December 16, 2012

Opening Song: Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (p36)

Closing Song: Stars Were Gleaming (p37)

Christmas Song: Our Christmas Story Tree (the Friend)
Review Songs: Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (p36), Christmas Bells (p54)

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Identify the doctrine: Our Christmas tree and ornaments are symbols of the true meaning of Christmas. These symbols are to remind us of our Savior Jesus Christ and His birth. 

Help the children understand it (Attention Getter): Have mini Christmas tree lit up, ask children to raise their hands if they have a Christmas tree in their homes. Teach them that Christmas trees and their ornaments can help remind us about the true meaning of Christmas. Have the ornaments from the song laid out on the table, show them to the children and have them guess in their minds what they might symbolize/represent. Play the slideshow. Discuss the meaning behind the ornaments as we hang them on the tree (sing it as we hang them). At the end, hand out Christmas Story Tree Matching Sheet

Listening and Singing Experiences:

Junior/Senior Primary

Our Christmas Story Tree

1. Use hand actions while singing (have children come up with them).
2. Put pictures of ornaments, etc. up on board (instead of flipchart, next week put on poster)
3. Clap the melody rhythm.
4. Keep the beat while singing with feet or patting knees.

Christmas Bells

1. Review song by singing and having the children join in singing when they think they remember the words as we walk in a circle. Use Christmas bell. Start with Isabella and Emma.
2. Teach descant (have Emily play it on the piano while the rest sing the melody).

Nursery (following singing time, go into Nursery and sing the following songs with them)

1. Once There Was a Snowman
2. Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
3. Away in a Manger
4. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
5. I Am a Child of God

December 9, 2012

Opening Song: He Sent His Son (p34)
Closing Song: Picture a Christmas (p50)

Christmas Song: Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (p36), Christmas Bells (p54)
Review Songs: Picture a Christmas as Closing Song

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Identify the doctrine: Even though Jesus was born on another continent, Heavenly Father wanted all of His children to know when Jesus would be born. He sent Samuel the Prophet to tell the people that in 5 years time the Savior would be born. 

Help the children understand it (Attention Getter): Show the Book of Mormon video about Samuel the Lamanite. Have the children tell the story in their own words. Then sing the song to them with the flipchart.

Listening and Singing Experiences:

Junior/Senior Primary

Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus 

1. Use to, with, and by method to teach song first time through.
2. To practice the song, use the dice or how to sing sticks. 

Christmas Bells

1. Teach song by singing and having the children join in singing when they think they know the words as we walk in a circle. Use Christmas bell.
2. Choose a super singer to shake Christmas bell (on beat).
3. If time, teach descant to willing singers (Emma, Isabella, Auden). Have the piano play the descant while leading the rest of the children in the melody.

Nursery (following singing time, go into Nursery and sing the following songs with them)

1. Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
2. Away in a Manger
3. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
4. I Am a Child of God

December 11, 2011

Opening Song: "Picture a Christmas" (p 50)
Closing Song: "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" (p 78)


Music Time: "Stars Were Gleaming" (p 37), "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus" (p 36), "Once There Was a Snowman" (p 249)

        10 minutes - "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus"

1. Introduce "Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus". We have been singing about Jesus' birth in Bethlehem (show on map), we read about this in the Bible. Do you know what was happening in the Americas (show on map) where we live? We can read about this story in the Book of Mormon. There was a prophet named Samuel, a Lamanite! (Show picture of Samuel) Raise your hand if you remember the story of Samuel. (If kids remember, have them tell the story. Fill in the blanks as needed). He was called to prophecy about Jesus' birth to the Nephites who had become wicked. They did not want to listen to him. He climbed on the city wall and told them that in 5 years, the Savior would be born. He said:
   
   “Behold, I give you a sign that I prophesy truly, for after five more years the Son of God will come to redeem all those who believe on his name. And this will be a sign at the time of his coming; there shall be great lights in the heaven in the night before he comes. There shall be no darkness, and it shall seem that there is one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day, and there were no night. You shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; so you shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless, the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born. And there shall be a new star arise, such an one as you have never seen; and this also shall be a sign unto you. And there shall be many signs and wonders in heaven, so many that you shall all be amazed.” Some of the Nephites were so angry that they threw rocks and shot arrows at him! But Heavenly Father protected him. Samuel escaped and the Nephites didn't hear from him again.
   
   There is a special song that tells about Samuel's story that we're going to learn today.
   
2. Play the song on CD or sing the song TO the kids (with piano). Use flip chart.
3. Teach one line at a time to kids - have them sing WITH me each line, building until they have sung 1st verse. Tell them that they should sing the chorus as though they were angels! Hosanna is what the angels said to celebrate Jesus' birth! 
4. Repeat with 2nd verse.
   
   5 minutes - "Once There Was a Snowman"
   
5. Hand out snowman sticks (set expectations: we hold them at the bottom, we don't take apart the snowman, we keep our snowmen to ourselves - not touching anyone else, when we sing "tall tall tall"' we raise our snowmen high high and higher, when we sing "small small small" we lower our snowmen low low and lower).
6. Sing "Once There Was a Snowman" (p 249). Kids can grow and shrink as they sing, using snowman sticks. Sing super speed the second time. Collect sticks at end.
   
   5 minutes - "Stars Were Gleaming"
7. Review "Stars Were Gleaming" (p 37). Be sure to thank the older kids who attended the practice on Saturday and remind them about the Sunday fireside! Use the flip chart, listen for trouble spots, especially  2nd verse.

Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus FlipChart