Month: August 2013

Lesson #32 "I Am Thankful for Food and Clothing"

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

“Let us make this clear. Even though what we teach is true, it is not of God unless it is taught by the power of the Spirit. There is no conversion, no spiritual experience, unless the Spirit of the Lord is involved” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 9).

Materials needed: pictures of fruits and vegetables, pictures of animals and their products (see lesson), farm food, including apples (see lesson) and a knife.

For a snack, bring in food from a farm (apple, boiled egg, cheese, being mindful of any food allergies).  While you eat them, discuss where do these come from?  Heavenly Father created many things for us so we can have delicious food.  He made trees and plants to grow fruit and vegetables.  He made animals so we can have food like bacon and ham from pigs, eggs from chickens, milk and cheese from cows and wool from sheep to made clothes.

Show and discuss the pictures of food and put them on the floor. Hold up each picture of animals and ask which thing comes from this animal. (sheep=wool clothing; pig=bacon; cow=hamburger, cheese or milk; hen=eggs). What sound does each of these animals make?

Sing “Farm Sounds” (to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus”)

The pig in the pen goes oink, oink, oink…all around the farm.

The sheep on the hill go….

The rooster on the fence goes…

The ducks on the pond goes…

The chicks in the coop go…

Put the pictures all on the floor and play “concentration” to see if you can match the food to the animal it comes from.

Heavenly Father created these animals and all the food we eat. He also gave us clothing. What are you wearing today? (Discuss their clothing).

Sing “Mary Wore Her Red Dress”

(say a child’s name) wore a (describe a clothing item) repeated 4 times

All day long.

Example:

Lily wore her black shoes, black shoes, black shoes

Lily wore her black shoes all day long.

Ashton wore his green vest, green vest, green vest

Ashton wore his green vest all day long.

We can tell our Heavenly Father we are thankful for our food and clothes when we say our prayers.  Who says a prayer before they eat breakfast?  Lunch? Dinner?   We should always say a prayer.  Let’s practice how we pray before a meal (each child takes a turn saying a prayer of thanks).

Cut open an apple and look at the seeds. All the fruits and vegetables begin as seeds.  Heavenly Father created the seeds and made the sun, soil, air and water to make the seeds grow into a plant.  I’m going to give you a picture of a fruit or vegetable and you hold it.  Pretend to be a seed by crouching in a ball.  I’m going to be the sun, air, and water and help you to grow. (Roll play). Hold up your picture when you are big and tall.  Repeat as needed.

Sing: “Way Up High in the Apple Tree”

Way up high in the apple tree (point up)

Five little apples smiled down at me (extend 5 fingers)

I shook the tree as hard as I could (pretend to shake a tree)

Down came an apple, mmm, mmm it was good (rub your stomach)

Way up high in the apple tree,

Four little apples…(repeat until all the apples are gone)

End with your testimony of what things you are thankful for, including specific food and clothing.  Bear witness that all good things come from God, and he takes care of our most basic needs: what to wear and what to eat. The earth is full of goodness and was created to bless us.

Lesson #31 "I Am Thankful For My Home"

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

“In a learning atmosphere, we (1) edify each other through our participation, (2) love and help each other, and (3) desire to search for truth together…We edify each other when we listen carefully to each other’s comments, participate in discussions and other learning activities, ask thoughtful questions, pray together, offer personal experiences and insights, and bear testimony” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 77).

Materials needed: glass jar with a little dirt, a stick and an insect (could be one you caught from outdoors), chalk and a chalkboard (or whiteboard and dry erase markers), objects that function within a home (i.e. rolling pin, sponge, hair comb or brush, eating utensil, remote control), Gospel Art pictures: 1-25, 1-23, and 1-45, 1-9, 1-53, 1-15, 1-6, 1-48. 1-7, 10,  booklet with pictures for each child (see below), glue stick.

Show jar with dirt and stick with a insect inside.

What animal or insect could live in here?  Discuss the insect, what it does, what it looks like, what it needs to live.

Show picture 1-25. What animal it this? What other animals live in water? Draw what the children name. Discuss what these animals do, what they look like, what they need to live.

Show picture 1-23. What animal is this? Where is is living? What other animals live in trees? Draw what the children name. Discuss what these animals do, what they look like, what they need to live.

Draw a deer on a mountain. What animal is this? What other animals live on mountains? Draw what the children name. Discuss what these animals do, what they look like, what they need to live.

Draw a lion in a jungle. What animal is this? What other animals live in the jungle? Draw what the children name. Discuss what these animals do, what they look like, what they need to live.

Animals live in many different places.  People live in many kinds of homes, too. Draw different kinds of homes (apartments, single family homes, houseboat, igloos, R.V.s). Which kind of house do you live in?

No matter where we live, our home is a place where we can live with our family and love each other. In our homes we can pray, eat together, have family home evenings, play games, work and talk to each other.

I have some things in a bag. I want you to pick one out and tell me how you use it in your home.

Walk in a circle, singing different verses and doing the actions to “Fun to Do” (Children’s p. 253).

“Washing the Dishes is fun to do….”

“Brushing our hair is fun to do… etc”

Show the Gospel Art pictures of different families doing activities in their homes. Ask the children what the people are doing together and which room in the house it looks like they are in. Be sure to relate the people and activities to the children, asking, “Where do you read your scriptures, eat your lunch…? etc.”) after each picture.

Teach this action verse: (Repeat as necessary. Explain that “barge” means a large boat)

“Homes”

My home could be a castle large, (spread arms out)

A tent or boat or on a barge, (point arms into a peak over head, paddle with hands)

But of all these places I’d rather live (point to self)

in my own home with love to give. (hug self)

When Jesus came to earth to live, he lived in a home with his parents, Mary and Joseph. Jesus learned from his parents that he needed to help clean up and take care of his house. How do we take care of our house?

What should you do if you are playing outside and get mud on your shoes?

What if you play with toys and leave them out on your floor?

What should you do after dinner when the dirty dishes are on the table?

What should you do with your dirty clothes when you change into your pajamas?

The most special home on earth is Heavenly Father’s home. It has a special name. Do you know the name of His house? (temple). Inside, it is very, very clean because we want to show respect and honor for Him. Show the picture 1-54 and talk about temples briefly and the temple that is nearest you. If you have been inside a temple, share your feelings and testimony about the sacredness of the place.

Bring out booklets for each child of the action verse “Homes” they learned. Have the words printed already for each page, but let the children glue on the correct pictures you have printed from the internet and take it home to share with their family

Cover: “Homes”

Page 1: My home could be a castle large, (picture of castle)

Page 2: A tent (picture of tent)

Page 3 or boat or on a barge, (picture of a boat or barge)

Page 4 But of all these places I’d rather live (picture of a child)

Page 5 in my own home with love to give. (picture of a home with a heart in the middle of it)

Sunbeam Lesson #30 "I Can Forgive Others"

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

Materials needed: popsicle sticks and the downloaded figures from the link below, crayons, Gospel Art Kit picture 1-59.

Last week, do you remember what we talked out in our Primary Sunbeam class? (give them some clues if they need, such as, “What did my puppet Jack do?” “What did I say when I forgot to give someone a snack?” “What song did we learn about making a mistake?”)

Sing the “Mistake Song” again.

When someone makes a mistake, and says, “I’m sorry,” what should we say back to them? (discuss)

When we say, “That’s okay” and forgive someone else, it helps us to be happy. We are friends with others. Sometimes people make big mistakes, and it hurts us. Has this ever happened to you?

Someone pushes you down and you get hurt.

Someone grabs a toy from you and won’t share.

Someone says a mean word to you.

Someone tells you they don’t want to play with you.

What should you do?

Do this finger/hand play together for the children:

Once upon a time there were two little hands who loved each other.

They rubbed each other, patted each other, hugged each other and clapped together (do each action)

But one day, one said to the other (make one hand to be a “speaking mouth”) “I don’t want to play with you anymore. You’re not my friend!” So the other hand said, “Then I’m not your friend either!

And they both ran away! (put hands quickly behind back)

Oh dear! What can we do? Let’s tell them, “Come on hands, let’s be friends. Come on hands, let’s be friends.. (slowly brings both hands around from behind the back to the front until they are almost touching)…but the hands said, “No!” (quickly put hands behind back)

Repeat the “Oh dear!” part above and have the hands reject each other a few times.

On the 3rd or 4th time, end with “…and the hands said, “I forgive you.”

And they rubbed each other, patted each other, hugged each other and clapped together (do each action) just like before. They were so much happier when they were friends!

(If the children enjoyed the fingerplay, you can do it again, and this time have the children use their hands to do it with you)

Teach the children the song “Help Me, Dear Father (Children’s Songbook, p. 99)

Help me, dear Father, to freely forgive

All who may seem unkind to me.

Help me each day, Father I pray;

Help me live nearer, nearer to thee.

Show the Gospel Art Kit picture 1-59. Talk about how Jesus was cruelly treated by the soldiers, yet he forgave them from the cross. He taught us that it isn’t good to be angry for a long time when others are mean to us. If we forgive them, then we feel peace in our hearts.

Down load this 2-page document: https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/children/resources/topics/joseph-of-egypt/Joseph-Holds-to-the-Rod-1998-07-friend.pdf?lang=eng

Tell the story of Joseph forgiving his brothers from page one.

From page two: Color and cut out stick figures of each and put on popsicle sticks for each child. When they are all done, tell the story again and have them hold up the corresponding stick figure. Then have them tell the story to each other. Help them when needed. Encourage them to take home their stick puppets and tell the story to their family for Family Home Evening.

 

Lesson #29 "I Can Say I'm Sorry"

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

“If you have begun preparation early, you will be more aware of experiences, stories, and scriptures that will help those you teach. Thoughts may come to you as you ponder the principles to be taught and the needs of those you teach. This is one way that the Spirit can guide you in your preparation. You may want to carry a notebook so you can write down ideas as they come to you.” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 99).

Materials needed: snacks, wet wipes, an ipad or tablet, a male puppet, pictures 1-71 and 1-60, strips of cardstock (or heavy paper) for each child folded like an accordion so there are 4 panels, scissors, glue sticks and copies of the 4 pictures for each child from the link below, pieces of paper numbered 1-10.

When the children come into the class, take away one of the chairs so there is one too few. When the children realize this, say “Uh oh, I made a mistake. I’m sorry!” and set up a chair.

Tell the children you have a snacks today, but they need to clean their hands first. Give some of the children a wet wipe, but skip a few. When they realize what you’ve done, say, “Uh oh, I made a mistake. I’m sorry!” and give the missing children a wipe.

Tell them to throw their wipe away, and when you throw yours into the garbage, miss the garbage can and throw it instead on the floor. Pick it up and say, “Uh oh, I made a mistake. I’m sorry!” and throw it in the garbage. If any child also misses the garbage, have them repeat the expression.

Pass one snack serving to some children, but miss a few. When they realize what you’ve done, say, “Uh oh, I made a mistake. I’m sorry!” and give the missing children their snack.

While they are eating, ask the children what kept happening. What did I keep doing? What did I say after each time I made a mistake? Why did I say that? Do you ever make a mistake? Discuss times when they made a mistake and what they did and said.

We are going to sing a song so we can remember what to say when we make a mistake.

(Sing to the tune “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)

“Mistake Song”

“Uh oh, I made a mistake, a mistake, a mistake,

Uh oh, I made a mistake, I am very sorry.”

Repeat until the children learn it well.

When we make mistakes we need to say we are sorry and apologize. I brought a friend named Jack who is going to tell us about how to say “I’m sorry.”  (Have the puppet “tell” a story about how he was playing with his friend and wouldn’t share his toy car. His friend grabbed the car and Jack hit him. His friend cried and Jack felt bad.  He said, “I’m sorry.” He decided to share the toy car and the two friends took turns playing with it).

Ask: What did Jack do that was wrong?

How did his friend feel when Jack didn’t share his toy?

When Jack apologized and shared the toy, how did they feel? 

We can make bad feelings go away when we say we are sorry and do what is right.

In the Book of Mormon, there was a family that made a lot of mistakes. Their father was named Lehi, and he had sons named Laman, Lemuel, Sam and Nephi. Lehi wanted to get to the Promised Land but he had some problems with some of his sons. Let’s pretend this puppet is Lehi and we’ll put him on the #1 square. He wants to get to the last square #10 and we will call that the Promised Land.

Read the following scenarios and have the children decide if “Lehi” can advance because something good happened, or if he has to go back one square because one of his sons made a mistake. If he has to move back, they can sing the “Mistake Song” and then you can read the next scenario.

Lehi saw a vision from Heavenly Father and told his family about it.

Lehi’s sons Laman and Lemuel argued with their father and told him they didn’t believe in his vision.

Lehi’s sons Sam and Nephi believed their father and obeyed him because he was the prophet.

Laman and Lemuel said they were sorry and they obeyed their father.

The whole family left their home, followed their father Lehi, the prophet into the wilderness.

Laman and Lemuel got mad at Nephi and tried to hurt him while they were traveling.

Heavenly Father send an angel to tell Laman and Lemuel to be nice and they apologized to Nephi and Sam.

Nephi was commanded by God to build a ship and he obeyed.

Laman and Lemuel laughed at Nephi and made fun of him.

Nephi showed great power to his wicked brothers and they said they were sorry.

All the brothers worked on building the boat together. When they followed the Spirit and obeyed Heavenly Father, everyone was happy. (show picture 1-71)

When they were on the boat, crossing the ocean, Laman and Lemuel began being rude again. They hurt Nephi and everyone was sad.

A big storm came and rocked the boat so much everyone was afraid they would die. Nephi and Lehi prayed to Heavenly Father to calm the water.

Laman and Lemuel became so afraid, they said they were sorry to Nephi, and the storm stopped.

Everyone sailed peacefully and safely across the ocean. (show picture 1-60)

They all arrived at the Promised Land and thanked Heavenly Father.

Take out the 4 pictures cut out from the following link:

https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/content/images/magazines/friend/2012/07/fr12jul34-learning-from-mistakes.pdf?lang=eng

Sit the children on the floor and put the pictures, one by one, in front of them. Talk about what is happening in each picture. Then help the children put them in order. Discuss how we all make mistakes, and sometimes that makes others feel sad, like when Kelsey accidentally ripped off the stuffed frog’s arm. When we make a mistake, the Holy Ghost helps us feel bad so we can make things right again.

Have them children put their own 4 pictures in order and glue them on their own “story strip” of paper to take home. Have them tell you the story in order before they leave and encourage them to tell their family the story of Kelsey in their next Family Home Evening.

Watch “The Shiny Bike” from the Mormon Channel on the ipad. What did the boy do that was a mistake? How did he say he was sorry? What did he do to fix his mistake?

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2609209978001

Lesson #28 "I Can Be Obedient"

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

“Planning a lesson takes time and attention. Soon after you finish one lesson, begin preparing for the next. You will probably be most aware of those you teach and their needs and interests immediately after you have been with them. You will also be most aware of their responses to your teaching” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 98).

Materials needed: pictures 1-5 and 1-3, healthy snacks, a “fishing pole” and fish made from a rod with a string and a magnet at the end and paper fish with a paper clip and different instructions written on each one.

Remind the children that last week we talked about how important it was to say our prayers everyday. Ask them if they remember why we pray to Heavenly Father. Ask them when we usually pray. Ask each child if they said their prayers (and when if they did). Praise them for their efforts and encourage them to continue every day.

Tell this story in your own words:

There was once a little girl named Claire. When her mommy asked her to do something, she never obeyed. This is what her mommy heard:

Claire, it’s time to wake up. “No!”

Claire, it’s time to brush your teeth. “No! I don’t want to.”

Claire, it’s time to get dressed. “No, I want to stay in my pajamas.”

Claire, you need to get ready for school. “I don’t want to go to school.”

Every day, Claire’s mommy was very sad that Claire always said, “No” and didn’t obey. Did her mommy ask her to do hard things? (no) Did Claire’s mommy love her? (yes). Then why do you think Claire didn’t want to obey her mom? (discuss various answers). Do you think Claire was a happy little girl? Do you think if she obeyed she would be happy instead? How do you feel when you obey your mom and dad? When they ask us to do something, we should say “Yes” so we can all be happy.

Show picture 1-5. Do you see the picture of this baby?  Who is taking care of it?  What do they do for the baby?  Moms and dads love their babies and help them to be healthy and happy.  When the baby grows up, it will be a little boy or girl like you.  Our moms and dads always want to take care of us so we should do what they tell us to do.  What were some of the things Claire’s mom asked her to do?  What does your mom and dad ask you to do?  Do you obey them?

Sing “Quickly I’ll Obey” (Children’s Songbook, p. 197). Tell the children to jump up and down when we say the word “quickly.”

Once there were 5 little monkeys who didn’t obey their mother. She tucked them into bed and turned off the lights for them to go to sleep, but they didn’t mind her.  Instead, they jumped on the bed and made lots of noise. 

Sing the fingerplay song, “Five Little Monkeys”

What happened to the disobedient monkeys?

We should always obey our parents and also our Heavenly Father.  He gave us commandments and we will be happy if we obey the commandments.  Some of the commandments are to pray, to go to church, to take the sacrament reverently, and to tell the truth.

Another commandment is to eat healthy foods. This is a picture of a boy named Daniel who lived a long time ago.  (Show picture 1-37 and tell the story of Daniel in the King’s Court). I know that obeying the commandment of eating healthy food will make me happy and keep my body feeling good. I’ve brought some healthy snacks for us to eat, just like Daniel and his friends did.

Let’s play a game about how well you can listen and obey. We’ll go pretend fishing and we have to do whatever the fish says. (Let the children “catch” the “fish” by putting the paper fish on the floor and having the magnet attach to a paper clip. Then read what is written on the fish they caught–like “do 5 jumping jacks,” or “sing the ABC song,” or “do a somersault.”)

Bear testimony that Heavenly Father loves us and we should obey the commandments and obey our parents to be happy.

Lesson #27 "We Can Pray As a Family"

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

“Have clearly in mind what should happen in the lives of those you teach as a result of this lesson. Ask yourself, ‘Will the lesson bring these results?’…You may be prompted by the Spirit to make changes right up to the last minute. You may even be prompted to make changes in the very moment you are teaching. Be open to all these promptings, and recognize that it is your careful preparation that allows you to receive the ongoing guidance of the Spirit.” (Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 99)

Materials needed: a cellphone, pictures of different families praying, costumes from around the world, a small ball.

Who likes to talk on a phone?  Who do you talk to?  What do you talk about? Let’s pretend you are talking to your grandma.  What would you tell her? (use a cell phone and pretend to talk to each child) How do you know you are talking to your grandma when you can’t see her? 

Our Heavenly Father loves us to talk to him.  But we can’t see Him.  How do we talk to him? Show pictures of different families praying.  What are they doing? When can we pray? When we pray, we are talking to Heavenly Father.

What should we say to Heavenly Father when we pray before eating? Before bedtime?

We can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere. Tell a story about when you had a prayer answered. Make sure it is simple and age appropriate.

What do we do with our bodies when we pray? Talk about each body part and what it looks like in a reverent posture.

Sing the prayer song “We Bow our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, p. 25)

Children all over the world say prayers to Heavenly Father because he is God, the Father of us all. I have some pieces of clothing from children that are from far away places and speak different languages and wear different clothing. Let each child come up and pick out an item from a sack. Dress up the children in the clothing. These are all children of Heavenly Father like you.

I’m going to sing a song about children in different countries who pray to Heavenly Father (“Children All Over the World,” Children’s Songbook, p. 16)

Sing just this part of the song:

“All over the world at the end of day

Heavenly Father’s children kneel down to pray,

Each saying thank you  in their own special way,

Saying thank you, thank you, in their own special way.”

Tell the children that you will sing it again, and want them to count how many times you say the words “Thank you.” Then, tell them the next time you sing it, you want them to sing the words “thank you.” Sing it a few times as you hold hands in a circle.

Take off the dress up clothing and sit down in a circle. Roll a ball and have each child tell what they can be thankful for.

While sitting in circle, ask the children when they can pray (morning and night, before meals, when they are scared or need help, etc.) Tell them you brought a snack and want to practice saying a “thank you” prayer before eating it. Have each child say a simple prayer of gratitude for primary and the snacks you are about to eat.

Challenge the children to pray every day in their homes. Tell them you will ask them next week if they remembered to talk to Heavenly Father in their prayer.