SO WHAT...?

One of the purposes of the Primary Chorister calling is to teach the gospel through music. Sometimes I find myself trying to talk and explain the messages of the songs TOO MUCH!! I think many times the songs teach the message much better than I do and I need to just sing more and let the spirit talk.

A great idea I learned from my daughter Tricia several years ago is the 'SO WHAT' concept and I've been using it in Primary and it works great! Here's the concept:

After a lesson, conference talk, scripture reading, hard experience, etc, ask yourself- 'SO WHAT'. Don't say it like a spunky, sassy teenager but say it like a son or daughter of God- "SO WHAT..." Then fill in the blank with what is appropriate like-

"So what... did I learn?"

"So what... is HE trying to teach me?"

"So what...does this mean to me?"

"So what...will I do differently?"

Sometimes it may even turn into deeper reflections like-

So Why? So How? So When? So Where? or So Who?

So how do I use this in Primary? After I've taught a new song or sang an old favorite, I'll simply ask one or two children to answer- "So What... does this song teach YOU?" It's a great simple, easy, fast way for the kids to reflect on the message of the song. It also helps THEM to verbalize the lessons they have learned.

My daughter learned this concept from a gospel doctrine teacher in her ward. She can't remember his name now after all these years but whomever you are THANKS for sharing. This has helped me so many times in my life. I use it when I write in my journal, study scriptures, have a bad or good experience, listen to conference, or hear a talk or lesson in church. 

And now I use it with my Primary kids.

Stand For The Right

I've been a little unsure how to approach this song for the month because most of my kiddos know it well. But it has an important message that I want to make sure they get. So I finally have my plan thanks to these two awesome books.

This one is out of print but you could probably find it on Amazon from a third party seller for cheap.
These books have great ideas for each song in the Children's Songbook.
They are a must-have for any Primary Chorister!!

Anyhow, here is my plan.

Click HERE to download a copy of the lesson plan.

I've made a flip chart with only keywords and pictures.

Click HERE to download the flip chart.

I'm also sharing a file I use all the time for teaching any age group or organization, lesson or music. My question cards: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

I'll put up whatever applies- Who, What, Where, or When. Then I'll sing the song or tell the story or read the scripture and ask the kids or grown-ups to find the answers. They are great to get a discussion going.

Click HERE to download the question cards.

Happy Singing!

Book of Mormon Stories

I sometimes forget that there are more verses to Book of Mormon Stories.

So I made some great 11 x 17 charts with all the verses.

Here is how I use them:

 I love to pass out a chart/verse to each class. Then have the pianist play the verse over and over as each class gathers around their poster and practices singing their verse. After about 4-5 times we stop and have each class come forward and sing their verse for the group. This even works in Junior Primary and it gets the teachers involved. Senior Primary can even look up the story in the Book of Mormon or tell a story about their verse.

I created the charts to be printed on 11 x 17 inch paper so they will be good quality when enlarged. Just take the file on a jump drive to your copy center and ask them to print them on that sized paper. You'll want to laminate them for durability. If you'd rather not go to that expense or want to use as a flip chart you can print on regular sized paper.

My good friend, Collette, had another great idea to use a toy bow & arrow with suction cups (like a Nerf one). Draw a bull's eye on the board with verse numbers in the circles. Then have the child shoot at it like 'Nephi in the Wilderness'. Sing wherever the arrow hits.

Click HERE to download the file.

ENJOY!

The King of Primary Songs

We are learning 2 new Christmas songs to sing in Sacrament meeting this year. I hate to start Christmas songs before Thanksgiving but we need the time. At least Halloween is over.

We are singing: 'Christmas Day' by Jenny W. Francis and 'The Baby Jesus' by Jo Marie Borgeson Bray. They are both found in The Friend and on LDS.org. However, The Baby Jesus copy is kind of hard to see with the yellowish background. A chorister on the LDS Chorister Facebook page took and cleaned it up in Photoshop so it's much easier to read. Thanks Cindi Brown Meier! (I've included it in the download).

Here's how I'm teaching the songs:
I found the cutest puppet on Amazon.com.

I'm calling him the KING OF PRIMARY SONGS. He is going to sing each line of the song and the kids will echo him. Then when they have it pretty good, I'll bring out some of the 'citizens' of his kingdom. (Other puppets, I'm borrowing them from my granddaughters) I will pass them out to good singers to come up and help us sing the song again with the other puppets. We'll do this several times, passing the puppets to good singers.

Not sure if I'll do this with the Sr. Primary. My 11 year old boys might not get as excited as my Sunbeams.

I have made flip charts for the two songs if you're interested in using them.
Click HERE to download 'Christmas Day'.
Click HERE to download 'The Baby Jesus'.

You can read how I like to use flip charts HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!