February: I Will Follow God's Plan

February's theme is: The Scriptures Teach of Heavenly Father's Plan. I couldn't help but think of the regional training we just had in our area when I was reading through the month's sharing time and song. (There will be a post on this, as well as the training notes, in the next day or two).

This month's song goes perfectly with this theme. I found two scriptures that can be used as you teach and discuss this song with the kids.

1. Mosiah 2:41 "I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God...and if they hold out faithful to the end they are recieved into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of neverending happiness."
2. Abraham 3:25 "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them"

Here are some ideas that I have come up with and others that I have found on Sugardoodle and in the Children's Songbook Companion (great book to get if you don't have).

• Introduction (from Companion) "Prepare a beautifully wrapped package in which you have placed a paper with the words MY LIFE written on it. Show the children the gift and say, "Inside this box is a most precious gift. All the money in the whole world can't buy it, yet we each have one. Listen as I sing, and discover what this precious gift is." Sing through the song and ask the children to guess. Open the gift to discover if they are correct. Explain that our lives are precious gifts from Heavenly Father.
• Gifts: Place corresponding objects in different gift boxes to be opened as you introduce each new phrase. These can be used as you practice the song the first week. You can also take a picture of a child holding each object to use as memory cues for the following weeks of practice as the children work on memorizing the words. This allows you to leave the objects at home once you have introduced them and the children will love seeing themselves and the objects in the pictures.
• Map it out: Create a treasure map that lists places in the room where "treasures" are hidden. (I am trying to get a sample map added to my files...) These treasures can be pictures/words/objects to correspond with different phrases in the song. This map can be likened to the scriptures and the map and instructions they provide us as we learn about Heavenly Father's plan and find our way back to Him.
• Thinking and Understanding: Write the words MY LIFE on one side of the chalkboard and I WILL on the other side. Have pictures or key words corresponding to the phrases in the song prepared either randomly in each column or around the room. Sing each phrase once for the children and invite them to find the correct key word(s)/picture and place it in the correct column and order on the board. have the children repeat each phrase after it has been added to its column.
• Question and Answer: You can have the same columns listed above for the activity or just aks teh questions and let the children answer. have questions prepared for each phrase of the song. Ask the children to listen as you sing the song and then try to give you the correct response. Example: What is my life? Where did my life begin? What will I seek?
• Detective/Reporter: Enter the room dressed as a detective or reporter adn play the part of someone who is looking for clues or trying to complete an informative article. You can bring dress up clothes for other kids/teachers to help. You could also give each class a "special mission" with a question in an envelope. Invite the classes to figure out their answers by listening to you sing the song. Once they have the answer, they can be in charge of learning and singing that line in the song. Once all classes have sung their line, you have them switch. You continue switching until all classes have had a turn to sing each line. There are a myrid of ways to take this idea....have fun with it and kids will join in and learn the song!
• What Is Missing? (Friend, Feb 2011): There is a great idea in this month's friend for teaching and repeating. It suggests to either use a tray with objects/words or a poster with pictures/words to play "What is Missing?" Teach the song by pointing out the objects/pictures/words one at a time. (take about 10 min) (You could even start with a blank poster or tray and bring out each item as it is introduced in the song) Repeat the song several times with the kids and then have one child leave the room. Invite another child to remove one object and then have the dismissed child return. Sing through the entire song, or just sing until the child figures out what is missing. You can play this for the rest of your "singing time". Remember that you don't have to spend a lot of time on the words when introducing them, because the kids will get plenty of practice when they play the game (about 10 min) For younger children it is best to maybe do this game in two parts...learn half the song one Sunday and the last half the next Sunday. You can also use less objects to make it a little easier. I think it could also be fun for the older kids to have the teachers leave the room and the kids try to "trick" them. This is a great way to involve the teachers and help them learn the words in a fun way too!

I have some more ideas that will work best for motivation, review, and repitition so I will add them in the coming weeks. Hopefully this gets you going!

Happy Singing!!!