Primary children

Sunbeam Lesson #21 "I Have Feelings"

Lesson #21   “I Have Feelings”

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

“Our testimonies are often strengthened because of experiences we have. Perhaps you have had an experience that has strengthened your testimony that Heavenly Father answers prayers. Or you may have been blessed for obeying a certain commandment. When you share such experiences, you are a living witness of gospel truths, and the Spirit can bear witness to others that what you say is true. In addition to sharing your own experiences, you should encourage learners to share their experiences as they feel comfortable doing so” Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 45.

Materials needed: Gospel Art Kit pictures, mirror, a ball, paper plates with expressions drawn on, a hand puppet, playdough or a Father’s Day craft (see below).

Take note of what the Sunbeam children did during Sharing Time and on the way to class where they showed an emotion. In class, begin, by telling them what you noticed. If they were sad, discuss why. Happy? Excited?

Show pictures of different children in situations from the Gospel Art Kit such as Children Quarreling (1-48) and Children Playing With Blocks (1-49).  How do these people feel?  How can you tell?

We can feel different ways.  If you are happy, you have a smile on your face and you feel good inside.  If you are sad, you have a frown and you feel bad inside.  Look in the mirror and see what face you are making.

Jesus was happy many times when He lived on the earth. When He was with children, He was happy. He loves children, like you, very much. When Jesus died, many people were sad. Can you see the faces of the people in this picture? (1-73). What are they feeling? Why?

I am grateful that Jesus died for us so that we can all live again. We can live together with our families in heaven because Jesus resurrected and gave that gift to us. That makes me very happy! How does that make you feel?

Sing: “Smiles” (Children’s Songbook, p. 267)

I have a some paper plate faces that show different feelings.  Can you guess what they are? When we see a face, let’s make the same expression with our faces too.

I have a puppet who would like to tell some stories.

Puppet: You and your friend are playing with toys and they won’t share.  they grab a toy from your hands. What should you do if you feel angry?  (Stand up when you hear a good choice, sit down when I say a bad choice)

Hit your friend

Throw a toy

Use your words and say, “Let’s take turns.”

Two children, a brother and sister, are sweeping the kitchen. The brother is sweeping with the broom and the sister is holding the dust pan. The brother sweeps too hard and hits his sister with the broom on accident. The sister says, “You stupid! What should the brother do after his sister called him a bad name? (Stand up when you hear a good choice, sit down when I say a bad choice)

Yell and scream

Call his sister a bad name

Hit his sister

Say, “Don’t call me a bad name.  I don’t like that.”

(Make up more scenarios and possible reactions if desired)

We can also go to an adult and tell them if we need help.  We can ask a teacher, our parents or neighbors if we are in trouble and are sad or afraid.  If we are scared or feel  sad, we can also pray to Heavenly Father. 

Tell a personal story about when you felt scared, worried, alone or sad and how prayer helped you. Keep it a simple and age-appropriate story that is reassuring to the young children. Ask if they have prayed when they were sad or worried or scared. How did they feel after?

Sing: “If You’re Happy” (Children’s Songbook, p. 266)

Sing additional verses with other emotions: (mad.. stomp your feet/sad… make a frown/tired…go to sleep/hurt…cry boo hoo)

Gather children on the floor: Roll a ball back and forth. Each child that catches the ball answers the questions, “What makes you happy?”

Testimony.  Even though we may feel sad or afraid or angry sometimes, we want to be happy.  Heavenly Father and Jesus want  us to be happy.  Jesus died for us so we can live with him again and be happy forever.

Alternative endings: You can get out Play Dough and have the children share it. Sharing makes everyone happy.

Or, if this Sunday falls on Father’s Day, talk about what makes their dad happy. What can they do for their dad? Make a craft or a special card to give to their dad.

Sunbeam lesson #20 "I Am Thankful I Can Smell and Taste"

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

“What skills do I need to develop? The teacher reads that she should observe class members during lessons. She tells herself, “This is a skill that I need to develop, but it will take some practice.” She writes this plan in her journal. As she considers her plan, she realizes that she already has a least one strength that she can build one: she diligently prepares lessons. Because she is always familiar with the lesson material, she will be able to observe class members rather than focus too much on the lesson manual or her notes” Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 25

Materials needed: snack items that have a smell such as an orange, popcorn, pickles, or cinnamon toast; empty small jars (like baby food or film containers, or use Ziploc baggies instead) with cotton balls saturated with strongly smelling liquids such as ammonia, vinegar, perfumes, essential oils, lemon, and gasoline); sugar and salt in similar baggies or in unidentifiable shakers; Art Kit picture 1-35; paper plates with eyes already glued on and printed off paper noses and mouths; glue sticks.

Heavenly Father made our bodies to do many things.  When I point to something on my body, tell me what it does (nose, eyes, ears, fingers, tongue).

Bring out the food items you’ve brought for snack. We can use our tongues and noses to smell and taste these. Hold them under the students’ noses to smell. Tell them to close their eyes so they can think about the smell.  What does it smell like?

Give each child a piece of the snack and ask them to eat it slowly. If we give our tongues enough time, we can tell if it tastes sour, sweet, salty, or something else. Ask them how their snack tastes.

Let’s see how smart your tongues are! I have two things here: salt and sugar. Our eyes can’t tell the difference. They look the same. Salt and sugar can trick our eyes, but I bet they can’t trick our tongues! I’m going to put a little on your tongues and you tell me which one it is. The salt will taste salty and the sugar will taste sweet.

Here is a picture of the Children of Israel gathering manna (show picture 1-35). Remember this story? We talked about it when we wanted to learn about the Sabbath Day. What is another word for the “Sabbath Day”? (Sunday). Do we  work on Sunday? Can anyone remember the story and tell it to us (if no one does, or it they need help, you can tell it). The manna that the Children Israel picked every day except Sunday was very sweet. It tasted like honey, or the sugar we just tasted. They liked it very much.

Our noses can smell different things and it is very smart too. We smell all day. Have you ever smelled something that was burning? What did it smell like? Heavenly Father gave us noses and mouths to enjoying eating and smelling. They also warn us if there is something dangerous, like something burning or not to eat something dangerous. Some things are not good to taste or smell.  They are poison.  Do not taste anything unless you ask your mommy first, especially medicine and things she cleans the house with. (pass around strong smells in cotton balls). What smelled dangerous? What was your favorite?

Let’s see if you can remember all the parts of our bodies that Heavenly Father made for us:

“Monkey See, Monkey Do.”

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap my hands now you can too (all clap)

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap touch my nose now you can too (all touch noses)

Monkey see, monkey do,

I clap stomp my feet now you can too (all stomp)

Repeat with other actions.

Show the paper plate “face.” I see some eyes on this face, but what is missing? Point to your nose. Point to your mouth. Where does your tongue live? (in your mouth). We need to add a nose and a mouth! Let’s see…where should I put the nose (hold up the paper nose and put it in wrong places, and then have the children guide you to the middle of the face with their feedback. Do the same with the mouth). Give them each a plate and one nose and mouth. Once they have put them in their proper places, glue them on. Write around the edge: “I am thankful I can smell and taste.”

Have the children hold up their finished “faces.” Let’s pretend these are real faces and they can sing. We need mouths and tongues to sing. What song should we sing? (have the children pick their favorite Primary songs and sing each one, holding up their paper plate faces.

If you have “Mr. Potato Head” and face parts, this would be a good time to let the Sunbeam children play with putting on different facial features. Talk about the expressions and functions of each.

Bear testimony that our bodies are wonderful gift from Heavenly Father.  We need to take care of them so they can grow big and strong.  We need to eat healthy foods, exercise, get to bed early, wash our bodies to be clean and always give thanks in our prayers to Heavenly Father for our beautiful bodies.

 

 

 

Sunbeam Lesson #19 "I Am Thankful for My Eyes"

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

“When children are criticized or spoken to in a negative way, they often feel inadequate or rejected. They may try to gain attention by disturbing other children or otherwise misbehaving. On the other hand, positive comments will help them understand that you expect the best from them. Recognize the good things they do, and ignore minor problems. As you do so, they will begin to feel that they are accepted, loved, and understood” Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 80.

Materials needed: “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” book by Eric Carle, any hand puppet, a sock puppet for each child (glue googly eyes on and decorate if you’d like) Art kit picture 1-43, a dog leash, a scarf.

Read “Brown Bear.” After reviewing the book, ask, ” What can your eyes see?”

Heavenly Father gave us two eyes.  What do our eyes do?

I have a puppet that has two little eyes. Can you see them? She is going to come around and touch your two little eyes and count, “One, two.”

Use the puppet to sing “Two Little Eyes” from Children’s Songbook, p. 268:

Two little eyes that blink, blink, blink.

Two little eyes that see.

Head and shoulders and knees and toes

and many more things make me.

Tra la la la la lala

Two little eyes that see

Two little eyes that blink, blink, blink

And many more thing make me.

Repeat the song a few times. I’ve got a puppet for each of you (hand them out). Can you put it on and find the two little eyes? Let’s have our puppets sing the song again.

Take their puppets outside to play “Eye Spy.” Discuss how we use our eyes to see so many things.  How grateful we are that Heavenly Father gave us our eyes!  After, take turns playing hide and seek outside.

Back inside, be sure to take back the sock puppets so they aren’t a distraction. Tell them they will get them when it’s time to go home. Sometimes, there are people whose eyes don’t work. They are blind. Tell story of Jesus with blind man, using the picture 1-43.

Do you know any blind people? Do any of them have a guide dog?  We’re going to pretend to be blind and have a guide dog (tie a scarf around a child’s eyes and have another child get down on their hands and knees). Hook a dog leash (or clip on something—like a heavy-duty paper clip—tied to a string) to the child’s shirt collar and have the “dog” lead the “blind” child around the classroom. Take turns. Talk about the trust the blind person has that the dog will keep them safe. Talk about how the dog must love his master to serve him so well.

Review how to walk down the hall quietly. Remind them to put on their “quiet shoes” and use their “indoor voices.” Tell them that we are going to use our eyes to see beautiful things from the life of Jesus. Walk them down the hall and stop in front of any hanging pictures framed on the walls. Ask the children what they see? Who is in the picture? What are they going? What colors do they see? Are there any animals? Etc.

Back in class: Bear testimony of the gift of sight from Heavenly Father.  We can thank him in our prayers for all the beautiful things we see each day. Challenge them to say how grateful they are that they can see when they say their prayers this week.

 

 

Sunbeam Lesson #8 "I Am Thankful for Water."

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

“The Lord has a great work for each of us to do. You may wonder how this can be. You may feel that there is nothing special or superior about you or your ability…The Lord can do remarkable miracles with a person of ordinary ability who is humble, faithful, and diligent in serving the Lord and seeks to improve himself. This is because God is the ultimate source of power” (James E. Faust). Teaching, No Greater Call, p.21

Materials need: Put items in a sack or can:  cup, toothbrush, soap, watering can, (or anything associated with water).  A water bottle and large plastic cups. “Sink and float” items (i.e. pennies, a sponge cut up into pieces, a grape or raisin, a small toy, etc.). Straws. A rain stick if you have one. A picture of a child being baptized and one of the sacrament being passed to the congregation.

Take the children to the bathroom before going to class. Be sure to have them wash their hands. Teach correct hand washing procedures: Turn on the water, lather up with soap on both sides of the hands and in between fingers until they are covered in bubbles, rinse off while you sing the “ABC’s” song. Turn off water and dry hands. While they are washing ask, “How is water helpful in washing your hands?” “What did the water do to the bubbles and the dirt?”  “Why do we wash our hands with soap and water?”

In class: Have a child pull an item out of the sack and say how they would use it.  What else do you need to use it? Repeat with each child and each item.

Each of these things needs water.  We are thankful to Heavenly Father for making water because we need it very much.  

Where does water come from? (get responses:  rain, rivers, lakes, oceans).  Heavenly Father made all these things so we can grow and be healthy.  Everything needs water, not just people.  Plants, flowers, grass, trees too!

Tell the children how there are two very special kinds of water. Show pictures of a boy or girl getting baptized and the sacrament. Explain the importance of water in each picture.  (Be sure that the children are taught appropriately that the water represents-or reminds us of-Jesus’ blood and the water at baptism reminds us that we can be clean when we repent).

Let’s sing a song about different things we do each day with water: (Variation from “Fun to Do” from Children’s Songbook, p. 253).

Brushing our teeth is fun to do…(Variations: Washing our face, washing our clothes, washing the dishes, watering the plants, taking a bath).

Have one child go out. Hide one of items from the sack around the room.  Have the child come back in, find it and tell what we use it for.  Sing the song again about the item they found (i.e “Washing our hands is fun do to…”).  Repeat with each item with different children.

Stand up and sing with actions: (from the Children’s Songbook, p. 241)

Rain is falling all around (hands with fingers wiggling down)

On the housetop (arms up to a peak or triangle)

On the ground (touch the ground)

Rain is falling on my nose (touch nose)

On my head and hands and toes (touch body parts)

If you have the rainstick, tell them that you are going to make a raining sound. Close your eyes.  Can you hear it?  Keep your eyes closed and point to where I am making it rain (do it in different areas of the classroom). Sing the song again while you slowly make the rain sound. Let each child do it and repeat the song.

What would happen if we didn’t have water?  We would all get very thirsty.  All the plants might die. Tell the story about Moses getting water from the rock from Exodus 17:1-6.

Imagine your were one of the Children of Israel in the desert with Moses and it was hot and you didn’t have any water. How would you feel? Give a cup of water to each child to take a drink. How does it make our bodies feel when we drink water? 

Share your testimony about how God made the earth with water so all things could grow. We couldn’t grow without water. Explain how blessed we are that we have clean water and can get it so easily but that we should be careful with it and not waste it.

Extension activity: Fill up the cups with water again and show a tray of the “sink or float” items. Ask the children about each one. Do they think it will sink in the water or stay floating on top. Have them guess at each one. Then hand them each the items, one at a time, and have them experiment. Give each child a straw to blow bubbles in their cup of water.

FYI: If I lived somewhere hot and sunny, we’d go outside and paint the sidewalk with paintbrushes dipped in the water cups. The water makes designs that quickly evaporate and is fun and easy to do. No mess or clean up!