Four Corners

This is what I'll be doing next week to review the 2 songs we've learned for 2012, found HERE at Primary Music Notes blog.

On four large pieces of colored paper write the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4, then post them in each of the four corners of the room (hence the name of the game...four corners). Choose the first helper. This child comes up front and closes his/her eyes. (I'll probably use a blindfold of some kind.) Choose a class to go first. While singing (and stealthily reviewing the songs!), the kids in the class move around and position themselves in any of the corners. When we are done singing the child up front (still blindfolded) "chooses" a corner. Everyone in the corner that was named is "out" and has to sit down. Then the child up front closes their eyes and we sing again, etc.

Tips:
If a corner is empty, let the guesser know not to pick that corner.
When there are four or less kids, tell them not to be in a corner with anyone else and at that point the guesser chooses the corner to be the "winner". The winner is then the guesser for the next class.

Variations:
More than one class up at a time.
Just the teachers move to the corners.

I love review games that will work with any song!

*Update: This game worked quite well for Sr. Primary, but the younger kids needed a lot of help from their teachers.

Choose The Right - UNO!

I did this activity a few weeks ago. I got the idea found HERE at Primary Music Notes' blog.

First I made my board:

I did it on one black piece of poster board. Then I covered it with contact paper so I could use it over and over again. I went through my family version of UNO and collected cards that I would use: Numbers 1, 2 and 3, Wild Cards, Reverse and Skip.

If a number card was chosen, the kids had to sing that color of square however many times the card said. For example, if he/she drew a red 2 we sang the words in the red square twice.

When one of the REVERSE card was drawn, the children had to turn around and sing that colored square without looking!

And when the SKIP card allowed a kid to remove some of the words from that colored square. Then we sang that color once.

Next were the WILD cards. When one of these were drawn the kids had to sing the entire song (all the squares). That is because the card shows all the colors!

I think the key to playing this game successfully is to keep it moving along quickly, without any lags so the kids don't get distracted.

The Sr. Primary loved this game so much that they asked to play it again the following week. I think this would work better as a review game, instead of one to start teaching a song with. The Jr. Primary struggled with it partly because I was using this game as a first introduction to the song and partly just because it was a more challenging activity.

***EXTRA NOTE*** To make this easier on my pianist I photocopied the song for her and marked the portions on the song with the corresponding colors. That was if I said "Blue square twice" she knew exactly what to play!

Choose The Right - Verse One

This is what I did last week to teach verse one of Choose the Right. (The idea HERE is from Amy Greenway on Sugardoodle.)

Wrap one box beautifully w/ ribbon etc. and cover another smaller box with brown craft paper and wrap it so that it's open and they can see that there isn't anything inside. Show them that the smaller, brown one is empty. Ask them which gift they would choose? (Call on the child who won't give the sassy answer. :) ) The beautiful one is the obvious choice. Then stick a sign on the brown one that says "RIGHT." Ask them if they would change their mind if someone they trusted told them that the RIGHT choice was the brown one and they would be happier if they chose it. Again, recognize the kids that give the appropriate answer, ignore the rest. Say the words, pointing to two the boxes, "Choose the right when a choice is placed before you."

I made a point of teaching the kids that sometimes the right choice is the choice that doesn't look as fun - like choosing not to go to the party that all your friends will be at, or not watching the latest movie that has questionable values.

Back to the song: Quickly add these items to the box: A sign that says "the Holy Spirit Guides", a small flashlight, a large paper heart (fold it in half to get it in the box if you need to) that says "CONFIDES." Go over the first line again and then dramatically point into the box and say "IN the right the (pull out the sign) Holy Spirit guides." Go over/repeat as needed.

Pull out the flashlight, describe how the Holy Ghost could be a light to guide your choices. Turn it on, shine it above your head and make a circle motion toward the ceiling with it. Explain that the sign language sign for "forever" (actually it's for "always", but close enough, right?) is making a circle as you point up. As you make a flashlight circle on the ceiling repeat "And It's light is forever shining ore you."

As you say "when in the right" point again into the "right" box and pull out the heart that says "CONFIDES." Tell them what confides means then teach them the line "when in the right your HEART CONFIDES." Repeat each line and then point to props while reviewing the first verse together.

2012 Primary CD Challenge

I LOVE **this idea of having a challenge for the kids to complete. I want to help encourage the use of the CD our Primary gave out as our Christmas gift last month, so we'll be doing a "2012 CD Challenge." Essentially, every month, there will be a new activity the kids will need to complete that involves using their CD at home and reporting back to me. I'm planning on introducing the challenge this Sunday.

Here's how it will work:

I'll make 2 simple charts (one for Sr. and one for Jr.) and tape them inside a manilla file folder (easy for me to transport as opposed to a huge poster).

Then I will write all the kids' names down the left side of each chart. Across the top I listed the 8 months we'll be learning a new song (January - August), and then each week that we'll be reviewing for the program (for us, that's 3 weeks in September). I'll keep the file in the back pocket of my binder so I'll be able to access it at home or at Primary.

For each challenge the kids complete, I'll mark it off. When kids finish all the challenges, they will get a "reward" at the end, after the program (I haven't figured out the reward yet - SUGGESTIONS?). I'm considering doing a "music party" after the program that someone on Yahoo Groups mentioned and hand out all the "rewards" at the party.

Here are my monthly challenges:

January - Using your 2012 Primary Songs CD, teach As A Child of God to your family during Family Home Evening or anytime when your family is together - OR - learn As A Child of God on a musical instrument and perform it in Primary the last Sunday of January (music can be found in the January 2012 Friend).

February - Listen to Choose the Right on your 2012 Primary Songs CD this month. As you listen, write down how many times the words "choose" and "right" are sung.

March - Listen to your 2012 Primary Songs CD as you go to sleep this month. Sing along to Stand for the Right each time it is played.

April - After listening to Had I Been A Child on your 2012 Primary Songs CD, read 3 Nephi 17:11-13 and 17:21-24 (if you don't know how to read, ask someone to read it to you). Imagine yourself with the Nephites when the Savior came. Draw a picture of you with the Savior or write what it would be like if you were there. Listen to Had I Been A Child again, singing along with the CD.

May - Sing When I am Baptized to your mother, grandmother, or any other special woman you know (primary president, primary teacher, etc.)

June - Sing Nephi's Courage to your father, grandfather, or any other special man you know (bishop, home teacher, etc.)

July - Listen to your 2012 Primary Songs CD in the car this month. Sing along to Every Star is Different each time it is played.

August - Draw a picture of how you choose the right while listening to I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus. Give your picture to a member of the Primary Presidency.

Then here are my 3 review challenges the 3 weeks before our program:

Review Week 1 - Listen to your 2012 Primary Songs CD and write down the 8 songs we learned this year that we will be singing in our Program.

Review Week 2 - As you listen to your 2012 Primary Songs CD, write down what the songs teach about choosing the right.

Review Week 3 - As you listen to your 2012 Primary Songs CD, write your testimony.

Each month, I'm going to pass out a half size sheet of paper listing that month's challenge and a spot for the child to write their name along with a parent/guardian signature. The kids can then return it the next Sunday, take it to my house during the week, or have their parent/guardian tell me it was completed.

I will allow PLENTY of make up so if a child didn't complete a certain month on time, they can always catch up. I want this to be a fun experience for everyone. If at our "music party" there are kids who didn't finish, I may see if some of the Primary Presidency can help kids finish so everyone can get a reward.

**This is a great idea from Camille on her Singing in Primary blog. Please see her original post for more pictures and links to print-outs.

Choose The Right - Focus on the Chorus

This week I'll teaching the chorus of Choose the Right with ideas from Camille's Singing in Primary Blog.

CTR Shields (enough for each child to hold): Shields found HERE

Key words on word strips: WISDOM, MARK THE WAY, LIGHT, BLESS YOU

Tape/magnets to hang items on chalkboard

3 Gospel Art Book pictures (I'll reference these as GAB):

• Picture of boy praying #111
• Picture of a family paying their tithing/coins #113/114
• Picture of a family at church receiving the Sacrament #108

ACTIVITY:

Pass out CTR shields and ask, I am thinking of a word that is the opposite of wrong, what is it? [right]. When I place a choice before you and the choice is a RIGHT choice, raise your CTR shield:

1. You choose to say your morning prayer (hold up GAB picture 111 & hang on chalk board).
2. You choose to say bad words when you are angry.
3. You choose to pay your tithing (hold up GAB picture 113/114 and hang on chalkboard).
4. You choose to sleep in and miss church.
5. You choose to be reverent during the Sacrament (hold up GAB picture 108 & hang on chalkboard).

Choosing to do the right is not always easy, but we receive blessings when we try.

Sing the chorus and have the kids raise their shields when "choose the right" is sung. You point to each picture as the phrase is sung as well (these 3 pictures represent the phrase "choose the right" each time it's sung in the chorus).

Hang key words out of order on the chalkboard.

Pick children at random to help place words in order as you sing until correct (keep raising the CTR shields when you sing “choose the right” too). The words will be placed between the GAB pictures so hang the GAB pictures accordingly. Since Jr. Primary can’t read, I’ll pick a card, tell them the word and they will have to help me place it in order.

I'll use a flip chart found here to help teach the chorus and then I'll review the chorus a few times by:

• Boys sing only "Choose the right" (hold up their shields), Girls sing the rest/switch
• Younger children sing "Choose the right," (hold up their shields) teachers and leaders sing the rest
• Gradually remove key words so only the pictures remain on the board

If the children get the hang of the chorus and we still have enough time left, I'll probably introduce the 1st verse.