Primary Music Leader Training

We had a fun Stake Primary Music Training in our stake recently.  All of our ward Primary Music Leaders came and shared their ideas.  I wanted to share the information from that night.

Sing Your Heart Out

Music Leader Training Get-together

“We care so much about you and about the children you are teaching. Prepare well to bless these little ones.  Give it your best effort.  Your influence will - quite literally - affect these children for eternity.  Enjoy the assignment that you have, and discharge it faithfully.  However much we love and admire children, I am certain we underestimate who and what a child is, and what in the hands of God he or she may become.  May God bless you always in your sacred opportunity to help save the children of this Church.”   

-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Leadership Training Library, “Supporting the Primary Music Leader”

“We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music...some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.”  

-Boyd K. Packer, “The Arts and the Spirit of the Lord,” Ensign, Aug, 1976, 61

PLANNING MUSIC TIME

Know the Song

Before you can teach a song effectively, you must know the song yourself. Become familiar with the words and melody by playing the song on the piano or listening to the music on the Church music website.

·         Do I know the song well enough to make eye contact with the children?

Use the Scriptures

Study the song to learn what message the words convey. Use the scripture references at the end of the song in your preparation or in teaching the song.

·         Do I connect the doctrine to the words the children are singing?

Sing, Sing, Sing

Children learn to sing a song by hearing it sung and by singing it themselves. Spend more time singing than talking during music time.

·         Do we sing more than we talk or play games?

Capture the Children's Attention

Engage the children's attention with an object, a picture, a scripture, an experience, or simply a whisper.

·         Do the attention-getters that I use enhance the learning experience?

Include Different Learning Styles

Use a variety of approaches to involve as many of the senses as possible.  Seeing, speaking, moving, and doing, as well as hearing, will help children better understand and remember the songs.

·         Do I vary my teaching plan to include different learning styles?

Direct Children's Listening

Ask questions that will encourage children to listen to the song and help them understand the gospel message. For example, ask—What? Where? When? Why?—and state the question in such a way that children can discover the answer as you sing the song.

·         Do I ask questions that encourage thinking?

Involve the Children

Create opportunities for children to participate. For example, invite children to improvise actions, assign small groups to sing different sections, ask for ideas to vary the styles of singing, or give them a picture or object to hold to remind them of the words to a song.

·         Do I use activities that involve all of the children rather than a few?

Bear Testimony

Bear your personal testimony or read testimonies recorded in the scriptures. As children hear the testimonies of others, they will be strengthened.

·         Do I bear brief testimony of the doctrine taught in the song?

Reverence Ideas               

 Bubbles in cheeks (Junior Primary)

To fold arms with choices (jets or fish, in lap or on chest)

Stand up/Sit down

Proximity Control

“If you can hear me ______.”

“To Catch a Butterfly”

https://www.lds.org/friend/2001/05/to-catch-a-butterfly?lang=eng&query=butterfly+reverence

Positive Reinforcement - “I” statements    

• “I’m looking for…”
• beautiful eyes
• big smiles
• chins up
• mouths moving to sing
• “I noticed…”
• Include specifics
• Whole group, class, or individuals
• Use a variety
• Praise around

           

• “I give ______ to those who ______”  
• thumbs up, smile.
• winks, look at me.
• pats on the back, sit up straight.

• Silent cheers

Old Reliable! (Games for THOSE weeks)

From The Barefoot Chorister, Stacy Sanchez

http://barefootchorister.blogspot.com

1. Hide the Note/Hot and Cold

2. Name that Tune (Notes, humming, rhythm, etc)

3. Stump the Chorister

4. Pop the Balloon

5. Skittles Challenge

6. Who's Missing

7. Something's Different, Sister ________

8. Swat Team

9. 4 Corners

Choose and Review games

From Kathleen Mower

http://thechildrensing.blogspot.com

1. Everyone who…

2. Three in a Row

3. Scrambled Word Puzzle

4. People in the Scriptures Made Good Choices

5. I Spy With My Little Eye

http://www.twoladiesandablog.blogspot.com/2012/07/roll-and-blow.html

Roll ‘em and Blow “em

Cut the Bishop’s tie

Roll/Spin Mix ‘n’ Match - Fun Ways to Sing

http://afprimarysingingtime.blogspot.com/2010/09/fun-ways-to-sing.html

http://kamisprimarymusicideas.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-activity-ways-to-sing-cards-more.html

http://teachldschildren.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Fun-Ways-to-Sing.pdf

http://primarysingingtimewithmatilda.blogspot.com/2015/01/20-minutes-for-singing-time-what-should.html

Battleship

Children can put their arm into the elephant's trunk and practice leading the song.  A simpler version could be an apple with a worm sticking out of it (if you don't want to try drawing an elephant).

Candyland 

Wiggles and Giggles - Children can pick one of these cute things out of the jar and there is a fun song attached that they can sing.  Great idea to pull from when you see the kids need a little break and some movement.

 Roll the dice to see what style to use while singing the song.  Kids love that!  

Uno Game to learn a song. 

This was a fun idea.  One binder contained a copy of the Primary Children's Songbook that she had taken apart and put in sheet protectors.  The other binder had the plan for the month.  Great way to be organized and what a fun theme.

This was the treat table for our training.  Our theme was Sing Your Heart Out since we held it a few weeks before Valentine's Day.  Who doesn't love sugar cookies and chocolate?

This was the table of things we gave our music leaders. 

Here's a link to a folder which includes some documents such as fun ways to sings songs and our training documents.

"Fallacies in Print Ads" English Project

My son did this project for his English class.  He found ads online for the various fallacies that they discussed in class and he wrote about them.  The writing is underneath and the pictures flip up.  I think he did a great job.  Hopefully this will help another student who may have questions (please don't copy it, just use it as a resource.

Nephi's Broken Bow - Visuals for Teaching Primary

I created these visuals to go with the lesson in the Primary 4: Book of Mormon manual, lesson #5, entitled "Lehi and His Family Are Led through the Wilderness."  

I used my own words and interpretation to choose the graphics.  The kids loved it and the visuals helped them pay attention to and understand the story.

Click HERE for the PDF files.

I designed it so there were two visuals on each page.  I printed on cardstock and then cut the pages in half.  For the lesson, have the kids read along (or listen) to 1 Nephi 16:17-32.  Lay out all the pictures on the floor and then have kids point to a picture when it fits with the story.  Put them up on the board using magnets.

Here are some links to supplementary material about Nephi's broken bow.  I personally like to study a lot about a topic before I teach it so that I can gain insights, even if I don't share all the info with the class.

Story from The Friend magazine called "Nephi's Bow" (and little boys).

"When Your Bow Breaks" Speech (more for adults)

The Book of Mormon Study Manual

Info about Nephi's Bows from the New Era

Teaching about the Bill of Rights, Constitution, and Declaration of Independence

I whipped out these posters when I was subbing in a 4th grade class a while back.  I find that simple visuals like these are very effective.  We also discussed them as a class in more detail but this was an easy way for them to remember each important document.

The 5 Love Languages

Feeling loved is a primary emotional need for all humans.  There are countless poems, letters, stories, books, and songs written about love.

Here's one song that kept running through my mind as I contemplated writing this post -
Everybody.  The chorus repeats, "Everybody, everybody wants to love, everybody, everybody wants to be loved."  So, so true.

In Dr. Gary Chapman's book, "The 5 Love Languages," it says, "Child psychologists affirm that every child has certain basic emotional needs that must be met if he is to be emotionally stable. Among those emotional needs, none is more basic that the need for love and affection, the need to sense that he or she belongs and is wanted.  With an adequate supply of affection, the child will likely develop into a responsible adult.  Without that love, he or she will be emotionally and socially challenged." (You can listen to this book on YouTube).

Dr. Chapman shares a wonderful metaphor to illustrate the importance of feeling loved.  He heard this metaphor from Dr. Ross Campbell who is a psychiatrist who specialized in the treatment of children and adolescents.

The 5 Love Languages of Children

Click HERE to read my original post about The 5 Love Languages.

The 5 Love Languages aren't just for couples - They apply to everyone you interact with.  As a mom of three boys, I found this information very helpful in my parenting since I spend so much of my life focusing on my children (and my spouse).  We all know that each child is unique and that they each need different things from us.  After learning about the Love Languages, I feel that my parenting skills have improved.  (Too bad I didn't read it 19 years ago!)

Here are descriptions of The 5 Love Languages in regards to children:

The Barf Song - "Let It Blow"

I know I have a strange sense of humor and this might prove it.  Two of my boys had the flu last week so I wrote this parody to describe my experience.

This should be sung to the tune of "Let It Go" from Frozen (click here to hear the original song)

Let It Blow (a flu inspired song)

The barf blows right in the toilet tonight
Not a wink of sleep is seen
A sickness of isolation,
And it’s smelling quite obscene.

Tummy is growling like this swirling storm inside
Couldn’t keep it in, heaven knows you tried

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good mom I always have to be
Clean well, don’t smell, run to and fro
Oh this just blows

Let it go, let it go

You can’t hold it back anymore
Let it blow, let it blow
Hit the bowl and not the floor

I don’t care
I want my boy okay
Let the flu be gone,
Your barf never bothered me anyway

It’s funny how some sickness
Makes everything seem small

And the illness that controls you
Won’t last that long at all

It’s time to see what I can do
To get you better from this flu
No snacks, no drink, no food for thee
Empty!

Let it go, let it go
My poor baby’s up all night
Let it blow, let it blow
I just want you to feel all right

Here I stand
And here I'll stay
Let the flu be gone

Your vomit’s spewing from your mouth onto the ground
Your stomach’s spiraling in messy upchuck all around
And one thought originates like a barfy blast
We’re never going back,
This blast is in the past

Let it go, let it go
And we'll rise at the break of dawn
Let it blow, let it blow
Will this keep going on

Here I stand
In the light of day
Let the flu be gone,
Your barf never bothered me anyway

3 Questions to Guide Your Lesson Preparation

Every month we give our Primary teachers at church a "Tip & Treat" to help them with teacher training.  This month I decided to focus on Chapter 31 in the manual "Teaching, No Greater Call."

These questions are great for general lesson planning, not just for teaching lessons at church.  They can be used at school, home, work, etc.

Click HERE to get the PDF on GoogleDocs (6 bookmarks per page).

PS For the treat, I am giving each teacher a few donut holes in a small plastic bag with this tag attached to them.  I would have made a treat but I was having a busy weekend and this seemed like an easy solution.  Why add craziness to my schedule if I can do something simple, right?

Click HERE to get the PDF on GoogleDocs for the Donut Holes (12 tags per page).

Wax Museum Report

I am subbing in 5th grade right now and we are introducing a new project tomorrow - The Wax Museum!  Two of my kids have already done this project and my last one is participating this year. 

The students are each assigned a famous American for their project.  They make a poster board with pictures, a stamp, quotes, etc. and also create a five paragraph written report.  This project takes a few weeks to complete.  The grand finale is Wax Museum day where each student dresses up as their famous American and stand in front of their tri-fold poster board display.  Other students, teachers, and parents come and listen to each student talk about themselves as if they were that character.  It is really fun!

I need to explain to the students how to use 3x5 notecards to collect information for their report.  We'll start the researching tomorrow so to make things very clear, I made this handout with details about how to do them exactly.  (I REALLY don't want to explain the same thing over and over and over again).  It will print 2 per page and the kids will label each of their 10 postcards per subject with the appropriate topic and highlighted color.  I also pre-counted the notecards and put them in sandwich ziplocks so I could avoid the chaos of sorting them at school.  When their regular teacher comes back she'll explain how she'd like them to do the introduction and conclusion.  

General Conference Idea - Word Treat Jars

My cute nephew.

My friend posted this fun idea on Facebook and I asked her if I could share it.  I love it!  She has candy in each of these jars with word cards attached to the front of each jar.  Every time a speaker at General Conference says one of these words, the listener gets a candy.  Brilliant!  I've added pictures of friends' and family's application of this idea as well.

I am running out to the store to buy some candy tonight so we can do this in our family. I have teenagers so I will add in some other jars with key words that I'd like them to listen for.  Way to make things fun.

We also take notes using a form that I created a few years ago.  Click HERE to see the form.

By the way, this idea could be altered for other educational purposes. For instance, if your child is learning sight words or certain vocabulary words, you could make jars like this for when they are reading a book.  If someone is concerned about loading their kids up on sugar, they could put healthier snacks in the jars like pretzels, nuts, dried fruit, low-sugar cereal, carrots, etc. (although candy or cash would work much better on my kiddos LOL).

Euler Paths and Circuits

My son brought home a packet about Euler Paths and Circuits.  My brain was a little rusty in this area and he wasn't that familiar with the Euler concepts, so I did a little research and made him a "study sheet" to help him out (okay, I'll admit that it will also help me out if I have to teach this concept when subbing at school).  I thought I'd share my sheet with you.  Please let me know if you have feedback on how to improve it.

Gifted Education - Suggested Book List

Here is a list of helpful books if you're interested in Gifted Education.  There are over a dozen books on this list which obviously doesn't include all the wonderful books out there regarding giftedness.  We compiled this short list as a resource for our local elementary schools, in hopes that their local PTSO's would purchase them.

□Parenting Gifted Kids by Jim Delisle (Amazon Prime $12.42)

A humorous, engaging, and encouraging look at raising gifted children.  Offers practical advice to help parents re-examine the ways they perceive and relate to their children.  Some topics include understanding giftedness, working with the school system, dealing with perfectionism, and being an adult role model.

□A Parent’s Guide to Gifted Children by James T. Webb, Ph.D., et al. (Amazon approx $21)

Raising a gifted child is both a joy and a challenge, yet parents of gifted children have few resources for reliable parenting information. Includes practical guidance in areas such as gifted characteristics, peer relations, sibling issues, motivation & underachievement, discipline issues, intensity & stress, depression & unhappiness, educational planning, finding professional help, etc.

□Living with Intensity by Susan Daniels, Ph.D. & Michael M. Piechowski, Ph.D. (Amazon Prime $20.06)

Gifted children and adults are often misunderstood. Their excitement is viewed as excessive, their high energy as hyperactivity, their persistence as nagging, their imagination as not paying attention, their sensitivity as immaturity, etc.   This book provides practical methods for nurturing sensitivity, intensity, and perfectionism.  Also includes info on Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration.
□How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and How to Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish (Amazon Prime $12.23)

Using the unique communication strategies, down-to-earth dialogues, and delightful cartoons, parents and teachers learn how to help children handle the everyday problems and strong emotions that can interfere with learning.   Shows how parents and teachers can join forces to inspire kids to be self-directed, self-disciplined, and responsive to the wonders of learning.

□Picture it!  Teaching Visual-Spatial Learners by Betty Maxwell (Amazon Prime $17.96)

Illuminates the abilities of visual-spatial learners and describes the challenges they face in traditional learning environments.  Helpful for teachers, parents and visual-spatial learners themselves.

□Some of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers from Preschool to High School, Second Edition by Judith Wynn Halsted (Amazon Prime $22.75)

Describes the intellectual and emotional needs of children of high ability; typical and advance reading patterns for kids in K-12 grades; how to give reading guidance and discuss books with young readers; etc.  Includes a list of more than 300 books for readers of all ages carefully selected to promote intellectual and emotional development.

Math Notes - Theorems, Postulates, etc.

My son had a math final and he was allowed to take one sheet of paper in for notes. We designed this page for him to use (click link to find on GoogleDocs in PDF and PowerPoint formats).  It has postulate, theorems, formulas, etc.  Feel free to use it if you think it might help.

PS Happy to report that my son got 100% on his high school final.  Woo hoo!

Baptism Talk with Kit Kat Reminder

This afternoon I am speaking at the baptism of a sweet nine-year old son who was just adopted into our friends' family.  They asked me to speak at his baptism this afternoon so I wrote this talk this morning.  Our main audience will be children so I know this object lesson will hold their attention and that they'll remember what is said.  Feel free to use this talk.  By the way, I didn't think of the concept of using the Kit Kat, it is "out there" on Pinterest.  I just made the graphics and wrote the talk which was inspired by the Pinterest pins.

There are links listed to access these graphics in PDF format.  PS My son with a sweet tooth will be thrilled with the handouts ;)

This poster can be placed by a basket of Kit Kat's as handouts for after the baptism.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

These signs can be used during the talk as visual reminders to hold the kids' attention.  Depending on your stake, you may or may not be allowed to use visual aids during your talk.  Click HERE to get these pages in PDF format.

These are little handouts that can be printed on a sheet of cardstock at home and then attached to Kit Kat bars.  Click HERE to get the PDF.

Here's the actual talk (feel free to cut, paste and edit if desired):

Do you know that you are just about to participate in your very first saving ordinance and make your very first official promise to Heavenly Father?

Today when you are baptized you will make some promises to your Heavenly Father.

See this Kit Kat bar?  It may look like an ordinary candy but it is a symbol that will help you remember your baptism covenants.

K is for KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. 

When you are baptized, you promise to do your best to follow Jesus and keep all of His commandments.   When you make a mistake, you repent and try to do better.