Faith (song from the Children's Songbook)

I was released as Primary Music Leader several years ago, but I still see posts on the Facebook page and noticed that many of the songs I taught are back again.  So I looked through the list and decided that I should post the flipcharts that I made those years ago so new leaders can use them an not "re-invent the wheel" as one commenter put it.

The song "Faith" on page 96 of the Children's Songbook is on the list for April (2023) so I pulled out my flipchart for it.  As I looked at it, I realized that I had forgotten many of words, especially since my flipchart has very few words to help me. Then I remembered that I there were many children in Junior Primary, most of whom did not yet read.  So I set out to make a flipchart with few words and mostly pictures that would help them remember the words I taught them to sing.  I also was trying to have as few pages as possible to save on ink and page turning.  I only put "Faith is knowing" once on each page because it is repeated for the second line again so I would just point to the same words and the kids knew even those that couldn't read that we were repeating the same words.  

What I don't have anymore, because I left it in the Primary closet for future leaders, is a poster I made where I had a sun that started at the bottom of the poster on a string that went to the top and through the poster to the back where I could pull it and show the sun rising.  Same thing with a seedling accordion folded at the bottom that would "grow" as I pulled the string.  Kids loved coming up to be the helper who got to pull the strings!  I don't remember the rest of the poster and unfortunately it is no longer in the closet.

I love teaching this song to children because the gospel principles are so important and the imagery is powerful and memorable.

You can find my flipchart here:  Faith (few words, 2 pages)

A Child's Prayer

When I started teaching primary music many years ago, I was genuinely surprised at how much the children loved the song "A Child's Prayer." I had not learned it growing up (of course I grew up way before the Children's Songbook came out) and so was unfamiliar with it.

A few years later when I started to teach it as part of the program that year, I didn't really love the pictures the previous chorister had used, so I made up my own flipchart.  It was fairly easy to teach since most of the older kids already knew it, but I wanted the littles to be able to learn it and have helps to sing along.

I made the second part just one page with fewer pictures since that is the part we have the adults in the room sing.

You can find my flipchart here:  A Child's Prayer

Jesus Once Was a Little Child

This is a song I remember well from my childhood and I think every child should be taught, especially the second verse.  At first I was worried about some of the words, especially "vexed" since they are not common anymore, but the kids really got them after a little discussion and especially loved saying vexed!

It's such a fun way to teach children especially important principles - Jesus was a child like me so he understands me, a little child should be pure & meek & mild, even children can learn not to get mad when things don't go our way, telling the truth is important.

I worked hard to find just the right pictures for this one, pictures that the children would identify with and would quickly and easily portray these principles - especially "vexed."

You can find my flipchart here:  Jesus Once Was a Little Child

Praise to the Man (vs. 1-3)

Several years ago I taught the primary children "Praise to the Man" verses 1 & 3. I was a little nervous that the words would be too hard or that they wouldn't understand.  I'm not sure how much they really understood all the words, but THEY LOVED IT!  

With a little explanation of some of the words and phrases, they were able to learn the words, we kept the tempo upbeat and the kids really enjoyed singing this song.

You can find my flipchart here:  Praise to the Man 

Gethsemane (by Melanie Hoffman)

I was asked by my Primary President to teach "Gethsemane" to the primary children this year.  And I was delighted to to find that the Church put this song out in the March 2018 Friend Magazine, so there was no worry about getting it approved or purchasing music. 

I love the sing-along video that the Church put up on their website (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2018-03-0020-gethsemane?category=sing-along-videos&lang=eng) and I'm planning on showing it in primary to introduce the song.  There were a few flipcharts online that I was able to find, but all in portrait mode.  So, of course, I made my own version that is landscape mode so I can put it in my binder and hang it over my music stand.

You can find my flipchart here:  Gethsemane

I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

One of my favorite Primary songs is "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" and I loved teaching it to the children last year.  I used mostly pictures from the Children's Songbook to make my flipchart.  I tried to use very few words, mostly because the Juniors can't read much anyway and the Seniors mostly knew the song.  I tried to use pictures that helped them remember the words and what they mean.

You can find my flipchart here:  I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

The Miracle

It is so great that the song "The Miracle" by Shawna Belt Edwards was published in The Friend in June 2018 so that we can now teach it in Primary!  I must admit that when I watched the sing-along video the Church put out I teared up.  And when I actually tried to sing along I full out cried.  This song touched me deeply and I couldn't get it out of my head for days.  I finally decided that I had to teach it for Easter this year.  Then I found a video I love even more - one with the song set to the Church Bible videos which you can find here.

I found a few flipcharts on the internet already, but I really wanted just the right pictures that would bring to mind the words for the children since I have so many little ones that don't read.  This, like all my flipcharts is made to print landscape.  I put the pages in sheet protectors in a binder that I hang over my music stand which is easier for me than holding the binder upright in my hands while trying to lead the music.

You can find my flipchart here:  The Miracle

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

One of the songs for March 2019 from the new "Come, Follow Me" program is "Tell Me the Stories of Jesus," a song I have loved from my childhood.  The verse that refers to the story of Jesus calming the sea always caught my imagination - that the waves would obey Christ has always been a testament of his power and authority. 

I also remembered that the Tabernacle Choir sang a fourth verse (watch HERE) and loved the strength and power of the last line, "Jesus is King!"  I looked into that and found that it had been in the orange "Sing With Me" Primary songbook, but was removed when the Children's Songbook was released.  I decided to include this verse in my flipchart.  I don't know yet how many verses we will sing in the program, but I want to teach them all.

You can find my flipchart here: Tell Me the Stories of Jesus Flipchart

Baptism (song from the Children's Songbook)

For the first time in four years, I am teaching my Primary children the song "Baptism" from the Children's Songbook.  I gleaned many ideas for my flipchart from around the internet and Facebook and decided on my favorite pictures to help the children learn this song.

You can find my flipchart here:  Baptism Flipchart

I Will Be Valiant

A great song to go with the theme for September 2018 is "I Will Be Valiant."  It is a fun, upbeat song that the kids should know.  If you have time to slip in this song while practicing for your Primary Sacrament Meeting Program, this is a great choice.

You can find my flipchart here:  I Will Be Valiant Flipchart

Families Can Be Together Forever

The Primary song for July is "Families Can Be Together Forever" which may already be familiar to a lot of Primary children.  To aid in teaching the new younger children, I created a flipchart.  I plan to cut out the pictures and post them around the room, leaving a blank spot in the pages.  This way they can figure out which picture goes with which page/words.  It should be a fun review for those that know it and a good teaching opportunity to teach the words to those who don't.

You can find my flipchart here:  Families Can Be Together Forever

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

May (2018) is another "choose your own song" month for Primary music leaders.  Then in the Outline for Sharing Time they have Helps for the music leader (see May on page 11) and it shows wordstrips for "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet."

I chose to teach that song for May, but I have so many junior primary kids that don't read, I wanted to use pictures instead.  So I started gathering pictures - but what kind of picture do you get for "we thank thee?"  After thinking about it for a while, I chose a combination of words and pictures.  I realized that it's the same words for each line (almost) - "we thank thee," and that the kids can learn to recognize that repeating phrase even though they don't read.  Anyway, here is what I came up with, I hope it can help someone else too.  Just cut each page into four, or don't, it's up to you.

You can find my "word/picture" cards here:  We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet

You can also find my shortened version (2 page horizontal flip chart) here:  We Thank Thee (flip)

An Angel Came to Joseph Smith

April is "choose your own song" month for Primary.  I chose "An Angel Came to Joseph Smith."  I taught the children some rhythm clapping since this song switches from 3/4 to 2/4 twice in each verse.  Once we got the rhythm down, the song came pretty quickly.  I also had them sing "The Golden Plates" which goes right along with this song and helps the children really understand that the golden plates are the Book of Mormon (see my handout for The Golden Plates).

You can find my flipchart here:  An Angel Came to Joseph Smith

If the Savior Stood Beside Me (Sign Language Chart)

After watching this video explanation of how to sign "If the Savior Stood Beside Me," I made myself a chart of very simple signs to teach the primary children as they learn this song.  Mostly the chart is to help me remember.  It took quite a bit of time and some photoshopping (can I use that as a verb now?), so I thought I would share it for those without the time or software to create your own. This certainly is not the only way to sign it, but I chose the easiest signs with what I could find on the internet.

You can find my chart for all 3 verses here:  If the Savior Stood Beside Me (Signs)

If the Savior Stood Beside Me

I love the ideas for teaching "If the Savior Stood Beside Me" that were posted on Sugardoodle , so I made my own flipchart with squares I can cut out and put back to back with the question marks for teaching as described, but can also be used just as a flipchart for performing.  I like to include pictures for the little ones who can't read.  You will need to print some of the pages two or three times as needed for the verses.  I found most of the pictures as free downloads from Susan Fitch Designs and modified a couple of them to fit the song.  Thanks to these people sharing, I too wanted to share.

You can find my flipchart here:  If the Savior Stood Beside Me

He Came For Us (Easter)

I found a sweet song from The Friend (April 2011) that I decided to teach my primary children to sing in Sacrament Meeting the week before Easter since Easter falls on Conference weekend this year.  The sheet music can be found here.

You can find my flipchart here:  He Came For Us

Because God Loves Me

A perfect song to teach the primary children to go along with this year's theme of "I Am a Child of God" is the song, "Because God Loves Me."  It's only two short verses and goes perfectly with this month's theme of the Creation.  I usually do my flipcharts landscape, but this one fit much better in portrait.  I had fun teaching the first verse one week, then asking the kids if it sounded like we were through.  They had to listen again then I received a resounding "no." But then I told them they had to wait to hear the rest of the song next time.  Awesome cliffhanger of sorts.

You can find my flipchart here:  Because God Loves Me

The Golden Plates

This week is also a good time to sing "The Golden Plates."  I haven't had a chance to teach this to my primary yet, and was surprised that they didn't already know it.  I put together a little coloring book to use in teaching this song.

You can find the coloring book here:  The Golden Plates

 

(To create the coloring book, print the page and fold the page in half lengthwise, then fold in half and half again to form the book.  This diagram shows as if looking down on the lengthwise fold.  Unfold and cut where the dashed line would be - the middle two pages. Then hold the ends and press them toward the center popping the middle two pages out.  Fold the middle two pages flat, then fold the book as shown.)

On a Golden Springtime

The last week of this year, sharing time is about Joseph Smith and the first vision.  The song "On a Golden Springtime" is perfect for this lesson, as well as for Easter.

You can find my flipchart here:  On a Golden Springtime

I Want to Be a Missionary Now

I have found that most primary children are familiar with the song "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission."  But not many have learned "I Want to Be a Missionary Now" which is a great song! It teaches children they can start being missionaries right now while they are young.

You can find my flipchart here:  I Want to Be a Missionary Now