Easter Hosana
(by Jenny)

OPENING:
Begin by showing a picture of Christ visiting America

The people in the Americas heard a voice from heaven say: (3 Nephi 11: 8-17 OR have scriptures written on cards for older kids so they can each read a verse) ~ I will not read every verse ~ I think I was skipping verse 10 and a little of a few others.

There is also a song about this story in the scriptures.

It is called EASTER HOSANNA.

See if you can figure out why the name to the song is EASTER HOSANNA while I sing it to you: (sing, using the actions)

Easter is when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection, and this song is about the resurrected Christ appearing to the Nephites-Christ died for them and for us ~ so it is all about Easter!

TEACH SONG:
Let's learn the chorus first ~ does anyone remember what the people said to Christ? (Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!")

We sing those exact words twice for the chorus.

Explain why they said Hosanna.

  • We have sung Hosanna in a few songs (Like Samuel Tells of Baby Jesus, etc.) so, I am going to show you how to say it in sign language. (Could also use palm leaves ~ half the group waves palm leaves, half sign, then they switch ~ could also use tone bells-esp. with seniors, if harmony is taught.)

    • Now let's learn the story part of the song. On the board, I will have a picture to go with each phrase of the song, and next to it some dashes to show how to pitch lead that phrase.

    For fun, we will also use some instruments. (Pass them out-they can only play them when THEY sing-play to the beat of the song.)

    The first verse begins: (teach line by line, I use actions while I sing a line and they pitch lead--as shown in the Friend Magazine, then they echo back and then echo and play instruments, I sing next line, they echo back line 2, then sing and play line 1 and 2 and so on)

    CLOSING:
    Show the kids an egg.
    Does anyone know why we decorate eggs and hunt for them at Easter?
    The egg is symbolic of Jesus and his tomb! Just as Jesus came out of the tomb, a baby chick comes out of the egg. So, it reminds us of the resurrection.
    Pass a basket with plastic eggs in it around the room ~ as the children remove an egg; they must say the next word in the song.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    On a side note:

    I do plan to teach the sr. boys the lower harmony part ~ I am hoping that will peek their interest if they have a "special" part.

    I have debated teaching it two ways:

    1) Teach all kids the melody to the chorus, then once they have it down, teach the boys their part ~ maybe on a scout night and they can "surprise" the girls with it the next time we sing it. I am teaching the obligato of I Am a Child of God to the girl's this way (going to Achievement Days, as a "surprise" for the boys), so it might be fun for the boys to have a surprise for the girls too.

    2) Have the boys plug their ears, teach the girls the melody. Then the girls plug their ears, teach the boys the harmony. What do you all think? :)