Singing Meters for the Primary Program

Since our program is on September 12th it is time once again to make a chart to show the kids how they are doing with the program songs.  I thought I would put up a list of different ideas for this - some that I have seen or used and others that I just couldn't help dreaming up.  I would love to know what you have thought of, I ALWAYS need good ideas!!!!

1. Fruit Pizza - using a poster board as a background make a pizza in the center.  As the kids learn and master the songs add fruit to the pizza.  One fruit per song.  At the primary activity just before the program make and serve fruit pizza as a reward.
2. Thermometer - mark the songs along the side of a thermometer on a posterboard.  As the kids master the songs fill in the thermometer until it reaches the top.  You could vary this by using a CTR shield and filling that up instead.
3. Marble Jar (this is what I used last year so you can find the pictures on my blog) - Add marbles to the jar as they master each song, when the jar is full they are done!
4. Dunk the basketball - use a posterboard as a backing.  Decorate a basketball court and make a ball that is seperate from the poster.  Cut two holes in the poster and attack the ball to a string and run it through the holes around the back of the board, this way the ball slides along the track and lands in the hoop.  Move the ball to show the progress of the songs.
5. Gone Fishing - Each fish represents a song, the idea is to get all the fish into the net.
6. Shoot for the stars - Make a rocketship that moves toward the stars as they master the songs.
7. Let your light so shine - Show the flames on candles (each representing a song) glowing brighter as they master songs.
8. In the barnyard - move the animals toward the barn as songs are mastered.
9. Putting on the armor of God - add armor to a warrior, each piece representing a song.  
10. Prophet says to plant a garden - Make up a posterboard to look like a garden.  Make enough flowers for each song.  Attach green ribbon to each flower and cut holes in the poster where the flower grows out of the ground, and where you would like it's finished height to be.  Wrap the ribbon through the holes so that it forms a loop.  You can pull the ribbon to make the flower grow!
11. Popcorn Popping - place large popcorns on a tree with the songs written on them.  When all the songs are perfected have popcorn at the primary party.  (Variation - put leaves on a tree, or birds in a tree)
12. Birds (songs) into the nest.  Variation - rockets to the planets, cars to garages, boats to the dock.
13. Gathering ideas: Help squirrels gather nuts, or pioneer children gather berries(songs)
14. Cat in the hat - Each stripe of the hat represents a song, hat grows and gets taller as they master songs.
15. Complete the puzzle - each piece of the puzzle represents a song.  As they master songs the puzzle is put together.

Final Schedule for the Program

July 18

Review
To be a Pioneer
fun songs (last fun song day before program)

July 25

Sing in Sacrament meeting - To be a Pioneer
Teach - On a Golden Springtime (final optional song)

August 1

 Review in rotation so the kids don't get so burned out
The holy ghost (sung by CTR7)
Come Follow Me
On A Golden Springtime
IKTMSLM
Church of Jesus Christ

August 8

He sent his son
We'll Bring the World his truth
On A Golden Springtime
IKTMSLM
Latter Day Prophets

August 15

The holy ghost (sung by CTR7)
Come Follow Me
On A Golden Springtime
IKTMSLM
Church of Jesus Christ

August 22

He sent his son
We'll Bring the World his truth
On A Golden Springtime
Latter Day Prophets

August 29

Final singing time Program Review, sing all songs
Come Follow Me (all verses)
He sent his son
Piano solo by 10 year old boy
The holy ghost (sung by CTR7)
We'll Bring the World his truth
On A Golden Springtime
IKTMSLM
Church of Jesus Christ
Latter Day Prophets

September 5

Program Practice
Saturday practice activity on 11th

September 12

PROGRAM
The singing time closest to my birthday I always use to review and teach new birthday songs.  This year because we need the 5th to review the program, we will be doing the birthday songs on the 12th.  I am teaching both verses of Feliz Cumpleanos.  The first verse they know moderately well, and we learn the second verse. 

To Be A Pioneer

After much blood, sweat and tears, here they are!!!!!

3 Sundays Away

 I am visiting family and travelling during our short "summer" from school.  I prepared 3 weeks of materials even though we will only be gone two weeks.  (Two weeks = three Sundays, that's Church math).  It's not easy to put three weeks together all at once, I have to say it was a bit exhausting.  But now that it's done, I'm glad, being prepared is important and I'm grateful for my substitute for taking on 3 weeks in primary.  Thank you!

Week One 

I prepared the bag with songs inside.  That's a pretty easy review activitiy, you pull the songs out of the bag and sing them.  Most of them are program songs or wiggle songs, and two papers say "your choice".

Week Two (which is this week)

Teaching To Be A Pioneer #218
Sorry these are rotated, what a pain.
I have a great substitute, she will do an amazing job, I am having her teach the two parts separately and then we will put them together when I get back.  We are singing for the 24th of July.

Week 3, The 4th of July

How often is it really the 4th of July on Sunday?  Not often enough, it's super fun to sing patriotic songs!  This year I made new songbooks, because I foolishly gave them to the kids to keep last year.  This year I'm hanging onto them.  I have songbooks and flags for the little kids.

Fathers Day - Fathers, Grandfathers, Daddy's Homecoming

This year we are doing three songs.  Daddy's Homecoming is really popular so the kids wanted to do that one.  We are also doing Fathers which we did last year.  I added new pictures since we are in a new ward. The Grandfather one was a new one though and I decided to make it look kind of old fashioned.  I talked to the kids about black and white tv, and how all dads are old, and so I made the pictures black and white so they could remember their grandpa's watched black and white tv.  I got the photos out of the conference issues of the Ensign.

Wiggle Worms

I found at IKEA in Draper this week these little toys.  They are 50 cents each.  I bought ten of the snakes, to use as wiggle worms.  I have seen this idea before but with my  hands the way they are I haven't been making these things.  Each one will represent a wiggle song that the kids can pick when it's time.  I think I will even put one in the nursery song bucket.
We started Father's day songs today.  The kids remembered Fathers pretty well and Daddy's Homecoming they know well.  We will start the Grandfather song next week.

Army of Helaman

For one of our optional songs we are learning Army of Helaman by Janice Kapp Perry.  I made up visuals for the chorus and taught that first.  Because my hands have been suffering lately I looked online for visual aids for the verses and I found them at:
http://www.jollyjenn.com/flipcharts.html
Actually this site has tons of visual aids for many of the songs, all using pictures from the friend.  I borrowed a printer from a friend and printed these out.  The kids really took to the song, and after 3 weeks they finally have it!
We have combined our Jr. and Sr. primary now because we have so few children since the ward split.  It's really nice to have everyone together and teach just once a Sunday.  Also, this allows the nursery kids to come into the primary room for singing time.  It's a treat for them and a ten minute break for their leaders.  By the time they come into primary they will already be comfortable with the room, where they sit, the presidency and singing time.  Hooray!