Month End Review

Reviewing songs solidifies the words and the music in little minds.  I like to review all songs that we have learned so far this year.  But, to add more interest and variety, I add a few action and/or favorites of the children.  Here is my list for February end of month review?

• I Will Follow God's Plan
• Did Jesus Really Live Again
• Hold to the Rod
• Search, Ponder and Pray
• Do as I'm Doing
• Fun to Do
• Families Can Be Together Forever
• I Am a Child of God

Substitute your favorites. 

 In keeping with the theme this month, draw a path on the board with earth at the beginning and Heaven at the end.  Make 8 stop signs (red paper with the word stop written on it) or how ever many songs you would like to sing.  Write the titles of the songs on the back of each stop sign.  Tape the stop signs along the path.  Choose a child to remove the first stop sign.  Ask him/her to tell one thing that will help us get back to our Heavenly Father, then sing the song.  The goal is to follow the path to Heaven.

*Remember to save your visual aids.  I laminate them so they will last through the 30 years I have used and reused them.  

I Will Follow God's Plan - Review

You can make this poster or use the just the pictures and words to teach or review "I Will Follow God's Plan."   Once I have used this poster a couple of weeks, I make just the pictures and word strips and put them in a bag or box (preferably a cute bag or box) and ask a child to draw one of the pictures or words.  There are 17 "prompts," so you may want to draw 2 or 3 at a time.  Write the numbers 1 - 17 on the board and see if the children can figure out where the pictures or words belong.  This will require singing the song several times.  The children will be listening for the words so it is a great way to review this song.
You can also leave out a few prompts as time permits.

Note: Sing the songs at the tempo marked.  If you sing to fast the little ones can't sing the words fast enough and too slow looses interest and meaning.

"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.