Year End Class Talent Show!

Okay so I'm furiously reaching to find an idea for tomorrow's final 2010 Singing Time and this great idea pops in my head!!  What if we had an impromptu year end class talent show!  Here's how it will work.  Each class/teacher will be handed an envelope and a bag of props or pictures.  Inside the envelope is a song and the requirements for the talent show performance.  In the bag are props or pictures that may be used.  I will give everyone about 5-7 minutes to converse and plan quietly and then we'll begin!  I will allow "golf clapping" at the end of each class.  Since this might now work smoothly with my GIANT Jr. Primary I will adapt the idea so that two people will come up and one will choose a song out of a bucket and one will roll the "how we sing it" dice to see how we will sing the song.  Simple easy and fun.  Here's the songs and props I plan to use.

1. Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam - required to use props and actions to emphasize the words of the song while singing loudly for all the hear!  (props include picture of Jesus, flashlight, and sunbeam on a stick!)
2. I Hope They Call Me On A Mission - required to use props and/or actions to emphasize the words of the song. (props include missionary name tag, ruler, scriptures)
3. The Holy Ghost - required to use props and actions to emphasize the words of the song (props will include several gospel art pictures I used to teach the song to the Jr. Primary this year.)
4. Activity Song Intermission - Do As I'm Doing - required to sing it three times and cannot use marching, clapping or jumping.  A list of ideas will be included with things like "hand jive, chicken dance, military style, etc."
5. Once Within A Lowly Stable - Required to pose a living nativity while singing.  (props include items for a living nativity, i.e., scarves, robes, baby Jesus, etc.)

 Here's my link for "how we sing it" dice that I will use for Jr. Primary.

Have Fun and Happy Holidays!

Unwrapping the True Meaning of Christmas

I just wanted to do something fun this week since we've sang all our songs for all the programs and it's almost Christmas and I just wanted to be a little laid back and silly while still retaining the true meaning of Christmas.  So here's the deal.  Explain that today we're going to play a little game to "unwrap' the true meaning of Christmas.

I drew some pictures of the different nativity characters (you could use actual nativity pieces if you wanted) and I wrapped the pictures of baby Jesus in the manger in the boxes.  One for Jr. Primary, and one for Sr. Primary.  I also got a big bag of peppermint discs (you could use any candy in a wrapper). 

The goal for singing time is this. . .choose a child or teacher to come up and while you are singing a Christmas song (their choice or yours) they have to put on the coat, the gloves, the scarf, and the hat (more or less items depending on Jr. or Sr. primary) and then open as many peppermint discs as they can.  If they collectively open 5 discs you add one of your characters to the nativity and you get one step closer to opening the big present and "unwrapping" the true meaning of Christmas!  Ha ha that is extremely cheesy but I think it's going to be fun, the trick will be to keep it reverent. . kind of!!

P.S. use just cloth gloves for junior primary or they'll never get them open. . !!!

True Meaning of Christmas Singing Time!

 

This week's theme was about Jesus being the Savior of the world.  I made the poster above, and yes I'm aware that my foam board is starting to look a bit tattered, but our Primary room doesn't have anything but a rolling chalkboard so it's hard to find room to hang things.  Anyway, I asked the kids if they thought something was wrong with this picture.  I got tons of funny responses, "too much red," "candles burn presents" . . .I told them that it was odd to put Santa and Jesus on the same poster.  Finally I pointed out that we were going to learn how all these exciting Christmas things like Santa and presents actually all tie into the birth of the Savior.  I told them that we were going on a musical journey to find the true meaning of Christmas!  On the back of each picture was the meaning and a song (listed below)  All pictures compliments of google. Also for the junior primary they seemed especially wiggly so I did silly things like had them sway back and forth during Silent Night or lead with me during the First Noel. . .just to keep them focused.  Good Luck!!

Bells- Shepherds ring bells to bring the lost sheep home.  In the same way God values all people, wherever they are, they are not lost to him.  In some places bells are rung on Christmas Day to proclaim the good news.       (Song: Christmas Bells)

Candles - Before electricity candles would light the way so people could see where they were going. The candles were usually handmade, great care was taken in how the candles were used, especially during the long, dark, cold winter months. When it is dark we are afraid, but the light casts away our fears. Jesus came into the world and taught that He is the light of the world.He casts away our fears and helps us feel safe   (Song: Silent Night)

Candy Cane - Represents the shepherds crook.  The crook was a strong stick with a curved end that could be placed around the neck of a sheep that had slipped down the hillside and could pull them back to safety.  The candy cane represents the helping hand we give to others, and reminds us all that we are our brother's keepers.  The original candy cane had three small red stripes which represent the stripes of the scourging Jesus received by which we are healed.  And a large red stripe that represents the shedding of blood of Jesus so we can have eternal life. (Song: The First Noel)

Evergreen Tree - The evergreen of everlasting life, pointing heavenward. (Song: Away in a Manger)

Gifts - giving, sharing and thinking of others (Song: Once Within a Lowly Stable)

Star - The star of Bethlehem led the wise men to the Christ child.  It was a heavenly sign of promise from long years ago.  God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was a sign of the fulfillment of that promise.  (Song: Stars Were Gleaming)

Wreath - wreaths being in the shape of a circle represent a love that knows no end.  It signifies the love God has for us in sending His Son.  (Song: He Sent His Son)

 PICTURE OF SANTA

I couldn't find the picture of Santa I used but if you google "santa clipart" there's tons to choose from.

Santa - The spirit of Christmas, giving and receiving love, caring, sharing, goodness, cheerfulness, peace, good will to all, Christ like giving.

THE COLOR RED

The color red - represents the Saviors sacrifice for all of us.  Isaiah 1:18 (Song Joy To The World)

December Week #1

This week's theme is "Jesus Christ came to earth as promised by the prophets."  So I'm planning and doing a fun little singing time centered around that them.  Here's my plan.

In Junior Primary I will have the following objects on a table for junior primary and a scripture in a envelope to hand to classes in Sr. Primary

• Manger/Luke 2:3-7
• Stable/Luke 2:12-14
• Picture of Samuel the Lamanite on the Wall/Helaman 14:2
• First page of our "He Sent His Son" Flipchart/Moroni 7:48 & 3 Nephi 27:21
• Picture of Jesus as a little boy/Luke 2:40
• Bell/Matthew 2:1
• Star/Luke 2:8-14

Each item/scripture will correspond with a song

• Away in a Manger
• Once Within a Lowly Stable
• Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus
• He Sent His Son
• Jesus Once Was a Little Child
• Christmas Bells
• Stars Were Gleaming

I will give the classes 5-7 minutes in Sr. Primary to discuss their scripture and pick the matching song from a list on the board.  Then one by one I will have a rep. from each class come up and tell us what they learned and why the song matches the scripture.  Then we sing it!!  In Jr. Primary I have a child come and pick and object then we talk about which song it could match. . .and we go over a principle that talks about Jesus being born as prophecied.  I also mix in some wiggle songs if we are having a wiggly day. . .we'll see how it goes!