Review

The goal of a review is to "refresh" the song so it "sticks" in the children's minds.

Gather several of the pictures that you have used for each song you would like to review.  This month we have learned "When We're Helping," "A Child's Prayer" and "I know That My Redeemer Lives."

• Write the titles of the songs you will be reviewing on the board.
• Place the pictures in random order on the board.  Ask a child to choose a picture. 
• Ask what song it belongs to.
• Place the picture under its title
• Sing the song or verse that the picture reminds us of
• Choose another child and follow the same procedure

You could also write the titles on paper and tape each to a stick and tape the stick to a large paper bag or basket.  Put the picture that belong to the song in the bag or basket.

When We're Helping

Service is or should be the very heart of our religion.  It's wonderful to see a group of youth cleaning up and elderly person's yard or sorting can goods at the food bank, or young children along side a parent helping rake leaves or shoveling walks.  When we are helping and serving others, we are happy!

"When We're Helping," p. 198, is a great song to sing when helping others.  Most children are familiar with this song. As you sing it, ask the children to suggest ways we help or serve others and encourage them to report back next week on things that they have done.  Suggest that they sing this song as they help or serve.

Ways to serve/help:

• pick up toys
• clean room without being asked
• help in the kitchen - preparing or cleaning up
• folding laundry
• vacuuming, mopping, dusting
• picking fruit or vegetables for someone
• racking leaves
• plus many more . . .

A Child's Prayer

"A Child's Prayer," p. 12, will become one of your primary's all time favorite - if they don't already know it.  The duet is wonderful and fairly easy to learn and sing.

1st verse: I teach this in 2 parts - the question and feeling part and the teaching part.

• 1st phrase - draw a question mark (?) on the board or paper (large enough for the children to recognize)
• 2nd phrase - picture of a child praying
• 3rd phrase - picture of Jesus teaching the disciples
• 4th phrase - picture of Jesus with children

2nd verse: Make word prompts for each phrase. Several pictures of a child praying helps the non-readers stay focused.

• "Pray"
• "Speak"
• "You are His Child"
• "Love"
• "Hears"
• "Loves"
• "Kingdom"

Repetition is key to learning. Sing phrases several time, then the entire verse.

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives"

"I Know That My Redeemer Lives," Hymn # 136, is a favorite of many.  It was included in the first hymnbook compiled by Emma Smith.

The first three lines are sung in unison (melody only).  Each verse states the many blessing of having a resurrected Christ.

The last three lines of the hymn are a bold declaration of the fact that Jesus Christ lives.

If possible, challenge yourself and the children to learn all 4 verses.  Pictures and word prompts will help.

Read through each verse and make note of pictures and words you can use to help the children.  Suggestions:

1st verse

• Picture of Christ
• "comfort" use a word prompt or use a small blanket, a hug
• Picture of Christ by the tomb
• explain what "ever-living head" means - head of the church, etc.

Sing these first 3 lines several times.

The last three lines repeats "He lives . . ." 4 times.

• "bless" word strip or picture of Christ blessing the children
• "to plead"  word strip or picture of Christ in Gethsemane
• "my hungry soul to feed"  word strip or picture of Christ feeding the 5000
• "to bless . . . need"  word strip or picture of Christ healing someone

Sing this section several times then the whole hymn.

This may take two weeks to accomplish but reviewing it each week will help the children memorize it.

The Lord Gave Me a Temple

This month, August 2019, the theme in The Friend, as well as The New Era and Ensign, is the importance of our mortal body.  In the song,"The Lord Gave Me a Temple," p. 153, it compares our body to the temple.  Use theses publications as a resource in teaching the song.

Choose a picture of a Temple - line drawing or of a temple near you.
Use a picture of children or a boy and a girl or a child dressed in white before baptism.  A bride and groom in front of a temple could also be used.

Display the pictures that you have chosen.

Tell the children that inside the temple everything is clean and beautiful and there is a reverent atmosphere there as well.  Our bodies are the "temple" of our spirit.  Heavenly Father wanted our bodies to be clean so our spirits could live there- both our minds and physical bodies.

How can we keep our bodies healthy, clean and pure for our spirits?
(Let the children give suggestions on keeping their bodies clean and healthy.)

Sing "The Lord Gave Me a Temple" or use a recording of it.  Ask them to listen for rhymes in the song.

• Sing the first 2 1/2 lines.
• point out the rhyming words
• Ask the children to sing with you (3 times)
• Where did we live before our birth?  Heaven
• Why do we call our body a "temple?"
• Sing the last 2 1/2 lines
• Ask the children to sing with you (3 times)
• What can we do to keep our bodies "bright?"
• sing the whole first verse

Second verse - Sing the second verse.

• What ways can we protect our bodies?  Listen to the second verse. (keep it clean, pure and habit-free)
• sing the last 2 1/2 lines
• What does heavenly father promise us if we keep our bodies clean and pure? (I'll live in celestial glory and live in heaven.)
• Sing the last 2 1/2 lines - 3 times with the children

Review this song again next week.

The Holy Ghost

"The Holy Ghost," p. 105, introduces and explains the Holy Ghost in simple and meaningful way.  The rhyming words are helpful in teaching this song.

First verse - sing it for the children. (If some children know it, invite them to sing along.)  Tell the children that Jesus promised to send "the comforter" or Holy Ghost after Christ was crucified.  The Holy Ghost would be a comforter to us and guide us to do what is right.

• Sing the 1st two lines
• Ask the children to sing it with you
• What words rhyme? (send and friend)
• Sing it with the children 3 times
• Sing the last two lines
• To add emphasis to the 3rd line, sing it softly.
• What words rhyme? (voice and rejoice)  

Follow the same pattern for the second verse.  Be sure to sing each section at least 3 times.  Challenge the children to sing it at home.


*Check out other posts of this song for more ideas.

When I Am Baptized

"When I Am Baptized," p, 103, was written by a friend of mine.  She played the piano beautifully and always willing to share her talent.  I'm so gald that she shared this beautiful song with us.

Use pictures to help teach this song to the children.  I like to ask the children, ahead of time, to draw the pictures for me.  You can always find and/or draw your own.

First verse:

• rainbow
• rain (raindrops or clouds with drops falling from them)
• the earth

Second verse:

• a child being baptized
• picture of a child

Chorus:

• show or point to the rain and earth
• show or point to the child and a picture of Jesus

Sing each verse several times then add the chorus.  Repetition is the key to learning and remembering the words.  Encourage the children to teach these songs to their family.