Sunday, January 31, 2010

A Case of the Musical Measles






Musical Measles are a fun way to have a choose and review day. I handed sheets of stickers to the teachers, so that they could determine who was singing well. The more they sang, the more "measles" they would get.
We sang some favorites in Jr. Primary and reviewed this month's song. The little ones really tried hard to participate this week, it was nice.
In Sr. Primary we had Janice Kapp Perry day and sang songs of hers from the songbook, plus Holding Hands Around the World. They also did a fantastic job on this months song and did the signing really well too. It was heartwarming.
I think it's fun to note that the little kids are so thrilled to get the measles, and they don't mind them anywhere on their faces. The older kids like to make beards, eyebrows etc. I enjoy their creativity and their enthusiastic singing voices so that they can get measles. I've been doing musical measles for singing time since the mid 1990's. It seems that this simple activity never loses it's popularity.

Keyword Connection


Last week I used the clown in the cone with Jr. Primary and the Keyword Connection game in Sr. Primary. There is one word on each key, they guess the song that it goes to and we sing! We reviewed I Know That My Savior Loves Me a few times also.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Technical Difficulties

I took a video of the kids in Sr. Primary this week signing I Know that my Savior Loves Me. I figured it would be a great way for me to gauge their progress. In a few months I'll take another video of them and then I can show them how much they have improved. Unfortunately I'm having a lot of trouble uploading it - so stay tuned.
I finished the second verse with the Sr. Primary and the first verse with the Jr. Primary. There was a lot fewer tears on Sunday in Jr. Primary but we still went through about 6 fun songs before I had their attention enough to teach. January can be rough.
So, I have two more weeks to get this song down before we begin to add on. I gave the 7 year old teacher the visual aids for He Sent His Son, so that her class can color them for me. I should get those back next Sunday, and then I can get those all laminated.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

The Primary Feud




I know it's not a Singing Time activity but Sister Sharp put together this Primary Feud board and I was so impressed I had to take pictures. She set it up like the old game show from the 1970's (minus the kissing) and had her class do everything. She surveyed ward members and put the answers on the boards, just like they did in the old Feud. It was wonderful. The kids really got the hang of it quickly and I think they liked looking for multiple answers to the questions.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

The Sunbeam Debacle

Let me just say.... 36 Sunbeams!!!!!

I was sick last week. I missed the first and vitally important first Sunday for these Sunbeams. What a mess.
I got into the primary room a little later than normal this morning because my music stand was up by the Organ in Sacrament meeting and I had to grab it on my way to primary. I walked in and there were 5 or 6 kids bawling. Full on bawling I might add. There must have been another 10 who were crying "I want my Mommy!" and then those brave little souls who had silent tears running down their cheeks.

The first counselor bravely began opening exercises with no microphone and a whole lot of chaos. Somehow we got through a prayer a scripture and a talk which nobody heard. Then she turned and looked at me, and I know there was a gleam in her eye, and she introduced music time.

Oh yes, I knew I was in trouble. I had planned to teach I Know that My Savior Loves Me, the chorus and first verse in sign language and I'm behind because I was sick last week. I knew I wasn't going to get through it. I stood up, told them I just couldn't sit anymore and that we had to wiggle. We started off with the Snowman song, followed by the Sunbeam song, Do as I'm Doing, and Book of Mormon Stories. By this time no one was crying (isn't music wonderful) and I had their attention. We started with the chorus and went through that several times with the signs. They did really well. I think it helped that their hands were busy.

To give them a little break before sharing time we sang Kindness begins with me and I hope they call me on a mission. Somehow, by the power of the spirit, no one cried all through sharing time. It wasn't until they had to go to class and they realized that change was happening again that tears started to flow again. What a day. I'm making cinnamon rolls, serious comfort food!

In Senior primary we got through the signs for the first verse and chorus so I am back on schedule with them. I purchased the I know my Savior Lives selected songs in ASL DVD, available at distribution, this is where I got the signs from.