Song Review and Mother's Day

We Reviewed "I Belong to the Church...."  I had them do an action every time they sang the word, "I" or "I'll."  such as taking a step to the right, then another step back to the left, etc.  Another way was to have them sit down and stand up each time they sang "I." 

The "meat" of the time was spent reviewing "Mother I Love You," since our primary is singing for Mother's Day in Sacrament Meeting.  To make it more fun, I brought out my beanbag game that I found at Zurcher's last fall.  I've been meaning to add some cute name for the game in colorful letters, but I haven't come up with a primary game name that I'm satisfied with...yet.   It doesn't matter to the kids, though....they always love it when I bring it. 

For today, I chose the best singers, more reverent, etc. children to try a beanbag toss.  If the beanbag landed in a hole, the child got to choose a page from the flip chart and pin it up on the board...anywhere they chose.  When all the pages were on the board, the song was pretty scrambled.  I let them try to sing it that way...which was pretty funny.  The challenge was for the kids to unscramble the pages and get them in the correct order, singing the song from the beginning, and adding the new phrases as they were added correctly.

The flip chart is found on Jolly Jen's posters....

Next month we learn "The Holy Ghost."  I'm really excited, because I'm planning on using handbells to teach it!   I'll post the handbells arrangement and my teaching ideas later in the week.  Hope you'll check back!

One TERRIFIC Idea!

In my ward, this week was the first week for "I Belong To the Church......"   Just like I thought, it was a breeze to teach, and the kids picked it up really, really quickly!  Especially with this funner than fun idea I found on the "Primary Singing Ideas" blog.  Here's the URL:  http://primarysingingtimeideas.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-week-2-3-reinforce.html

Since I don't own a white board, I just pulled out some colored chalk and used that.  We have two blackboards in our primary room.  One is stationary at the front of the room, and the other is movable with a bulletin-type board on the other side.

I got there early so I could write the song on BOTH boards.  One for Senior and the other for Junior Primaries.  There wouldn't be enough time in between to re-write the song on the board again. 

This picture is just to show how to write the song - with different colors. ('course I wrote the words to "I Belong....")  The Primary Singing Ideas Website will give you step-by-step directions.....

The kids just LOVED the fizzy-white-powder-in-the-water-that-turned-color-like-magic idea!  It was just so much fun.  Even the teachers and leaders were stumped!  They all came up afterwards and asked, "How did you DO that?"  Awesome.   You've gotta try this.  Click on the URL above, and see what I'm talking about.

Two Weeks Off!!!!

Because yesterday was General Conference, and next week will be Stake Conference, I won't even be introducing this month's song until the 18th.  HOWEVER, I have a feeling that "I Belong to the Church...."  will be a SNAP to teach.  It has such a catchy tune, is upbeat, and has that kind of marching rhythm that kids love. 

Here's a picture of a poster that I plan to use, which I purchased ready-made from ldsprimaryposters.com, clear last November.  The kids in my primary really like the posters, as they're a little burned-out (so am I) on the flip charts.  I'll include a game, (as soon as I think of one) to reinforce the song, once it's learned....First, I need to prepare this month's calendar - for the whole two remaining weeks of the month.

However, this time off will give me time to prepare ahead....  yeah, right!