Word Hats, Teaching "I Want to Live the Gospel" - 5/19

Since I'm keeping the kids so busy the first couple of Sundays in May (Mother's Day song, all about President Monson), I'm going to focus exclusively on our song for the month the third Sunday.  Our Presidency picked "I Want to Live the Gospel".

I'll introduce the song as suggested in the June 2007 Friend:

"Ask the children, “What do you want?” Give many children an opportunity to respond so that there is a broad assortment of ideas. List them on the board. Tell the children that you are going to tell them what you want. Sing the first verse of “I Want to Live the Gospel.” Ask them what you want (to live the gospel). Post four wordstrips: “to live,” “to know,” “to follow,” “live.” Using questions and repetition, teach the first verse of the song. Ask the children how likely it will be that they get the things listed on the board. Tell them that it is very likely that they will live the gospel if they do what the chorus of the song says. Sing the chorus. Explain that it is a statement of commitment. Point out the words do and say. Ask the children to think of things that they can do and things that they can say to live the gospel. For example, “I can read the scriptures,” or, “I can say thank you to show that I’m grateful.” Ask the children to think of one thing they can do or say this week “to live the gospel more each day.” Tell them that living the gospel begins with trying to do what is right. Testify of the truth of the gospel and the joy it brings. "

For the activity, I will slightly modify an idea I found on Sugardoodle HERE:

- Put the words LIVE, KNOW, FOLLOW, and LIVE (LIVE, KNOW, KNOW, and LEARNED for the 2nd verse) on different colored pieces of paper.
- Place these words on the chalkboard in order.
- Split the room into four groups and assign each one a color (I made hats from strips of color paper, and a larger piece on the front with the key word on it).  Each group only sings their matching color phrase and after each round, the color switches so that they all get a turn to sing each phrase.

Some pictures from the LDS Media Library that I may use to help teach this song:

I want to LIVE the gospel

 

To KNOW that its teachings are true

 

To FOLLOW the plan of my Savior

 

and LIVE as he wants me to do

 

I will try in all I do and say, to live the gospel more each day

 

I want to LIVE the gospel

 

To KNOW I am heard when I pray

 

To KNOW that I will be happy

 

Because I have LEARNED to obey