February 23, 2014

Opening Song: Choose the Right (Hymns 239)
Welcome Song: We Welcome You (p256) - 1st part only
Happy Birthday Song: Feliz Cumpleanos (282)
Article of Faith Song: The Third and Fourth Articles of Faith (123-124)
Action Song: Hinges (277), Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (275), Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam (60)
Program Song: I Will Follow God's Plan (164)
Reverent Song: Father, I Will Reverent Be (29)
Closing Song: He Sent His Son (p34)

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Identify the doctrine: Agency is the gift to choose for myself. (Sharing Time)

Listening and Singing Experiences:

Junior Primary/Senior Primary

Singing Time: 

Junior Primary (11:15-11:35)

1. Action Songs: Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (275)
2. Articles of Faith Songs: 3 and 4. Sing through the Third Article of Faith (kids have been working on it). The Fourth Article of Faith is new. Sing it to them - showing "first" "second" "third" and "fourth" on fingers (over emphasize) as you point to the corresponding picture on the poster. Invite the children to sing along and/or count 1-4 on fingers.
3. Action Song: Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam (60) - teach Sunbeams how to sing while sitting on their chairs and only jumping up on "beam". Invite some of the CTR's to bring their chairs up in front to demonstrate while we sing. If necessary, put sunshine sticks on their chairs and have them sit on them. 
4. Review "I Will Follow God's Plan":
• Last week we started learning our new program song. I'm going to sing the 1st half of it to you, if you know the words sing with me. Every time you hear or sing the word "life", clap! Let's practice how to do that before we sing (say "life", "lips", "light", "life", "life" - just to see if they're listening). 
• This time, I need your help. I can't remember the words and I need some signs/actions to help me. Sing "My life is a _____" - what is that word? (gift) What action can we use for gift? (if they need an idea, use the SIGN) Sing the phrase again with the movement. Sing "My life has a _____" - what is that word? (plan) I have a sign for this one: PLAN. Sing phrase with sign. Sing first 2 phrases together. Sing "My life has a purpose in heav'n it began". That one is tricky! How about we point out for "purpose" (something to do) and then point up for "heav'n". Sing phrase with movement. Sing all 3 phrases together.
• If time, continue the process using the following signs/actions:
• my - flat hand on chest (sign)
• home - SIGN (use language "where you eat and sleep" when teaching it)
• earth - ball shape with hands
• seek - hand over eyes "looking"
• light - SIGN (use the second one)
• me - point to self
• birth - rock baby in arms
5. Reverent Song: Father, I Will Reverent Be - sing as the kids are dismissed to class.

Senior Primary (12:05-12:25)

1. Articles of Faith Songs: 3 and 4. Sing through the Third Article of Faith (kids have been working on it). The Fourth Article of Faith is a new song. Show them the Article of Faith poster and sing the song to them. Point to each square and ask the children what each one stood for (1 - faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 - repentance, 3 - baptism by immersion, 4 - laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost). Invite the children to sing with you.
2. Review 1st half of "I Will Follow God's Plan": (find original lesson plan HERE)
• Let's quickly review the first half of our new song. Let's clap every time we sing "life" and stand up/sit down on the rhyming words. 
• Let's sing it one more time, but this time we're not going to clap and stand up - if you think you know all the words I want you to look up at the ceiling while you are singing it. If you need a bit of help, watch me. 
3. Teach 2nd Half of song: 
• The first half of the song talks about how we chose to come to earth and follow God’s light (or plan) that He has for us.  The 2^nd half of the song will teach us HOW to follow God’s plan and what happens when we do.
• I’m going to sing the 2^nd half and I want you to listen for the word “will”.  How many times do I sing it? (5) 
• What word came before the word “will”?  (I).  I’m going to sing it again and I want you to stand up the first time I sing “I will”, then sit down the next time I sing “I will”, then stand up the next time, etc. Sing.
• Listen this time for what we need to hold fast to.  Sing again and get answers (word and his love).  What is his “word”?  (scriptures, prophets).  What does it mean to hold to “his love”?  How do you know God loves you?
• Let’s sing it again and this you time you sing all the “I wills”.  Listen for the 3 things it says we will do after we hold to his word and his love.  Sing and get answers (work, pray, walk in his way).  (Sing without the piano or just with the piano playing the melody so you can slow down on the parts the kids sing). 
• Let’s see if you can tell me all the things that the songs says we will do.  (I will follow God’s plan, will work, will pray, will always walk in his way).  Great!  Now, the end of the song tells us what will happen if we do all those things?  Do you remember what the song says?   Listen for the answer. Sing just the ending “then I will be happy on earth and in my home above.”   If you keep the commandments will you be happy on earth?  Why?  Does that mean you won’t have anything bad happen to you?  What is your home above? 
• Share Mosiah 2:41.  Explain and share brief testimony of following God & Jesus.
4. For any remaining time - Valentine's Game:
• Finish up this month's Valentine's Activity: Name that Primary Song about Love (thank you Camille for preparing this ENTIRE lesson for me! I'll also use her Jr. vs Sr. Primary adjustments)

Nursery (11:00-11:07am)

1. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
2. Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
3. Follow the Prophet (chorus only)
4. Book of Mormon Stories
5. Popcorn Popping
6. Wise Man and the Foolish Man
7. Families Can Be Together Forever
8. I Am a Child of God
9. I Love to See the Temple
10. My Heavenly Father Loves Me
11. Fun to Do

February 16, 2014

Opening Song: The Lord Gave Me a Temple (153)
Welcome Song: We Welcome You (p256) - 1st part only
Happy Birthday Song: Feliz Cumpleanos (282)
Article of Faith Song: The Second and Third Articles of Faith (p122-123)
Action Song: If You're Happy (p266)
Program Song: I Will Follow God's Plan (164)
Reverent Song: Father, I Will Reverent Be (29)
Closing Song: I Lived in Heaven (4)

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Identify the doctrine: My body has been created in the image of God. (Sharing Time)

Listening and Singing Experiences:

Junior Primary/Senior Primary

Singing Time:

1. Articles of Faith Songs: 2 and 3. Sing both one time through - print the words to the 3rd on the board.
2. I Will Follow God's Plan - Teach 1st half of song, from the beginning until “And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.” (10 min)
• Share Abraham 3:22-25 with the children (you may need to read/summarize for Jr.). Help them understand what the verses mean. Tell them we are going to learn a new song called “I will Follow God’s Plan”. The first part of this song goes along with these verses in Abraham.
• I’m going to sing a few lines and I want you to listen for how many times I sing “life”. Sing and get answers (3).
• When we lived with Heavenly Father and Jesus in our premortal life, where we excited to come down to earth? Yes we were! So, every time we sing the word “life” let’s clap. Sing again and clap on “life”.
• Now, listen for how many times I sing “my”. Sing again (continue to clap on “life”). Get answers (4).
• The scriptures teach us that Heavenly Father has a plan for us. Do you know what this plan is called? (plan of salvation, plan of happiness, etc).
• I’ll sing the first part again – sing any of the words you know—this time listen for the word that rhymes with “plan”. Sing again and get answers (began). So, in the song we learn that our life has a purpose and it all “began” in heav’n—just like the scripture we read in Abraham says.
• Can you remember in the song what it says your choice was? (Sing if necessary to get the answer – “to come to earth”). Now listen for the word that rhymes with “earth”. Sing again and get answer (birth).
• So, what did we choose? (To come to earth and follow God’s light or commandments). That’s exactly what the scripture in Abraham taught us too!
• Now, that you know this first part of the song pretty well I’m going to challenge you. I will sing all the words except the rhyming words. When I point to you to get to sing the rhyming word. Sing again, slowing down at the rhyming word and letting the children sing those words. (If you can, sing without the piano. You can control the tempo more and it’s more of a challenge for the children to remember the words without the melody leading them into it).
• Now here’s an extra hard challenge. I want you to sing “my life” and all the rhyming words! How many times you do sing “my life” (3). Ok, let’s try it again.
• I bet you could sing all the words now! Let’s try! Sing the whole first part together.
3. Finish up last week's Valentine's Activity: Name that Primary Song about Love (thank you Camille for preparing this ENTIRE lesson for me! I'll also use her Jr. vs Sr. Primary adjustments)
4. For the last 2 minutes (if there is any time left): Tell the children: To get us ready for our Gospel Instruction we are going to sing a reverent song - that means a quiet song that helps us think about Jesus. Using the flipchart sing: Father, I Will Reverent Be. Sing again when the classes come in for Closing Exercises. 

February 9, 2014

Opening Song: He Sent His Son (34)
Welcome Song: We Welcome You (p256) - 1st part only
Happy Birthday Song: Feliz Cumpleanos (282)
Article of Faith Song: The First and Third Articles of Faith (p122-123)
Action Song: Hinges (277)
Program Song: I Will Follow God's Plan (164)
Reverent Song: Father, I Will Reverent Be (29)
Closing Song: The Lord Gave Me a Temple (153)

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Identify the doctrine: Heavenly Father commanded Jesus Christ to create the earth as a home for His Children (Sharing Time). This month we celebrate Valentine's Day which is a day about love. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He created a plan by which we can return to live with Him. (I Will Follow God's Plan).

Listening and Singing Experiences:

Junior Primary/Senior Primary

Singing Time:

1. Articles of Faith Songs: 1 and 3. Sing the First Article of Faith (the children know this one). Review from last week: show the children the picture of the Third Article of Faith and ask them to tell you about it - keep it simple: This is a picture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was there He atoned, or paid for, our sins. Because of His Atonement, if we choose the right and repent when we don't, we can return to live with our Heavenly Father and Savior. Have the pianist play through the song and sing the song to them (words will be written on the blackboard). Invite the kids to sing along with you. Sing again, but this time erase a few of the words on the board (or invite a reverent child to do so).
2. Sing I Will Follow God's Plan using the flipchart and assess how well the children know it (we learned it last year). Tell the children we'll work on it more next week.
3. Valentine's Activity: Name that Primary Song about Love (thank you Camille for preparing this ENTIRE lesson for me! I'll also use her Jr. vs Sr. Primary adjustments)
4. For the last 2 minutes: Tell the children: To get us ready for our Gospel Instruction we are going to sing a reverent song - that means a quiet song that helps us think about Jesus. Using the flipchart sing: Father, I Will Reverent Be. Sing again when the classes come in for Closing Exercises.