Books in the New Testament

As promised, here is the visual for The Books in the New Testament.

I use it the same as The Books in the Book of Mormon.

Click HERE to download a copy.

I'm working on The Books in the Old Testament. Coming soon!
Happy Singing!

Primary Song of the Month

 I didn't make a CD with all the program songs.
I'm trying something different this year. I have found videos for all the songs and instead of making a DVD that may get lost or never looked at, I'm putting a link in the ward news letter each month for the Primary song of the month. 

It looks like this:

I found the videos on YouTube and LDS.org. Hopefully, parents will click on the link and show it to their kids. Each month, I'll give the link to the next song of the month. Then the month before the program when we are practicing like crazy, I'll send an email to all the parents with the links to each song and ask them to review the songs with their kiddos.
I'm also introducing all the song on the first Sunday of the year with my scrambled phrases and the videos.
We will see how it goes. It will be easier than making all those CD or DVD. I'll try anything that will help the kids learn the songs.

If I Listen With My Heart

This is such a beautiful song. I think it's one of my new favorites.

You may have your own plans for teaching this song. That is what's so wonderful about personal revelation and listening with 'your' heart. Before I came up with my plan, I did a lot of research plus a lot of prayer went into it too. I may even make changes before I actually teach it. Thanks to all those who shared their ideas for this and other songs.  

It ALL helps in one way or other! 

I like to take a little from here and a little from there, tweak this and make up that, then roll it all together and make it fit me.

 Let the spirit guide you and do what's best for your Primary.

 Here's how I plan to teach it.

I loved this painting by Del Parsons. I think it goes so well with the first verse of the song. I have a large framed version of it that I want to show the kids as I introduce this song.

Click HERE for a copy of my lesson plan.

Click HERE for the 'heart child' (girl and boy, with 2 sizes).

Click HERE for a flip chart to If I Listen With My Heart.

I hope I have helped in some way for you to 'listen to your heart in finding YOUR way to teach this beautiful song.

2016 Scrambled Songs

I'm excited to get started on a NEW YEAR and NEW SONGS.

So for the first Sunday of the year, I'm going to do an introduction and what a teacher might call 'a pre-test'. I decided not to start the new song 'If I Listen With My Heart' because Sunday will be crazy with all the changing of classes and teachers. 

Besides there are 5 Sunday this month too.

Here's my plan:

It's called Scrambled Phrases.

I have picked a phrase from each of the songs for the program this year. Cut them up and placed in a baggy. They are all color-coded with the handy key above so I'll know the answers. 

There's a couple of ways you could do it. Whatever works for your kiddos. I'll give each class a bag and ask them to unscramble the words to make a phrase from a song. In the Junior the teachers will need to help the little ones. I'll give the harder ones to the older classes. 

Then we'll go around the room and figure out the phrase and sing the song. I've made song posters to use for various games throughout the year and I'll make 2 piles: Songs We Know & Songs We Need to Learn. This will give me an idea of how long I'll need to spend on each song each month.

This is a great little time filler or fun for a sub throughout the year.

Next week we will do 'If I Listen With My Heart' (hard and heavy!)

Click HERE for the scrambled phrases.

Click HERE for the song posters.

My 2 song picks for April and June are: 'This Is My Beloved Son' CS page 76 and 'I'll Follow Him in Faith' from The Friend. If you'd like me to make you song posters for your 2 song picks, I'd be happy to. It only takes a few minutes. Just comment below and I'll get in touch with you. I will need an email address to send them to you. You can leave it in the comment or send it to me directly at shereerae@gmail.com

**I'VE HAD SO MANY EXTRA POSTER REQUEST. SO I ADDED 26 EXTRAS.
Click HERE to see more.
Just download, pick the ones you need, then print them.

Books in the Book of Mormon

To go along with this year's theme of "I Know the Scriptures Are True", I'm going to be teaching my kiddos the songs to the books in the Old & New Testament and Book of Mormon.

I'm starting with the Book of Mormon. Whenever I have a few minutes, I'll whip this visual out and have a go at it.

Click HERE if you'd like to download the picture cards.

There are 2 ways I'm going to use them- one for Junior and the other for Senior. I've included these directions in the download.

VERSION 1: I'll place all the cards on the board mixed up. Then ask if anyone can tell me which book is first in the Book of Mormon. Or can anyone come put the books of the Book of Mormon in order. If someone thinks they can I'll let them try.

VERSION 2: I'll set my printer to print the cards so that there are 2 pages per page (4 cards per page). I'll make 4-5 sets. I'll give each class or group a set of picture cards mixed up. I will give them 1 minute to put them in order WITHOUT using a Book of Mormon.

To check either version, I'll have the kids pull out their scriptures and help me put them in the right order. Then we'll sing the song several times and take down a few picture cards each time.

I'll be making a visual for the Old & New Testament soon. So watch for it!

WINTER Wiggle Songs

I found some fun wiggle songs for winter on Facebook and on the Internet. So I made them up ready to go.

The first is to the tune of Popcorn Popping. There are several versions out there. This is the one I did. Even my Senior Primary liked singing this one. 

We also made up actions to go along with it.

Click HERE for a copy.

Next, we like to do a winter version of 'Fun To Do' on page 253 in the CS. I made up some cute cards that the kids picked. Then we made up an action and sang it.

Click HERE for a copy of the cards.

Then, we like to sing 'Falling Snow'. It's in the CS on page 248. But when I was growing up there was another part to the song about the icicles. I found the music in the old orange Primary book. Yes, I know that makes me old. Ha, ha!

The book was published in 1980 and there was no copyright, that I could find, on the song. So I made a copy for my pianist and taught the kids the extra phrases. We made up actions for this one too.

If you don't have access to this book, I took a picture of the music. Sorry it's not a great copy but I think you can see the words and notes.

Click HERE for a copy. 

All of these songs are a hit in Nursery too!

Merry Christmas

The stockings are hung and my baking is done!

Time to get this party started.

From all of mine to all of yours-

May your holidays be merry and bright!

Remember the reason for the season!

Snowball Singing!

My kiddos in Primary have been practicing hard to sing their Christmas songs in Sacrament meeting. They did a FANTASTIC job on Sunday! So for the last Sunday of the year, I thought we'd just relax and have a little fun singing some of our favorite songs.

I will be doing this fun 'Snowball Singing' activity.

I printed several cute snowmen with songs on the back. I'll place them on the front board. Then I've printed fun ways to sing the songs on white copy paper. Then I wadded them up into a ball to represent a 'snowball' and placed them in a bucket. I'll choose a child to come up and pick a paper snowball to throw at a snowman. Which ever one they hit, is the song we will sing. Then we will un-wad the snowball to see how we will sing it.

Super easy, fast prep, and fun!

If you'd like a copy, you can click HERE.

Tree-eacher

We did a fun practice time Sunday. We are practicing our songs to sing in Sacrament meeting. So I wanted something fast and easy. I had read somewhere about dressing-up a human so I put a Christmas twist to it and called it the 'Tree-eacher'. The kids in both Jr. and Sr. loved it!

I got a cute holiday box and loaded it with things to decorate a Christmas tree. I found most of the stuff at the dollar store and extra decorations I had around the house. Things like tinsel, lights, ornaments, stars, bows, a Santa hat, and a tree skirt. 

When we started practicing our songs, I stopped them in the middle and said, "that could really sound better. Maybe we need a little encouragement." Then I brought out my box. I told them I had decorations for a Christmas tree and each time they sing well, we will put something on our tree. Then someone said, "but where's the tree?" "Oh, no I forgot the tree! I know let's decorate a teacher and call it a 'tree-eacher'." That had them all laughing! So I brought up a good-sporting teacher and we wrapped lights and tinsel around him and so on. I feel bad I didn't snap a picture to show but I hope you get the picture.

The kiddos sang their hearts out and I think we're ready to sing in Sacrament meeting next week.

HAPPY SINGING!