Not just a small primary, a tiny one.

While visiting my brother's ward this week, I was asked to substitute in singing time.  No problem, thought I, a piece of cake.  I knew the primary was small and because it's cold here and the kids all wanted snow to go sledding I decided to do the snowball activity.  I got white paper and some pens and I was ready to go.  I walked into the primary room and stopped short.  I had to take a picture because I really didn't believe.  There were a total of 12 chairs set up.  I was told this was a really optimistic number and that we probably wouldn't have more than 2 or 3.  As it turned out they had 3 children, plus my 3 for a total of 6. 
There is a real challenge in preparing for a primary that is large, and I have even worked in a small primary (10-15 kids) but this was really small.  Knowing that every week each child would have multiple "turns" presents itself a new challenge, making it fun every week, knowing that the anticipation of whether or not the child will get chosen is gone.  I had each child fill out two papers and make two snowballs, but it still wasn't enough songs.  We had extra time so I taught Stand for the Right to them.  It's a quick song and it was fun to do.
It's a lesson learned for me, I need to prepare some ideas for really small primaries, I have a feeling this isn't the only time I'll be substituting in their primary.

2011 Preliminary Schedule

January
2 Nursery Song Sunday
9 If I listen
16  review (Sing in Sacrament meeting - Love is Spoken Here)
23 review
30 review

February
6  I will Follow God's Plan for Me
13
20
27

March
6 Stand for Right
13
20 Praise to the Man (vs. 1+3)

27

April
 3 General Conference
10
17
24 (Mother Dear 206, Grandmother 200 all verses)

May
1 review mother's day songs
8 Faith 96 - Sing in Sacrament meeting, Mother's Day
15
22
29 I Pray in Faith pg. 4

June
5 My Dad 211,
12
19 The Lord Gave me a Temple pg. 153 - Sing in Sacrament meeting for Father's Day
26

July
3 Sing Patriotic Songs/Pioneer Songs
10 The Oxcart 219 and The Handcart Song 220
17
24 Sing in Sacrament meeting
31

August
7 Spirit of God 1 verse
14
21
28  Program Review

September
4 Program Review
11 PROGRAM

Christmas Songs

It's time for a new post.  How could it have been this long?  I missed the posting about the last few months!
I taught Stars Were Gleaming for sacrament meeting this year.  I wrote out the words nice and simple on posterboard and taught the words to the kids 3 weeks ago.  I know that seems early but we are scheduled to sing December 12 in Sacrament Meeting so we really had to get going on the Christmas songs.
We also worked on Christmas bells, and I had a set of pipes for the kids to ring as we sang the song.  That has been really fun.  Oh, this is a sad, sad, post.  I need to get back in the habit!

Singing Meter

Today we took all the time (no sharing time) and went through all the songs.  It took the whole time, but a few of the songs we sung twice.  Next week we'll do some fun ones and wiggle songs as well, but now I know which ones need a little work.

On a Golden Springtime

This was our last song for the program.  I taught it by having the kids decide on their visual aids.  I had three blank posters and as we went through the words I drew or had them draw the pictures.  The visual aids became their own!  I had a few pictures that I put in but mostly it was our drawings.  It was a lot of fun to do, and really easy!  I brought them home and darkened some of the lines up with thicker markers but other than that this was their project as much as mine. 

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.