Presentation Review

Its official. 
I'm really getting sick of these songs!!
Our presentation is October 21!  Thank goodness!!

Next week I'm out of town.  Then General Conference.  Then just one more practice week!  I'm so excited to stop singing these songs for a while!!

This week we just had an easy review.

I put a bunch of items into a bag.  Kids took turns coming up and picking an item, then guessing which song it represented.  Pretty easy.  Here's a list of the items that I used, and what songs they went with.

Sword - Nephis Courage
Umbrella - Baptism song
Picture of kids with Jesus - I know my Saviour Loves Me
Light Bulb - As a Child of God
Picture of Jesus - I'm Trying to be Like Jesus
CTR Ring - Choose the Right
Rock - Wiseman
Bee - Stand for the Right

Review, and Birthday Songs

There are a couple songs that I want to review this week, just to make sure the kids have all the words down.

So we sang over Nephi's Courage - the 3rd verse, and I Know My Savior Loves Me - the 2nd verse. We sang through them a couple times.  Then we had a competition to see what side of the room could sing it best.  A little competition always gets the kids going, but they are always surprised when they tied, again...

I knew that wouldn't take the whole time, so I stole these ideas from another blog (sorry I don't remember where it was!).  I feel like our B-day songs are getting a little boring, so I thought that this would spice things up a bit.  The kids loved it!  I only taught the Jr's the first one because we ran out of time.  But the Sr's loved the chicken dance!

Happy Happy Birthday Children Dear  (Hand Jive)

Happy Happy - slap legs 2 times
Birthday - clap 2 times
Children Dear - wave hands in front of you - one on top of each other 2 times (does this make sense?)

Happy days - slap legs 2 times
will come - clap 2 times
you all year -  wave hands in front of you - one on top of each other 2 times

If I had a  - slap legs 2 times
wish then - clap 2 times
it would be - wave hands in front of you - one on top of each other 2 times

a happy happy - slap legs 2 times
birthday - clap 2 times
to you from me - wave hands in front of you - one on top of each other 2 times


Your Happy Birthday p.283 (Chicken Dance)

(This is the song that starts:  This month is such a special one...)

This one you do the chicken dance actions 4 times for each action. 

I think these are hilarious actions, and I can not wait for our next birthday so we can do one of these songs.

Jr. - 10
Sr. - 10

Primary Pianist

I was just snooping other blogs for ideas, and came across this great article found here: 
http://sofiasprimaryideas.blogspot.ca/

I know that I sometimes forget to acknowledge the pianist, and I think its important to remember them.  Sometimes I'm jealous of her, because she gets to be in primary, participate in singing time (my fav.) by playing the piano.  But she doesn't have to get up in front of the kids, and sometimes make a fool of herself!  No prep - for my pianist anyway, shes really a pro!  So this article was a good reminder to me!  Here it is, I copied it directly from sofias blog.

Primary Pianist... The Loniest Calling?

Image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by Maltagirl May 2006

Recently a good friend of mine told me that being a primary pianist was her least favorite calling ever.

I was flabbergasted.

Stunned!

Because I loved, loved, loved being a primary pianist.

I enjoyed watching and learning. Seeing what worked. What didn't.

I loved the children and when I wasn't playing the piano, I was sitting with them.

In fact, there was one rowdy lil' guy that I took under my wing and we were buddies.

I asked my friend why she didn't enjoy it and she said quote,

"It's a lonely calling. You're in the corner all by yourself."

Well friends. This is not a Three Dog Night music video.

This is real.

Mother Theresa once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.”

And this needs to be fixed.

Solutions on the part of Choristers & Primary Presidency:

1. Don't just acknowledge the pianist, make them a rock star.

We're grateful for Sister D our pianist.... verses....What would we ever do without Sister D? She is the very best pianist in the world! We are so lucky to sing alongside her magic fingers!!! Did you just hear how fast she played!! Her fingers move faster than a super sonic jet plane! And yet so delicate at other times that you feel like you're listening to flowers dance!!

2. Have brief conversations & ask questions with your pianist while you're teaching.

Nephi crossed the ocean... Hey, Sister D have you ever crossed the ocean before? You have? Where did you go to? Oh my! A cruise to Tahiti sounds like so much fun, but didn't you get seasick? Wow. I didn't even know they made patches you can put on the back of your neck to avoid that... I bet Nephi and his family would have appreciated some of those!!!

3.While doing activities with balls, DO NOT hit the pianist.

We're going to toss the ball lightly into the bucket. PLEASE. Whatever you do... DO NOT!!!! I repeat DO NOT hit Sister D. We can not have her passed out on the floor because someone whacked her with the ball. If we don't have Sister D, we don't have music we have the scary sing out of tune with Sister Lykes (enter chorister) show.

4. Whisper your answer to the pianist!!

We're going to be singing Primary Colors.... Our primary friend is going to choose a color- red, yellow or blue. You stand on the color you think they chose!! Primary friend, please go tell Sister D what color you choose!

I want to get to know our primary friend better! Can you whisper to Sister D what your favorite animal is? OK primary friends, let's see if you can guess what it is!

5.Ask the pianist their opinion.

Sister D, are our children the very best singers in the entire world? Do you think that Heavenly Father and the angels are smiling right now because of the lovely way our primary friends sang?

Who's your favorite scripture prophet Sister D?

6. Thank the pianist FOR SPECIFICS.

Generics stink. I mean it's nice and better than nothing, but what do we want to teach our children. Let's teach them that beauty can be in the detail.

Thank you Sister D for that beautiful prelude music. You help invite the spirit every week and we are so grateful for your service.

Thank you Sister D for always playing so peppy. If the songs were too slow we'd fall asleep, but your lovely playing makes us want to sing even more!!

7. Thumbs up & silent cheers for the pianist!

Wow great singing everyone! Please give yourself a pat on the back and a kiss on the brain. And while we're at it, let's give Sister D 2 big thumbs up and a silent cheer for just being awesome and wearing such a beautiful skirt today. There is one modest babe! (Last sentence only to be used if your pianist is over 70)

Solutions on the part of the pianist themselves:

1. Have a great attitude!

Whether you wanted this calling or not, you've accepted and will be blessed for it. You might not ever be acknowledged for your hard work, practice and dilligence... but you know what, Heavenly Father knows and one day before the throngs of eternity you will be praised for your smiling face and fingers that helped his little ones grow and prosper.

2. Get involved and don't wait to be invited.

If you aren't needed at the piano, see what you can do. Are some kids chit chatty? Go sit by them and smile. How is their week going? Great! Let's listen to the lesson and after you can tell me all about it!

Kiddos need lots of love and attention. You could be that special person that Heavenly Father wants in their life. Don't be just a wall flower.

3. After singing, throw in your two cents!

Wow! I just had to say, when you sweet primary children sang I got the chills!! That was so neat to feel the spirit that strongly! Thank you!!

4. If children come visit you at the piano, talk to them!

Show them things. Teach them things. Have they ever heard of a treble cleff? What if you are the person that inspires them to become a concert musician? To read music you have to memorize a short phrase- see if you can remember- every good boy does fine! In one ward, I remember having about 10 kids come and visit me at the piano... I had to make sure that they knew it was OK, but only after primary!

5. Be there for those children with special needs!

Sometimes music can be soothing to children with special needs. Let them sit by you and watch your fingers move. Let them turn pages for you. Let them double check that you're on the right page. Pray and talk with the primary presidency and parents to see if this would be a good option. I remember one ward with a little girl in a wheelchair... she loved the pianist because she could see the wonderful possibilities one can do with their hands!

6. Know that you are NEVER alone.

Thank you MJ. Rest in peace.

Even though I'm sure he wasn't writing about Heavenly Father, his lyrics still ring true.

You are not alone.

What is the only cure for loneliness?

A good dose of Jesus.

"I believe that for most of us the best medicine for loneliness is work, service in behalf of others. I do not minimize your problems, but I do not hesitate to say that there are many others whose problems are more serious than are yours. Reach out to serve them, to help them, to encourage them."

President Hinkley Ensign 1996 Women of The Church

Back-To-School Review Singing Time

This week, I'm straight up, stealing an idea from another blogger.  Her blog post can be found here:  http://camillesprimaryideas.blogspot.ca/2012/08/back-to-school-review-singing-time.html#comment-form

If your too lazy to go to her blog, here's what I'm doing.

 

School for our Primary kids started last Tuesday. (Thankgoodness!)  So I thought it would be appropriate to do a back-to-school themed singing time to review our program songs this week.

 

PREP:

Gather the following items: backpack, eraser, glue, markers, ruler, pencil, scissors, and pencil sharpener.  Place all items into a backpack. 

ERASER: “Erase" (don’t sing) the words “choose” and “right” in the song Choose the Right.

GLUE: Glue your legs together and your arms to your sides so you hold really still while we sing I Know my Savior Loves Me.

MARKERS: Only sing Nephi’s Courage when you are wearing the same color as the marker that is held up.

RULER: Measure the volume as we sing Stand for the Right. Point to 1 inch for softer up to 12 inches for louder.

 

PENCIL: Write with your hands (Do the actions while singing) to the song The Wiseman.

SCISSORS: Sing When I am Baptized legato (smoothly) as if it were a piece of paper for the verse. Then when we sing the chorus, cut it up by singing staccato (choppy).

SHARPENER: Sharpen the song by enunciating each word for I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus.

 

ACTIVITY:

I called kids up to pick an item out of the backpack, and then we sang the song as directed. 

It was fun, but the kids were really mellow, so they didn't really get into it.  Regardless, it was a good review for the kids.

 

Jr. - 7

Sr. - 7

Memory

This week I knew that a lot of kids would be gone for the long weekend, so I just wanted to have fun with the kids who were here.  So I made a memory game.

I warn you now, that I am no artist.  And I really didn't feel like spending the time on-line to look for pictures, and printing them off.  Soo, I drew some cards.  They are nothing special, but they worked.

Pretty self explanatory, every time they got a match, we sang the songs that were written on the back.  Some of them were review, and some of them were just fun songs.  I'll definitely be saving these, and using them again.

Jr. - 9
Sr. - 9

Stickers

Last week I just wanted to review a couple of the songs that the kids don't know the 2nd verses to, but I wanted to make sure that I kept them motivated.  We started by singing the song through a couple times to make sure that they knew the words, then I pulled out some stickers.  I bought those small star sticker that teachers give out, and told the kids that if I saw them singing really well,then they would get a sticker. 
I know that this doesn't sound very motivating, but I promise - IT WORKS!!  I walk around the room and put the stickers on the kids faces if they are singing really good.  Really, I give one to everyone.  The boys love to have them stuck to noses, or glasses.
I love this as a review.  I've also seen people do this with round red stickers and tell them they have the singing chicken pox.
Simple, but fun.

Jr. - 10
Sr. - 10