***Note: Please read the post called “10 Lesson Helps” found under “Primary Lesson Listings” before reviewing any of my Sunbeam lesson plan ideas.

“The amount of material you cover is less important than its influence in the lives of those you teach. Because too many concepts at one time can confuse or tire learners, it is usually best to focus on one of two main principles” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 99).

Materials needed: print out of a mother, father, grandma and grandpa; family popsicle stick puppets from the previous week; picture of a temple, art picture 1-18 (Jesus and John the Baptist), paper doll chain cutouts for each child with the words written on them “Families are linked together in the temple.”

How many of you visit your grandma or grandpa’s house?  What do you do there?  How do you know they love you?  Who else loves you in your family? Mom and dad, brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts uncles. 

We belong to a great big family.  Many people love us and take care of us.

When Jesus lived on the Earth, he had a mom and dad, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins, too.  (Show picture). Who are the two people in this picture?  What are they doing? This is a picture of Jesus being baptized. Which one is Jesus? Do you know who baptized him? John the Baptist. He was Jesus’ cousin. They loved each other very much.  John the Baptist taught the people about Jesus. He was like a missionary to get the people ready to listen and obey Jesus.

Who has a cousin? What is your cousins’ name? What do you like to do with your cousin? Cousins are a part of our family who love us.

Choose each child to be a person using the popsicle stick puppets from last week’s lesson. While you name a person in the song, “A Happy Family” each person holds up their puppet: grandpa, grandma, daddy, mommy, sister and brother. Repeat and let the children hold different puppets.  We all stand on the words: “We are a happy family.”  (Children’s Songbook, p. 198).

Tell a personal story of your feelings about a family member that touched you in a positive way. Bear testimony that Heavenly Father wants us to be helpers in our families so we can be happy on earth.

Show each of the 4 pictures and ask what a dad, mom, grandma and grandpa do to help us. Tape each picture up on one of the classroom corner walls. Explain that we are going to play a game. I will close my eyes and count to 10 while they choose one of the pictures to stand under. When I am done counting, I will open my eyes and say the name of each child. They will tell one thing they like to do with the family member in the picture they chose. Repeat and have tell them to choose another picture. Repeat as much as needed.

Here is a picture of a temple.  When we get married in the temple, we can be together in heaven with our families. We will be with our moms and dads, brothers and sisters, grandmas and grandpa. Heavenly Father blesses us with temples so we can be happy in heaven with those we love.

Hold hands in a circle and talk about how families are together forever when the marry in the temple, like holding hands in our circle. Sing “Families Can be Together Forever” as you walk in a circle. (Children’s Songbook, p. 188).

Show one of the paper dolls and explain that these are holding hands in a family like we were. It reminds us that we are together forever as families when we do what is right. Let the children color and take home.