Make a list of songs you want to review. Draw a simple board game that has a space for each of the songs. It is easiest to quickly draw a simple track on the chalkboard and then just use a large seasonal magnet for a game piece. But, you can also make a reusable game board on a poster. Write questions that can be answered with specific words from the review songs. For example, you could ask the children “Why have we been saved for these latter days?” and someone would need to answer, “To build the kingdom in righteous ways.” (We’ll Bring the World His Truth, verse 2, CS-172).
Place the marker at the start. You can read the questions from a list or put them on word strips for the children to choose from a can or a basket. Give the pianist a list of the questions so she can find the page as quickly as possible. As each question is answered correctly, move the marker ahead one space and then sing the song.
If the children have trouble remembering the words from the song, especially in the beginning, as they learn how to play the game, it may help for you to sing the phrase that comes just before the answer as a kind of hint. Or, have the pianist play the phrase that includes the answer. Once the children know how to play this game, I insist that they give the exact words from the song. This helps me know whether the children know the words precisely or just “sort of.”
If you run out of time on the last couple of songs, sing just the phrases that include the answer, so that the marker can reach the finish. If you can see that you will be short of time before you even begin, you can say something like, “move ahead two spaces” on two or three of the songs and then sing fewer songs altogether.
Here is a list of questions for some random review songs.
- What did Jesus do a long time ago in a beautiful place to the children who were gathered round him? (I Know That My Savior Loves Me)
- I know something that the Spirit whispers to me and tells me it is true. What do I know? (I Know My Father Lives, CS-5)
- Who can name the whole list of things that we will bring thanks to our Father for? (Thanks to Our Father, CS-20)
- Where did the loving mother lay her baby? (Once Within a Lowly Stable, CS-41)
- Because Jesus is our loving friend, what will he do for us? (Jesus is Our Loving Friend, CS-58)
- Because saying “I’m sorry” is not easy, what will I try to do? (Repentance, CS-98)
- What do I like to do whenever there is rain? (When I Am Baptized, CS-103)
- If I listen to that still small voice, what will I do each time I make a choice? (The Holy Ghost, CS-105)
- How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death? (He Sent His Son, CS-34)
- When the boat was tossed in a tempest on Galilee, what the Master do? (Tell Me The Stories of Jesus, CS-57)
- What marks are in the hands and side of the resurrected body of Jesus? (Did Jesus Really Live Again? verse 3, CS-64)
- It shouldn’t be hard to sit very still and think which two things about Jesus? (To Think About Jesus, CS-71)
- I feel my Savior’s love. What does he know I will do? (I Feel My Savior’s Love, CS-74)
- Because I’m trying to be like Jesus, what will I do at times I am tempted? (I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus, CS-78)
- What is the one thing I’m sure Jesus will do when He comes again? (When He Comes, CS-82)
- Where was Jesus baptized, long ago? (Baptism, CS-100)
- When Christ was on the earth, what did He promise to send? (The Holy Ghost, CS-105)
- If I listen with my heart, what will I hear? (If I Listen With My Heart)
- The Lord needs certain people to do something in the latter days. Who does he need to do what? (I Will Be Valiant, CS-162)
- When we all lived in heaven and the Father said He needed someone, what did Jesus say? (I Lived in Heaven, CS-4)
3 comments:
Great idea! Simple - yet perfect!
I love that idea - especially with the questions in eggs. Now I'm thinking about changing my plans for Sunday...
On a side note, I am interested to hear how you are planning on teaching "Praise to the Man" next month. I have a plan for Senior Primary, but how to teach the 4 and 5 year-olds about communing with Jehovah, anointing prophets and seers, opening dispensations, kings extolling, etc is still befuddling me. I'd appreciate any ideas!
Ah Emily, don't laugh at me, but I've not yet decided how I'm handling "Praise to the Man." I do know that I'm only planning to teach one verse to all the children and I'll probably teach it a phrase at a time with an activity like "When You Hear" or "The Advancing Game" (see the Teaching Methods label). Thankfully the music is so upbeat and energizing, but all those big words are a bit much for the little ones. I do have a review game planned that focuses specifically on keywords, once we've gone through the song a couple of times. I should have a post that describes this game coming up directly. Your idea for "Zip Your Lips" could work great, focusing on each one of the difficult words and discussing them with the kids. If you played that game first, with you singing to the children and challenging them to listen for those keywords as you zip your lips, it may prepare them to listen again when you actually teach the words of the song. Just a thought.
Bridges at The Ordinary Adventures of a Primary Chorister has a fabulous flip chart on her blog this week for this song. You'll want to look at that. You could maybe use the pictures with the younger ones, putting the pictures in order as you sing or using the pics with something like "The Exploded Flipchart" (see the Teaching Methods label).
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