St. Patrick's Day Singing Time

Didn't even have to think on this one (of course, that is the case many times - thank you singing time ladies!!!!!)
St. Patrick's day is ON Sunday this year, and Primary Singing Time Ideas for Leaders posted an absolutely incredible Lucky versus Blessed St. Patties idea with corresponding songs (So I don't have to think!!!!!! This is great!) But seriously, it is a wonderful idea that I am so blessed to have found. Thanks so much Brittney!!!

Super Idea for My Heavenly Father Loves Me

Probably won't do this (simply because I have run out of time), but I sure don't want to forget it:

Hum your favorite Hymn has a great idea for My Heavenly Father Love Me

It took me a few minutes to get the whole map/globe association, but this is a great idea, and I LOVE the words and other song associations that she picked.

It's hard for me to explain, so just go read the post, you'll love it!

What do YOU know about "My Heavenly Father Loves Me?"

(This image is from lovemom.com - apparently this is a pillow case that you can buy and it comes with crayons that you use to color it)

Originally, I wanted to write a post about how my 17 year old daughter DID NOT KNOW this song. It made me cry - and laugh at the same time - it was weird. She vaguely remembered the part about "the velvet rose", but that was it. Truly - a travesty.

(from wikipedia.com)

 But that's all I had at the time and I didn't feel that it warranted a post.

However, I also didn't even know the name of the song myself. That seems terribly strange as now, after February is almost over: I have said it, sang it, and written it so many times that it seems like I have always known this song is titled as it is. But truly, when I saw the song in the Sharing Time Outline, I had NO IDEA what song "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" was. I kept on thinking that it was the one IN the outline, but when I looked it up in the songbook, I was like: "Oh yeah!!! The one about birds and roses and that goes incredibly high at the end"

Speaking of going incredibly high at the end: Was that how you learned it? Well, believe it or not, that was NOT how it was originally written. That super high part was the optional part, but was misprinted in the Sing With Me (that fabulously orange and canvas covered book) as the melody and In the Leafy TreeTops has a fabulous post about it that everyone should read.

Did YOU know all these things? I am so very grateful for the internet and the fact that I can find out all these awesome things!!!!

Missionary game

Thanks to Primary Notes 29, I found another great idea!

This super awesome missionary game from Susan Fitch Design.

Susan Fitch Design has all of the parts in a zip file and you have to download each jpg. I have put each jpg in a word document and if you would like to have a copy of my word doc, just comment below. {Didn't ask the author yet, so I didn't feel it would be right to post a pdf of all of her jpgs} Keep in mind, this is all Susan's work - I just copied and pasted (LOVE that control-V action!!!!!) 

Bubble Gum Ben

Found a great idea on the Facebook Choristers page:

Bubble Gum Ben (Or maybe Bob or Billy or Brad - I have a son named Benjamin who might get a bit possessive, so I'll probably have to change it). The above image is from livecrafteat.com and in the post, the author said if you emailed, she would send you a pdf of the tracings of her pieces. I got mine just a few hours after I emailed and I can't wait to use it!!!!! Thank you so much Katie!

If the Savior Stood Beside Me activity from the Friend

Boo
stinking
Yah
is all I can say.
So I JUST posted a post saying that I need to use the Friend more. Then I find THIS. Oh WOW. 

So, five years ago, this song was learned in primary as well. I'll probably use this diorama if the fabulous ladies in the primary presidency don't have the same idea. I'm going to use this for the last week in March (and may bring a game, just in case someone does have the same idea)

Singing Clock

Oh where, oh where would we be without the Friend? I think I forget about it way too often. In the wake of new ideas and this rambling treasure trove of the internet, I become like a kid in a giant candy store with my eyes wide and not able to focus on anything for more than a minute. So slowing down for a second, here is a fabulous idea from the Friend - a resource that I need to keep going back to way more often than I do.

I found this awesome singing clock via the chorister group on facebook. From the Friend, of course. October 1983, idea by Pat Graham and illustrated by Beth Maryon

This year's Valentine's activity

Today's post title is actually a misnomer: for I plan on this year's Valentine's lesson being the Valentine lesson for EVERY year! You know, because I am lazy like that. I garnered my ideas from Camille's Primary Ideas and Primary Notes 29 and have a complete post here.
Still haven't made my snack, but it seems easy, so hopefully I will follow through.
Also, here are all the songs I plan to post that go with this activity:

Songs for Posting for Valentines Day by Laura Henckel

Happy Heart Day Singing!!!!

An Idea for 5th Sunday

I often browse through the oodles of primary blogs (see list at right) and think: "Oh, that's a great idea - I'll do that weeks and weeks from now" and for some reason I don't stop to think "And yes, I had better write that down or make a post or something so I won't forget it"

So I forget and then consequently spend unmentionable amounts of time looking for that idea again.

As a consequence, my posts won't be as chronological as I initially planned.

So today's cut and paste idea is:
The Every Last Lyric Game from Sunbeam Singing

found on google images

And no, I never have heard of this game, but it sounds like a super game for Senior Primary. In our branch, we plan on having a Singing Time Sharing Time (Singing time for the whole block), so I am trying to come up with ideas to fill up the whole time.


Apparently you write something down continuously until someone rolls doubles. So in this case, it would be writing down lyrics to songs you are reviewing.

Rebus Quandary

(image from religiousness.net)

So, I thought I was doing GREAT and being all plan-aheady and stuff. I started looking for ideas on "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" and found cute ideas on Sugardoodle. Someone posted a cute little poster that she had made with rebus symbols. The only comment on that poster was kind of snarky and blasted her for using rebus symbols.

This has launched me into a mind boggling quandary: (never knew there was a second "a" in that word)
I know I have used hearts to represent the words love or loving, etc.
Now what I want to know - Is that wrong?

So I looked it up. At first I found a question on Mormon Share that linked to another Ensign article (you have to scroll down a bit), but didn't actually say (or at least that I could find) that their quote for the answer was also directly from the Ensign. (That would have saved a LOT of time - but that's okay) {I looked up "rebus" on lds.org and it is apparent that rebus is okay for other uses, just not this one - as many of the links were actual rebus stories}

Reading Sister Hoole's article, it seems as if the rebus issue applies more to abstract concepts:

"I find that memory aids are appropriate when used with wisdom and propriety, but they can also be misused and confuse children or cheapen sacred things. For example, when we want children to think of the gift of the Holy Ghost, we do not want them to visualize a wrapped present.

Another method that I think is frequently misused in teaching Primary songs is the use of rebus symbols—pictures that suggest syllables or words in a phrase. The following are examples of rebus I find misleading: a head of lettuce and an iron depicting the words let us all press on; a picture of a bee and a leaf for the word believe; a spear being thrust into an object for “spear-it”/Spirit; and a wrapped stick of gum for “chews,” as in choose the right. Not only can these rebus symbols make indelible and erroneous impressions on children, but they can also interfere with the learning process. Children mentally replace the real meaning of the word with the meaning of the symbols. The rebus for the words let us all press on, for example, allows the image of lettuce and an iron to take the place of an accurate image of persevering." Okay, I get that. And with this song in question: the word would comes up quite often. After reading all this I would shy away from using a picture of wood since it is a homophone {and more technically a heterograph} that is NOT spelled the same. And I really wouldn't want to be the cause of years of misspelling words.

A picture of a bee has been used repeatedly in conjunction with Gordon B. Hinkely's "Be's" and that seems to be okay. So is a heart in place of the word "love" okay as well?

My current understanding is that moderate and easily understandable and not "misleading" use of rebus symbols might be acceptable, but to do so, I think I would really get on my knees and pray about it. Which I should be doing for EVERYTHING. I guess I just get so caught up in it being such a super fun calling I forget about that key factor.   

So, with that being said I found this SUPER moderate use of rebus poster set on Because I have Been Given Much

(Isn't it pretty?! from http://blessings-abundant.blogspot.com)

With all this internal debate I have put myself through - I am thinking of printing the second poster twice and then replacing the pictures of eyes on the first poster with the actual letter "I"'s on the second poster. (Sorry for not putting in a pic of the 1st poster - but click the link - it's a great poster set!)

What do you think? Am I wrong? Should we not use a letter C for "see" and a mouth for "say"? Should I use words only at one time and then pictures only at others? I personally feel comfortable with the above poster. Would you?