose a few more and sing it again.  Ask the children why it is important to hold onto the string.  Sing the song again as a few more children walk around the room holding onto the string.

I Will Follow God's Plan

"I Will Follow God's Plan," p. 164, was included in the 2014 Sacrament Meeting Program.  That means that many of the children (not all) will know this song with some review.  Check out this title on my previous entries.  There is a down load for a great visual and many helps for teaching this song.

I keep all my visuals in a large container because I know that I can "recycle" them as we use songs over and over.  However, as a new music director, you do need to begin your collection.  It is always nice to pass your materials - visuals, etc. to the new music director so they have something to begin with, especially generic helps and visuals.  Stop and Go signs, loud and soft signs, fast and slow signs, etc. are a must as we teach music.

I have written posts about many of the songs we sing.  Look them up by title or subject for ideas and help.

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.

Review Time

Reviewing songs that you recently learned is critical.  The children need the review when they only sing them once a week (unless they sing them at home which would be great!).

I keep all my visuals from year to year so I can quickly recycle their use.  You will need:

• 5 to 10 snowflakes
• titles of 3 or 4 songs the children know or favorites - "Once There Was a Snowman," "Do As I'm Doing," etc.  Print the titles on small strips of paper and tape them to the back of the snowflakes.
• Print key words or a short phrase from "The Iron Rod" and "Search, Ponder and Pray" on several strips of paper and tape them on the back of the snowflakes.
• Tape the snowflakes onto the board.
• Let a child choose one, then sing that song.

You should sing the two new songs for this month several times mixed with a few favorites.

The Iron Rod part 2

There are only two lines to the verses in this song and then the two-line chorus.  Each verse explains a little more about Lehi's dream which Nephi also received.

• Sing the 1st verse as the children listen.  
• Ask them to tell what Nephi saw in this dream - the Iron Rod.  
• Ask them what the iron rod represents.  The word of God
• Sing the chorus with the children (Use your visual from last week - the iron rod)
• Sing the 1st verse again as the children listen.
• If you choose, make a word chart of this verse. (I teach it without words. Remember that the young children cannot read yet.)
• Show a picture of Nephi - sing the first line.
• Have the children sing it with you  2 or 3 times
• Sing the 2nd line and point to the iron rod.  Remind the children that it is the word of God.
• Have the children sing it with you  2 or 3 times
• Sing both lines together twice then finish with the chorus

The more times you sing it the better the children will remember it.

The Iron Rod

I'm excited about the hymn this year, "The Iron Rod." # 274.  The program outline suggests leaning the chorus only but I like to learn the whole hymn.  If you begin with the chorus, the children will sing it out and love it - which is the goal.

You will need:

• a rod - you can use a dowel rod or sturdy stick
• word strips of "strong," "bright" and "true"  Punch a hole in the top or side and tie a string through each word strip.
• word strip of "Word of God"

"Hold to the rod, the iron rod"  - sing the phrase and show the "rod"
"'Tis strong and bright and true"  -  String each word strip onto the rod as you sing the word.
"The iron rod is the word of God"  - tape the word strip of  "Word of God" onto the rod as you sing the phrase.
"'Twill safely guide us through."  - Sing this phrase then ask the children what it means - "guide us through what?"  Hopefully they will answer: through this earth life.

Explain to the children the "'Tis" means "it is" but we only have one note so we sing "'tis."  Ask them if they know what "'Twill" means.  Then explain that it is short for "it will."  Again, there is only one note so it is a contraction of "it will."  (You don't have to be that technical if you don't want to be.)

Sing the chorus several times allowing the children to but the word strips on as you sing.

Search, Ponder and Pray

This is a great song to introduce the theme for this year (2016).  Some children may already know it but you will always have a few that need to learn it (youngest children) or need to review it.

You will need:

• Cut out a red heart from an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper
• picture or cutout of the scriptures
• 3 word strips - one each of Search, Ponder, Pray (colored paper is more eye-catching)
• Cut out 3 circles each from an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper, use colored paper if possible.  put a large check mark in the middle of each.
• Cut out a red heart from an 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper and print Testimony on it.
• picture of a child reading the scriptures
• picture of a child praying

First verse:

• Hold up the red heart and show the picture of a child reading the scriptures -sing the first two phrases
• Sing it with the children
• Show the heart with the word Testimony on it and sing the second phrase. Sing it with the children.
• Sing the 1st verse with the children holding up the visual prompts as you sing.

Chorus

• Sing the first phrase of the chorus and hold up the words Search, Ponder, Pray as you sing them.  Sing the phrase with the children a few times.
• Show the picture of a child reading the scriptures and praying and sing the last phrase of the chorus.  Have the children sing it with you.
• Sing the chorus a few times using the prompts

Second verse:

• Show the picture of a child reading the scriptures and praying. Sing the first phrase and then have the children sing it with you a few times.
• Point to your mind as you sing the second phrase and then continue as you stand up tall to heed the Lord's command and live as he would have me do.
• Have the children stand and sing the last phrase with you a few times doing the actions.
• Sing the 2nd verse a few times and then add the chorus

Remember that repetition is the best way to learn!