Primarily Karaoke

If you haven't already seen it, check out the new blog at http://primarilykaraoke.blogspot.com/.  Suzanne has created a couple of really wonderful - and touching - sing along videos for Primary kids.  Really impressive!!  If your ward is internet-savvy this could be a fun 'take home' assignment for your primary.  She says she should have more up soon.

- Adrienne

St. Patrick's Day Singing Time - 3/17

When I was trying to decide what activity to do for St. Patrick's Day, I posted in the Facebook group and ended up getting the same idea I'd originally planned!  You just can't beat the "Lucky vs. Blessed" lesson plan HERE - in my mind it's a great blend of the holiday WITH the spiritual.

With that base in mind, here is my adapted plan for St. Patrick's Day:

- I found a set of shamrock and gold coin MAGNETS today at the Dollar Tree.  I put an image/clue on each one (just printed and glued) to correspond to the songs/things we are LUCKY to have (see below).

- Before Primary, the magnets will go UNDER the CHAIRS, and when singing time starts I'll have the kids check to see if they got one.  Each class will have one, and together their job will be to figure out what the picture means and to come up with THREE things they are LUCKY/BLESSED to have.

- Class by class, we will have a representative bring the magnet up, tell us their 3 things that make them feel LUCKY/BLESSED, and then I'll tell them what song goes along with that blessing.  Each magnet will be placed along a rainbow leading to a pot of gold that will be on the chalkboard.  I painted the rainbow and the pot of gold on butcher paper (I have one of those rolls from IKEA); the cloud is just some taped-together cardstock/posterboard with aluminum foil glued on top.  I also reinforced the pot of gold with cardstock.  The coins came from the same magnet set as the shamrocks.

 

- After they work their way to the pot of gold, we will remove the pot to uncover a picture of Christ in Gethsemane.  We will talk about how, although His experience was painful, Christ gave us a great TREASURE that day - the ability to repent, to be forgiven, and to one day be like him.

SONG IDEAS:

- I Am A Child of God 2 / We are lucky to have a Father in Heaven who loves us
*Bring handbells and use them instead of piano for accompaniment.  Let Sr. Primary practice 1st verse in Spanish

Pick-A-Stick Creature Tool for Primary Singing Time, Wiggle Songs

You might remember that a while ago, I made some "Wiggle Worms", then found an idea I liked even BETTER.  I hadn't even used my wiggle worms yet, so the kids won't notice the difference and I can see SO many more uses for these Popsicle Stick Creatures!!!

 

 

The lady who gave me the idea wrote ways to sing on the stick.  Originally, I planned to write wiggle songs on them, but instead I put numbers.  This way, to change their function, I just have to print out a different reference sheet, as whatever the number the kids pick will correspond to a song on my sheet!  When these guys aren't being used for singing time they may be used to pick chores in my house, and so I wanted something flexible and that will keep the kids guessing as to which creature means which song/chore.

 

 

Yes, I forgot to leave room for the number 10 on my caterpillar . . . but he has 10 body parts other than his head, and so I guess that will be my clue!

 

If you can't tell what they are, I made: a spider, a monster, a dragonfly, a girl, a baby monster, a pig/guinea pig, ladybug, bumblebee, funny looking guy, and caterpillar.

 

I put them all in a box I found for $1 at Target yesterday.

 

Here is the reference sheet I made -

A Case of the Singing Bug - 3/10 Singing Time

For March 10, I originally thought about doing the "Musicial Measles" that seems so popular . . . UNTIL I found this variation, called "A Case of the Singing Bug", from HERE. 

I like that's it's called a singing bug (how many kids know what measles are anymore?) and that the 'antidote' is a skittle.  So fun!!!  And using rainbow-colored skittles is a fun precursor to St. Patty's day!

I'm sure we will still be learning "If the Savior Stood Beside Me", so I will probably write different verses on the back of the dots, and throw in a few fun songs as well.

Thanks to everyone who posts their great ideas online, I love being able to benefit from you all!

Here's how my singing bug turned out.  I used leftover foam board for the body and head, and cereal box cardboard for the spots and legs.  I glued spotted scrapbook paper onto the body, wrapped the edges in red electrical tape, then put a layer of Con-Tact paper over it (and the black spots) to protect it.  The head is just wrapped with black tape on the edges and then painted.

- Adrienne

Singing Time Scratch-Off Poster

I thought I'd post a tutorial on a singing time Scratch-Off Poster I made today, since I was a little nervous to try it.  I'm using this poster to introduce the first verse of "If the Savior Stood Beside Me", but you could use it to highlight the key words for any song.  It's a little time consuming, but I think the kids will really enjoy it.

First, cut some strips of posterboard out, and draw four circles on each.  The first time I tried to line the circles up perfectly, but then ended up staggering them so that I didn't have to be a perfectionist about it!  I just used an Ikea plastic kids bowl to draw the circle.  Somehow I didn't get a picture of just the poster board with the circles, but you get the idea.  Inside each circle I wrote my key words: DO, THINK, FOLLOW, and LIVE.

Next, using the same size circle, draw however many circles you need onto a sheet of Con-tact paper.  Yes, you do need Con-Tact paper (or packing tape will work, I've heard) - no, the 'slippery' paint will NOT come off when painted onto the shiny side of the poster.  I tried it.  Do not try to cut out the circles first, because the circles will curl at the edges and be REALLY hard to paint.  I folded the corners of the Con-Tact sheet down and used the sticky side to keep it adhered to my counter.

I did 9 circles - 4 for each poster (one for Jr. Primary, and one for Sr.) and one to use as a sample.

Next, mix approximately two parts metallic acrylic paint with one part dish soap (recipe from BHG.com):

Introducing "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" with Pennies, Scratch-Off Cards - 3/3 Singing Time

Originally, I planned to play "March Madness" for the first Sunday in March.

However, the more I think about the month's song, "If My Savior Stood Beside Me", the more I feel that I need to make this singing time more spiritual.

Here are some of my ideas:

My Heavenly Father Loves Me Puzzle/Tic-Tac-Toe Review - 2/24 Singing Time

As I mentioned, we have stake conference this Sunday, so I am looking ahead to February 25.  I want to be sure to play a game - I feel like the Sr. Primary, at least, knows this song (My Heavenly Father Loves Me) really well, and so I want to make it fun for them to review it.

Here is my tentative plan:

I will print two copies of the "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" review puzzle I cited in my last post.  However, in addition to placing the wordstrips on the board, I am going to put copies of my popsicle stick prompts on this Tic-Tac-Toe "Toss Across" board that I picked up at the thrift store a few weeks ago:

Here's how we'll play the game:

Awesome Review for My Heavenly Father Loves Me

We have stake conference on February 17, so I won't need to prepare a Singing Time for that week.  However, I just came across this AWESOME My Heavenly Father Loves Me review puzzle . . . . and it's fabulous.  I think I will have to find a way to use it, assuming I can get it to work the way the instructions say it should!!

See the whole outline at the OCD Primary Chorister's Blog HERE.

Create Your Own Song Singing Time Idea

Our awesome pianist (and my AMAZING friend) Michelle gave me this great idea:

- Get a long piece of white paper (like butcher paper size).  Draw the lines of the staff on it and the Treble Cleff (like below, but wider).

- Cut out a variety of large notes from black construction paper - half notes, whole notes, quarter notes, etc.

- Laminate all.

Then, as part of singing time, let the kids take turns picking a note to put on the staff!  Each time, have the pianist play what they've written so far.  By the end of singing time they should have created their very own song!

Conversation Heart Songs - 2/10 Valentine Lesson Plan

I've seen lots of ideas floating around on using conversation hearts for Singing Time and LOVE the idea!  Here is my Valentine's Singing Time plan:

1. CONVERSATION HEARTS:

 I will pick a teacher to choose TWO MEMBERS of the class to come up. ONE will pick a conversation heart from my heart-shaped bowl (more on the other kid later). We will sing the assigned song - I tried to pick a lot of short ones since they will be easier for the younger ones to catch on to if they don't know them and will leave more time for the longer review songs.  I was of course limited based on what phrases happened to come with my pack of conversation hearts!  I made sure to have two of each phrase in case I decide to let the kids eat the hearts they pick.

HEARTS/SONGS: