Search, Ponder & Pray

We have been studying The New Testament in Come Follow Me this year. Teaching the children to "Search, Ponder & Pray" is critical to understanding the scriptures.  This song, p. 109, is a perfect teaching tool.

Sing the song for the children.
Ask the children what it means to search the scriptures.

• It could mean to understand the scriptures
• It could mean to read the scriptures
• It could mean to tell favorite scripture stories
• It could mean to explain the scriptures

Ask what ponder means.

• Think about
• write in a journal questions and thoughts about the scriptures
• Talk about them

Sing the first verse, then have the children sing it with you.

Ask the children why it is important to pray about the scriptures.

• Pray to understand the scriptures
• Pray to know that they are true
• Pray that the scriptures will help you make good decisions

Sing the second verse, then have the children sing it with you.

Sing the chorus and then have the children sing it with you.

After they have sung the song a few times, ask again why it is important to search, ponder and pray about the scriptures.  Use some of the phrases in the song to answer that question.

The Church of Jesus Christ

"The Church of Jesus Christ," p. 77, helps children understand what it means to be a member of His church.  There are 8 statements and phrases that tell what it means to belong the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

• Write on the board 1 through 8.
• Tell the children that there are 8 things that we know or do as members of His church.
• Ask them to listen as you sing the song and listen for the 8 things.
• Sing the song
• List as many things as the children can remember. List them in order so they know if they missed any, then sing it again. (Use one or or two words in each phrase as prompts.)
• Invite the children to sing with you.  
• Sing one or two phrases at a time until they can sing the whole song.
• Repetition is key to learning.

When He Comes Again

"When He Comes Again," p. 82, is one of the songs to go along with what the children are learning in Primary.

If possible, ask a few children to make/draw pictures of the following:

• angels singing
• snow scene
• spring scene
• star
• sun
• bird in a nest
• children sitting around Jesus

I like to use children's art where possible because it helps the children be apart of teaching and there is an ownership to the song.  You can always find or draw your own pictures.

• Put the pictures on the board randomly.
• sing the song as the children look at the pictures
• ask the children to help you put them in order as they sing.
• stop after each phrase to find the picture.
• Once they are in order sing it again, two or three times

If time permits, begin teaching the 2nd verse.  I teach it by rote - I sing a phrase then they sing it three times.  I sing the next phrase then they sing it twice and the third time we add the previous phrase. Continue in this way until the whole 2nd verse is learned.

Remember to review songs regularly.

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.