Family Home Evening

We sang "Fun to Do" using a couple of different favorites from the audience. Then we sang the Hello Song using "Bonjour" instead of "Hello" (and they wore berets, which was cute). Finally, we sang "I Know My Father Lives" in Spanish. That really brought the spirit in. Okay, now back to the rest of the workshop.

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Objective:
Music leaders will better understand how to use music to reinforce gospel principles taught in the scriptures.

F - The "F" in F-U-N reminds us to FOCUS the children's listening. We can focus their listening as we capture their attention and ask

"Scripture Power Song Presentation"

How they taught it - 1st verse

Picture of Christ for the first line.

Large scriptures with wordstrips "instructions", "word" on it for next line.

Children standing back to back looking angry, then they turn around and smile and shake hands as the song says they are changing.

2nd verse:

Asked, "What will I find in the scriptures?" (Sing the Answer: I'll find the Sword of Truth.) Sword with a moveable S for the first line. Also read Ephesians 6:17. The S is at the beginning of the word at first and then as you talk about the sword of truth being the WORDS we are learning from the scriptures, you move the S down to say "WORDS".
Second line - Shield that said "Faith" on it. Question: "What will we take from the scriptures?" (Sing the Answer: I'll take the sword of truth)
Third line - Questions: "What will we wear?" (Sing the Answer: "I'll wear each vital part of the armor of the Lord"). She talked about how the heart is a vital organ and that without it we can't survive. Also without the armor of the Lord we will not survive spiritually. So we held our scrptures or hands over our hearts as we sang this line.
Last line - Questions: "And what is our reward", (Sing the Answer amd read D & C 76:6).

On this song we focused the children's listening by

a) sing phrases of the song to learn the melody,
b) help children learn the meaning of the words,
c)involve children - interact with them and help them apply the principle.

They also pointed out that you can make bookmarks with the moveable "s", maybe in activity days or scouts.

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U - The "U" in F-U-N reminds us to USE appropriate teaching methods.

Children love to learn, and learning is fun! When the truth is taught and the spirit is felt in Primary, all of us rejoice together. Children learn best when we prayerfully consider their needs, use teaching methods appropriate for their age, and teach gospel principles from the scriptures.

Include Music Leader in Presidency Meeting to Plan Sharing Time

(They did a little role-play here, planning a ST using the outline at the back of the CSMP Outline and with the music leader participating).

Sharing Time should incorporate music. The presidency plans with the music leader to include songs that will support the gospel principle being taught and actively involve the children.

Use the "Sharing Time planning Work Sheet." Ask:

How can I introduce the gospel principle?
What activity will help children apply the principles?

Refer to Teaching - No Greater Call as a resource for teaching methods - use music, listening, pictures, scriptures, key words, word strips, and appropriate learning activities to make Primary fun and to teach gospel principles.

Referred us to pages 158-184 of TNGC for teaching methods.

(Sharing Time Demonstration)

Sing "We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet"

President Hinckley is our guide.

Read scripture D& C 1:38 and explain

Activity: Picture matching for younger children and scrambled word for older children

Sing "Follow the Prophet" (verse 9) They did actions for this verse - easy enough to figure out your own.

Then they did a spinner to teach the second verse about Enoch.
It had the word "PROPHET" on it - each letter was in a different space, so as you spin you would land on one letter. On the back of each letter was the name of a prophet in one of the verses of the song.

Of course they wanted to teach verse 2 so all of the letters actually had "Enoch" on the back, but the kids don't need to know that. Once

they know all the verses this might be fun to really put different names on the back and spin the wheel.

As we spun the wheel the pianist plays the left hand bass accompaniment CS 110 and right hands plays chromatic scale starting from high C and ending at middle C - kind of a game show feel.

Teaching the "Enoch" Verse (referring to pictures of Enoch)

Continue same verse "echoing" each phrase.
Teach how to find story of Enoch in Pearl of Great Price.
Sing Chorus of song noticing syncopation.
Demonstrate two finger clap with steady beat and how melody syncopates. Have half the children beat out the bass rythym while the other half does the melody.
For chorus use hand motions, hands at waist, at side, and at head.
Bear Testimony.

N - the N in F-U-N reminds us to NURTURE children and testimonies. President Hinckley implored, "Let us nurture our children concerning Him whom we call the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us teach our children the grand saving principles of the gospel."

Welcome children, remember their names and birthdays.

We sang "Hello Friends" to the melody of "A Happy Family", just for a fun change.
Sing "Here We Are Together" replacing the word family with Primary and family members with names of new children.
Sing "Your Happy Birthday" and clap, beat, or stamp to rhythm while speaking the words, use musical instruments for fun. We did this like an African chant, all of us chanted the words and beat out the rhythm on our hands, while some played homemade musical instruments. I wasn't able to see too many of the instruments but I heard a lot of shaking, beating, tamborines, etc. This was a lot of fun and I would like to try it in our Primary...I am just nervous about maintaining reverence because we are such a big group. But maybe I'll try it and see how it goes.

Nurture testimonies of children through music

Our most important goal of Primary music must be nurturing testimonies. But while doing this, we can also have fun!

Music leaders have a vital role in teaching principles with music as they review songs already taught.

Favorite Primary songs of Primary general presidency:
Cheryl Lant's favorite is "Teach Me To Walk in the Light". She said it is a "Sweet expression of what we are all about." For this one, they shined a flashlight and walked up the aisle. As the flashlight came to your row, you stood up and walked in place.
Margaret Lifferth's favorite is "I Feel My Savior's Love" in sign language
Vicki Matsumori's favorite is "Love is Spoken Here" This one I loved! They had scarves in red, yellow, and blue. When they wave the red scarf, you sing. When they wave yellow you sing "la la" (yellow lala). WHen they wave blue you sing oo (Blue OO). We did each verse and then together. When we combined, one would wave either yellow or blue for background while the other group sang. I really thought this could be a great idea for prelufde music as the children come in.