Primary 1

I Am a Child of God

For teaching children ages 18 months through 3 years, including suggestions for adapting the manual for use in the nursery

Published by
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah

© 1994, 2000 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America

English approval: 5/00
Translation approval: xx/xx
Translation of Primary 1: I Am a Child of God
Language 34969 xxx

Teaching with This Manual

This manual provides lessons for teaching children who are three years old by 1 January. Teachers can also adapt the manual for use with children eighteen months to three years old. If children under three years old are attending Primary, they should be in a nursery class separate from the three-year-olds unless the ward or branch is very small. If there are more than eight or ten children of the same age in a ward or branch, the class may be divided.

Teachers of nursery children should see “Adapting the Manual for Use in the Nursery,” beginning on page ix, in addition to this section.

Leaders and teachers should prayerfully determine how best to organize the classes and use the lessons and activities in this manual to meet the needs of children in their ward or branch.

The Three-Year-Old Class

Children who are three years old by 1 January are in the three-year-old class.

Purpose

The purpose of the three-year-old class is to help children develop an understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, be involved in positive experiences in Primary, and grow in feelings of self-worth.

Prayer

Each class period should open and close with a prayer by a child. Usually the opening prayer will come at the beginning of the lesson time, and the closing prayer will come at the end of class. Teach the children to give short, simple prayers. Help them as necessary.

Time Schedule

This class provides a gradual transition from the nursery class to the regular Primary. During the first part of the year, it may be desirable for the three-year-olds to have sharing and activity time in their own classroom. During the rest of the year, they may go to sharing time with the other Primary children. The maturity of the children in the class will determine when the class makes the change. Watch the children to see when they are ready, and consult with the Primary presidency to determine when the change should take place. The three-year-olds may go to opening or closing exercises with the other Primary children during the entire year.

Primary normally lasts for one hour and forty minutes. Opening or closing exercises last twenty minutes, with five minutes for the children to go to their classrooms. If the three-year-olds are having sharing time in their own classroom, the class time is seventy-five minutes. The following suggested schedule may be adjusted according to local needs:

Greeting Time: | 10–15 minutes
Lesson Time: | 25–30 minutes
Sharing and Activity Time: | 20–25 minutes
Closing Time: | 10–15 minutes

When the three-year-olds attend sharing time with the rest of the Primary, the class time will last forty minutes and will consist of the lesson time and shorter greeting and closing times.

Greeting Time: The purpose of greeting time is to allow the children to talk and interact with the teacher and with each other in an informal setting. The children will feel more secure and more positive about being in Primary if they are free to move around during this time.

Help each child feel welcome and comfortable in the class. Show love, warmth, and respect by your words and actions. Discuss the children’s needs and interests. Appropriate topics of discussion might include—

Recent experiences in the children’s lives, such as a new baby in the home or a family outing.

Special holidays.

The weather.

Observations of nature.

Social skills such as listening, sharing, or using good manners.

Acts of kindness.

Finger plays, bend-and-stretch exercises, and songs may also be used during this time to help the children overcome restlessness.

Lesson Time: Follow the general outline of each lesson, adapting it as necessary for your class. Focus on the children’s understanding and interests. Choose stories and activities that will best teach your class members the important principles of the lesson. Choose from the “Enrichment Activities” section any of the activities you feel will work well with the children in your class. Use these activities whenever you want during the lesson. Children learn well through repetition, so you may want to use the same activity, song, story, or scripture more than once during a lesson or in subsequent lessons.

Teach the lessons in order, except for lessons 45 and 46 (Easter and Christmas).

Sharing and Activity Time: When the children have sharing time in class rather than with the other Primary children, use the activities in the lessons and in the “Enrichment Activities” sections for sharing time. You may want to repeat the children’s favorite activities from previous lessons. Include time for singing Primary songs (see “Music in the Classroom,” p. vii). Encourage the children to participate and to share their ideas with each other.

After the three-year-olds begin attending sharing time with the other Primary children, they may occasionally be asked to give a presentation in sharing time. Plan a simple gospel presentation that will involve all of the children in the class. You might—

Help the children act out a story or situation from one of the lessons.

Have the children use pictures to help tell a story from one of the lessons.

Have each child share a scripture or thought about a principle of the gospel.

Have the children sing a song about the principle being taught.

Closing Time: Review and summarize the main ideas of the lesson. Specifically mention one or two short scriptural phrases from the lesson, and emphasize the main ideas so that the children will be able to share them at home. Invite a child to offer a closing prayer.

Preparing the Lessons

The first key to successfully teaching young children is to know and love them. Know and use your class members’ names when you speak to them. Interact personally with them and learn about their lives. Look for ways to involve them in the lessons and to make the lessons personally relevant to them. Show appropriate love for and interest in all the children in your class.

The second key is to be prepared. Start preparing each lesson at least a week in advance. Read the entire lesson, then prayerfully study it to determine the best way to teach the principles to the children in your class. Choose Enrichment Activities to supplement the activities in the lesson and to keep the children interested and involved. Plan several kinds of activities, and then be flexible in using them to meet the children’s needs. Know the lesson well enough that you do not need to read from the manual, and maintain eye contact with the children as much as possible. Pray often as you prepare each lesson, and seek for the Spirit to guide you as you prepare and teach.

Teaching the Lessons

As you teach children gospel principles, you should encourage the children’s love of the gospel. The following suggestions can help you make Primary enjoyable for the children in your class:

Give the children many opportunities to talk and participate.

Listen when the children talk, and try to respond positively but appropriately.

Be enthusiastic. If the teacher enjoys Primary, the children will enjoy Primary.

Speak in a kind voice.

Be patient, kind, and loving, especially when the children are tired or restless.

Give positive attention to good behavior and ignore negative behavior whenever possible.

Prepare several kinds of activities and be flexible in using them to meet the children’s needs. Young children have short attention spans and need to move frequently.

Try to redirect the children’s attention when arguments occur.

Remember that young children enjoy stories, visual aids, music, and movement. They enjoy frequently repeating activities and songs, especially those they know well.

Music in the Classroom

Each lesson in this manual includes songs to help reinforce gospel teachings. You need not be a skilled musician to make classroom singing fun and meaningful. The children will not know whether or not you sing well; they will know only that you enjoy singing. Learn each song well, and practice it as part of your lesson preparation. If available, the Children’s Songbook on audiocassettes (music only, 52505; music and words, 52428) or compact discs (music only, 50505; music and words, 50428) can help you learn the songs. You can also use these recordings as you sing in the classroom.

Repeated singing is the best way to teach songs to children. You might use the same song several times during a lesson. Simple actions can help involve young children in a song. If the children know a song well and enjoy singing it, sing it often during lesson time or sharing and activity time.

To teach a new song or activity verse to children—

Memorize the song or activity verse before class.

Introduce the new song or activity verse by singing or saying it to the children. Exaggerate the actions, if there are any.

Invite the children to sing or say the words with you. They will not know the words immediately, but if you repeat the song or activity verse several times, they will learn the words.

Go slowly so the children will understand the words and actions.

Use visual aids occasionally to help present the song or activity verse. Children pay attention and learn better if they have something to look at.

Shorten the song or activity verse if the children become restless. If a song or activity verse is long, you may want to help the children do the actions while you sing or say the words alone.

Young children will not always want to sing with you, but they will enjoy participating by listening to the singing.

Visual Aids

Visual aids are important in teaching young children. Pictures, cutouts, objects, and other visual aids can gain and keep the children’s attention, helping the children remember what you are teaching.

The pictures and cutouts called for in the lessons are included with the manual. The “Preparation” section of each lesson lists the pictures used in that lesson by title and number. Numbers in parentheses identify each picture (or a similar one) in the Gospel Art Picture Kit (34730 or 34735) and the meetinghouse library. The “Preparation” section also lists each cutout by its number in the manual and by the Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set (33239–33250 or 08456) that includes similar cutouts.

Objects make good visual aids, especially if they are familiar things that the children can touch or hold. When you tell a scripture story, use your own scriptures or scriptures from the meetinghouse library as visual aids.

Special Guidelines for Including Children with Disabilities

The Savior set the example for us in feeling compassion for people with disabilities. When he visited the Nephites after his resurrection, he said:

“Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you” (3 Nephi 17:7).

As a Primary teacher you are in an excellent position to show compassion. Although you probably are not trained to give professional assistance, as a teacher you can understand and nurture children who have disabilities. Concern, understanding, and a desire to include each class member in the learning activities are needed.

Children with disabilities can be touched by the Spirit no matter what their level of understanding. Although some children may not be able to attend the entire Primary time, they need to have the opportunity to attend even briefly to feel the Spirit. It may be necessary to have a companion who is sensitive to a child’s needs be with the child during Primary in case the child needs time away from the whole group.

Some class members may be challenged by learning disabilities, vision or hearing loss, intellectual impairments, language or speech problems, behavior and social problems, mental illness, movement and mobility problems, or chronic health impairments. Some may find the language or cultural setting unfamiliar and difficult. Regardless of individual circumstances, each child shares the same needs to be loved and accepted, to learn the gospel, to feel the Spirit, to participate successfully, and to serve others.

These guidelines can help you teach a child with disabilities:

Look beyond the disability and get to know the child. Be natural, friendly, and warm.

Learn about the child’s specific strengths and challenges.

Make every effort to teach and remind class members of their responsibility to respect every class member. Helping a class member with a disability can be a Christlike learning experience for the entire class.

Find the best methods for teaching the child by consulting with parents, with other family members, and, when appropriate, with the child.

Before calling on a child with disabilities to pray or otherwise participate, ask how he or she feels about participating in class. Emphasize each child’s abilities and talents and look for ways each can participate comfortably and successfully.

Adapt lesson materials and physical surroundings to meet the individual needs of children with disabilities.

Additional materials for teaching children with disabilities are available from Church distribution centers (see “Materials for Those with Disabilities” in the Salt Lake Distribution Center catalog).

Adapting the Manual for Use in the Nursery

The Nursery Class

Who Attends

Children who are at least 18 months old but who are not yet 3 years old on 1 January may attend nursery at the discretion of their parents. At least two teachers should be called for each nursery class. If the teachers are not husband and wife, they should be the same gender. Both teachers should be in the class during the entire Primary time.

Purpose

The purpose of the nursery class is to provide a loving, safe, organized place where young children can increase their understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a Church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth. The nursery class is the first Church experience where very young children are taught the gospel and interact with other children and adults.

Physical Environment

The nursery room should be clean, cheerful, and inviting and located near a rest room if possible. The nursery room could be divided into separate areas for playing (on a carpet or mat, if possible), reading or activities, and giving the lesson. Toys should be clean, safe, and in good condition. Climbing equipment should not be used.

Time Schedule

Nursery class normally lasts for 1 hour and 40 minutes. This time should be separated into several different segments, each one reinforcing the purpose of the lesson.

Try to plan lessons that follow the same format from week to week. Children feel secure when there are a regular routine and familiar transitions from one activity to another. The following suggested format may be adjusted according to local needs:

Welcome |
Playtime: | 35 minutes
Gathering time: | 10 minutes
Music time: | 10 minutes
Snack time: | 10 minutes
Lesson time: | 10 minutes
Activity time: | 15 minutes
Closing: | 10 minutes

Nursery children do not go to sharing time or to opening or closing exercises.

Welcome: As the children come into the nursery class, greet each one by name. Help each child feel your love and the love of Heavenly Father. Soft music can create a reverent, inviting atmosphere. Recordings of songs from the Children’s Songbook are available on audiocassette (52428) and compact disc (50428).

Playtime: Allow the children to play freely with toys, puzzles, pictures, or books. Encourage each child to choose only one item to play with at a time and to return it to its proper place before selecting something else. Do not force a child to share if he or she does not want to. Many children this age are not emotionally or socially ready to share. Be available to the children, but do not intervene too much in their play. At the end of playtime, help the children put away the toys.

Specific activities may be conducted during this time (see “Activities and Games for the Nursery,” xiv–xvii), but the children should not be required to participate.

Gathering Time: Gather the children to sing a song and prepare to pray. A list of possible prayer songs is found on page 310 of the Children’s Songbook. Invite a child to pray. Teach the children to give short, simple prayers. Help them as necessary. After the prayer, invite the children to talk and interact with the teachers and with each other in an informal setting. Show love, warmth, and respect by your words and actions. Be sensitive and flexible. Discuss the children’s needs and interests. Appropriate topics of discussion might include:

Recent experiences in the children’s lives, such as a new baby in the home or a family outing.

Special holidays.

The weather.

Observations of nature.

Social skills such as listening, sharing, or using good manners.

Acts of kindness.

Activity verses, bend-and-stretch exercises, and songs may also be used during this time to help the children overcome restlessness.

Music Time: Music can be used throughout the nursery class to create a happy, welcome environment; teach the gospel message; and allow the children to have a change of pace (see “Music in the Nursery Classroom,” xvii–xix). Children enjoy singing the same songs from week to week. Nursery leaders and teachers should have a copy of the Children’s Songbook. Others may be invited to help with music in the nursery.

Snack Time: Schedule snack time to meet the children’s needs. Money for snacks should come from the Primary budget. Because children have snacks each week in nursery, teachers should ask parents if there are any foods they do not want their children to eat (see Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders [1998], 239). Before serving snacks, help a child say a blessing on the food.

Lesson Time: The lessons in this manual are written at a three-year-old level, but many activities in the lessons and the enrichment activities sections are suitable for younger children. Each lesson also contains an “Additional Activities for Younger Children” section. (Note that the materials and preparation needed for the additional activities are not listed in the “Preparation” section of each lesson. Carefully read the description of each activity you want to use to make sure you have everything you need.)

Examples of how lessons in this manual can be adapted for the nursery class are found on pages xix–xx. As you adapt lessons, remember to prayerfully consider the children’s understanding and interests. Activities should be short and varied because children this age have short attention spans. Children learn by repetition, so you may want to repeat an activity during the lesson or in future lessons. For additional help with teaching younger children, see “Preparing the Lessons,” “Teaching the Lessons,” “Music in the Classroom,” and “Visual Aids” on pages vi–viii.

Activity Time: Choose activities such as coloring, making things with play dough, role plays, games, and so on (see “Activities and Games for the Nursery,” xiv–xvii) that will support the gospel message, allow sharing, and provide creative experiences. Don’t be concerned if younger children want to return to play.

Closing Time: Help the children put all toys and materials away; then briefly review and summarize the gospel message taught in the lesson. Help a child offer a closing prayer.

Preparing Children for the Nursery

A few weeks before a child enters the nursery, the first counselor in the Primary presidency should give the child’s parents a copy of the checklist on page xi and arrange a meeting between the parents and the nursery teachers.

Parents’ Checklist

A child may approach his or her first time in the nursery with eagerness or fear, smiles or tears. Parents can do much to make their child’s nursery experience enjoyable by preparing the child in advance. When children know where they are going and what to expect, they are usually eager to attend. Those who come with little or no advance explanation may be afraid and may resist staying. Prepare your child to come to the nursery by doing as many of these things as possible:

Teach your child about the nursery at least two weeks before he or she will first attend.

Arrange for your child to meet the nursery teachers a week or two before the first time he or she will attend the nursery.

Arrange for your child to meet a few of the other nursery children.

During the week before your child enters the nursery, say positive things about the nursery.

Take your child to see the nursery room when no one else is there.

The day before, remind your child that nursery will start tomorrow.

On the first day of nursery, allow plenty of time for your child to get ready for church. Do not rush.

Leave all your child’s toys at home.

Take care of your child’s rest room and feeding needs before taking him or her to the nursery. A child who needs a diaper change will be taken to a parent.

Arrive at the nursery promptly.

Reassure your child that you will come back later. Promptly return to pick up your child at the end of nursery.

If your child is afraid, remain in the nursery with him or her for the first few times.

Tell the nursery teachers which classes you will be attending during nursery time so they can bring your child to you if there is a problem.

Inform the nursery teachers if your child has an unusual problem, such as a food allergy.

Talk over the nursery experience with your child in a positive, warm way. Be sure to say good things about your child’s nursery class and teachers.

Remember that love and patience will make the nursery a good experience for your child.

Please do not take your child to the nursery when he or she has any of the following symptoms:

Fever

Runny nose

Cough

Unusual irritability or crossness

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Rash

Eye discharge

Head lice

An illness or infection treated with antibiotics within the last 48 hours

An obvious childhood illness in the contagious period:

chicken pox (seven days)

measles (until rash disappears)

scarlet fever (until rash disappears)

mumps (until swelling is gone, usually seven days)

impetigo

If your child has an allergy that is causing a runny nose, cough, or rash, please let the nursery teachers know that your child’s symptoms are not contagious.

Characteristics of Young Children

Studying the following characteristics of young children can help you better understand why the children in your class behave the way they do. Use this knowledge in preparing and teaching the lessons and in interacting with the children. Remember that these are general guidelines; children do not all develop at the same rate or behave the same way at the same age. For more information on the characteristics of children, see Teaching, No Greater Call (110–11).

Mental Characteristics of a Young Child

Thinks simply and literally. Does not understand abstract ideas.

Has a short attention span (one to three minutes).

Often asks questions or makes comments that are off the subject.

Is very curious and inquisitive.

Is generally excited to learn and try new things.

Enjoys repetition.

Can make simple choices.

Physical Characteristics of a Young Child

Is generally very active.

Is developing the abilities to march, jump, and clap.

Becomes restless, irritable, and tired easily.

Finds it easier to undo and take down than to put back.

Social Characteristics of a Young Child

Is trusting.

Generally enjoys playing alone.

Is often quite selfish and self-centered.

Has difficulty sharing and taking turns.

Often argues over toys.

Emotional Characteristics of a Young Child

Is usually anxious to love and be loved.

Has frequent emotional outbursts.

Often cries easily.

Moves between moods frequently.

Spiritual Characteristics of a Young Child

Likes to pray but will need help to do so.

Can begin learning the meaning of reverence.

Is sensitive to the Spirit.

Understands that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us.

Understands basic spiritual concepts.

Potential Problems and Solutions in the Nursery

Even in the best nursery, children occasionally misbehave. The following are some common behavior problems and suggestions for resolving them.

Problem
Possible Solution

A parent tells you the child does not want to come to the nursery. The child screams and cries when the parent tries to leave.
Encourage parents to prepare their children for the nursery ahead of time (see “Preparing Children for the Nursery,” pages x–xi). Invite the parent to stay until the child is calm and settled. It might be helpful to invite other adults to hold crying children to help them feel more secure.

A child seems afraid of you or the other children, wanders aimlessly around the nursery, and will not talk to anyone.
Be patient; do not pressure the child. Give him or her time to get to know you, the other children, and the environment. Occasionally reassure the child and suggest one or two activities to try. Help the child have a successful experience of some kind.

During the entire nursery period, a child clings to your leg or tries to sit on your lap.
Young children need warmth and attention. A minute of holding and talking to the child periodically will usually satisfy him or her. Then encourage the child to become involved in the nursery activities.

During lesson time, several children stand up and walk away before the activities are finished.
Be alert and aware of each child’s needs, interests, and attention span. Look for signs of boredom or restlessness so you can adjust the activity to fit the children’s interests. Do not force a child to participate in any activity. If some children want to return to playing with toys, let them do so.

A child will not sit quietly and listen. He or she pushes and pulls at the children sitting nearby.
The second teacher can direct the child’s attention to the activity the first teacher is conducting. Give the child something to hold so he or she is actively involved in the lesson or activity.

Several children start fighting over a toy. One child kicks, hits, or bites in order to keep the toy.
Children can sometimes resolve disagreements themselves, but you should step in if necessary to prevent them from hurting each other or damaging property. You might suggest ways for the children to solve their problem.

A child starts to play roughly—swinging a toy around, pounding it, or throwing it. Then he or she runs to another part of the room.
You need to stop this behavior. Explain to the child why he or she cannot act this way; then direct the child to another activity.

A child takes one toy after another from the shelf, refusing to put any of the toys away.
Gently but firmly restate the expected behavior. Show the child how to put the toys away. Encourage the child to put each toy away before taking another one.

A child begins to whine and cry. When you try to give comfort, he or she says, “I don’t like you,” and pulls away.
Young children are usually easily distracted. Show the child a special toy and suggest that it might be fun to play with. If that does not work, try a story or book. Wiping the child’s eyes sometimes helps stop the crying. If the child continues to cry, take him or her to a parent.

A child asks, “When will my mother come? When can I go home?”
Reassure the child that his or her parents will come back. Talk about some of the things that will take place before it is time to go home.

Activities and Games for the Nursery

Use the activities in this section at your discretion during nursery playtime or activity time. You may also use any activities in this section that correspond to a particular lesson during nursery lesson time, and activities from the lesson may also be used during playtime. Make activities available to the children during playtime, but do not require the children to participate. Some children may prefer to play with toys during the entire playtime.

Art Activities

Experiences with art can be enjoyable and can help children develop self-confidence, creativity, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, and awareness of their senses. Art can also be a very satisfying way of expressing individuality. Use your imagination and creativity in planning appropriate art projects for your class.

These guidelines may help you plan creative art projects:

Keep projects simple.

Be prepared. Have all necessary materials and know how to do the project yourself.

Be flexible. If you are flexible, you will not be upset when a project does not go as planned. Remember that children are often more interested in experimenting with the materials you give them than in finishing a project.

Be positive and interested in what the children are doing, and give sincere praise.

Use variety. Plan projects that let the children use a wide variety of materials and methods from week to week.

Be tactful. Young children do not always try to represent something with their art. They simply enjoy experimenting with the materials provided. If you want to comment on a child’s work, say, “Tell me about your picture” instead of asking, “What is it?”

Give minimal help. Help when necessary but allow the children to do their own work.

Coloring to Music

Materials needed: Recorded music or instruments, paper, and crayons or colored pencils.

Play music as the children color. Have them color the way the music makes them feel.

Collage

A collage is a picture made by gluing together pieces of paper, photographs, or other materials.

Materials needed: Almost any material can be used in a collage, such as gift wrapping paper, tissue paper, wallpaper samples, leaves, sand, and macaroni products. You will need glue or paste and a piece of paper or some other object with a flat surface (to act as the base of the collage) for each child.

Let the children choose materials to paste on the base of the collage. Let them create whatever designs they want.

Stringing Macaroni

Materials needed: Large uncooked macaroni (or pieces of straw or any other material that would be easy to string), a large piece of string or yarn for each child, and glue or wax.

Make one end of each piece of string or yarn stiff by dipping it in glue or wax. After it is dry, it will be stiff enough to allow stringing. Tie a knot in the other end of the string so the macaroni won’t slip off. Let the children string the macaroni, and then tie the ends of each string together when the children are finished.

Simple Play Dough

Materials needed:

2 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

food coloring (optional)

Combine flour and salt. Add oil and enough water for a clay-like consistency. Add water a little at a time until the mixture is pliable but not too sticky. Mix and knead slightly. (To color the play dough, add food coloring to the water before adding to the tlour and salt.)

Make the play dough at home before you want to use it in the nursery, and store it in an airtight container, if possible. Bring paper (waxed paper works especially well) to spread on the tables where the children will be using the play dough.

Games and Activity Verses

Children love to do things that involve movement, such as simple games or actions to verses or songs. Many activity verses are included in the lessons, and some simple games are described below. When children enjoy an activity, it can be used many times throughout the year, not just in the lessons where it is mentioned.

These guidelines can help you teach new activity verses to children:

Memorize the activity verse yourself before class.

Say the words and do the actions for the children first, exaggerating the action. Then invite the children to join you.

Go slowly so the children will understand the words and actions.

Use visual aids occasionally to help present the activity verse. Children pay attention and learn better if they have something to look at.

Shorten the activity verse if the children become restless. If an activity verse is long, you may want to help the children do the actions while you say the words alone.

Reverence Verses

Use the following verses when the children are restless and need some help becoming reverent. Using one of them at the same time every week could help the children know when it is time for the opening or closing prayer. Help the children say the words and improvise actions as suggested by the words.

Open, Shut Them [Hands]

Open, shut them;

Open, shut them;

Give a little clap.

Open, shut them;

Open, shut them;

Lay them in your lap.

I Shake My Hands

I shake my hands.

I roll my hands.

I give my hands a clap.

I raise my hands,

Then bring them down

And fold them in my lap.

I hush my feet.

I rest my feet.

I sit straight in my chair.

I bow my head.

I close my eyes.

I’m ready for the prayer.

Sometimes I’m Tall, and Sometimes I’m Small

Use the following bend-and-stretch verse when the children have been sitting and need to move around. Repeat as desired.

Sometimes I’m tall—very, very tall (stand up, then on tiptoe).

Sometimes I’m small—very, very small (stoop down, then way down).

Sometimes tall, sometimes small (stand up, then stoop down).

What am I now? (stand up or stoop down; let the children say if they are tailor small)

The Little Seed

Tell the children how seeds are planted In the ground, and help them pretend to be growing seeds. Say, “Let’s pretend we are little seeds” (crouch down or curl into a ball, and close eyes). “The sun came out and made the seeds warm. Then the rain poured down and said, ‘Wake up, little seeds’” (open eyes and start to stretch). “Get up out of the ground, little seeds, so you can grow” (stand up and stretch arms above head). “Little seeds, you have grown into beautiful flowers [or tall trees].”

Let’s Go to Grandma’s [or Grandpa’s] House

Say, “Let’s pretend to go to Grandma’s [or Grandpa’s] house. First we must put on our coats [or get dressed]” (act out putting on a coat or getting dressed). “Let’s get in the car [or on the bus]” (act out opening the door and riding). “Oh, this road is bumpy” (make the motions of going over bumps). “Look, let’s wave to the police officer” (make waving motions). “We’re almost there. Here comes Grandma [or Grandpa] now. Let’s give her [or him] a great big hug” (act out giving Grandma or Grandpa a hug).

Helping Our Parents

Direct the children in doing actions that represent helping their parents. You might say, “Let’s pretend to help sweep the floor.” The children act out sweeping the floor. You could continue with making beds, washing windows, dusting, raking leaves, digging in the garden, washing the car, or other activities appropriate to your area.

Rolling Ball Game

Materials needed; A ball.

The children sit in a semicircle. You sit in front of them and roll the ball to a child, saying that child’s name or asking a question related to the lesson. The child rolls the ball back to you and says your name or answers the question. Make sure you give every child at least one turn. You can also play this game standing, handing the ball back and forth.

Matching Shapes

Materials needed; Colored paper, scissors.

Use colored paper to make one large cutout and one small cutout of each of the following shapes; square, circle, triangle, heart, octagon, and oval. Spread the shapes on the floor. Each child takes a turn placing a small shape on top of the matching larger shape. For variation, make the same shapes on different colors of paper, and have the children match by color instead of by shape.

Musical Shapes

Materials needed: Different colored circles cut from colored paper or fabric, recorded music or instruments, tape (optional).

Tape or place the circles on the floor in a large circle. Have the children walk around the outside of the large circle as music is played. When the music stops, each child names the color of the circle he or she is standing by. For variation, use different shapes and have the children name the color and the shape.

Beanbag Toss

Materials needed: Beanbags; a box, basket, or target (made by cutting holes in a poster picture mounted on stiff material).

Have the children throw beanbags into the box, basket, or target. (You could make the beanbags or target to match a holiday or lesson.) The children could also throw beanbags at blocks or boxes that have been stacked on top of each other.

Statues

Materials needed: Recorded music or instruments.

Have the children move around the room while music plays. When the music stops, the children stand perfectly still like statues. The children may move again when the music starts, but they must stand still whenever it stops.

Music in the Nursery Classroom

Music in the nursery classroom creates a warm and loving atmosphere, making Primary a happy place to be. Nursery-age children are ready and eager to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, themselves, and this beautiful world. An important way for them to learn is through music. Children can enjoy music in many different ways. They can sing, play instruments, move to music, and listen to music. See “Music in the Classroom,” page vii, for additional comments on using music to teach young children.

Singing

Young children may not want to sing with you (very young children may be unable to sing with you), but they enjoy listening to you sing and often learn important principles through songs. Encourage the children to sing, but do not worry if they do not. Children who cannot sing with you may enjoy doing simple actions while you sing.

You may want to use the same songs each week as you begin each different activity. When the children hear the familiar melody, they will know what activity is starting. You could also change the words to a song to fit the children’s situations or activities. Sing the children’s favorite songs many times throughout the year.

The following songs from the Children’s Songbook are especially appropriate for use in the nursery. Included are some suggestions for ways you may adapt the words. You may have other ideas for ways to adapt these or other songs in the Children’s Songbook so they will be appropriate for the nursery.

“A Happy Family” (p. 198) (© 1975 Pioneer Music Press, Inc.). Create a verse about your happy nursery or Primary. Use as a greeting: “I see Susie; she sees me. . . .”

“Do As I’m Doing” (p. 276). Use for giving direction: “Cleaning up the nursery; follow, follow me! . . .” or “Gather for singing. . . .”

“Fun to Do” (p. 253)

“Here We Are Together” (p. 261)

“I Wiggle” (p. 271)

“If You’re Happy” (p. 266)

“My Hands” (p. 273)

“Once There Was a Snowman” (p. 249) (© 1981 Pioneer Music Press, Inc.). Create verses about other things in nature: “Once there was a green tree . . . tall, tall, tall. In its shade I rested, . . . small, small, small.”

“Rain Is Falling All Around” (p. 241)

“Singing a Song” (p. 253). Replace “sing” with basic movements: “Jump, jump, jump” or “Hop, hop, hop.” Sing about clothing, colors, or self: “Shoes, shoes, shoes; I like my shoes. I wear them on my feet; shoes, shoes, shoes!”

“Smiles” (p. 267)

“Popcorn Popping” (p. 242)

Musical Instruments

Obtain simple musical instruments for the children to play, or make your own.

Flute or horn: Punch a few holes in the side of a cardboard tube (such as the kind used for wrapping paper, waxed paper, or paper towels). For a special effect, tape cellophane over one end. To play, hum or sing into the tube.

Sand blocks: Cut two pieces of 1″-thick wood about 2″ wide by 4″ long. Cut two smaller pieces, about 1″ by 2 1/2″. Sand any sharp edges or splinters off the blocks. Center the smaller blocks on the larger ones and nail securely. Attach a piece of sandpaper to the bottom of each block. To play, knock the sand blocks together or scrape the pieces of sandpaper against each other.

Shakers: Put corn kernels or dried beans in a metal can with no sharp edges, or in a cardboard container. Have the children decorate the containers. Tape openings securely to prevent the children from eating or playing with the contents. To play, shake.

Bells: Sew bells onto a strip of fabric. To play, shake.

Movement to Music

Creative movement to music helps children use energy constructively and develops their abilities to use their minds creatively. Sing, play a piano or other instrument, or use recorded music for the children to move to.

To involve children in movement to music, you could:

Direct the children in running, jumping, bending, whirling, tiptoeing, crawling, leaping, or stretching to music. Let the children take turns leading the group’s actions.

Play or sing songs with different tempos and let the children run or walk as the music suggests.

Have the children wave colored scarves or paper streamers as they move to music.

Use action songs when the children need a change of pace. If the children have been sitting for a long time, an action song using the large muscles and large movements would be appropriate. If they have been moving and need to be calmed, an action song using the small muscles as the children sit might be effective.

Listening

This manual is accompanied by an audiocassette that can be used for listening activities. The audiocassette contains five sections:

“Quiet Music”—to be played as the children enter the nursery or at other times when a peaceful atmosphere is desired.

“Musical Awareness”—to help the children become aware of various musical characteristics.

“Moving to Music”—to be played for the children as they do actions such as bending or stretching. The children can release energy and develop physical and rhythmic skills as they listen and participate.

“Musical Expression”—to encourage the children to listen and move freely to music. Twelve short selections are included, with narration that suggests ways to move to the music. Use no more than three selections in a class period.

“Pretend Stories”—to be played to provide activity for the children. By following the directions and listening carefully to the stories, children take part in pantomime and other physical activities. The stories are titled “A Walk in the Forest,” “A Visit to the Zoo,” and “The Toys in the Toy Box.” Use only one story in a class period.

You may also use the Children’s Songbook audiocassettes (music only, 52505; music and words, 52428) or compact discs (music only, 50505; music and words, 50428), if available.

Children may have a hard time concentrating on music if they are only listening. Combine listening with singing, moving, or other activities, as in the following examples:

Have the children lie on the floor and listen to different kinds of music. Talk about how the music makes them feel. Then have them demonstrate how they feel.

Play marching music and let the children march around the room.

Have the children clap the rhythms of the music they are listening to.

Sample Adapted Lessons

Following are examples of how two lessons in this manual could be adapted for use in the nursery. As you review the samples, notice that:

Each block of time in the lesson is focused on a simple gospel message. Activities and music should help the children begin to understand basic gospel principles and terms.

Only some parts from the original lesson have been selected. This helps keep the class simple, active, and appropriate for nursery-age children.

The activities selected are not always used in the same order that they appear in in the original lesson. Activities during the lesson should be arranged in the order that will best help nursery-age children understand the gospel message.

Lesson 6: Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me

Welcome

One way to set a reverent atmosphere for the nursery is to play music from the Children’s Songbook audiocassettes. To introduce the gospel message in this lesson, you could give each child a badge that says “Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me” (see enrichment activity 6, page 17).

Playtime

35 minutes

During playtime, find ways to help the children think about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. For example, you might teach the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy when we are kind to each other and that they love us very much. You could also help the children remember last week’s lesson by asking them, “Who is Heavenly Father’s Son?”

Gathering Time

10 minutes

Gathering time can also be used to prepare the children for the lesson. Start by singing a prayer song and help a child pray. Then help the children prepare for the lesson by asking them who gave us this beautiful earth and the gospel and the Church (see attention activity, page 15).

Music Time

10 minutes

Music can be very effective in helping nursery-age children learn a gospel message. For example, in this lesson you could help the children think about Heavenly Father and Jesus by singing “I Know My Father Lives” or “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (see enrichment activity 2, page 17). As time permits, review songs from previous lessons or sing selected songs listed on page xvii.

Snack Time

10 minutes

Although no activity is used here to reinforce the gospel message, you can remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and that we should thank them for everything, including our food. Then invite a child to give a blessing on the food.

Lesson Time

10 minutes

This lesson has several parts that could be used to help nursery-age children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them. For example, you could use the following parts from lesson 6:

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give us blessings (pp. 15–16)

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us (p. 16)

Additional activity 2 (p. 17)

Enrichment activity 1 (p. 17)

Activity Time

15 minutes

Activity time gives the children opportunities to be creative and to channel their energy. Where possible, activities should help reinforce the gospel message. For example, you could play the rolling ball game (p. xvi), asking questions to reinforce the gospel message.

Closing Time

10 minutes

Use closing time to remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus love each of them and know them by name. Share your feelings of gratitude for the blessings Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have given you. Then help a child offer a closing prayer.

Lesson 10: I Am Thankful for Trees, Plants, and Flowers

Welcome

Greet each child by name as they enter the nursery. As you greet them, introduce the theme of the lesson by telling them that today they will learn about plants, flowers, and trees.

Playtime

35 minutes

During playtime, prepare the children for the lesson by telling them about the many beautiful things in this world that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have created for us to enjoy.

Gathering Time

10 minutes

Sing a prayer song; then help a child pray. For this lesson, you might also bring a plant for the children to see, feel, and smell. Then express your gratitude for plants, flowers, and trees (see additional activity 2, page 30).

Music Time

10 minutes

Sing “In the Leafy Treetops” (see additional activity 4, page 30). Doing the actions to the song will help create a happy environment and give the children a change of pace. As time permits, you might also review songs from previous lessons.

Snack Time

10 minutes

When possible, begin snack time with a simple activity that relates to the gospel message. For example, in this lesson the snack could consist of bread and fruit. Explain to the children that these things come from trees, plants, and flowers (see the activity on page 29). Then help a child give a blessing on the food.

Lesson Time

10 minutes

Select parts from the lesson that you feel will help the children understand the gospel message. For example, you could help the children understand how trees, plants, and flowers grow by cutting open a piece of fruit so the children can see the seeds. Explain what must happen for the seeds to grow and become more fruit (see enrichment activity 4, page 30). Then help the children plant seeds in paper cups full of soil (see enrichment activity 1, page 29).

Activity Time

15 minutes

Following the lesson, you could play soft music while the children color pictures of trees, plants, and flowers. Activities could be selected from the lesson or from those listed on pages xiv–xvii. Some children may prefer to play with toys during this time. Make activities available, but don’t require the children to participate.

Closing Time

10 minutes

Closing time is used to summarize the gospel message and help prepare the children for prayer. In this lesson, you could have the children repeat after you the words to the song “Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep” to remind the children that we are thankful for trees, plants, and flowers (see enrichment activity 2, page 29). Then help a child offer a closing prayer.

Lesson 1

I Am a Child of God

Purpose

To help each child understand that we are spirit children of Heavenly Father, who knows us and loves us.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Exodus 2:1–10; Psalm 82:6; Doctrine and Covenants 138:55–56; and Moses 1:1–6. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 2.

Find out two or three admirable characteristics of each child by consulting with his or her parents.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Pearl of Great Price.

A beanbag or small soft object.

Picture 1-1, The World (62196); picture 1-2, Moses in the Bulrushes (Gospel Art Picture Kit 106; 62063).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2) with the children.

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

Toss a beanbag or soft object to a child as you say the words “I know a child of God named .” Have the child say his or her own name and give the beanbag back to you. Repeat the activity until everyone has had a turn.

We are spirit children of Heavenly Father

Who is Heavenly Father? (Use the children’s responses to give you direction in explaining this section of the lesson on the appropriate level.)

Show picture 1-1, The World. Explain that before we were born on earth we lived in heaven with Heavenly Father. We were spirits there. A spirit is what is inside of us that makes us alive. When we were spirits, we didn’t have flesh and bones like our bodies have now, but we looked the same.

Explain that Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, and we are his spirit children. We don’t remember living with Heavenly Father before we came to earth, but we know we are his spirit children because we read it in the scriptures.

Show the Bible and read Psalm 82:6, explaining that the most High means Heavenly Father. Emphasize that every person on the earth is a child of Heavenly Father.

Song

Sing “I Am a Child of God” again. Explain that God is another name for Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father knows us and loves us

Explain that Heavenly Father loves each one of us very much because we are his children. He knows our names and all about us. He knows what makes us happy and what makes us sad. He knows what is best for each of us.

Activity

Say the following verse several times with the children, using the actions described:

Heavenly Father Knows Me

Heavenly Father knows me (point to self)

And what I like to do.

He knows my name and where I live (make a roof by touching fingers of both hands).

I know he loves me, too (cross arms and put hands on shoulders in hug).

He knows what makes me happy (put fingers on smiling mouth).

He knows what makes me sad (put fingers on down-turned mouth).

I know he wants to help me (point to self),

And that’s what makes me glad!

Ask a child to come to the front of the class. Using what you learned from the child’s parents, explain that Heavenly Father knows about that child’s admirable characteristics. For example, you could say, “Heavenly Father knows that Emily is a loving daughter, helps her mommy take care of her sister, and is usually cheerful and smiling.” Continue until each child has had a turn.

Explain that when we do kind and loving things, we are being like Heavenly Father.

We can be like Heavenly Father

What is a baby dog called?

What will that puppy grow up to be?

What is a baby chicken called?

What will that chick grow up to be?

Explain that just as animals grow up to be like their parents, we will grow up to be like our parents. Heavenly Father is the father of our spirits, so we can grow to be like him. Heavenly Father is loving, good, and kind, and he wants to help us. When we are loving, good, and kind, we are being like Heavenly Father. Explain that we should try to become more like Heavenly Father every day.

Heavenly Father has important work for us to do

Story

Show picture 1-2, Moses in the Bulrushes, and tell the story of how Pharaoh’s daughter saved Moses from danger when he was a baby, as found in Exodus 2:1–10.

Explain that Moses grew to be one of Heavenly Father’s important helpers, a prophet. Heavenly Father told Moses that Moses was his son (see Moses 1:4, 6) and that he had an important work for Moses to do. Read the first phrase of Moses 1:6 to the children. Moses did this work when he brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, where they were treated very cruelly, into another land, where Moses taught them Heavenly Father’s commandments.

Have the children come to the front of the class one at a time, and help each one repeat the first phrase of Moses 1:6, substituting his or her own name: “I have a work for thee, (child’s name), my son (daughter).”

Explain that Heavenly Father has important things for us to do while we live on the earth, such as being a mother or a father, a missionary, a teacher, a helper at church, or a helper in the community.

What important work might Heavenly Father want you to do?

Activity

Have the children pantomime what they want to be when they grow up, such as a mother or father cradling a baby, a missionary tracting, or a teacher teaching a class.

Testimony

Tell the children that they should always remember that they are spirit children of Heavenly Father and that he knows them and loves them. Help them understand that they can become more like Heavenly Father and that they have important work to do on the earth. You might share with them a personal experience that helped you to know that Heavenly Father knows you and loves you.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Show pictures of different people, or talk about people the children know, and ask, “Is this person a child of God?” For example, “Is the bishop a child of God?” “Is the police officer a child of God?” “Is your neighbor a child of God?” and so on. Help the children understand that everyone is a child of God.

To emphasize that Heavenly Father knows and cares about each child, have the children finish your sentences, as in these examples: “Heavenly Father knows I am sad when ,” “Heavenly Father knows I am happy when ,” “Heavenly Father knows my favorite thing to do is ,” “Heavenly Father knows I like to come to Primary because ,” and so on.

Explain that Heavenly Father is the king of heaven and earth. Because we are his children, we are princes and princesses. Make a simple crown for each child and write the words I am a child of God on each crown. Let the children color the crowns.

With the children, sing or say the words to the first verse of “I Lived in Heaven” (Children’s Songbook, p. 4) or both verses of “I Know My Father Lives” (Children’s Songbook, p 5).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Ask the children to think of something they like (you could also get this information from their parents beforehand). Ask each child what he or she likes, and tell him or her that Heavenly Father knows that, as in this example: “Heavenly Father knows that Leah likes dogs.”

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse:

If you’re very, very tall (stretch and reach arms up),

There’s a place at church for you.

If you’re very, very small (crouch down),

There’s a place at church for you.

Tall (stretch up)

Small (crouch down)

Tall (stretch up)

Small (crouch down)

Heavenly Father loves us all.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse while you say the words:

Little Baby Moses

Little Baby Moses had a boat for his bed (cup one hand and place forefinger of other hand in it).

His loving sister watched him through the grasses where she hid (peek through fingers of hand held across eyes).

One day a princess found him (lean forward, looking down) and took him in her arms (pretend to lift baby);

She said, “I’ll take this baby and keep him from all harm” (pretend to rock baby in arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951. Used by permission.)

Lesson 2

Heavenly Father Has a Body

Purpose

To help each child understand that Heavenly Father is a real person, with a perfected body of flesh and bones, and that we are made in his image.

Preparation

Prayerfully study John 14:9; Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; Moses 2:27; and Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 1.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Pearl of Great Price.

Paper and crayons for each child.

A small mirror.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Pass out paper and crayons, and have the children draw pictures of themselves. When they are finished, have them hold up their pictures, and ask them which children are real, the ones on paper or the ones holding the papers. Ask them how they know.

Explain that just as they are real because they have bodies, Heavenly Father is real and he has a body. We can see pictures of Heavenly Father, but they are not the real Heavenly Father. The real Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bones.

Jesus Christ looks like Heavenly Father

Ask the children if anyone has ever told them that they look like their parents. Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ, and explain that Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s son. The scriptures tell us that Jesus looks like Heavenly Father. Show the Bible and explain John 14:9 to the children.

Whom does Jesus look like?

Activity

Have the children stand. Help them memorize the first part of the first article of faith: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.”

We look like Heavenly Father and Jesus

Explain that because we are spirit children of Heavenly Father, we also look like him. We have bodies like his. Explain Moses 2:27 to the children. Explain that being created in Heavenly Father’s image means that we look like him.

Activity

Have the children take turns looking in the mirror or at another child. Have each child name a part of the body he or she sees, such as arms, legs, eyes, or ears. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus also have those body parts.

Do you have a body that looks like Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ bodies?

Explain that we know what Heavenly Father and Jesus look like because some prophets (leaders of the Church) have seen Heavenly Father and Jesus and have written about them in the scriptures.

Story

Show picture 1-4, The First Vision. Tell the story of the First Vision, as found in Joseph Smith—History 1:14–17.

How did Joseph Smith know what Heavenly Father and Jesus look like?

What kind of bodies do Jesus and Heavenly Father have?

Testimony

Bear your testimony of how grateful you are to have a body that was made in Heavenly Father’s image. Express gratitude for the many wonderful things your body can do.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Have the children stand and say the following activity verse several times, using the actions described:

I Have a Wonderful Body

I have a wonderful body (touch hands to chest)

That Heavenly Father planned for me.

He gave me ears so I might hear (cup hand around ear)

And eyes that I might see (point to eyes).

I have two hands that I can clap (clap hands),

Two feet that turn around (turn around).

When I want to, I can touch

My toes down on the ground (bend over and touch toes).

When I think about my body (put finger to head),

The best part of it is (sit down quietly)

That Heavenly Father planned it

To look very much like his.

Help the children sing or say the words to “I Have Two Ears” (Children’s Songbook, p. 269) or “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (Children’s Songbook, p. 275). Remind the children that Heavenly Father gave us bodies like his and that these wonderful bodies can do many things.

Let the children take turns using picture 1-4, The First Vision, to tell the story of the First Vision to the rest of the class.

Tell the story of Marc and the family activity:

Marc’s father had died when Marc was a baby. Marc often wondered what his father looked like. He and his mother were going to a family activity where he would visit with his aunts and uncles who had known his father well.

As they arrived, Uncle Joe came to greet them. He looked at Marc and said, “I’d know you anywhere. You have eyes like your father’s.” Aunt Elizabeth said, “You know, Marc, you have a nose just like your father’s.” Aunt Mary said, “Marc, your smile reminds me of your father’s smile.”

As they were driving home, Marc told his mother, “I had fun today! I learned many things about my father today. I learned that I look like him, and that makes me happy! Now when I look in the mirror, I will remember what he looks like, and I won’t forget him.” Marc’s mother reached over, patted Marc’s hand, and said, “With you around, I won’t forget him either.”

Tell the children that just as Marc knew that he looked like his father even though he could not see him, we know that we look like our Heavenly Father even though we cannot see him.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-4, The First Vision. Tell a simplified version of the story of the First Vision. Emphasize that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real people and they listen to our prayers.

Use picture 1-4, The First Vision, to show how our bodies are like Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ bodies. As you point to a body part on the picture, have the children point to the corresponding part on their own bodies. For example, if you point to Heavenly Father’s arm, the children should point to their own arms.

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse as you say the words:

Joseph knelt among the trees (kneel down and fold arms)

And said a special prayer (touch fingertip to lips).

He saw the Father and the Son (look up, shading eyes with hand)

And listened to them there (cup hand around ear).

Point to your mouth and say, “This is my mouth.” Then ask, “Can you show me your mouth?” and help the children point to their own mouths. Ask, “Does Heavenly Father have a mouth?” Repeat for eyes, nose, ears, hands, and feet. Then point to each body part without saying its name, and have the children name it.

Lesson 3

Heavenly Father’s Plan for Us

Purpose

To help each child understand that we lived with Heavenly Father as spirit children before we came to earth and that we can live with him again after this life.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Abraham 3:22–27. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 2.

Materials needed:

A set of scriptures.

A doll or paper figure.

Picture 1-1, The World (62196); picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-6, Family Home Evening (62521); picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-9, Morning Prayer (62310); picture 1-10, Family Prayer (62275); picture 1-11, Boy Being Baptized (62018); picture 1-12, Girl Being Confirmed (62020); picture 1-13, Joseph Smith (Gospel Art Picture Kit 400; 62449).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Put a doll or paper figure on one of the chairs by the children. Ask the children to stand up, turn around, and sit back down.

Why didn’t the doll stand up?

Why can you stand up?

Talk about the differences between the children and the doll. Help the children understand that they are alive. They each have a spirit inside their body that makes them alive so they can see, hear, stand, move, think, and talk.

We are spirit children of Heavenly Father

Review with the children how we lived with Heavenly Father as his spirit children before we were born on earth. We were happy, and we loved living with Heavenly Father. We did not have the physical bodies we now have, but we had spirits. Explain that a spirit looks like a physical body but does not have flesh and bones.

Where did you live before you were born on earth?

Song

Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2) with the children. Remind the children that God is another name for Heavenly Father.

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

Activity

Have a child stand by you. Using the child’s name, explain that he or she lived with Heavenly Father before being born on earth, and he or she is a spirit child who is loved by Heavenly Father. Do the same with each child.

Explain that because Heavenly Father loves us, he has a plan for us. Before the earth was created, Heavenly Father called all his children together to explain his plan. All of us, our parents, and our brothers and sisters were there.

Heavenly Father sent us to live on the earth

Display picture 1-1, The World. Explain that the earth is part of Heavenly Father’s plan. Under Heavenly Father’s direction, Jesus Christ created the earth for us. We were sent to be born here and receive a physical body.

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby. Let the children talk about the picture. Tell them that we were excited to come to earth and to learn and grow. We came to earth as babies to families who could love us and care for us.

Tell the children that when we came to earth, we were given physical bodies with skin, muscles, blood, and bones. Have the children feel their own arms.

Can you feel the bone inside your arm?

Can you see and feel your skin?

Can you feel your muscles?

Remind the children that our spirits inside our bodies give us life, but we cannot see or touch our spirits. Our physical bodies can be seen and touched. Tell the children it is a great blessing to have a physical body.

Activity

Recite the following verse with the children. Point to each body part as it is mentioned.

I Am Thankful for My Eyes

I am thankful for my eyes,

My ears, my mouth and nose;

Thankful for my hands and arms,

My legs, my feet and toes.

(Adapted from a verse by Lucy Picco.)

Explain that while we are here on earth we grow and learn many things. As we learn to choose the right things to do, we can become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus. This is another part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

Heavenly Father wants us to return to him someday

Express your love for Heavenly Father. Tell the children that someday you want to return to Heavenly Father so you can see him and be with him again. Explain that this is also part of Heavenly Father’s plan. He wants each of us to return to live with him when our earth life is finished. He wants us, our parents, and all our families to be with him again.

Explain that to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again, we must be baptized and keep all the commandments. Show the set of scriptures. Explain that the scriptures teach us about Heavenly Father and Jesus and what they want us to do.

Using the pictures listed in the “Preparation” section, talk about what Heavenly Father wants us to learn and do here on earth. He wants us to love our families, be unselfish, go to church, take the sacrament, pray morning and night, have family prayer and family home evening, be baptized, be confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost, be married in the temple, learn about prophets, and become like Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Testimony

Express your gratitude for Heavenly Father and for his plan for us. Encourage the children to always do what they know is right so they can someday return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Give each child a piece of paper on which you have written I am a child of God, and have each child draw a picture of himself or herself. Let the children show their pictures to the rest of the class. Encourage each child to say something good about himself or herself while showing the picture.

Help the children say the following verse and do the actions indicated:

God’s Creation

God made the moon (make a circle with hands)

And winking stars (open and close hands)

And put them in the sky (reach up).

He made the sun (make a circle with arms overhead)

And trees (hold arms straight up)

And flowers (cup hands)

And little birds that fly (wave arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951. Used by permission.)

Write the following questions on separate pieces of paper. Review the lesson by letting each child select a piece of paper. Read the question and let the child answer it. Repeat as necessary to give each child a turn.

Who is a child of God? (I am; everyone is.)

Where did we live before we were born on earth? (In heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus.)

Why did Heavenly Father ask Jesus to make the earth for us? (So we could have a physical body and learn what we need to do to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus again.)

What do we need to do to live again with Heavenly Father and Jesus? (Obey the commandments, be unselfish, be baptized, go to the temple, and so on. Let the children show the appropriate pictures as they answer this question.)

With whom can we live after we finish our life here on earth? (Heavenly Father and Jesus and our families.)

Additional Activities for Younger Children

With the approval of your Primary president, invite a father to bring his baby into the classroom. Talk about fathers and how they love their children. Tell the children that they have two fathers who love them: their father here on earth and their Heavenly Father. Before babies are born on earth, they live with Heavenly Father. (Note: Be sensitive to the situations of the children in your class, some of whom may not have fathers in their homes.)

Bring one or more pairs of “Daddy shoes” to class. Talk about who wears these big shoes. Let the children compare the size of their own shoes or feet with the big ones. Let each child take a turn walking in the “Daddy shoes.”

Sing or say the first two lines of “I Lived in Heaven” (Children’s Songbook, p. 4).

I lived in heaven a long time ago, it is true;

Lived there and loved there with people I know. So did you.

(© 1987 by Janeen Jacobs Brady. Used by permission.)

Whom did we live with in heaven? (Heavenly Father and Jesus and everyone.)

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words. Repeat as many times as you desire.

Make a circle with everyone standing, holding hands. Hold hands throughout the activity.

We all lived together with Heavenly Father (everyone comes close together, bringing hands to the center of the circle).

He sent us down to earth to live (spread out into a big circle).

He gave us families to love and teach us (come close together again).

Our families will help us live with him again (spread out into a big circle again).

Lesson 4

I Can Pray to Heavenly Father

Purpose

To help each child learn how to pray to Heavenly Father and know that he will listen.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Daniel 6. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 8.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-9, Morning Prayer (62310); picture 1-10, Family Prayer (62275); picture 1-14, Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Gospel Art Picture Kit 117; 62096); picture 1-15, Blessing the Food.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have the child who gave the opening prayer remain standing in front of the class. Remind the children that in the last lesson they learned that we lived with Heavenly Father before we were born. Heavenly Father has sent us down to earth.

How can we talk to Heavenly Father while we are on the earth?

Who was (name of the child who gave the prayer) talking to when he (or she) prayed?

Help the children realize that when we pray we are actually talking with Heavenly Father.

We can pray to Heavenly Father

Bear your testimony that even though we cannot see him, we can pray to Heavenly Father and he will listen to our prayers.

Show picture 1-9, Morning Prayer.

What is this girl doing?

Who is she talking to?

What do you think this girl might be saying to Heavenly Father?

Use picture 1-9, Morning Prayer; picture 1-10, Family Prayer; and picture 1-15, Blessing the Food, as you discuss with the children the times when we pray. Explain that we can pray to Heavenly Father whenever we want; the most common times are when we wake up and when we go to bed, at mealtimes, with our families, and when we need special help. Let the children hold the appropriate pictures as you discuss them.

Jesus Christ taught us to pray to Heavenly Father

Explain that Jesus has taught us to do certain things when we pray. As we get ready to pray, we think about Heavenly Father.

What do we do with our arms when we pray?

What do we do with our heads and our eyes when we pray?

Activity

Have the children copy your actions as you demonstrate how to get ready to pray by folding your arms, bowing your head, and closing your eyes. You could then ask a child to stand in front of the class, and have the other children follow his or her actions as he or she shows how to get ready to pray.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “A Prayer Song” (Children’s Songbook, p. 22) several times. Do the actions suggested by the words of the song.

We bow our heads in prayer today,

We fold our arms together,

Then close our eyes, and while we pray

We talk to Heavenly Father.

What else can we do to get ready to pray?

Explain that at home, when we say our own or family prayers, we not only fold our arms, bow our heads, and close our eyes, but often we also kneel.

Song

Explain that there are special things we say when we pray. Sing or say the words to the second verse of “I Pray in Faith” (Children’s Songbook, p. 14) several times. Have the children hold up one finger for each of the four special things we say when we pray.

I begin by saying “Dear Heavenly Father”;

I thank him for blessings he sends;

Then humbly I ask him for things that I need,

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(© 1987 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)

How do we begin our prayers?

What could we thank Heavenly Father for?

What could we ask Heavenly Father for?

How do we end our prayers?

Heavenly Father listens to us when we pray

Story

Show picture 1-14, Daniel in the Lions’ Den. Tell the story from Daniel 6. Read aloud the first part of verse 22 to explain why Daniel was not hurt while he was in the lions’ den.

Explain that Daniel wanted to pray because it was a commandment from Heavenly Father and also because he wanted to thank Heavenly Father for his blessings.

What did the king do because Daniel prayed? (See Daniel 6:16.)

What happened to Daniel in the lions’ den? (See Daniel 6:22.)

How do you know that Heavenly Father listened to Daniel’s prayer? (See Daniel 6:23.)

Testimony

Tell of a time when Heavenly Father listened to your prayers. Ask the children to share any experiences they have had with prayer.

Tell the children how thankful you are that we can pray to Heavenly Father, and assure them that Heavenly Father listens to us when we pray.

When you ask a child to say the closing prayer, review how we prepare to pray.

What shall we do to get ready to pray? (Fold our arms, bow our heads, and close our eyes.)

What is the first thing (child’s name) should say in the prayer?

What could (child’s name) thank Heavenly Father for?

What could (child’s name) ask Heavenly Father for?

How should (child’s name) end the prayer?

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Toss a soft object, such as a beanbag or ball, to the children. After each child catches the object, ask him or her to complete the sentence “When I pray, I can thank Heavenly Father for.” The child might answer, “My family.” After each child has had a turn, repeat the activity and have the children name things they can ask Heavenly Father for when they pray. You could show pictures to help them think of ideas.

Sing or say the words to “A Song of Thanks” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20), doing the actions indicated below:

Thank thee for the world so sweet (make arms into a circle to represent world);

Thank thee for the food we eat (pretend to put food in mouth);

Thank thee for the birds that sing (bring fingers and thumb together to mimic a bird’s beak);

Thank thee, God, for everything (spread arms wide)!

(From First Year Music by Hollis and Dann. © 1957 by D. C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission.)

Recite the verse “I Am Thankful for My Eyes,” pointing to the parts of the body as they are mentioned:

I am thankful for my eyes,

My ears, my mouth and nose;

Thankful for my hands and arms,

My legs, my feet and toes.

(Adapted from a verse by Lucy Picco.)

Have the children dramatize the story of Daniel in the lions’ den. You could bring simple costumes. If you do not want to act out the entire story, have the children pretend to be growling lions, and then have them close their mouths as if the angel shut them.

Sing or say the words to “Thanks to Our Father” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20) or “We Bow Our Heads” (Children’s Songbook, p. 25).

Have the children draw pictures of things they can thank Heavenly Father for when they pray. Write When I pray, I can thank Heavenly Father for: on each picture.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Remind the children that when we pray we are talking to Heavenly Father, who loves us and listens to us. Help the children say the following verse:

I love my Heavenly Father;

I thank him when I pray.

My Heavenly Father loves me;

He hears the things I say.

Help the children say one or both of the following verses, demonstrating the appropriate actions:

Our arms we fold, our heads we bow,

Our eyes we close, we’re ready now.

We fold our arms and bow our heads

And listen while the prayer is said.

Trace around each child’s hand on a piece of paper. Talk about what we should do with our arms and hands while we pray. Let the children color their hand tracings. Label each picture with the child’s name.

Lesson 5

Jesus Christ Is the Son of Heavenly Father

Purpose

To help each child understand that Jesus Christ is Heavenly Father’s son.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Matthew 3:13–17 and Luke 1:26–35; 2:1–7, 41–52. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 3.

With the approval of your Primary president, invite the father of one of the children to come to class to talk about his child when he or she was a baby. Ask him to bring photos and a favorite toy, if possible. Encourage him to express love for his child.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-16, The Nativity (Gospel Art Picture Kit 201; 62495); picture 1-17, Boy Jesus in the Temple (Gospel Art Picture Kit 205; 62500); picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: As you talk about fathers in this lesson, be sensitive to any children in your class who do not have fathers in their homes. Emphasize that we all have a Heavenly Father who loves us. If some of the children in your class have stepfathers, explain that stepfathers also love us and take care of us.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children if they know who the visitor is. Invite the visitor’s child to introduce him to the class. Have the father tell the children about his child. Invite each child to tell something about his or her father, such as the color of his hair or his occupation.

Jesus Christ is the son of Heavenly Father

Tell the children that each of them has two fathers: an earthly father and a Heavenly Father. Our earthly father is the father of our physical bodies. Heavenly Father is the father of the spirits inside our bodies. Jesus has only one father, because Heavenly Father is the father of Jesus’ spirit and his physical body. That is why Jesus is called the Son of God.

Story

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity, and tell the story of the birth of Jesus, as found in Luke 1:26–35 and Luke 2:1–7. Emphasize that the angel told Mary her baby would be the Son of God. Refer to the picture as you ask the following questions:

Which person is Jesus’ mother?

What is her name? (See Luke 1:27.)

Who is the man in the picture? (See Luke 1:27.)

Who is Jesus’ father? (Heavenly Father. Joseph was a good man chosen by Heavenly Father to take care of Mary and Jesus.)

Song

Have the children stand and sing or say the words to “Away in a Manger” (Children’s Songbook, p. 42). Improvise appropriate hand and arm movements as suggested by the words.

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;

The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

Jesus loves Heavenly Father and obeys him

Story

Show picture 1-17, Boy Jesus in the Temple, and tell the story of Jesus in the temple, as found in Luke 2:41–52. Emphasize that Jesus went to the temple because he loved Heavenly Father and wanted to teach people about him.

What is Jesus doing in the temple? (See Luke 2:46.)

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following activity verse several times:

Young Jesus went to the temple (walk in place)

Before he grew strong and tall (stretch arms up)

To do the work of his Father (hold hands out)

Because he loves us all (hug self).

Story

Show picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus, and tell the story of Jesus’ baptism, as found in Matthew 3:13–17. Explain that Jesus was baptized because he loved Heavenly Father and wanted to obey him. Jesus also wanted to set a good example for us. Read aloud verse 17 (starting with This is my beloved Son), and explain that these are Heavenly Father’s words. Heavenly Father was pleased that Jesus was baptized.

Have you seen someone be baptized?

Explain that one way the children can be obedient to Heavenly Father and show him they love him is by being baptized when they are eight years old.

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Jesus Christ is the son of Heavenly Father. Express your love for Jesus and the gratitude you feel for him.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Put the three pictures from the lesson face down on your lap or on a table. Invite a child to choose one of the pictures, show it to the class, and tell the story illustrated by the picture. Do the same with the other two pictures.

Have the children sing or say the words to the first verse of “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57).

Have the children act out the story of the birth of Jesus, using simple props such as a doll, a shawl, and scarves.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity, and ask the children who the baby in the picture is. Tell them about the birth of Jesus.

Explain that Jesus is not still a baby. He is grown up now, and he is Heavenly Father’s most important helper. Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ, and tell the children that Jesus loves us and helps us in many ways.

Have the children stand and sing the following words to the tune of “Once There Was a Snowman” (Children’s Songbook, p. 249). Use crouching actions for the first verse and stretching actions for the second verse.

Once I was a baby, baby, baby,

Once I was a baby, small, small, small.

Now I’m growing bigger, bigger, bigger,

Now I’m growing bigger, tall, tall, tall!

Talk to parents of your class members in advance to get photographs of class members as babies or small toys they used to play with. Show these to the class. Identify the baby in each picture or the owner of each toy. Explain that when they were babies, the children used to look like the photographs and play with the toys.

Lesson 6

Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me

Purpose

To help each child feel that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Mark 10:13–16; John 3:16; and 3 Nephi 17:11–12, 21–24.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

A small mirror.

Picture 1-1, The World (62196); picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470); picture 1-19, Christ and the Children (Gospel Art Picture Kit 216; 62467); picture 1-20, Jesus Blessing the Nephite Children.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Shake each child’s hand. Say each child’s name and tell each one something you like about him or her.

Ask each child to name someone who loves him or her and tell what that person does that makes him or her feel loved.

Explain that this lesson is about two people who love us all. They gave us this beautiful earth and the gospel and the Church.

Who are these two people who love everybody? (Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.)

Story

Show picture 1-4, The First Vision. Have the children help you tell the story of what is happening in the picture.

Do you remember who the people in this picture are?

What are they doing?

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ give us blessings

Remind the children that before we came to earth, we lived with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They planned for us to come to earth so we could learn and grow. They know us and care about us.

Display picture 1-1, The World.

What did Heavenly Father ask Jesus Christ to create for us?

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus create the earth and everything on it. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus planned all the things we need to live and be happy. These things remind us of their love for us.

What things remind you of Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ love for you? (Answers may include such things as family, friends, the Church, plants, and animals.)

Song

Sing or say the words to “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 228), using the actions indicated below. Then ask the children to stand and sing the song with you.

Whenever I hear (place hands to ears) the song of a bird (open and close fingers like a bird’s beak)

Or look (look up) at the blue, blue sky (raise arm in arching motion),Whenever I feel the rain on my face (make raindrop motions with fingers)

Or the wind as it rushes by (move both hands in back and forth motion),

Whenever I touch a velvet rose (pretend to touch or smell flower)

Or walk by our lilac tree (walk in place),

I’m glad that I live in this beautiful world

Heavenly Father created for me (outstretch hands and arms).

Display picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ.

Who is this?

Who is Jesus’ father?

Read the first part of John 3:16 (through Son) and explain that the greatest blessing Heavenly Father has ever given us was to send Jesus Christ to the earth.

Jesus showed his love for children

Story

Show picture 1-19, Christ and the Children. Tell the story of Jesus blessing the children, as found in Mark 10:13–16.

Point out that Jesus took time to love and bless the children even though some of his followers thought he shouldn’t be bothered by children.

What did Jesus do when the children came? (See Mark 10:16.)

How do you think the children felt about Jesus?

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “Jesus Loved the Little Children” (Children’s Songbook, p. 59).

Jesus loved the little children,

Little ones like me.

He would bless and help them

And take them on his knee.

Story

Show picture 1-20, Jesus Blessing the Nephite Children. Explain that after Jesus died, he visited the people in America. America was far away from where Jesus lived on earth.

Tell the story of Jesus blessing the Nephite children, as found in 3 Nephi 17:11–12, 21–24. Explain that Jesus blessed each child individually.

How did Jesus show his love for the children?

How do you know Jesus loves you?

Activity

Recite the following verse with the children several times, doing the actions indicated:

Jesus Loves All Children

Jesus loves all children (hold arms out),

The little ones still small (use hand to indicate knee-high child),

The baby in the cradle (form cradle with arms),

The ones so big and tall (raise hands high over head).

(From Finger Fun for Little Folk by Thea Cannon. © 1949 by the Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. Used by permission.)

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us

Help the children understand how important each of them is to Heavenly Father and Jesus. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus love each of us and know us by name.

Activity

Hold up a mirror and have the children come up one at a time. As each child comes up and looks in the mirror, say, “This is (child’s name), and Heavenly Father and Jesus love (child’s name) very much.”

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and that they love each of us. Share your feelings of gratitude for the many blessings Heavenly Father and Jesus have given you.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing or say the words to “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, p. 58). Give each child a copy of the handout “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (at the end of the lesson), and let the children color their handouts.

Sing or say the words to “I Know My Father Lives” (Children’s Songbook, p. 5) or “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (Children’s Songbook, p. 74).

Show pictures of things Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us, such as a temple, animals, flowers, families, food, friends, homes, a meetinghouse, or the scriptures. (Pictures can be obtained from the meetinghouse library, the Gospel Art Picture Kit, or Church magazines.) Help the children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us these things because they love us.

Bring an object, such as an empty beverage bottle, that can spin like a pointer. Seat the children in a circle on the floor and place the bottle in the middle of the circle. Spin the bottle on the floor. When it points to a child, that child should name something that Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us that shows their love for us. Help each child think of an answer when it is his or her turn. After a child responds, let him or her spin the bottle so it points to another child.

Prepare a box or bag containing several items that are necessary for us to live on earth, such as food, water, or clothes. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus planned this earth for us to live on. Explain that the box or bag contains some of the things we need to live on the earth. Give the children clues about one item until they guess what it is. When they guess it, remove that item from the box or bag. Continue the game until the children have guessed all of the items.

Make a badge that says Heavenly Father and Jesus Love Me for each child to wear or take home. You might tape a badge on each child or attach string to the badge and hang it around the child’s neck. You may want to hide the badges under the children’s chairs before class and let the children look for them.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children say the words and do the actions to the following verse:

If you’re very, very tall (stretch and reach arms up),

There’s a place at church for you.

If you’re very, very small (crouch down),

There’s a place at church for you.

Tall (stretch up)

Small (crouch down)

Tall (stretch up)

Small (crouch down)

Heavenly Father and Jesus love us all.

Say the following verse and help the children do the actions indicated:

Heavenly Father Knows Me

Heavenly Father knows me (point to self)

And what I like to do.

He knows my name and where I live (make a roof by touching fingers of both hands).

I know he loves me, too (cross arms and put hands on shoulders in hug).

He knows what makes me happy (put fingers on smiling mouth).

He knows what makes me sad (put fingers on down-turned mouth).

I know he wants to help me (point to self),

And that’s what makes me glad!

Lesson 7

The Holy Ghost Helps Me

Purpose

To help each child understand that the Holy Ghost helps us.

Preparation

Prayerfully study John 14:16–17; 2 Nephi 32:5; Moroni 10:4–5; and Doctrine and Covenants 39:23; 130:22. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 7.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants.

A familiar object and a bag to put it in.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have a child come up to you. Whisper something in his or her ear about the Holy Ghost, such as “The Holy Ghost helps Heavenly Father and Jesus.” Repeat with each child in the class (you can say the same thing to each child). Ask the children if they know who you are going to talk about today. Explain that you are going to talk about Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ helper, the Holy Ghost.

Show picture 1-4, The First Vision. Point out Heavenly Father and Jesus and explain that they have physical bodies that look like ours. Explain that the Holy Ghost is like Heavenly Father and Jesus in many ways. He loves us and helps us. But he does not have a physical body like Heavenly Father and Jesus. He is a spirit so he can quietly put ideas into our minds and give us feelings of happiness and comfort.

The Holy Ghost gives us comfort and help

When you are hurt or sad, how does your mother or father comfort you and make you feel better?

Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Tell the children that Jesus knew that the disciples, his helpers, would be sad when he died, so he told them that he would ask Heavenly Father to send a comforter to help them not feel so bad (see John 14:16–17).

Tell the children that this comforter is the Holy Ghost, and he can comfort us, too. Explain that when we are sad or upset, Heavenly Father will help us by sending the Holy Ghost to comfort us.

Story

Explain that the Holy Ghost can also warn us and guide us when we need help. Tell in your own words the following story about young Harold B. Lee, who became the eleventh President of the Church:

“I was probably about eight years of age, or younger, when I was taken by my father to a farm some distance away. While he worked I tried to busy myself with things that a young boy would. The day was hot and dusty and I played about until I was tired. Over the fence there was a broken-down shed that looked very interesting to me. In my mind I thought of this broken-down shed as a castle that I would like to explore, so I went to the fence and started to climb through to go over to that shed. There came a voice to me that said this very significant thing, ‘Harold, don’t go over there.’ I looked about to see who was speaking my name. My father was way up at the other end of the field. He could not see what I was doing. There was no speaker in sight. Then I realized that someone that I could not see was warning me not to go over there. What was over there, I shall never know, but I learned early that there are those beyond our sight that could talk to us” (in Conference Report, Mexico City Mexico Area Conference 1972, pp. 48–49).

Explain that sometimes the Holy Ghost whispers out loud, like he did to President Lee, but often he just gives us a feeling about what we should or should not do.

The Holy Ghost helps us know what is right

Explain that the Holy Ghost loves us and helps us choose the right. Have the children think of some things they have done that are good, such as obeying their parents, helping others, and saying their prayers.

How do you feel when you do things that are right?

How do you feel when you do things that are wrong?

Explain that the Holy Ghost helps us know the difference between right and wrong by giving us a good, warm feeling when we do something right and a sad feeling when we do something wrong.

Have the children share times when they have felt a good, warm feeling because they have made a right choice or helped someone. Help them recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “Listen, Listen” (Children’s Songbook, p. 107).

Listen to the still small voice!

Listen! Listen!

When you have to make a choice.

He will guide you always.

The Holy Ghost helps us know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are real

Explain that the Holy Ghost can help us know when something is true or real. Show the children a bag with an object in it. Tell the children that there is something in the bag, but do not show them the object.

Is there something in this bag?

Explain that even though the children cannot see the object in the bag, they know it is there because you told them it was there. Even though few people ever see Heavenly Father and Jesus, the Holy Ghost can help us know that Heavenly Father and Jesus are real and that they love us. Explain that this knowledge is called a testimony. Sometimes people bear their testimonies in Church meetings and tell us that they know that Jesus lives. The Holy Ghost has helped them know this is true.

We can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost

Tell about your experience in being baptized and confirmed. Tell how you felt having men who hold the priesthood lay their hands on your head and give you the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Read aloud Doctrine and Covenants 39:23 through the Holy Ghost. Explain that when the children are eight years old and are baptized and confirmed, they will be able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The gift of the Holy Ghost will help them keep the promises they make when they are baptized.

Testimony

Express your gratitude for the Holy Ghost and tell the children how the Holy Ghost has comforted you and helped you know what is right.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Help the children sing or say the words to “The Still Small Voice” (Children’s Songbook, p. 106) or “The Holy Ghost” (Children’s Songbook, p. 105).

Show pictures of people doing good things, such as sharing and helping each other. Ask the children how they feel when they do good things. Describe to the children some situations of people doing good and bad things, such as helping their mothers, fighting with their brothers, sharing their toys, and disobeying their parents. Have the children smile when the action is good and frown when the action is not good.

In a quiet voice say, “Everyone who can hear my voice, put your finger on your nose. Everyone who can hear my voice, put your hand on your head.” Continue, designating other parts of the body, until all the children are listening to your quiet voice. Explain that even though you were speaking quietly, when the children listened, they could hear your voice and obey your instructions. Explain that the Holy Ghost sometimes speaks to us in a quiet voice. If we listen carefully he will tell us important things.

Tell in your own words the following story about President Wilford Woodruff, the fourth President of the Church:

One night while President Woodruff, his wife, and their four children were on a journey, they stopped to sleep at a friend’s house. Three of the children slept in the house while President Woodruff, his wife, and one child slept outside in the carriage. President Woodruff said: “I had been in bed but a short time when a voice said to me: ‘Get up and move your carriage.’ It was not thunder, lightning or an earthquake, but the still, small voice of the Spirit of God—the Holy Ghost. . . . I got up and moved my carriage . . . and set it by the side of the house. As I was returning to bed the same Spirit said to me, ‘Go and move your mules away from that oak tree.’ . . . I moved them to a young hickory grove and tied them up. I then went to bed. In thirty minutes a whirlwind caught the tree to which my mules had been fastened, broke it off near the ground, and carried it one hundred yards, sweeping away two fences in its course, and laid it . . . where my carriage [had] stood. . . . By obeying the revelation of the Spirit of God to me I saved my life and the lives of my wife and child, as well as my animals” (“Leaves from My Journal,” Millennial Star, 12 Dec. 1881, pp. 790–91).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

A week before this lesson, ask each child’s parents to let the child bring a “comfort item” to class. This could be a special blanket or toy or a special song to sing. Bring a few extra objects in case someone forgets to bring one.

In class, talk with the children about how these objects make them feel safe and loved. Explain that one of Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ important helpers can make us feel safe and loved. This person is sometimes called the Comforter, because Heavenly Father sent him to be with us when we feel sad or worried. This person is the Holy Ghost, a wonderful friend!

Sing or say the words to the last lines of “The Still Small Voice” (Children’s Songbook, p. 106) and help the children do the indicated actions:

Listen, listen (cup hand around ear).

The Holy Ghost will whisper (place index finger to lips).

Listen, listen (cup hand around ear)

To the still small voice (put hand over heart).

Lesson 8

I Am Thankful for the Day and the Night

Purpose

To help each child understand that following Heavenly Father’s plan, Jesus Christ created the day so we can work and play and the night so we can rest.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:1, 3–5, 14–18; Helaman 14:1–13; and 3 Nephi 1:15–23.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

Cutout 1-1, sun; cutout 1-2, moon; cutout 1-3, stars (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set 3).

Picture 1-21, Samuel the Lamanite on the Wall (Gospel Art Picture Kit 314; 62370).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Tell the children that you are thinking of something that Heavenly Father planned and Jesus Christ created. Ask the children to guess what you are thinking of. Give the following hints, one at a time:

It makes us feel warm.

It is round and yellow.

It is in the sky.

Sometimes it seems to hide behind a cloud or a mountain.

After the children guess “the sun,” display the cutout figure of the sun.

Who made the sun?

We work and play during the day

Story

Tell the children the story of the creation of day and night from Genesis 1:1, 3–5 and the creation of the sun, moon, and stars from Genesis 1:14–18.

Who created the day and the night?

What did Heavenly Father have Jesus put in the sky to tell us when it is day?

Tell the children that the sun gives us light so we can see. The sun also warms us and helps the plants grow. We would not be able to live on the earth without the sun.

What do we call the time when the sun is up? (Day.)

Explain that we can do many things during the day. We can work, play, and help others.

Activity

Have the children tell about things they do when it is daytime, such as eating a meal, playing a game, or sweeping the floor. Have them stand and act out some of their ideas. You may wish to do some of the actions with them.

What can you do to help someone during the day? (Answers may include picking up toys, washing dishes, or playing with a little brother or sister.)

We rest during the night

Do we see the sun all the time?

Explain that every evening the sun goes down and the sky gets dark. We cannot see the sun at night.

What do we call the time when it is dark? (Night.)

What did Heavenly Father have Jesus put in the sky to light the night? (Moon and stars.)

Have the children display the cutout figures of the moon and stars next to the cutout figure of the sun.

Activity

Have the children tell about or act out some of the things they do at night, such as saying bedtime prayers, listening to stories, brushing their teeth, or sleeping.

Explain that some people, such as doctors, nurses, and firefighters, work at night, but most of us use the night to sleep. Many animals also sleep at night.

Why do we sleep?

Help the children understand that sleep is good for our bodies, and Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to take good care of our bodies. If we get enough sleep, we will feel better and be healthier. If we do not get enough sleep, we will be tired and cranky.

If the length of days varies greatly across seasons in your area, explain that night may last longer at some times of the year and shorter at other times. Our parents help us know when it is bedtime and when it is time to be awake and busy.

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following finger play:

This Little Fellow

This little fellow is going to bed (raise one finger).

Down on the pillow he lays his head (lay finger on palm of other hand).

Wraps himself in the blankets tight (close fingers over first finger),

And this is the way he sleeps all night.

Morning comes and he opens his eyes.

Back with a toss the cover flies (open hand to show finger resting).

Soon he is up and dressed and away (raise finger up),

Ready to smile and work and play.

Heavenly Father used the day and the night to announce the birth of Jesus

Story

Tell the children that Heavenly Father used the day and the night to help tell about the birth of Jesus. Display picture 1-21, Samuel the Lamanite on the Wall, and explain what is happening in the picture. Explain that the prophet Samuel told the Nephites what would happen in the sky when it was time for Jesus to be born. The sun would go down, but the sky would not get dark. Explain that many people did not believe Samuel, but what he said did happen (see Helaman 14:1–13 and 3 Nephi 1:15–23).

Help the children understand that the birth of Jesus was so important that far away in America, where the Nephites and the Lamanites lived, Heavenly Father made the night when Jesus was born as bright as day.

What important event was Samuel the Lamanite telling the people about?

What did the Nephites see happen in the sky the night Jesus was born?

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create the day and the night to help us. Encourage the children to thank Heavenly Father for both the day and the night.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Obtain a sheet of white paper and a half sheet of black or dark blue paper for each child. Glue the dark half sheet onto one side of the white paper to represent a day and night scene. Cut out small circles of paper to represent the sun and the moon, and help the children glue them in the correct places. Use gummed or cutout stars to add to the night scene. Write on each child’s paper I am thankful for the day and the night.

With the children, sing or say the words to “The World Is So Lovely” (Children’s Songbook, p. 233), “Because God Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 234), or the second verse of “The World Is So Big” (Children’s Songbook, p. 235). Do actions to “The World Is So Big” as indicated below:

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms),

And in it God’s creations are found;

Stars shining brightly through all the night (straighten and wiggle fingers),

Sun in the day so warm and so bright (form a large circle with arms).

The world is so big and, oh, so round.

God loves us all; our blessings abound (grasp arms and hug self).

Sing “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), using the children’s suggestions for verses. Before singing each verse, ask the children whether the action they have suggested is done during the day or at night. Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

Make up a story about a brother and sister who were playing outdoors at the end of the day. Use names and situations the children in your class would be familiar with. Describe what the children did as they finished their day. Include details such as the sun beginning to set, their mother calling them to come in, and the children doing necessary chores, cleaning up, getting ready for dinner, helping wash dishes, getting ready for bed, hearing a bedtime story, and saying bedtime prayers. Describe how the brother and sister, other people, and birds, insects, and animals settle down and go to sleep.

Help the children understand that during the night, we should close our eyes and sleep so our bodies can grow healthy and strong. This is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for us.

Illustrate the story with cutout figures, or assign parts to the children and have them act out the story.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show the cutout figures of the sun, moon, and stars. Ask the following questions:

Where do we see these things?

Do we see the sun at night?

Do we see the stars during the daytime?

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus make the sun to give us light and keep us warm during the day and the moon and stars to give us light at night.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse while you say the words:

God’s Creation

God made the moon (make a circle with hands)

And winking stars (open and close hands)

And put them in the sky (reach up).

He made the sun (make a circle with arms overhead)

And trees (hold arms straight up)

And flowers (cup hands)

And little birds that fly (wave arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951. Used by permission.)

Sing or say the words to “I Am like a Star” (Children’s Songbook, p. 163) or “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, p. 60).

Lesson 9

I Am Thankful for Water

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for water.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:9–10; Exodus 17:1–6; and Matthew 3:13–17.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

If possible, obtain pictures of various bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-11, Boy Being Baptized (62018); picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask a child to come to the front of the class. Whisper in his or her ear an activity that uses water, such as brushing teeth, washing hands, or watering plants. Have the child act out the activity while the other children guess what is being acted out. (You may need to show the children how to act out each situation.) Let each child have a turn acting out an activity.

Point out that each activity that was acted out needs water. Tell the children that we should be thankful to Heavenly Father and Jesus for giving us water.

Water was an important part of the Creation

Read aloud and explain Genesis 1:9–10.

Why is water so important for us?

How do we get our water?

Help the children understand that water comes from many sources, including lakes, rivers, oceans, rain, and snow. Explain that snow and ice are frozen water. Show the pictures of water you obtained and talk about where water comes from in your area.

Tell the children you are thankful that water is a part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

Song

Sing “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253). For the verses, have the children tell ways they use water, such as washing the clothes, taking a bath, or brushing their teeth. Improvise actions for the song as suggested by the words.

Washing the clothes is fun to do,

Fun to do, to do, to do!

Washing the clothes is fun to do,

To do, to do, to do!

(© 1963 by D. C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission.)

We need water for many things

Why do we need water? What is it used for?

Explain that all living things, including people, animals, and plants, need water to live. If possible, give each child a small cup of water to drink. Talk about how our bodies could not live without water to drink.

How do animals and plants get the water they need?

Explain that we also need water for other things, such as washing and cooking.

Jesus gave Moses and the Israelites water in the desert

Story

Tell the story of Moses getting water from a rock, as found in Exodus 17:1–6. Explain that the people were in a hot, dry desert. There was no water there.

What would have happened if the Israelites didn’t receive water?

Have you ever been very thirsty? How does it feel to have a cool drink of water when you are thirsty?

Water is important in the Church

Story

Show picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus. Tell the story of Jesus’ baptism, as found in Matthew 3:13–17.

Where was Jesus baptized?

How was Jesus baptized?

Show picture 1-11, Boy Being Baptized.

Where are we baptized when we are eight years old?

Have you ever seen someone be baptized?

Allow the children to talk about what happened when they saw someone be baptized. Explain that we must have water to be baptized.

Show picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament.

How do we use water in sacrament meeting?

Express your gratitude for water so that we can be baptized and partake of the sacrament.

Testimony

Express your testimony of Heavenly Father’s plan and his love for us in giving us water. Tell the children you are grateful to Heavenly Father and Jesus for this wonderful gift.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Recite the following verse with the children, doing the actions indicated:

The Raindrops

When the flowers are thirsty

And the leaves are dry (open hands and stretch arms upward),

Merry little raindrops

Tumble from the sky (bring arms down, wiggling fingers).

All about they splatter (wiggle fingers from side to side)

In their happy play,

‘Til the bright warm sunshine (raise arms overhead and form a circle)

Chases them away (hide fingers behind back).

Help the children sing or say the words to “Rain Is Falling All Around” (Children’s Songbook, p. 241) or “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream” (Children’s Songbook, p. 236).

Have each child draw a picture of water, such as a lake, a river, or raindrops. Write on each child’s paper I am thankful for water.

Have the children tell about or pantomime ways that they can play in water, such as swimming, ice skating, making a snowman, or splashing in puddles.

Help the children understand that water helps us get things clean. Have them pantomime cleaning activities that use water, such as washing clothes or washing their hands.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Do some or all of the following activities to help the children learn the different ways we use water:

Give each child a small drink of water. As the children are drinking, explain that water is part of Heavenly Father’s plan for the earth. We can drink water when we are thirsty.

Put a little water in a bowl and help each child wash his or her hands. Remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus planned for us to have water. Explain that we can use water to wash things.

If possible, take the children outside and let each one water a plant. Or bring a plant to class and allow each child to give a little water to the plant. Explain that plants also need water to live and grow.

Do the following actions as the children pretend it is raining—softly at first, and then gradually harder.

Pat fingertips together.

Pat hands together.

Pat knees, alternating hands.

Tap feet.

Lesson 10

I Am Thankful for Trees, Plants, and Flowers

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for trees, plants, and flowers.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:11–13.

Put a fruit, vegetable, or small branch in a cloth or paper bag.

Prepare small samples of fruit, vegetable, or bread. Check with the children’s parents to make sure none of the children is allergic to the food.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

If possible, obtain pictures of local trees, plants, and flowers, and bring a few small wooden objects, such as a pencil, spoon, and bowl, from your home.

Cutout 1-4, flowers (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set 3).

Picture 1-22, Tree in Blossom; picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Pass around the bag with the fruit, vegetable, or branch in it, closed so the children cannot see what is inside. Have the children feel the bag and guess what is in it. Tell them not to guess out loud until everyone has had a chance to feel the bag. When everyone has felt the bag, let the children tell you what they think is in the bag. Take the item out of the bag, and talk about its appearance and usefulness.

Trees, plants, and flowers make the earth a beautiful place to live

Remind the children that everything on the earth was created according to Heavenly Father’s plan. On the third day of creation, Jesus created trees, plants, and flowers (see Genesis 1:11–13). Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus wanted to make the earth beautiful with trees, plants, and flowers.

Display the cutout of flowers and any pictures of trees, plants, or flowers you obtained. Let the children talk about experiences they have had with trees, plants, or flowers.

Story

Tell a story that teaches the children that trees, plants, and flowers make the earth a beautiful place to live. Talk about the beautiful plants that grow where you live. If applicable to your area, you may want to use picture 1-22, Tree in Blossom, and the following ideas:

Kelly has a favorite tree to play under. One morning her mother wakes her and says that she has a surprise for Kelly to see. Kelly’s favorite tree is covered with beautiful white blossoms that look like popcorn. Kelly asks how popcorn got on her favorite tree, and her mother explains the importance of blossoms.

Song

Have the children stand and sing “Popcorn Popping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 242), using hand actions as suggested by the words. Explain that in the springtime, apricot trees grow white flowers that look like popcorn.

I looked out the window, and what did I see?

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!

Spring had brought me such a nice surprise,

Blossoms popping right before my eyes.I could take an armful and make a treat,

A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.

It wasn’t really so, but it seemed to be

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

Explain that some flowers grow on trees, some grow on bushes and vines, and some grow right out of the ground. Invite the children to talk about flowers they have seen.

How do we use flowers to make our world beautiful? (We plant them in flower gardens, make bouquets, and wear them in our hair or on our clothes.)

Why do we give someone flowers? (For special occasions and to make people happy.)

Plants and trees are necessary for us to live

Story

Explain that plants and trees are necessary for us to live. Display picture 1-22, Tree in Blossom, and tell a story about a tree’s many uses. Use the following ideas or talk about other ways people in your area use trees:

First the birds use the tree for their home. They carefully build a nest, and the mother bird lays eggs in it. (Show picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds.) When the baby birds hatch from the eggs, the tree provides a good home for them. It protects them from the hot sun, from the rain, and from animals on the ground that would harm them. The tree also provides fruit for the family that lives nearby. The children play in the shade of the tree and attach a swing to a large branch. When part of the tree dies, the family cuts it down and uses it for firewood to keep the house warm.

Why are trees important to us? (They provide food, wood, shade, and a place to play.)

Show some items from your home or the classroom that are made of wood, and talk about the many uses of wood.

What other things do you know of that are made of wood?

Explain that we also use plants in many ways. One of the most important things plants provide for us is food.

What kinds of plants do we eat?

If any of the local pictures you have obtained show plants that are used for food, show them now.

Activity

Talk with the children about the grains, fruits, and vegetables grown locally. Explain that grains are often made into bread and cereal. Ask each child to name his or her favorite food that comes from a plant. Let the children taste the sample of fruit, vegetable, or bread that you brought. Tell them about the plant or tree that it came from.

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus create many different plants and trees so we would have good things to eat.

How can we thank Heavenly Father for our food? (By remembering to ask for a blessing on the food before we eat.)

Testimony

Share your testimony of the love Heavenly Father and Jesus have for each of us. Remind the children to remember that love every day when they see beautiful trees, plants, and flowers.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Bring some seeds (such as flower seeds, beans, or wheat) and a paper cup full of soil for each child to take home. Show the children how to plant their seeds, and remind them that they will need to provide water and sunlight for the seeds to grow.

Have the children repeat after you the words to the song “Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep” (Children’s Songbook, p. 243). Then have the children pretend to be the little seeds waking up and stretching while you sing or say the words again.

Cut petals, leaves, and stems out of colored paper and have each child paste some of them in the shape of a flower on another piece of paper. Label the page I am thankful for beautiful flowers.

Bring a fruit or vegetable that has seeds inside. Tell the children that there is a surprise inside. Cut open the fruit or vegetable so the children can see the seeds. Explain that when the seeds are planted and provided with water and sunshine, they will grow and produce more fruit or vegetables.

Take the children for a nature walk outside to look at different types of plants. If the weather does not permit going outdoors, the children might look out the window and take turns telling what plants they can see. If appropriate, explain the seasonal changes that affect the plants and trees.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-22, Tree in Blossom. Tell the children that Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create plants and trees (see Genesis 1:11–13). Explain that trees give us wood and fruit. Plants give us fruit and vegetables.

Bring a plant or a part of a plant (such as a flower or some leaves) for the children to see, feel, and smell. Give each child a chance to touch or hold the plant. Point out its color, smell, or beauty. Express your gratitude for plants, flowers, and trees.

Recite the following verse, demonstrating the actions. Then have the children do the actions with you while you recite the verse again.

I Dig

I dig and dig and dig (make digging motions),

And then I plant some seeds (bend over and pretend to plant seeds).

I rake and rake and rake (make raking motions with long strokes),

And then I pull some weeds (bend low and make pulling motions).

The sun shines bright and warm (make arms form a circle),

The rain comes down, and so (bring arms down, wiggling fingers)

Right there before my eyes,

My seeds begin to grow (push fingers of left hand between fingers of right hand).

Sing “In the Leafy Treetops” (Children’s Songbook, p. 240) with the children.

Lesson 11

I Am Thankful for Fish

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for fish and water animals.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:20–23; Jonah 1–3; Matthew 14:15–21; and Luke 5:1–11.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Paper fish (see pattern at the end of the lesson).

“Fishing pole”—a stick with a string tied to it and a paper clip, piece of tape, or magnet attached to the end of the string. (Save this pole for use in future lessons.)

Container to hold paper fish.

If possible, obtain pictures of fish or other animals that live in the water.

Cutout 1-5, fish (a similar cutout can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set 4).

Picture 1-1, The World (62196); picture 1-24, Jesus and the Fishermen (Gospel Art Picture Kit 210; 62138); picture 1-25, Fish; picture 1-26, Frog; picture 1-27, Turtle.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have the children pretend they are standing on a bridge overlooking a river or lake.

What do you see when you look in the water?

Have the children stand and pretend they are swimming in the water like a fish.

Heavenly Father asked Jesus Christ to create fish and other water animals

Show picture 1-1, The World, and review some of the things that Heavenly Father asked Jesus to create that have been discussed in past lessons. Tell the children that Jesus also created fish (see Genesis 1:20–23). Fish are a part of Heavenly Father’s plan for the earth. Show picture 1-25, Fish, and talk about where fish live.

Have you ever seen a fish?

Let the children talk about fish they have seen.

Show cutout 1-5 and any other pictures of fish you obtained. Talk about different kinds of fish, such as goldfish, trout, tuna, sharks, or whatever fish might be familiar to the children in the class.

What other animals live in water besides fish?

Show picture 1-26, Frog, and picture 1-27, Turtle. Talk about frogs and turtles and where they live. Also talk about whales, crabs, seals, and other water animals. Explain that some water animals live in the ocean, some in lakes, and some in rivers.

Activity

Help each child think of a water animal and pretend to walk, hop, or swim as it does.

Story

Hold up the Bible and explain that we can read about fish in the scriptures. Tell the story of Jonah, as found in Jonah 1–3. Explain that Jesus prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah so Jonah would not drown. Jesus had work for Jonah to do. You may want to read aloud a verse or two, such as Jonah 1:17 or Jonah 2:1, as you tell the story. (If you read a verse aloud, explain that Jesus is sometimes called “the Lord.”)

Who sent the big fish to swallow Jonah? (See Jonah 1:17.)

What did Jonah do when the fish swallowed him? (See Jonah 2:1.)

What did Jonah do when he got out of the fish? (See Jonah 3:1–3.)

Did the people believe Jonah and repent? (See Jonah 3:5, 10.)

Tell the children that some fish are very large, like the fish that swallowed Jonah, and some are very small and can even live in a bowl.

Activity

Help the children do the following finger play:

The Goldfish

My darling little goldfish hasn’t any toes (touch toes).

He swims around without a sound and bumps his hungry nose (point to nose).

He can’t get out to play with me, nor I get in to swim (make swimming motions).

And when I say, “Come out and play,”

He seems to say, “Come in” (motion “come in” with hand).

Story

Show the Bible again as you tell the story of Simon Peter found in Luke 5:1–11.

Show picture 1-24, Jesus and the Fishermen, at an appropriate time.

Why did Jesus get into Simon Peter’s ship? (See Luke 5:3.)

What did Jesus tell Simon Peter to do? (See Luke 5:4.)

What did Simon Peter catch in his net? (See Luke 5:6.)

Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create fish and water animals for our use

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus create fish and water animals for us to use for food and other purposes.

Story

Referring to the Bible again, tell the story found in Matthew 14:15–21. You may want to read aloud one or two verses, such as Matthew 14:16–17, as you tell the story.

What did Jesus do when the people were hungry? (See Matthew 14:15–16.)

What did Jesus feed the people? (See Matthew 14:19.)

Activity

Show the class the fishing pole you have prepared, and invite one of the children to come up and fish. Put some cutout fish in the container, and when the child dangles the string over the container, attach a fish to the paper clip, tape, or magnet and let the child pull it out. Let each child have a turn fishing.

Let the children talk about times they have been fishing or have eaten fish.

Testimony

Express your appreciation for fish and water animals.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Let the children color the paper fish they caught in the fishing activity (repeat the activity if desired). Write I am thankful for fish on the back of each child’s fish.

Have the children sit in a semicircle. Place the fish the children colored on the floor in front of them. Say the following verse together:

Little fish in the brook,

I can catch you with no hook.

Point to a child and have the child choose his or her own fish by using the fishing pole or by pointing at the fish. The child says, “I caught a one,” saying the color of the fish. The child then keeps the fish to take home. Continue until each child has had a turn.

Sing with the children “Thanks to Our Father” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20).

Help the children do the following finger play. Explain that a minnow is a tiny fish.

The Little Turtle

I have a little turtle.

It lives in a box (cup hands).

It swims in the river (make swimming motions),

And climbs on the rocks (move fingers upward in a climbing motion).

It snapped at a minnow (clap hands).

It snapped at a flea (clap hands).

It snapped at a mosquito (clap hands),

And it snapped at me (clap hands)!

It caught the minnow (clap hands);

It caught the flea (clap hands);

It caught the mosquito (clap hands);

But it didn’t catch me!

(Vachel Lindsay, from Collected Poems of Vachel Lindsay. © 1920 by Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., renewed 1948 by Elizabeth C. Lindsay. Used by permission.)

Help the children say the words to the following activity. Explain that a brook is a little river and a nook is a place to hide.

Five Little Fishes

Have five children stand in front of the class, each holding a paper fish.

Five little fishes were swimming in the brook.

One swam away to a secret nook (one child “swims” back to his or her seat).

Little fishes, little fishes, happy at play,

Little fishes, little fishes, swim all day.

Sing another verse with four fish, then three, then two. One child swims away each verse. When only one child remains, use the following verse:

One little fishie was swimming in the brook;

He [or she] swam away to a secret nook.

Little fishie, little fishie, happy at play,

Little fishie, little fishie, swim all day.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-25, Fish; picture 1-26, Frog; and picture 1-27, Turtle. In your own words, tell the story of the creation of fish and water animals (see Genesis 1:20–23). Express your gratitude for fish and other water animals.

Tell the children that many animals live in or near the water. Have them guess what animal you are thinking of as you give the following clues:

My skin is green and smooth and slick. I hop. I live near lakes, streams, or ponds. Can you guess what I am?

(When the children have guessed “frog,” show picture 1-26, Frog, or draw a frog on the chalkboard.)

I am very slow. I carry a hard shell on my back. When I am frightened, I pull my head, arms, and legs inside my shell. What am I?

(When the children have guessed “turtle,” show picture 1-27, Turtle, or draw a turtle on the chalkboard.)

After the children have guessed both animals, have them hop around like frogs; then have them crawl around slowly like turtles.

Sing with the children “Oh, What Do You Do in the Summertime?” (Children’s Songbook, p. 245).

Lesson 12

I Am Thankful for Animals

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for animals.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:24–25 and Genesis 6:5–8:19.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Cutouts 1-6 through 1-19, animals (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts sets 4 and 5).

Picture 1-28, Creation—Living Creatures (Gospel Art Picture Kit 100; 62483); picture 1-29, Building the Ark (Gospel Art Picture Kit 102; 62053); picture 1-30, Noah and the Ark with Animals (Gospel Art Picture Kit 103; 62305).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Place the cutout figures of animals on the floor or table in front of the children. Help a child pick a cutout, identify that animal, and show it to the class. Continue until each child has had at least one turn.

Heavenly Father asked Jesus Christ to create animals

Review with the children that Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create our beautiful earth, including the day and night, the oceans and land, and the plants and trees. Show the Bible and remind the children that we read about the Creation in this book. Explain that the Bible tells us that Heavenly Father had Jesus create all the animals and put them on the earth.

Display picture 1-28, Creation—Living Creatures.

Who created the things you see in this picture?

What are the names of the animals in this picture?

Explain that Jesus created all kinds of animals to be on the earth. Some animals live on farms and around our homes. Some animals live in the forest, some in the mountains, and some in the desert. Some animals live in the cold parts of the world and other animals live in the warm places.

What animals live on a farm?

What animals live in the forest, mountains, or desert?

What is your favorite animal?

Activity

Have the children stand and pretend to be their favorite animals.

Animals help us

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus put animals on the earth to help us. We use some animals for food, some work for us, and some are interesting to look at or play with.

How do animals help us?

From which animals do we get food, such as milk, eggs, or meat?

From which animals do we get material for clothing?

Which animals are fun to have as pets?

Which animals can we ride?

Let the children talk about experiences they have had with different kinds of animals.

The animals were saved from the flood

Tell the story of Noah and the Ark, as found in Genesis 6:5–8:19. Show picture 1-29, Building the Ark, and picture 1-30, Noah and the Ark with Animals. You might also use the cutout figures to illustrate the story.

How were Noah and his family blessed for obeying Jesus?

How were the animals saved?

When we see a rainbow, what does it remind us of?

Activity

Have the children stand and do the actions with you as you recite the following verse:

Noah

Noah built an ark so big (outstretch arms);

He knew just what to do (place finger on side of forehead).

He hammered, sawed, and measured (make motions as indicated)

As he’d been commanded to (nod head).

And Noah called his family (beckon with arm)

To march onto the boat (march quietly in place)—

And, two by two, the animals (hold up two fingers)

Came aboard to float (make floating motion with hands).

The heavy dark clouds gathered (place hands above head),

The rain began to fall (wiggle fingers imitating rain)—

And all the earth was covered (make a sweeping motion with hand and arm);

There was no land at all (turn head from side to side).

The ark just floated safely (make a floating motion with hands)

Many a day and night (put hands together on one side of face),

Until the sun came out again (place arms in a circle above head)

And shone so warm and bright.

And all the water dried right up (cross arms across chest);

Dry land did appear (open arms and extend hands).

Noah’s family gave their thanks (bow head and fold arms)

That God was always near.

(Adapted from a verse by Beverly Spencer.)

Testimony

Share your feelings of gratitude for the beautiful world that Jesus Christ created according to Heavenly Father’s plan. Express how grateful you are for the animals that have been placed on this earth for us to use and enjoy.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Play the game “Animal, Animal, Who Are You?” Have the children form a circle. Have one child stand in the center of the circle and pretend to be an animal. The other children raise their hands to guess what animal the child in the center is imitating. When a child guesses the animal correctly, he or she moves into the circle and imitates another animal. You might want to have each child first whisper to you the name of the animal he or she will imitate to be sure the child has the animal clearly in mind.

Play the game “What Is This Animal?” Give the children clues about a certain animal. Clues might indicate where the animal lives, how big it is, what sounds it makes, what color it is, and how it helps people. Tell the children to raise their hands when they think they know which animal you are talking about. Repeat with different animals as many times as you want.

With the children, sing or say the words to “The World Is So Big” (Children’s Songbook, p. 235). Do the actions indicated below:

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms),

And in it God’s creations are found;

Mountains (put hands in mountain shape over head)

And valleys (put hands palms down in front of body)

And trees so tall (stretch arms up tall),

Animals big (reach up)

And animals small (reach down).

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms).

God loves us all; our blessings abound (grasp arms and hug self).

Have the children talk about any pets they have or would like to have. Discuss with the children how we should treat and take care of pets.

Give the children paper and crayons. Let each child draw a picture of his or her favorite animal. Write on each picture I am thankful for animals.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-28, Creation—Living Creatures. In your own words, tell the story of the creation of animals (see Genesis 1:24–25). Express your gratitude for animals.

Choose a few animals that the children are familiar with. Have the children pretend to be each animal. Discuss what the animals look like and sound like and what they are useful for.

Help the children sing the first lines of “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (Children’s Songbook, p. 231).

Lesson 13

I Am Thankful for Birds and Insects

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for birds, insects, and creeping things.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:20–25 and 1 Kings 16:29–17:6.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

If possible, obtain pictures of birds, insects, and creeping things common in your area.

Cutouts 1-20 through 1-25, birds and insects (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts sets 4 and 5).

Picture 1-31, Elijah Being Fed by the Ravens; picture 1-32, Miracle of the Sea Gulls (Gospel Art Picture Kit 413; 62603).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Give the following clues and have the children guess the answer to the question “What am I?”

I have a beak.

I have feathers.

I have wings.

I fly in the air.

When the children have guessed “a bird,” have them follow you and pretend to be birds flying around the room. Lead them back to their seats.

Heavenly Father asked Jesus Christ to create birds

Explain that Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create birds for us to enjoy and to make the earth a nice place on which to live. Show the Bible and tell the children that the Bible tells us about the creation of birds (see Genesis 1:20–23).

Explain that different kinds of birds live all over the world. Show any pictures of birds you obtained and the cutout figures of birds, one at a time.

Is this a bird?

How can you tell? (It has wings, feathers, and a beak.)

Let the children talk about any experiences they have had with birds.

Birds can help us

Story

Show picture 1-31, Elijah Being Fed by the Ravens, and tell the story of the ravens feeding Elijah the prophet, as found in 1 Kings 17:1–6. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus have power over everything, even the birds. Jesus told the birds to take care of Elijah when he had to hide from the wicked king Ahab.

How did the ravens know they should bring food to Elijah? (See 1 Kings 17:4.)

What kind of food did the ravens bring? (Bread and meat; see 1 Kings 17:6.)

Activity

Choose a child to be Elijah. Have the other children pretend that they are the ravens bringing food in the morning and again in the evening.

Story

Tell the following story of the seagulls and the crickets in your own words:

When the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they planted wheat and other grain. They needed the grain to make bread and cereal to eat. The wheat grew big and tall. Just before it was time to harvest the wheat, a big cloud filled the sky. It was not a rain cloud, but a cloud of thousands of hungry black crickets. The crickets landed on the wheat and began to eat it.

The pioneers did everything they could to stop the crickets from eating their wheat. They built fires, beat the crickets with brooms and blankets, and even tried covering the crickets with water. But the crickets did not stop. The pioneers were afraid that they would not have food for the winter. They knelt down in prayer and asked Heavenly Father for help.

Soon great flocks of seagulls came and began to eat the crickets. (Display picture 1-32, Miracle of the Sea Gulls.) Before long, most of the crickets were gone. The pioneers thanked Heavenly Father for sending the seagulls and saving their crops (see William E. Berrett, The Restored Church [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1961], pp. 283–85).

How did the seagulls help the pioneers?

Heavenly Father asked Jesus Christ to create insects and creeping things

Tell the children that Jesus Christ also created insects and creeping things such as spiders and snakes. These creatures are a part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

Activity

Have the children guess the insects and creeping things described in the following riddles. As each riddle is guessed, display and discuss the appropriate cutout figure.

I am yellow and I buzz.

My tummy is covered with fuzz.

I make honey for you and me.

I am a honey . (Bee; make a buzzing sound.)

I spin a web to catch my food.

I have eight legs just like I should.

People often don’t like me.

Can you guess what I might be? (Spider; move fingers like legs.)

I was once a caterpillar.

I can fly up in the sky.

I have beautiful wings.

I am a . (Butterfly; softly move fingers like wings.)

What do you know about these creatures?

Explain that insects were created for many reasons. Some insects can be eaten

by birds, animals, and other insects; some can make pleasant sights and sounds. Honeybees make honey for us to eat, and they help fruits, flowers, and vegetables grow.

Activity

Show the cutout of a bee and any pictures of bees or beehives that you obtained. Describe how bees collect nectar from the flowers to use in making honey, and then have the children pretend they are bees going from flower to flower to get nectar to make honey.

Which insects do you like? Why?

Show any pictures you obtained of insects. Explain that some insects bother us. They eat our food and can bite or sting us. Remind the children of the story of the seagulls and the crickets. The crickets were eating all of the pioneers’ food.

Explain that usually when insects hurt or bother us, they are only trying to protect themselves.

Testimony

Remind the children that birds, insects, and other creeping things are an important part of our earth. Express your feelings of gratitude for these creatures.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Play the butterfly game. Have the children sit in a circle. Choose one child to be the butterfly. This child waves a paper butterfly over the other children’s heads while walking around the outside of the circle. As the child walks around the circle, recite this verse:

One little butterfly flew away

On a very bright, warm summer day.

It flew up in the sky so blue,

And when it landed, it landed on you!

When you say, “It landed on you,” the child who is the butterfly places the paper butterfly in another child’s lap. That child is now the butterfly. Repeat the verse until every child has had a turn to be the butterfly.

Explain in simple terms how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Have the children pretend they are caterpillars spinning cocoons. Have them sit on their chairs or on the floor and wrap their arms around their legs, pretending to be asleep. Tell them that when a caterpillar changes into a butterfly, its wings begin to move and stretch. Have the children stretch their arms. Remind the children that butterflies are very quiet, even when they move. Have the children stand and pretend to fly silently around the room.

With the children, sing or say the words to “In the Leafy Treetops” (Children’s Songbook, p. 240) or “The World Is So Big” (Children’s Songbook, p. 235). Use the actions below with “The World Is So Big”:

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms),

And in it God’s creations are found;

Mountains (put hands in mountain shape over head)

And valleys (put hands palms down in front of body)

And trees so tall (stretch arms up tall),

Animals big (reach up)

And animals small (reach down).

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms).

God loves us all; our blessings abound (grasp arms and hug self).

Sing or say the words to “All Things Bright and Beautiful” (Children’s Songbook, p. 231), using the actions indicated below:

All things bright and beautiful (make a large circle with arms),

All creatures great and small (extend arms wide, then bring hands close together),

All things wise and wonderful (point a finger at head),

The Lord God made them all (fold arms as if in prayer).

Each little flower that opens (make fists, then open hands),

Each little bird that sings (bring fingers and thumbs together like bird beaks),

He made their glowing colors (wave arm in rainbow-shaped gesture);

He made their tiny wings (flap hands like wings).

Bring a jar of honey for the children to see or taste. (Check with the children’s parents to make sure none of the children is allergic to honey.)

Help the children do one or both of the following finger plays:

Two Little Tweety Birds

Two little tweety birds sat upon a wall (place a finger on each shoulder),

One named Peter (raise the left finger)

And one named Paul (raise the right finger).

Fly away, Peter (place the left finger behind the back);

Fly away, Paul (place the right finger behind the back).

Come back, Peter (place the left finger on the shoulder again);

Come back, Paul (place the right finger on the shoulder again).

Beehive

Here is the beehive (cup left hand downward).

Where are the bees?

Hidden away where nobody sees (hide fingers of right hand under cupped left hand).

Soon they’ll come flying out of the hive (bring right hand out and hold up one finger at a time as children count).

One, two, three, four, five! BZZZ!

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show a simple picture, cutout figure, or drawing of a bird. Tell the children that Heavenly Father had Jesus Christ create birds (see Genesis 1:20–23). Express your gratitude for birds.

Explain that birds have special beaks to help them pick up their food. Have the children hold their hands up to their mouths like beaks and pretend to pick up food. Explain that birds also have wings to help them fly. Have the children flap their arms and pretend to fly.

Sing or say the words to “Birds in the Tree” (Children’s Songbook, p. 241), using the actions indicated below:

We will find a little nest (cup hands together)

In the branches of a tree (hold arms up rounded over head).

Let us count the eggs inside;

There are one, two, three (hold up one, two, and three fingers).

Mother bird sits on the nest (cup left hand; place right hand on top)

To hatch the eggs, all three (hold up three fingers).

Father bird flies round and round (move arms in a flying motion)

To guard his family.

Help the children do the following finger play:

Eency Weency Spider

Eency weency spider went up the water spout (use two fingers of one hand to “climb” the opposite arm).

Down came the rain and washed the spider out (raise hands above head, then lower while wiggling fingers).

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain (make a circle overhead with arms).

Then the eency weency spider went up the spout again (repeat action from first line).

Lesson 14

Adam and Eve Were Created in Heavenly Father’s Image

Purpose

To help each child understand that Adam and Eve were created in the image of Heavenly Father.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1; 2:15–25; and 3. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapters 5 and 6.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Cutouts 1-1 through 1-25 (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts sets 3, 4, and 5).

Picture 1-33, Adam and Eve (Gospel Art Picture Kit 101; 62461); picture 1-34, Adam and Eve Teach Their Children.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask all those who are Heavenly Father’s children to stand. Remind the children that we are all Heavenly Father’s children, so everyone should stand.

Song

Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2) with the children. Point out that the song tells us that Heavenly Father has given us an earthly home.

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

The earth was created according to Heavenly Father’s plan

Activity

Place the cutout figures face down on a table or your lap.

What are some of the things that Jesus created for the earth?

As a child mentions each of the creations, have him or her display the corresponding cutout.

What creations are you grateful for?

Help the children understand that the earth and everything on it were created for us to use and enjoy. Remind the children that the earth and everything on it are a part of Heavenly Father’s plan.

Song

Sing “I Am a Child of God” again with the children.

Adam and Eve were a part of Heavenly Father’s plan

Have the children look at the cutout figures on display.

What else needs to be on the earth?

Show picture 1-33, Adam and Eve. Explain that after all the other things were created, Adam and Eve were created. Tell about the creation of people, as found in Genesis 1:26–28. Explain that Adam and Eve were the first two people to live on the earth. They had bodies of flesh and bones that looked like Heavenly Father’s body.

Who was the first man to live on the earth?

Who was the first woman?

What kind of bodies did Adam and Eve have?

Have the children feel their arms, and remind them that their bodies are like Adam’s and Eve’s bodies.

Story

Referring to picture 1-33, Adam and Eve, tell the story of Adam and Eve in your own words, bringing out the following points (see Genesis 2:15–25; 3):

After Adam and Eve received physical bodies, they lived in a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve were married for eternity by Heavenly Father.

Fruits and flowers grew easily in the Garden of Eden, and all the animals were tame.

Adam and Eve did not know the difference between good and bad.

Adam and Eve could not have children.

Adam and Eve could eat fruit from every tree except one.

Adam and Eve ate the fruit from that tree.

Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden.

The whole world changed: Adam and Eve had to work hard to get food, weeds began to grow, and animals became wild.

Adam and Eve then began to have children.

Show picture 1-34, Adam and Eve Teach Their Children. Explain that Adam and Eve were blessed with many children. They were the first parents on earth. They taught their children about Heavenly Father and Jesus. Their family grew and spread throughout the earth.

What did Adam and Eve do after they left the Garden of Eden?

Explain that Adam and Eve and their children used and enjoyed the plants and animals that had been created for the earth.

Activity

Help the children do the following finger play:

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve lived on the earth (cup hands together to indicate the earth)

When it was very new.

They tended many animals (use one hand to pet the other hand)

And the food they grew (put fingers to mouth, as if eating).

Adam and Eve had children (put up two fingers close together)

Who had children of their own (add two more fingers).

Now many children have been born (wiggle all ten fingers).

Look how the world has grown (use arms to make a large circle, then stretch arms out to the side)!

Help the children understand that because Adam and Eve were the first parents on the earth, we are all part of their family.

Heavenly Father and Jesus said that the earth was good

Read the first sentence of Genesis 1:31 aloud. Have the children repeat the sentence with you. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus feel that all their creations are good. Most importantly, they feel that we are good, and they love each of us very much.

Testimony

Bear your testimony of Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ love for each of us. Explain that the earth and everything on it are for us to use and enjoy. Whenever we notice a flower, a star, or any other creation, we are reminded that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us. Express your gratitude for their love and for the earth.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Select several activities from lessons 8 through 13, such as “God’s Creation” or “Noah,” to do with the children.

Review what happened on each day of the Creation as the children count off the days on their fingers.

Sing or say the words to “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 228) with the children.

Let the children draw or color a picture of something that is a part of Heavenly Father’s plan, such as a flower, a tree, or the sun. Write at the top of each child’s paper I am thankful for the earth.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “The World Is So Big” (Children’s Songbook, p. 235). Help the children do the actions indicated below:

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms),

And in it God’s creations are found;

Mountains (put hands in mountain shape over head)

And valleys (put hands palms down in front of body)

And trees so tall (stretch arms up tall),

Animals big (reach up)

And animals small (reach down).

Stars shining brightly through all the night (straighten and wiggle fingers),

Sun in the day so warm and so bright (form a large circle with arms).

The world is so big and, oh, so round.

God loves us all; our blessings abound (grasp arms and hug self).

Help the children do the actions to the following finger play while you say the words:

God’s Creation

God made the moon (make a circle with hands)

And winking stars (open and close hands)

And put them in the sky (reach up).

He made the sun (make a circle with arms overhead)

And trees (hold arms straight up)

And flowers (cup hands)

And little birds that fly (wave arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951. Used by permission.)

Lesson 15

The Sabbath Is a Day of Worship

Purpose

To help each child understand that the Sabbath is a day of worship and rest.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 2:1–3 and Exodus 16:11–31. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 24.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-6, Family Home Evening (62521); picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-9, Morning Prayer (62310); picture 1-10, Family Prayer (62275); picture 1-35, Gathering Manna; picture 1-36, Children and Parent Reading a Scripture Story.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Help the children act out each day of the Creation while you remind them of what was created each day (see Genesis 1):

Day 1 | Pretend to be asleep and then wake up, to indicate night and day.
Day 2 | Stand, look up, and spread arms wide to indicate the sky.
Day 3 | Bend over to pick a flower and then smell the flower.
Day 4 | Make a large circle with your arms for the sun and a smaller circle with your hands for the moon, and then wiggle your fingers while moving your arms to represent the twinkling stars.
Day 5 | Pretend to be a bird flying around the room or a fish swimming in the sea.
Day 6 | Pretend to be an animal. Walk around the room several times imitating that animal. Then stand in a line and each say, “My name is (child’s own name). I am a child of God.”

Have the children sit down quietly.

Tell the children that on the seventh day, Heavenly Father and Jesus rested. They called this day of rest the Sabbath.

Have the children repeat the word Sabbath a few times.

The Sabbath is a holy day

Read aloud Genesis 2:1–2 and verse Genesis 2:3 to the word day. Explain that when Heavenly Father and Jesus finished creating the earth and everything on it, they blessed the seventh day. It was to be a holy day, different from the other days of the week. The Sabbath is a day for us to rest from our work and to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Which day of the week is the Sabbath?

What did Heavenly Father and Jesus do on the Sabbath day? (See Genesis 2:2.)

Activity

Have the children hold up seven fingers. Count to seven with them, moving each finger as it is counted. Explain that on six days (wiggle first six fingers), we do our work. On the seventh day (wiggle seventh finger alone), we rest from our work because it is the Sabbath day.

Story

Show picture 1-35, Gathering Manna, and tell the story of the Israelites and manna, as found in Exodus 16:11–31.

Help the children understand the miracle of the manna. Explain that each day the Israelites gathered just enough manna for that day, but on the sixth day they gathered enough manna for two days. If the Israelites gathered extra manna on any day but the sixth, it would spoil. On the seventh day, which was the Sabbath, there was no manna to gather. On this day the Israelites ate the extra manna they gathered on the sixth day.

How did the Israelites get food?

Why didn’t they gather manna on the Sabbath?

Read Exodus 16:26 aloud. Explain that the Israelites were taught to not work on the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to think about them instead of about our work. The Sabbath is a very holy day to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Emphasize that the Sabbath is not a day to work and do regular things but a day to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus. Worship means to think about Heavenly Father and Jesus and do things that show how much we love them.

The Sabbath is a day of worship

Help the children understand that the Sabbath is a happy day because we can worship Heavenly Father and Jesus in many different ways.

What have you done today to show Heavenly Father and Jesus that you love them?

Explain that one important way we can worship Heavenly Father and Jesus, or show them that we love them, is by coming to church and partaking of the sacrament. Show picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament. Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy when we sing and listen and when we are quiet and well-behaved so we can hear our teachers and feel Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ love for us.

Activity

Help the children do the following finger play:

I’m Glad I Came to Church Today

I’m glad I came to church today (clasp hands and make steeple of church by putting tips of forefingers together).

I learn to listen (cup hand around ear)

And to pray (fold arms and bow head).

I learn of Jesus up above (point up);

I think of Jesus and his love (hug self).

We also show Heavenly Father and Jesus that we love them by being neat and clean when we come to church. We should clean our faces and hair and wear our best clothes.

Activity

Have the children pantomime getting ready for church.

What do we do to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus when we are at church?

What do we do to worship Heavenly Father and Jesus when we are at home?

Help the children understand that we should not spend money or shop on the Sabbath. We should not go to sporting or entertainment activities on the Sabbath. We should not work in our yards or gardens or go fishing or hunting on the Sabbath.

Explain that there are many things to do at home to keep the Sabbath day holy. Show pictures from the “Preparation” section at appropriate times during this discussion. We can play quiet games with family members, have scripture stories read to us, make family albums, visit relatives or those who are sick, draw pictures of things for which we are thankful, go on a walk with a member of the family, pray, sing songs, and listen to good music.

Activity

Let the children take turns pantomiming things they enjoy doing at home to keep the Sabbath day holy.

Testimony

Tell the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy when we come to church on the Sabbath and when we sing, pray, and listen to our teachers. They are also happy when we act appropriately at home on the Sabbath. Tell about some of the reverent things you like to do on the Sabbath, and express how happy you feel on the Sabbath. Encourage the children to share with their families what they learned in this lesson.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Do the following activity, creating a verse for every child in your class. Invite the children to do the actions with you.

Because Today Is Sunday

Point to a child in your class and say that child’s name as you say this verse and do the indicated action:

(Child’s name) listened to scriptures today (cup hand behind ear).

(Child’s name) listened to scriptures today, because today is Sunday.

Say a verse for each child, using the following ideas with the form above:

(Child’s name) prayed in Primary today (fold arms, bow head, close eyes).

(Child’s name) drew a picture today (pretend to draw with hand).

(Child’s name) visited someone who was lonely today (shake hands with the child named).

(Child’s name) learned about family history today (pretend to turn pages and look at pictures).

(Child’s name) wrote to Grandma and Grandpa today (move hand as if writing).

(Child’s name) listened to a story today (cup hand around ear).

Tell the children the following story in your own words:

The pioneers traveled many miles to get to the Salt Lake Valley to live. They arrived just a few days before the Sabbath. Even though they had houses to build and crops to plant, they decided not to work on the Sabbath. They worked very hard and very quickly to dig up the ground and get it ready to plant. The ground was very hard, so they had to get it wet enough for the plows to get through it. By Saturday night, they had a large field of vegetables planted. On Sunday morning, they met for their Sabbath meetings and thanked Heavenly Father for bringing them to a new land to live.

Have each child draw a picture of himself or herself doing a Sabbath activity. Have the children tell each other about their pictures. Label each picture with the child’s name and activity, as in this example: David sings Primary songs on the Sabbath.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words:

The Creation

Jesus said the sun should shine (make a large circle above head with arms),

The rain should fall (bring hands down in front of body while wiggling fingers),

The flowers should grow (cup hands, palms facing up).

Jesus said the birds should sing (open and close fingers like a bird’s beak),

And it was so, was so (fold arms).

(Johnie B. Wood, in Sing, Look, Do, Action Songs for Children, ed. Dorothy M. Peterson [Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Co., 1965].)

Explain that after the creation of the earth was finished, Heavenly Father and Jesus rested. The Sabbath is a day when we rest and remember Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Tell the children that when we do our work on Saturday it makes it easier to remember Jesus and Heavenly Father on Sunday. Sing “Saturday” (Children’s Songbook, p. 196), improvising actions as suggested by the words.

Lesson 16

I Have a Body

Purpose

To help each child appreciate and respect his or her physical body.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Daniel 1 and Doctrine and Covenants 89. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 29.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-37, Daniel Refusing the King’s Meat and Wine (Gospel Art Picture Kit 114; 62094); picture 1-38, Children Playing with a Ball.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have the children stand. Help them sing and do the actions to “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (Children’s Songbook, p. 275). Sing the song slowly enough to point to or move the parts of the body as they are mentioned. For example, nod your head, shrug your shoulders, bend your knees, and stand tiptoe.

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, knees and toes, knees and toes,

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes, eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.

Explain to the children that they used their bodies to help them sing this song.

Heavenly Father planned for each of us to have a physical body

Review with the children that when we lived in heaven with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we did not have physical bodies. We were spirits. We needed to come to earth to get physical bodies. Heavenly Father planned for us to be born on earth and have earthly parents to take care of us.

Display picture 1-5, Family with a Baby.

Who are the people in this picture?

Who planned for us to come to earth to get bodies and have families?

Activity

Have the children stand and copy your actions as you explain that our bodies are from the tops of our heads (touch head) to the tips of our toes (touch toes). Our faces (smile) and our fingers (wiggle fingers) are all parts of our bodies. Have the children turn around once and sit down.

Explain that our bodies can do many things. Each part of the body has a special job to do.

What can you do with your eyes?

What can you do with your ears?

What can you do with your mouth?

What can you do with your hands?

What can you do with your feet?

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following action verse:

I Have a Wonderful Body

I have a wonderful body (touch hands to chest)

That Heavenly Father planned for me.

He gave me ears so I might hear (cup hand around ear)

And eyes that I might see (point to eyes).

I have two hands that I can clap (clap hands),

Two feet that turn around (turn around).

When I want to, I can touch

My toes down on the ground (bend over and touch toes).

When I think about my body (put finger to head),

The best part of it is (sit down quietly)

That Heavenly Father planned it

To look very much like his.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to take care of our bodies

Explain that because our bodies are so important, Heavenly Father and Jesus have given us rules to help us take care of our bodies and keep them strong and healthy. These rules are called the Word of Wisdom. Show a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants (or show where the Doctrine and Covenants begins in the triple combination). Explain that the Word of Wisdom is written in this book of scripture.

Discuss the kinds of foods that the Word of Wisdom tells us will help keep our bodies healthy, such as fruits, vegetables, and grains. Then discuss the things that Heavenly Father and Jesus told us not to use, such as tobacco, alcohol, and coffee. Help the children understand that when we obey the Word of Wisdom and eat the right foods, Heavenly Father and Jesus are pleased with us and will bless us.

Story

Tell the story in Daniel 1 of how Daniel ate the food Heavenly Father wanted him to eat. Show picture 1-37, Daniel Refusing the King’s Meat and Wine, at an appropriate time.

What did Daniel do when the king told him to eat things that were not good for him? (See Daniel 1:8, 12–13.)

How were Daniel and his friends blessed for following Heavenly Father’s rules about what to eat? (See Daniel 1:15, 17, 20.)

What healthy foods do you eat?

Why should you eat healthy food?

How do you feel when you eat foods that are good for you?

Explain that we also need to do other things to keep our bodies healthy and strong.

Show picture 1-38, Children Playing with a Ball.

What are these children doing?

Why is it important to exercise our bodies?

What are some other ways we can exercise our bodies?

Put your hands together on one side of your face and close your eyes as if you were sleeping.

What am I pretending to do?

Why is it important to get the right amount of sleep?

Pretend you are washing your hands.

What am I pretending to do?

When should we wash our hands?

When should we take a bath?

When should we brush our teeth?

Why do we need to be clean?

Discuss other important health rules, such as dressing properly for all kinds of weather, practicing good safety habits, and getting fresh air.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to protect our bodies

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to protect our bodies from harm and injuries. Ask the children about dangers they might encounter, using the following questions or making up your own:

What could happen if you play with matches?

What could happen if you play in the street or around cars?

What could happen if you aren’t careful with sharp things such as knives and scissors?

Why do we wear seat belts when we ride in a car?

Explain that we need to protect our bodies. We should not do things that are dangerous to our bodies and might hurt them. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to feel safe and happy. They want us to take care of our bodies so we will be healthy.

Testimony

Share your feelings of gratitude for your physical body. Express your gratitude that the children are taking care of their bodies so they can be healthy and strong.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing “Do As I’m Doing” (Children’s Songbook, p. 276) or “Hinges” (Children’s Songbook, p. 277), doing actions as suggested by the words. Tell the children how grateful you are for a body that can do so many things.

Bring pictures of various items of food and drink. Have the children decide if each item is good or bad for their bodies. Explain that some things are good, but not if we have too much. For example, candy tastes good, but too much will make us sick. Display the pictures of the good items for the children to look at.

In a bag or box, bring some items that help us take care of our bodies. Include an item that helps keep us clean, such as soap, a washcloth or small towel, or a toothbrush. Include an item of good food, a small blanket to represent sleep, and something to represent exercise, such as a small ball. Give the children clues about one item and let them guess what it is. Show them the item when they guess correctly. Continue until all the items have been revealed.

Have the children stand and pantomime keeping their bodies neat and clean. Have them pretend to wash their hands, brush their teeth, and comb their hair. Then have them pantomime their favorite way to exercise, such as jumping, hopping, skipping, or throwing a ball.

Talk with the children about how some people have things wrong with their bodies. We should not make fun of these people or point or laugh at them. Talk about how we should treat people with physical disabilities (talk to them, be their friend, treat them normally, help them if they need help).

Have each child draw a picture of himself or herself. Label each paper I am thankful for my body.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby, and let the children talk about it.

Were you ever a baby?

Can babies walk or talk?

Remind the children that they were once babies, but now their bodies have grown and they can do many more things. As their bodies grow more, they will be able to do even more.

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity, and remind the children that even Jesus was once a baby.

Point to your mouth and say, “This is my mouth.” Then ask, “Can you show me your mouth?” and help the children point to their own mouths. Repeat for eyes, nose, ears, hands, and feet. Then point to each body part without saying its name and have the children name it. If the children can name all of these parts, you might also ask the names of some body parts less well known to children, such as elbows, knees, wrists, and ankles.

Make up a simple story about a small child from your area. Tell about the child waking up in the morning, getting dressed, eating breakfast, and so on through the day. As you talk about each activity, ask the children what parts of the body the child is using.

Have the children stand and sing the following song to the tune of “Once There Was a Snowman” (Children’s Songbook, p. 249). Use crouching actions for the first verse and stretching actions for the second verse.

Once I was a baby, baby, baby.

Once I was a baby, small, small, small.

Now I’m growing bigger, bigger, bigger.

Now I’m growing bigger, tall, tall, tall!

Lesson 17

I Am Thankful for My Hands

Purpose

To help each child appreciate his or her hands and what they can do.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Matthew 19:13–15 and Doctrine and Covenants 20:70; 35:6; 42:43–44.

Prepare a bag or box containing familiar objects with different textures and shapes, such as a rock, a leaf, a piece of fabric, a spoon, a comb, and a pencil. Include at least one object per child in the class.

If possible, make a copy of the sign language handout (found at the end of the lesson) for each child.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

A small object such as a button or coin.

Picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-11, Boy Being Baptized (62018); picture 1-12, Girl Being Confirmed (62020); picture 1-39, Blessing a Baby; picture 1-40, Administering to the Sick (62342).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have a child reach a hand into the bag or box you have prepared, without looking into it. Ask the child to feel one of the objects, tell what it feels like (soft, hard, smooth, rough), and try to guess what it is. Then have the child remove the object from the bag or box and show it to the class. Let the other children feel it. Continue until every child has had a turn.

What did you use to reach into the bag (box)?

What did you use to feel the object?

Explain that our hands are a great blessing to us. We can use our hands in many ways.

We can do many things with our hands

Have the children hold up their hands and look at them. Talk about what the children can do with their hands. They can pick something up with their fingers and thumb; they can hold something in their palms; they can wave and turn their hands in all directions.

Activity

Using a small object such as a button or coin, have the children take turns trying to pick up the object without using their thumbs. Remind the children that every single part of our bodies is important.

Activity

How did your hands help you get ready to come to church?

Have the children pantomime morning activities, such as washing their faces, getting dressed, combing their hair, eating, and brushing their teeth.

How do your hands help you play?

Have the children pantomime ways they use their hands in play, such as bouncing a ball, feeding a doll, building with blocks or sand, or playing a drum.

How do your hands help you work?

Have the children pantomime ways they use their hands to work, such as picking up toys, setting the table, making a bed, or feeding a pet.

How do your hands help you when you come to church?

Have the children pantomime ways we use our hands in church, such as shaking hands, holding a picture, raising a hand to answer a question, or taking the sacrament.

Help the children understand that our hands are a great blessing to us and that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to use our hands to help ourselves and to help others. Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus do not want us to use our hands to be unkind to others—to hit or pinch or scratch. They want us to learn to use our hands in the right ways.

Other people use their hands to help us

How do your parents and other family members use their hands to help you?

Talk about how our families prepare our food, wash our clothing, tie our shoes, play with us, and do many other things for us.

Explain that men who hold the priesthood can bless us through the laying on of hands. Show the pictures listed in the “Preparation” section, one at a time, and let the children identify the different kinds of blessings we can receive through the hands of priesthood holders. Help them understand that we can be given blessings when we are babies; we can be baptized when we are eight years old; we can be confirmed after baptism and be given the gift of the Holy Ghost; we can take the bread and water, which is blessed and passed by priesthood holders, during the sacrament each week; and we can receive blessings when we are sick.

Story

Open your Bible to Matthew 19:13–15 and tell the story of Jesus blessing the children. Read aloud the first part of verse 13 (through pray). Talk about how Jesus used his hands to bless the children.

Explain that Jesus also used his hands to help people in other ways, such as blessing them when they were sick, blind, or deaf.

Our hands can talk

Use your hands to wave or beckon. Ask the children what you are saying with your hands.

Explain that some people who are deaf and cannot hear or talk make signs with their hands that mean words. They talk with their hands. This is called sign language.

Activity

Using the handout at the end of the lesson, teach the children how to say “father,” “mother,” and “I love you” in sign language. If possible, give each child a copy of the handout to take home and share with his or her family.

Testimony

Hold up your hands and express your gratitude for them. Encourage the children to thank Heavenly Father for their hands and to use their hands to help themselves and others.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Trace the outline of each child’s hands on a sheet of paper. Write I am thankful for my hands on each paper, and let the child color the tracing and take it home.

Help the children sing or say the words to “I Have Two Little Hands” (Children’s Songbook, p. 272) or “My Hands” (Children’s Songbook, p. 273). Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

If location and weather permit, take the children for an outside walk to touch things with different textures, such as brick, stucco, tree trunks, and grass.

Do the following activity to help the children count their fingers and thumbs:

Counting Fingers

Hold up one hand and use a finger of your other hand to point and count, beginning with the smallest finger.

One finger, two fingers, three fingers, four.

Now a thumb to make one more.

Five there are on this one hand,

Just as Heavenly Father planned.

Hold up the other hand and point and count the same way.

One finger, two fingers, three fingers, four.

Now a thumb to make one more.

Five there are on this hand, too.

I can teach them what to do.

Hold up both hands and bend each finger as it is counted.

Ten in all—let’s count once more.

One and two and three and four,

Five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten—all.

(Straighten all the fingers at the same time.)

They can stand up straight and tall.

Sing the song “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253) several times. For each verse, let the children tell something their hands can do, such as bouncing a ball, picking a flower, rocking a doll, playing the piano, or waving good-bye.

Help the children do the following activity verse, using the actions suggested by the words:

I Reach Up High

I reach up high

And reach down low

And give both hands a shake.

I spread my fingers way out far,

And now a fist I make.

I reach in front

And reach in back;

I clap my hands this way.

Then sit and rest them in my lap,

Where quietly they’ll stay.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words:

I Like My Hands

I like my hands; they are my friends (hold hands in front and look at them).

They are busy and helpful until the day ends (pantomime work hands do).

They can quietly fold (fold hands) or clap really loud (clap)!

When they do what is right, it makes me proud!

Have the children sit in a circle. Describe a situation and have the children pantomime what their hands should do in that situation.

Examples:

Show me what your hands should do before it’s time to eat.

Show me what your hands should do when you are listening to a story.

Show me what your hands should do when you’re asked to pick up your toys.

Show me what your hands should do when you say a prayer.

Explain that we must help our hands to always do the things that they should.

Recite the following verse with the children, doing the actions suggested by the words:

Clap Your Hands

Clap your hands, clap your hands,

Clap them just like me.

Touch your shoulders, touch your shoulders,

Touch them just like me.

Tap your knees, tap your knees,

Tap them just like me.

Shake your head, shake your head,

Shake it just like me.

Clap your hands, clap your hands,

Now let them quiet be.

Lesson 18

I Am Thankful for My Ears

Purpose

To help each child appreciate his or her ears and what they can do.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Mark 7:32–35 and Joseph Smith—History 1:17.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Pearl of Great Price.

Picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470); picture 1-41, Child with a Hearing Aid; a picture of the living prophet.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Do the following in a whisper:

Greet each child. Direct the children to do several things, such as sit down, raise their hands, lower their hands, and hold up two fingers.

In your normal voice, ask the children how they knew what to do while you were whispering.

What part of your body helped you to know what I said?

Our ears are a blessing to us

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to verses 1 and 2 of “Thanks to Our Father” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20).

Thanks to our Father we will bring,

For he gives us everything.

Eyes and ears and hands and feet,

Clothes to wear, and food to eat.

What does this song say Heavenly Father has given us?

Which of these things help us to hear? (Our ears.)

Ask the children to carefully feel their ears. Explain that the part of their ears on the outside of their heads is not what they hear with. This part helps the sound go into the ear to the eardrum and other parts of the ear that help them hear.

How can we be careful with our ears?

Explain that we should protect our ears from loud noises and from objects that could damage them.

Explain that for various reasons, some people’s ears do not work well, so they cannot hear all the sounds most people can hear. If there is someone the children know who has a hearing impairment, you might explain about that person’s hearing aid. Show picture 1-41, Child with a Hearing Aid, as you explain. Help the children understand that often people who cannot hear well cannot speak well either, because people learn to speak by copying the sounds they hear.

Activity

Make the sign language signs for “I love you” (see lesson 17).

Do you remember what this means?

Have the children make these signs.

Remind the children that last week you discussed how hands can talk through sign language. Help the children understand that people who cannot hear can communicate in other ways, such as with sign language, by writing, and by reading lips.

Story

Relate the story of Jesus and the deaf man, as found in Mark 7:32–35.

How do you think the deaf man felt when he realized he could hear?

Emphasize what a blessing it is to be able to hear.

We can hear sounds with our ears

Activity

Tell the children they are going to practice using their ears.

Have each child take a turn coming to the front of the room. Whisper in the child’s ear the name of a familiar animal or object that makes a sound. Have the child make the sound for the class, and have the other children guess what makes that sound. (Sounds might include a cow mooing, dog barking, telephone ringing, or car horn honking.)

Discuss with the children some of the important sounds they might hear with their ears, such as their parents calling and sounds that warn them that they could get hurt.

What are your favorite sounds to hear?

We can listen to the teachings of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

Have the children sit quietly and listen.

What do you hear?

Discuss the different sounds they can hear, such as doors opening and closing, people talking in the hall, organ music, or the wind.

What other sounds do we hear at church?

Explain that we hear our teachers, parents, Primary leaders, bishop, and other leaders at church.

Why is it important for us to listen to these people?

Explain that these people help us learn what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.

Story

Display picture 1-4, The First Vision, and let the children tell you what they remember about the picture. Open the scriptures to the Pearl of Great Price and read aloud what Heavenly Father said to Joseph Smith in Joseph Smith—History 1:17: “This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

Have the children repeat this statement with you a few times. Explain that Heavenly Father wants us to listen to what he and Jesus say. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus may not talk to everyone directly, but we can listen to our parents, teachers, and Church leaders. They can tell us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to know. The Holy Ghost can also help us know what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.

Show the picture of the living prophet.

Who is this?

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus talk to us through our Church leaders, especially our prophet and our bishop. These leaders will tell us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do. We should listen to them carefully.

Testimony

Express your gratitude for your ears and for the gift of hearing.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Have the children close their eyes and cover them with their hands. Touch one child on the head. That child should say, “I am thankful for my ears.” Have the other children guess whose voice they heard. Continue until every child has had a turn to speak.

Do the following activity verse with the children:

I Have a Wonderful Body

I have a wonderful body (touch hands to chest)

That Heavenly Father planned for me.

He gave me ears so I might hear (cup hand around ear)

And eyes that I might see (point to eyes).

I have two hands that I can clap (clap hands),

Two feet that turn around (turn around).

When I want to, I can touch

My toes down on the ground (bend over and touch toes).

When I think about my body (put finger to head),

The best part of it is (sit down quietly)

That Heavenly Father planned it

To look very much like his.

Have the children face in one direction while you stand behind them. Make sounds with your hands or other sound-making items, and have the children guess what you are doing to make the sound. You might clap your hands, snap your fingers, or ring a bell. Let the children try making the sounds themselves.

Record sounds in your neighborhood, such as a dog barking, birds singing, or laughter. Play the sounds in class and have the children listen and guess what the sounds are.

Teach the children a simple song or phrase in sign language. If you know someone who signs well, you might invite them to come to class and sign “I Am a Child of God” while the class sings.

Sit with the children in a circle. Whisper a short message to the child next to you. This child then whispers the message to the next child, and so on around the circle. The last child says the message aloud. Tell the class the message you gave to the first child to see how it has changed.

After the activity ask the children what they used to hear the message. (Ears.) Remind them to thank Heavenly Father for their ears.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

If possible, take the children outside. Encourage them to listen quietly with their ears. What sounds can they hear? When you go back into the classroom, review the sounds they heard.

Have the children stand and say the following verse, doing the actions indicated by the words:

Touch Your Eyes

Touch your eyes,

Touch your nose,

Touch your ears,

Touch your toes.

Stretch your hands

Way up high,

Even higher

Toward the sky.

Put your hands

On your hair;

Sit down quietly

On your chair.

Lesson 19

I Am Thankful for My Eyes

Purpose

To help each child appreciate his or her eyes and what they can do.

Preparation

Prayerfully study John 9:1–7 and 3 Nephi 11:1–17.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

A spool with a large hole and a shoelace or piece of string. (If you have a large class, you may want to bring more than one of each.)

A scarf or cloth for a blindfold.

Picture 1-43, Jesus Healing the Blind (Gospel Art Picture Kit 213; 62145); picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Gospel Art Picture Kit 316; 62380).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show the children how easy it is to thread the shoelace or string through the spool with your eyes open. Then close your eyes and try to thread the shoelace through the spool. Give each of the children a turn to try.

Our eyes are a blessing to us

Explain that we have eyes so that we can read and learn, work and play, and see the beautiful earth.

Discuss with the children how their lives would be different if they could not see.

How would you eat your food?

How would you know what clothes to wear?

How would you find your way around your home?

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Two Little Eyes” (Children’s Songbook, p. 268).

Two little eyes that blink, blink, blink,

Two little eyes that see;

Head and shoulders; knees and toes;

And many more things make me.

Tra la la la la la,

Two little eyes that see,

Two little eyes that blink, blink, blink,

And many more things make me.

(From Merrily We Sing, © 1948, 1975 by Pioneer Press, Inc. [a division of Jackman Music]. Used by permission.)

Activity

Have the children look out the window (or at a beautiful picture) and pretend it is the first time they have been able to see. Invite them to talk about what they see. Talk about colors and shapes. Help the children realize what a blessing it is to be able to see.

What are some of your favorite things to see?

Explain that some people’s eyes do not see very well. These people have to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses to help them see. Some people are blind and cannot see anything.

Activity

Discuss how blind people can learn to walk places by themselves with a guide dog or a cane. Blindfold one of the children and pretend that you are a guide dog. Hold out your arm for the child to hold like the dog’s leash. Lead the child around the room. Let the children take turns pretending to be blind or a guide dog.

Story

Show picture 1-43, Jesus Healing the Blind, and tell the story of Jesus healing the blind man, as found in John 9:1–7.

What did Jesus do with the clay? (See John 9:6.)

What happened when the blind man washed in the pool? (See John 9:7.)

How do you think the blind man felt when he could see?

I am thankful to Heavenly Father for my eyes

Activity

Have the children stand and repeat the following verse with you, pointing to each body part as it is mentioned:

I Am Thankful for My Eyes

I am thankful for my eyes,

My ears, my mouth and nose;

Thankful for my hands and arms,

My legs, my feet and toes.

(Adapted from a verse by Lucy Picco.)

Story

Pass around picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere, and ask each child to tell one thing that he or she sees in the picture. Tell the story of Jesus’ visit to the western hemisphere, as found in 3 Nephi 11:1–17.

Whom did the people see?

How did the people feel when they saw Jesus? (See 3 Nephi 11:16–17.)

What color was Jesus’ robe? (See 3 Nephi 11:8.)

Explain that we may not be able to see Jesus in person like the people of Nephi did, but whenever we see the beautiful earth, we can remember his love for us.

Testimony

Share with the children your gratitude for your eyes. Tell how the beautiful creations that you see each day remind you of Jesus’ and Heavenly Father’s love for you. Remind the children to thank Heavenly Father for their eyes.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Invite the children to look carefully at each other’s eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, and eyelashes. Explain that our eyelids, eyebrows, and eyelashes help keep dirt, dust, and perspiration out of our eyes.

Before class, use a sharp object such as a pin to poke holes in a piece of paper in the outlines of a circle and a square. In class, blindfold the children one at a time and ask them to feel the bumps on the paper and tell what shapes they are. Explain that this is like braille, which is how blind people can read.

Using paper bags, make eyes that open and shut (see illustration below) for each child. Write on each paper bag I am thankful for my eyes. Have the children color the eyes and draw hair on their paper bags. Using the paper bag eyes, pantomime with the children times we open and shut our eyes, such as when we wake up or go to sleep, when we pray, and when we are frightened.

If possible, take the children on a nature walk outside. Ask them to fold their arms and be very quiet as they walk, so they can concentrate on using their eyes. When they come back to class, invite them to take turns telling what they saw.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “Popcorn Popping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 242). Explain that the blossoms on an apricot tree look like popcorn.

If you looked out the window, as it says in the song, would you see popcorn popping on an apricot tree? What do you see when you look out the window?

Let the children look out the window, or take them outside for a moment. Return to class and review what they saw.

What did you use to see these things? (Eyes.)

Explain that we should be thankful to Heavenly Father for our eyes.

Have the children stand and say the words to “Touch Your Eyes,” doing the actions indicated by the words:

Touch your eyes,

Touch your nose,

Touch your ears,

Touch your toes.

Stretch your hands

Way up high,

Even higher

Toward the sky.

Put your hands

On your hair;

Sit down quietly

On your chair.

Show the children a small object. Explain that you are going to put it somewhere in the room, and they will have to use their eyes to find it. Have the children close their eyes, and put the object where it is visible but not too obvious. Have the children open their eyes and find the object without moving or making noise. Tell them to fold their arms when they have found the object. Remind the children they must be quiet and let others find the object with their eyes. Repeat as many times as desired.

Lesson 20

I Am Thankful That I Can Smell and Taste

Purpose

To help each child appreciate the senses of smell and taste.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Exodus 16:11–15, 31 and Doctrine and Covenants 59:18–19.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants.

One small sample for each child of a pleasant-smelling food (such as fruit, bread, cookie, or popcorn). Put the samples in a bag. Check with the children’s parents to make sure no child is allergic to the food.

Samples of something sour (such as lemon juice), salty (such as salt), and sweet (such as sugar) for the children to taste. Check with the children’s parents to make sure no child is allergic to any of the samples.

Picture 1-35, Gathering Manna.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children to close their eyes. Let each child smell the food samples in the bag and guess what food they are. While their eyes are still closed, give the children samples to eat. Have the children open their eyes, and show or tell them what they just ate.

How did this food smell?

How did this food taste?

Tell the children that they could enjoy the food even when they couldn’t see it. They were able to do this because Heavenly Father has blessed them with the senses of smell and taste.

We each have a nose so we can smell

How do we smell things?

Discuss with the children some of the things they have smelled during the week, such as food cooking, fresh air after rain, or flowers. Tell the children that we should thank Heavenly Father for our sense of smell.

What things do you like to smell?

Activity

Help the children do the following activity verse:

I Have a Nose

I have a nose (point to nose).

It sits on my face (put hands on cheeks),

Right in the middle

In the very best place (use finger to draw an imaginary circle around nose).

My nose can sniff (sniff);

My nose can smell (take a deep breath through nose and let it out).

I thank Heavenly Father (fold arms)

That my nose works so well.

We each have a tongue so we can taste

Explain that Heavenly Father has blessed each of us with a tongue so we can taste. Let the children taste the sour, salty, and sweet things if they wish to.

Which one is sour?

Which one is salty?

Which one is sweet?

What is your favorite thing to taste?

Show the copy of the Doctrine and Covenants (or the title page of the Doctrine and Covenants in the triple combination). Explain that we are told in this book of scripture that things that smell and taste good are for us to use and enjoy (see D&C 59:18–19).

Story

Show picture 1-35, Gathering Manna. Tell the story of manna, as found in Exodus 16:11–15, 31.

How did the manna taste? (See Exodus 16:31.)

Have you ever tasted honey?

How does it taste?

Explain that there are many things that are not safe to taste: some berries, cleaning supplies, things from unknown bottles or cans, or medicine or pills without parents’ permission. These things can make us very sick. Emphasize the importance of asking an adult before the children taste or eat anything they find.

Testimony

Express your gratitude for a nose to smell things and a tongue to taste things. Remind the children to thank Heavenly Father for their senses of smell and taste.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Bring some things that have a strong pleasant smell, such as soap, a flower, and a lemon, and some things that have no smell, such as a piece of paper and a toy. Have the children pick out which ones they can smell. Have one child at a time close his or her eyes, smell one of the items, and guess what it is. Let each child have a turn.

Let the children look at their tongues in a mirror. Explain that our tongues have lots of taste buds that help us taste things that are sweet, sour, and salty. Have the children taste some water. Explain that our tongues can also help us tell if things are wet or cold.

Let each child draw a picture of his or her favorite food. Have the children show their pictures and tell what their favorite foods are.

Put out small portions of things that look alike but taste different, such as salt and sugar or flour and cornstarch. Give each child a small taste of each item. Then ask the children how each item tastes. Discuss how some things can look the same but taste different. (Check with the children’s parents to make sure none of the children is allergic to anything you bring.)

Sing “A Song of Thanks” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20) or “For Health and Strength” (Children’s Songbook, p. 21).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Draw an oval shape on a chalkboard or piece of paper. Explain that this oval is a picture of a face.

What is missing?

As the children name eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, draw them on the picture. Then review what each part does. Express how thankful you are to Heavenly Father for your body.

Point to your mouth and say, “This is my mouth.” Then ask, “Can you show me your mouth?” and help the children point to their own mouths. Repeat for eyes, nose, ears, hands, and feet. Then point to each body part without saying its name and have the children name it. If the children can name all of these parts, you might also ask the names of some body parts less well known to children, such as elbows, knees, wrists, and ankles.

Have the children stand and say the following verse, doing the actions indicated by the words:

Touch Your Eyes

Touch your eyes,

Touch your nose,

Touch your ears,

Touch your toes.

Stretch your hands

Way up high,

Even higher

Toward the sky.

Put your hands

On your hair;

Sit down quietly

On your chair.

Lesson 21

I Have Feelings

Purpose

To help each child understand and identify feelings and learn ways to be happy.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 15:11–32.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Smiling/Frowning Face figure (see pattern at the end of the lesson).

Chalk and eraser.

Picture 1-45, Washing Dishes; picture 1-46, Children Giving Mother Flowers; picture 1-47, Children Quarreling; picture 1-48, Children Playing with Blocks; picture 1-49, The Prodigal Son (Gospel Art Picture Kit 220; 62155).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show the figure of the Smiling/Frowning Face. Sing or say the words to “Smiles” (Children’s Songbook, p. 267) several times with the children. Give several children the opportunity to turn the face to the smile or frown at the appropriate times.

If you chance to meet a frown,

Do not let it stay.

Quickly turn it upside down

And smile that frown away.

No one likes a frowning face.

Change it for a smile.

Make the world a better place

By smiling all the while.

Our feelings show in our faces and in our actions

How do you feel when you have a smile on your face?

How do you feel when you have a frown on your face?

Explain that people can often tell how we feel by looking at our faces. Have the children show you their happy faces.

Activity

Draw four large circles on the chalkboard. Draw in simple features to make faces showing different emotions: happy, sad, angry, and frightened (see illustration below). As each face is drawn, ask the children to describe the feelings expressed on the face, and then ask them to make their own faces look happy, sad, angry, and frightened.

What makes you feel happy?

What makes you feel sad?

What makes you feel angry?

What makes you feel frightened?

Share with the children a time when you have been sad, angry, or frightened and a time when you have been happy.

We can learn to control our feelings

Explain that it is good to show all of the different feelings we have, but we must show them in the right ways, especially when we are angry.

Show picture 1-47, Children Quarreling.

How do you think these children feel?

What do you think they are saying to each other?

What should you do when you are angry?

Explain that although we may feel like hitting, yelling, or hurting someone when we are angry, we can learn to show our feelings politely and kindly. When we hit or yell, we only feel angrier, but being kind can help us feel better.

Activity

Let the children take turns being the children in the picture. Help them think of things the children in the picture might say to each other instead of yelling or hitting, such as “May I have a turn now?” “Let’s take turns,” “I feel sad when you call me bad names,” or “I don’t like it when you do that.”

Show picture 1-48, Children Playing with Blocks. Point out that these children are playing nicely together and have happy faces because they are sharing and speaking kindly to each other.

Who can help you feel better when you are sad, angry, or frightened?

Explain that when we talk to our mothers, fathers, and others who love us, they can help us understand why we feel like we do. If we pray to Heavenly Father, the Holy Ghost can help us feel better. The Holy Ghost will help us know what to do so that we can be happy again.

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following activity verse several times:

My Feelings

Sometimes when I’m very sad (make a sad face),

My mother hugs me. Then I’m glad (hug self and make a happy face).

Sometimes when I’m very mad (make an angry face),

I walk away and talk with Dad (walk in place and nod head, as if talking).

If something ever frightens me (make a frightened face),

I say a prayer to comfort me (fold arms).

Then when I go out to play,

I’ll be happy every day (make a happy face).

We are happy when we help others

Show picture 1-46, Children Giving Mother Flowers.

How do you think the people in this picture feel?

Why do you think they feel that way?

How do you feel when you give something to someone?

Show picture 1-45, Washing Dishes.

What is this girl doing?

How do you think the girl in the picture feels? Why?

How do you feel when you help someone?

Activity

Help the children do the following activity verse:

Helping Makes Me Happy

I like to help my mother (pretend to put on apron);

She has so much to do.

I help her dry the dishes (pretend to dry dishes)

And feed the baby, too (pretend to feed bottle to baby).

I like to help my father (pretend to put on garden gloves);

He has so much to do (pretend to trim bushes or pull weeds).

I help him in the garden (pretend to water plants)

Until his work is through.

Helping makes me happy (point to smiling face).

It makes me feel so good (put hands on opposite shoulders and hug self).

For when I’m helping others (spread arms wide),

I’m doing what I should (nod head and fold arms)!

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be happy

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be happy. They know that we can be happy when we do what they tell us to do.

Story

Show picture 1-49, The Prodigal Son, and tell the story found in Luke 15:11–32. Point out the different feelings expressed by the father and his sons. As each feeling is expressed, you could have a child point to the appropriate face on the chalkboard. For example, you could say: A boy wanted to leave his home and go away to a far country. When he left, his father was sad. After a while, the boy’s friends left him. He felt sad. Soon, he did not have any more money. He was frightened because he was hungry and no one gave him any food . . . and so forth.

How do you think the son felt when he came home?

Why was the father happy when his son returned? (See Luke 15:24.)

Why was the older brother angry when his younger brother returned? (See Luke 15:28–30.) What could he do to be happy again?

Testimony

Assure the children that everyone feels happy, sad, angry, or frightened at times. We should learn to show these feelings in the right ways. Remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be happy. Tell the children how you feel happy when you do what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Have the children stand in a circle. Ask them to make their lips straight and not smile. Then start a smile around the circle by smiling and saying the following words: “I will give a smile to (child’s name).” The child you named should now smile and repeat the phrase, inserting the name of the next child. Continue until all the children in the circle are smiling.

Remind the children that when we smile at other people, they will often smile back. It is hard to be sad, angry, or frightened when we are smiling.

Sing “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198) or “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, p. 60).

Have the children think of something they can do to be happy. Toss a beanbag or soft object to a child and say, “(Child’s name) is happy when v.pecora@utah.edu.” Have the child fill in the blank with something that makes him or her happy and then give the beanbag back to you. Continue until each child has had a turn.

Tell a story about a child who does something nice for his or her mother, such as doing a household task. Mother does not know who helped her, so she asks each child in the family who helped her. When she gets to the child who performed the kind deed, she knows that this child did it because of the child’s big smile. The child feels happy because he or she has done something nice.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

As you say the following verse, lead the children in the actions. Repeat if the children desire.

Make Happy Days

Two eyes to see nice things to do (point to eyes),

Two lips to smile the whole day through (smile a large smile).

Two ears to hear what others say (cup hands around ears),

Two hands to put the toys away (pretend to pick up toys and put them away).

A tongue to speak kind words each day (point to mouth),

A loving heart to work and play (hold hands over heart).

Two feet that gladly run (point to feet)—

Make happy days for everyone.

Sing “If You’re Happy” (Children’s Songbook, p. 266) and do the actions indicated by the words. Repeat with additional phrases such as those suggested at the bottom of the songbook page.

Have the children make a happy face, a sad face, an angry face, and a tired face. Explain that they can tell in words how they feel instead of crying or fussing. When we talk about our feelings we often feel better.

Lesson 22

I Can Do Many Things

Purpose

To help each child know that as children of Heavenly Father we each can do many things.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 1 Samuel 17.

Contact the parents of each child in the class to find out one thing the child can do well or is learning to do.

Prepare pieces of paper with simple instructions, such as clap hands, count to three, walk around the room, jump, draw a circle (on the chalkboard or a piece of paper), stand on one foot, fold arms, or point to something that is blue. Have at least as many pieces of paper as there are children in the class. Be aware of children in your class who have disabilities, and be sure to include things they can do.

Write the name of each child on a separate piece of paper.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

A small fishing pole (optional; see lesson 11).

A container to hold names (optional).

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-10, Family Prayer (62275); picture 1-38, Children Playing with a Ball; picture 1-50, I Can Dress; picture 1-51, A Family Working Together (62313); picture 1-52, David Slays Goliath (Gospel Art Picture Kit 112; 62073).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the feelings of any children in your class who have physical disabilities. Focus on the things their bodies can do, not on their disabilities.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Fold the pieces of paper with the children’s names and place them in a container or on the floor. Have a child use the fishing pole or his or her hand to pick one of the pieces of paper. Ask the child whose name is drawn to stand next to you. Tell the class something this child can do well or is learning to do. Repeat until each child has had a turn to choose a name and you have told something about each child. Congratulate the children for what they can do and are learning to do.

Our bodies can do many things

Song

Sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2) with the children.

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

Who is the father of your spirit?

Who sent you here to earth to get a body?

Review with the children that Heavenly Father planned for us to come to earth to get bodies. Explain that he wants us to learn to do many things with our bodies and wants us to use our bodies in the right ways so we can become like him.

What can you do with your hands? your feet? your mouth? your eyes?

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby.

What do you think this baby can do?

Ask the following questions or similar ones to point out how many things the children have learned to do since they were babies.

Can a baby walk?

Can a baby talk?

Can a baby feed itself?

Can a baby dress itself?

Can a baby do a somersault?

Can a baby sing songs?

Can a baby ride a tricycle?

Explain that the children are growing and that they will learn to do many more things. One at a time, show pictures 1-10, 1-38, 1-50, and 1-51. Let one child hold a picture while the other children explain what is happening in the picture. After the children respond, praise them for the things they recognized that our bodies can do.

Activity

Let each child choose a piece of paper with an instruction written on it. Read the instruction aloud and have the child do what it says. Let each child have a turn.

What are you learning to do now?

What do you want to learn to do when you grow bigger?

Tell the children that you are thankful to Heavenly Father that we have bodies that can do so many things.

Heavenly Father can help us do many things

Tell the children that sometimes we are asked to do things that are difficult.

What have you tried to do that was hard?

Who can help us learn to do these things? (Parents, brothers and sisters, teachers.)

To whom can we pray for help when we have to do something that is hard? (Heavenly Father.)

Explain that Jesus Christ can also help us when things are hard to do.

Story

Display picture 1-52, David Slays Goliath, and tell the story of David and Goliath, as found in 1 Samuel 17. Explain that Jesus helped David do a difficult thing.

Who was frightening the Israelite army? (See 1 Samuel 17:4–8.)

Whom did David rely on to help him? (See 1 Samuel 17:37.)

Testimony

Express how thankful you are to Heavenly Father for your body and the many things it can do. Encourage the children to ask Heavenly Father to help them use their bodies to do good things.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

With the children, sing “Do As I’m Doing”/ (Children’s Songbook, p. 276) or “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253) and do appropriate actions. Let the children suggest actions for additional verses.

Give the children paper and crayons and let each child draw one or more things he or she can do. Write I can do many things on each child’s paper.

Help the children decide on something they can do at home to help someone, such as set the table, sweep the floor, or feed a pet. Remind them to tell their parents about it after Primary so their parents can help them remember to do it.

Repeat some of the appropriate activities in lessons 16 through 20.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Have the children stand and sing the following words to the tune of “Once There Was a Snowman” (Children’s Songbook, p. 249). Use crouching actions for the first verse and stretching actions for the second verse.

Once I was a baby, baby, baby,

Once I was a baby, small, small, small.

Now I’m growing bigger, bigger, bigger,

Now I’m growing bigger, tall, tall, tall!

Let the children talk about the things they have learned to do since they were babies.

Demonstrate an action such as hopping, clapping, or jumping, and ask the children to name what you are doing. Then have the children do the same action. Give each child a turn to demonstrate an action. Have the other children tell what the action is and then imitate it.

Lesson 23

I Belong to a Family

Purpose

To help each child understand that Heavenly Father planned for each of us to belong to a family that needs us and loves us.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 1:26–35.

Become familiar with the families of the children in your class and be prepared to mention something positive that is happening in each one, such as a new baby, a brother or sister on a mission, or a family outing.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Chalk and eraser.

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-16, The Nativity (Gospel Art Picture Kit 201; 62495); picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds; picture 1-51, A Family Working Together (62313); picture 1-53, Family Fun (62384).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: Be sensitive to the family situations of the children in your class. Help the children understand that the important thing about a family is not the number of people in the family, but that the family members love each other and take care of each other.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds. Let the children talk about the picture and have them identify the birds and the nest.

Who built the nest for the baby birds?

Why do the baby birds need a mother and father to take care of them? (To feed them, to keep them warm, and to protect them from danger.)

When the baby birds get a little older and stronger, who will teach them to fly?

Explain that the baby birds belong to a family that will help take care of their needs.

I belong to a family

Do you have a family?

Why do you need a family to take care of you?

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby. Review how Heavenly Father planned for each of us to come to earth and be part of a family. Explain that when a baby is born, the baby can’t take care of itself. A baby can’t feed or dress itself. It needs a family to take care of it.

Who took care of you when you were born?

What are some things that your family did for you when you were a baby?

What are some things that your family does for you now?

Who planned for you to belong to a family?

Help the children understand how happy their families were when they were born. Emphasize how much their parents and other family members love them and want them to be happy.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2).

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity, and explain that Jesus was born into a family when he came to earth (see Luke 1:26–35).

Who are the people in this picture?

Who is Jesus’ mother?

Who is Jesus’ father? (Remind the children that Heavenly Father is Jesus’ father; Joseph was a good man chosen by Heavenly Father to take care of Mary and Jesus.)

How do you think Mary and Joseph felt about Jesus?

What do you think Mary and Joseph did to care for baby Jesus?

Who planned for Jesus to have a family to love and take care of him?

Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family

Show picture 1-7, A Loving Family. Explain that some families have a mother and a father, and some families have only one parent. Some families have a grandparent or other person helping to take care of the children. Some families have many children, while other families have one child or no children. Help the children understand that every family is different and Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family.

Activity

Invite each child to tell about his or her family. One at a time, help each child draw stick figures on the chalkboard to represent the members of his or her family. Have the child say each family member’s name aloud and then count the members of the family. As each child finishes, share with the class something you have learned about the child’s family.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want family members to show love for one another

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198).

I love mother; she loves me.

We love daddy, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,

We are a happy family.

(From Merrily We Sing, © 1948, 1975 by Pioneer Music Press, Inc. [a division of Jackman Music]. Used by permission.)

How do you know your family loves you?

What do you do to show your family members you love them?

Show picture 1-53, Family Fun.

Is this a happy family? How do you know?

What do you like to do with your family?

When everyone is kind to one another, how do you feel?

Show picture 1-51, A Family Working Together.

What is this family doing?

What do you do to help your family?

How do you feel when you help members of your family?

Activity

Have the children think of different ways they could help their families at home, such as picking up their toys, playing with the baby, or helping wash the dishes. Let the children act out their ideas. Encourage the children to help their families during the week.

Testimony

Share your feelings of gratitude to Heavenly Father for the blessing of being part of a family.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing “A Happy Family” again. Choose four children to be the family in the song. Have them hold signs to indicate which family member each one represents. Stand behind the four children and point to the appropriate child’s head as you sing or say the words with the children. Repeat the song, allowing other children to take the part of family members. Continue until each child has had a turn.

Tell the children about King Benjamin’s instructions to families, as found in Mosiah 4:14–15. Read the last half of verse 15 aloud. Have the children suggest ways that members of a family can love and serve each other.

Help the children do the following finger play:

My Family

Here is my pretty mother (point to index finger);

Here is my father tall (point to middle finger).

Here is my older sister (point to ring finger),

And that isn’t all.

Here is my baby brother (point to little finger),

As small as small can be.

Who is this other person (point to thumb)?

Of course you know it’s me.

One, two, three, four, five, you see (touch each finger as you count),

Make a very nice family!

Help each child hold up the appropriate number of fingers to represent the number of people in his or her family (if a child’s family has more than ten people, have another child help). Help each child repeat the last two lines of the verse, counting up to the number of people in his or her family before saying “make a very nice family!”

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Show picture 1-23, A Nest with Baby Birds. Help the children do the actions to “Birds in the Tree” (Children’s Songbook, p. 241) while you sing or say the words:

We will find a little nest (cup hands together)

In the branches of a tree (hold arms up rounded over head).

Let us count the eggs inside;

There are one, two, three (hold up one, two, and three fingers).

Mother bird sits on the nest (cup left hand, place right hand on top)

To hatch the eggs, all three (hold up three fingers).

Father bird flies round and round (move arms in a flying motion)

To guard his family.

Sing “Here We Are Together” (Children’s Songbook, p. 261), using father, mother, sister, and brother where the song indicates to insert names. Let the children clap or dance while you sing.

Here we are together, together, together;

Oh, here we are together in our family.

There’s father and mother and sister and brother;

Oh, here we are together this bright, sunny day.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse while you say the words:

My Family

Just like the birds way up in the tree (flap arms like wings),

I have my very own family (point to self).

They give me food (pretend to eat)

And teach me to play (jump),

So I can be safe and happy all day (smile a big smile).

Say the following words or sing them to any tune that fits:

Mommy loves you, Mommy loves you.

Daddy too, Daddy too.

People in your family, people in your family,

Love you true, love you true.

Lesson 24

I Love My Brothers and Sisters

Purpose

To encourage each child to show love for his or her brothers and sisters.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Exodus 1:22–2:10.

With the approval of your Primary president, invite a mother to bring her baby to class. Ask her to talk about how she cares for the baby, including things that she and her family do to keep the baby safe. Encourage her to tell about the love she feels for her baby. If a mother with a baby is not available, you could invite a mother to come with pictures of her child as a baby.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

A baby doll.

Picture 1-2, Moses in the Bulrushes (Gospel Art Picture Kit 106; 62063); picture 1-13, Joseph Smith (Gospel Art Picture Kit 400; 62449).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: As you give this lesson, be sensitive to the feelings of children in your class who do not have any brothers or sisters.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Introduce the mother to the class and have her tell the children about her baby. Let the children ask the mother questions about the baby. Have the mother explain how excited the family was to have a new baby come into their home.

We can love our brothers and sisters

Do any of you have a baby brother or sister?

Let children who have a baby brother or sister talk about the baby and tell how their families prepared for a new baby.

Do any of you have older brothers or sisters?

Let the children talk for a few moments about their brothers and sisters. Remind the children that you talked in the previous lesson about how all families are different. Some people have lots of brothers and sisters, and some people have only a few or none at all. No matter how many brothers or sisters we have, we should love them and be kind to them.

Story

Show picture 1-13, Joseph Smith, and explain that the Prophet Joseph Smith, the first President of the Church, had a brother named Hyrum whom he loved very much. Hyrum and Joseph were good friends and helped each other throughout their lives. In your own words, tell the following story about a time when Hyrum helped Joseph:

When Joseph Smith was a young boy, he became seriously ill. He developed a very painful infection in his leg. His mother became sick from caring for him night and day and needed to rest. Joseph’s older brother Hyrum asked if he could take his mother’s place. Hyrum’s parents knew they could trust him to take good care of Joseph, so they agreed. Hyrum stayed by the side of his suffering brother almost continually for several days. He held Joseph’s leg between his hands, which was the only way he could relieve some of the terrible pain (see Lucy Mack Smith, History of Joseph Smith, ed. Preston Nibley [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954], p. 55).

How do you know that Hyrum loved his brother Joseph?

Explain that one way we can show love for our brothers and sisters is by helping them.

We can help our brothers and sisters

How can you help your brothers and sisters?

How do your brothers and sisters help you?

Activity

Describe some actions that show how the children might react to their brothers and sisters. Have the children put their thumbs up if the action is a way of helping a brother or sister, and have them put their thumbs down if the action is not helping a brother or sister. You may want to use some of the following ideas:

Share your new toy with your sister.

Borrow your brother’s ball without asking his permission.

Help your sister pick up her toys.

Ask your brother for permission to play with his ball.

Refuse to play a game with your sister.

Be kind when your brother is sad.

Play with your sister when she is lonely.

We can help with our baby brothers and sisters

Explain that sometimes it is difficult when a new baby is born into a family because the baby takes a lot of the parents’ time and attention. Help the children understand that although parents may be busy with the new baby, they still love all their other children. Remind the children that a baby needs help with almost everything, while older children (such as those in your class) can do many things for themselves and for a baby brother or sister.

How could you help your parents with a baby brother or sister?

Activity

Show the children how to hold the baby doll carefully. Teach them a simple lullaby or sing “I Am a Child of God” (Children’s Songbook, p. 2) while they take turns holding the doll.

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

Story

Explain that Moses had an older sister who loved him and helped him when he was a baby. Using picture 1-2, Moses in the Bulrushes, review the story of baby Moses, as found in Exodus 1:22–2:10. Emphasize how Miriam watched over her baby brother.

How did Miriam help baby Moses?

Testimony

Share your feelings about the importance of brothers and sisters helping and loving each other. If possible, share a personal childhood experience when you and your brother or sister helped each other. Remind the children that when we help our brothers and sisters we are showing our love for them. Express how grateful you are to Heavenly Father for placing us in families.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Give the children paper and crayons or pencils, and have them draw pictures of their brothers and sisters. Let the children take turns showing their pictures and talking about their brothers and sisters. Encourage the children to tell things they like to do with their brothers and sisters.

Obtain a baby picture of each child and have the children guess who each baby is. (Be sure to return the pictures to the parents undamaged.) Remind the children who have older brothers and sisters that their brothers and sisters helped take care of them when they were babies.

Sing or say the words to “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), using phrases such as “Rocking a baby is fun to do” or “Helping my sister is fun to do.” Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

Sing or say the words to the first verse of “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198), substituting sister or brother for mother, or sing the second verse of “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198).

Bring a photograph of your own family and tell the children about your brothers and sisters. You may want to share some happy experiences you have had together.

Using props such as a baby doll, a small basket or box, a blanket, and a scarf, help the children act out the story of Miriam and baby Moses in the bulrushes.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Place a small but easily recognized baby item into a bag or large sock. Have the children reach inside without looking and try to guess what the object is by touching it.

Sing or say the words to both verses of “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198). While you sing, join hands and move in a circle with the children, or make up simple actions to fit the song.

Help the children do the actions to the following finger play while you say the words:

This is what the baby does:

Clap - clap - clap - clap (clap hands)!

This is what the baby does:

Peekaboo, I see you (play peekaboo with hands)!

This is what the baby does:

Creep - creep - creep - creep (make fingers “walk” in the air).

This is what the baby does:

Sleep - sleep - sleep - sleep (lean cheek against folded hands).

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words:

Little Baby Moses

Little Baby Moses had a boat for his bed (cup one hand and place forefinger of other hand in it).

His loving sister watched him through the grasses where she hid (peek through fingers of hand held across eyes).

One day a princess found him (lean forward, looking down) and took him in her arms (pretend to lift baby);

She said, “I’ll take this baby and keep him from all harm” (pretend to rock baby in arms).

(From Fascinating Finger Fun by Eleanor Doan. © 1951. Used by permission.)

Lesson 25

I Love My Whole Family

Purpose

To help each child feel love for all family members.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 1:36–44, 56.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133); picture 1-54, Salt Lake Temple (Gospel Art Picture Kit 502; 62433), or a picture of a local temple.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Sing “A Happy Family” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198) with the children.

I love mother; she loves me.

We love daddy, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,

We are a happy family.

I love sister; she loves me.

We love brother, yes sirree;

He loves us, and so you see,

We are a happy family.

(From Merrily We Sing, © 1948, 1975 by Pioneer Music Press, Inc. [a division of Jackman Music]. Used by permission.)

Let the children talk about what they did with their families during the past week. Have each child name someone in his or her family, such as father, mother, brother, or sister.

Who else is a part of your family?

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are important parts of our families

Show picture 1-7, A Loving Family.

How is this family like your family?

How is this family different from your family?

Which people are the grandmother and grandfather in this picture?

Explain that grandparents are the parents of our mothers and fathers. We all have grandparents, though sometimes we don’t know them very well because they have died or they live far away.

How many of you know your grandparents?

Do your grandparents live near you or far away?

What do you like to do with them?

Song

Sing or say the words to the first two verses of “Grandmother” (Children’s Songbook, p. 200), using the following actions. Repeat if desired, using grandfather in place of grandmother in the last line of each verse.

You give me a kiss (put fingers to lips, then pull them away).

You give me a hug (wrap arms around self).

You smile when you see me, too (smile).

I wish every child in the whole wide world (spread arms out)

Had a grandmother just like you (point).

You read me a book (pretend to hold a book).

You sing me a song (open mouth wide as if singing).

You whisper you love me, too (cup hands around mouth).

I wish every child in the whole wide world (spread arms out)

Had a grandmother just like you (point).

Who else is in your family? (Aunts, uncles, and cousins.)

Briefly explain how aunts, uncles, and cousins are related (for example, your uncle is your mother’s or father’s brother). Let the children tell about their aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Story

Show the Bible and remind the children that we can read about Jesus’ life in this book. Open to Luke 1:36–44, 56 and explain that before Jesus was born, Mary went to visit her cousin Elisabeth, who was also expecting a baby. Elisabeth’s baby was named John, and he was Jesus’ cousin and friend. When John and Jesus grew up, John baptized Jesus. Show picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus, and have the children point out Jesus and John.

Family members are our good friends

Explain that all our family members can be our good friends. If you have a relative to whom you are close, tell the children how you feel about this person.

Why do you like to be with your family?

Song

Sing “A Happy Family” again with the children. This time include verses for aunt, uncle, cousin, and grandparents.

What do you do with your aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents?

Tell the children about a family reunion or another time when your family gathered for a special occasion. Let the children tell about family parties or visits they remember.

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ planned for us to be with our families forever. Show picture 1-54, Salt Lake Temple, or a picture of a local temple. Briefly explain that if we get married in the temple and live righteously, we can be with our families forever.

Testimony

Tell the children of your love for your family members. Emphasize that our families are a blessing to us. Encourage the children to be loving and kind to their family members.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

With the approval of your Primary president, ask a grandparent of one of the children, or someone in the ward who is a grandparent, to visit the class. Have the guest tell the children about his or her love for grandchildren. (Or you could invite an aunt, uncle, or cousin of one of the children to talk about love for all family members.)

Bring one or more pictures of your family, especially ones including grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins. Have the children find you and anyone else they may know (such as your spouse or children) in the pictures. Tell the children about the other people in the pictures.

Give each child a tag with the name of a family member on it, such as “Mother,” “Father,” “Brother,” “Sister,” “Grandmother,” “Grandfather,” “Uncle,” “Aunt,” or “Cousin.” (If you have only a few children in your class, use only some of these names; if you have many children in your class, more than one child may have the same name.) Have each child come to the front of the room as you say the name on his or her tag. Explain that families are important and are meant to be together. Have the children form a circle and hold hands. Ask them to do several actions while holding hands, such as swinging their arms, walking in a circle, and singing “A Happy Family.”

Sing or say the words to “I Have a Family Tree” (Children’s Songbook, p. 199).

Have each child draw a picture of his or her grandparents or other relatives. Label the picture My Grandparents or whatever is appropriate.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Make a box or bag with a heart on it to represent love. Cut out simple pictures or drawings that represent immediate and extended family members. Ask the children, “Who loves you?” As the children respond, place the appropriate pictures in the box or bag one at a time. When all the pictures are in the box or bag, hold it up and tell the children, “All these people love you very much.”

Place cutouts of family members (see activity 1, above) on the table or floor. Have the children turn around or close their eyes while you take away one cutout. Let the children guess who is missing. Repeat as many times as you want. Put all the cutouts back and tell the children that Heavenly Father wants families to be together with him again, with no one missing.

Sing “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198), using the names of extended family members in place of mother. Let the children pantomime things they could do to help these family members.

Lesson 26

Families Can Be Together Forever

Purpose

To help each child understand that temples are sacred places where families can be sealed together forever, and to encourage each child to prepare to enter the temple.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Doctrine and Covenants 97:15–17 and 124:37–41. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 36, and “Temple” in the Bible Dictionary.

Materials needed:

A copy of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-7, A Loving Family; picture 1-54, Salt Lake Temple (Gospel Art Picture Kit 502; 62433); pictures of other temples as available (Gospel Art Picture Kit 505; 62434–62448, 62566–62569, 62583–62601, 62613–62619); the page of drawings at the end of the lesson.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show picture 1-54, Salt Lake Temple, and pictures of several other temples, including the temple in your temple district, if available. Allow the children to tell what they know about temples.

Have you ever seen a temple?

What do you think about when you see a temple?

Discuss the beauty of the temples, pointing out the spires, windows, and doors. Explain that on an outside wall of each temple are the words The House of the Lord. Members of the Church go to the temple to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus and their love for us.

Activity

Have the children put their hands above their heads to make a temple spire. Ask them to stand straight and tall and pretend that they are a beautiful temple. Then ask them to sit down quietly.

The temple is a sacred place

Explain that a temple is a sacred place (see D&C 97:15–17). Ask the children to repeat the word sacred. This means that the temple is a very special place where everything reminds us of Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Tell the children that if they keep Heavenly Father’s commandments, they can go to the temple when they are older. Explain that in the temple we make special promises to Heavenly Father to obey his commandments. We can also be married in the temple, and we can be baptized for people who weren’t baptized while they lived on the earth.

Have the children hold up three fingers and repeat three things they can do in the temple when they are older:

“In the temple I can make special promises to Heavenly Father.”

“In the temple I can be married.”

“In the temple I can be baptized for others.”

Song

Have the children stand and sing or say the words to the first part of “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, p. 95), using the following actions:

I love to see the temple (interlock fingers and raise the forefinger of each hand to make a spire).

I’m going there someday (walk in place)

To feel the Holy Spirit (put hand over heart),

To listen and to pray (put hand behind ear, then fold arms).

(© 1980 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)

Explain that because the temple is a sacred place, we wear white clothing when we are inside. The clothing reminds us that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be clean and pure and to always choose what is right.

What color of clothing are you wearing today?

What color of clothing will you wear inside the temple?

Explain that because the temple is a sacred place, we are reverent when we are inside. We whisper or talk softly. Have the children whisper, “I love Heavenly Father and Jesus.” Explain that we can feel happy and peaceful in the temple because we feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Story

Tell the following story about President Lorenzo Snow in your own words:

Lorenzo Snow knew that he would soon be the prophet of the Church. He went to the temple, put on his white clothing, and knelt down in a special room to pray. He wanted Heavenly Father to tell him what he should do to lead the Church. He prayed and prayed but did not receive an answer. As President Snow was leaving the room where he was praying, Jesus appeared to him. Jesus wore beautiful white robes and looked so bright and shining that President Snow could hardly look at him. Jesus looked as though he were standing on solid gold. Jesus told President Snow the things he had prayed to know (see LeRoi C. Snow, “An Experience of My Father’s,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1933, p. 677).

Why do you think President Snow prayed in the temple instead of some other place? (Because he could feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus inside the temple.)

Temples help families be together forever

Display picture 1-5, Family with a Baby, and picture 1-7, A Loving Family. Explain that temples can help families be together forever. When a man and a woman get married in the temple and obey the commandments, Heavenly Father promises them that they can be with each other and with all their children forever. We call this being sealed as a family.

Who are the people in your family?

How do you feel when you are with your family?

How can a family be together forever?

Assure the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus love every family and want every family to be sealed together forever. Explain that families who have not been sealed in the temple can prepare themselves by obeying Heavenly Father’s commandments. Then they can go to the temple to be sealed as a family.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to the chorus of “Families Can Be Together Forever” (Children’s Songbook, p. 188) several times.

Families can be together forever

Through Heavenly Father’s plan.

I always want to be with my own family,

And the Lord has shown me how I can.

The Lord has shown me how I can.

I can prepare to go to the temple

Remind the children that everyone who obeys Heavenly Father’s commandments can go to the temple. Show the page of drawings included at the end of the lesson and let the children discuss the commandments illustrated. Explain that obeying these commandments will help the children be worthy to go to the temple when they are older.

Pray.

Obey parents.

Love each other.

Go to church.

Pay tithing.

Eat good foods (obey the Word of Wisdom).

Be honest.

Testimony

Share your feelings about the importance of families being together forever and about the blessings of the temple. Remind the children that obeying their parents and obeying Heavenly Father’s commandments are important ways to prepare to go to the temple.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Help the children understand that forever is a long time. You might tell them that it is longer than the time they have to wait until their birthday or the next holiday; it is longer than the time the oldest person they know has been alive; it is longer than back to the time when Adam and Eve were alive. Explain that forever means that something will never end.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse as you say the words:

How Long Is Forever?

How long is forever (point to head, as if thinking)?

It’s longer than a year (put fist under chin, rest elbow on other hand).

It’s longer than the time it takes (put other fist under chin, rest elbow on hand)

For Christmas to be here.

How long is forever (point to head, as if thinking)?

It’s not too long to spend (shake finger back and forth)

With families that you love (hug self),

For it will never, ever end!

With the approval of your Primary president, invite the parents of a child in your class to share their feelings about the importance of being sealed in the temple.

Make a copy of the page of drawings at the end of the lesson for each child. Let the children color the drawings.

With the approval of your Primary president, invite a family in your ward who recently went to the temple to be sealed to tell the class about that experience.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children do the actions to the following verse while you say the words:

I Am a Helper

Now that I am big and tall (stand on tiptoes and stretch arms up high),

A good helper I will be.

A helper to father (hold up first finger),

Who is kind and good;

I’ll do for my mother (hold up second finger)

The things that I should.

A helper to sister (hold up third finger),

To brother too (hold up fourth finger);

A helper to all my friends so true (hold up thumb).

And God’s helper I’ll try to be

By loving others as he loves me (fold arms).

I want to be a helper of all (sweep arms wide),

Now that I am big and tall (stand on tiptoes and stretch arms high).

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words. Repeat as many times as you want.

Make a circle with everyone standing, holding hands. Hold hands throughout the activity.

We all lived together with Heavenly Father (everyone comes close together, bringing hands to the center of the circle).

He sent us down to earth to live (spread out into a big circle).

He gave us families to love and teach us (come close together again).

Our families will help us live with him again (spread out into a big circle again).

Provide a simple outline of a temple on paper for the children to color.

Lesson 27

We Can Pray As a Family

Purpose

To help each child understand that regular family prayer helps keep a family close to Heavenly Father and to each other.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Alma 34:19–27 and 3 Nephi 18:17–21. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 8.

Materials needed:

A Book of Mormon.

Cutout 1-26, father; cutout 1-27, mother; cutout 1-28, young girl; cutout 1-29, missionary-age boy (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set 1).

Picture 1-10, Family Prayer (62275); picture 1-15, Blessing the Food; picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Gospel Art Picture Kit 316; 62380).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children to tell about something they do with their families. Give each child a chance to respond. Then show picture 1-10, Family Prayer.

What is this family doing?

Explain that when we pray as a family, we are doing something that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do. Praying as a family is called family prayer.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to pray with our families

Story

Show picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere. Tell about Jesus Christ visiting the Nephites and commanding them to pray, as described in 3 Nephi 18:17–21. Show the children the Book of Mormon and read 3 Nephi 18:21 aloud. Help the children understand that Jesus wants us to pray with our families. Just as the Nephite children were blessed through family prayer, so can we be blessed through family prayer.

We can have family prayer every day

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to pray with our families every morning and every night. Usually the father or person in charge of the family asks someone to say the prayer. Anyone in the family can say a family prayer.

When should we pray with our families?

Who can say a family prayer?

Song

Sing or say the words to “Family Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, p. 189).

Let us gather in a circle

And kneel in family prayer

To thank our Heavenly Father

For the blessings we all share.

What do we say in family prayers?

Explain that we say the same kinds of things in family prayers as we say in our own prayers in the morning and at night. But in family prayer we talk about things that concern the whole family, not just ourselves.

Song

Review the things we say when we pray by singing or saying the words to the second verse of “I Pray in Faith” (Children’s Songbook, p. 14).

I begin by saying “Dear Heavenly Father”;

I thank him for blessings he sends;

Then humbly I ask him for things that I need,

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(© 1987 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)

What do we say at the beginning of a prayer?

What do we say at the end of a prayer?

What should everyone else do while the prayer is being said?

Explain that saying “amen” at the end of a prayer means that we agree with what was said in the prayer.

Show picture 1-15, Blessing the Food. Explain that we also pray as a family when we ask for a blessing on our food.

What do we say when we ask for a blessing on the food? (We thank Heavenly Father for the food and ask him to bless it.)

Who can say a prayer to ask Heavenly Father to bless the food?

Song

Sing the second verse of “I Pray in Faith” again.

We receive many blessings by praying together as a family

Story

Using cutouts 1-26 through 1-29, tell a story about a family praying together for a family member who is serving a mission. You may want to use the following ideas:

Catherine was a young girl. She loved her family and knew they loved her. Sometimes her big brother Paul told her stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Paul was studying these books because he wanted to go on a mission and tell other people about them.

One day Paul received a letter. When he opened the letter, he was excited. “I’m going on a mission!” he said. A few weeks later, Paul was finally ready to go. Before he left, the family knelt for family prayer. Catherine’s father thanked Heavenly Father for the many blessings their family had and for Paul’s opportunity to go on a mission. He asked Heavenly Father to bless Paul, to keep him safe, and to help him be a good missionary. The prayer made Catherine feel happy inside. She knew that Heavenly Father would help Paul on his mission. Catherine and her family prayed for Paul every day while he was on his mission.

Explain that families can pray together for someone who is sick, for help with a family problem, for a missionary who needs Heavenly Father’s help, and for many other reasons. Explain that we can pray about anything that is important to us. Use Alma 34:19–27 to help the children understand when to pray.

Read 3 Nephi 18:21 aloud again. Remind the children that Jesus promised we will be blessed if we have family prayer.

Testimony

Express your testimony of family prayer. You may wish to talk about a time when family prayer strengthened your own family.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Do the following activity verse with the children:

This is my mother, who helps me at play (raise first finger);

This is my father, who works all the day (raise second finger).

This is my brother, so strong and so tall (raise third finger);

This is my sister, who likes to play ball (raise fourth finger).

And this is me; I’m happy to say (extend thumb)

Together our family kneels down to pray (close fist).

Toss or hand a soft object such as a beanbag or ball to the children, one at a time. After the children catch the object, ask them to name something they could thank Heavenly Father for when they say a family prayer. After each child has had a turn, repeat the activity, having the children name things they could ask Heavenly Father for when they say a family prayer.

Give each child a piece of paper and crayons or pencils. Let the children draw pictures of their families praying. Label each picture I am happy when my family prays together.

Sing or say the words to “A Song of Thanks” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20) or “A Prayer Song” (Children’s Songbook, p. 22).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children repeat this verse, line by line:

We love Heavenly Father;

We thank him when we pray.

Heavenly Father loves us;

He hears the things we say.

Tell a story of a family praying together and receiving the needed assistance. For example, the family could be lost and then find their way; they could lose something and then find it; or someone in the family could be sick and then be made well. Suggest that in addition to praying for help, the family should remember to offer a prayer of thanks after receiving the help they needed. Remind the children that Heavenly Father is happy when we thank him for the blessings he gives us.

Sing or say the words to the first and third verses of “Thanks to Our Father” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20).

Lesson 28

I Can Be Obedient

Purpose

To strengthen each child’s desire to obey Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and to obey his or her parents.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Daniel 3; John 14:15; and Ephesians 6:1. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 35.

Materials needed:

A set of scriptures.

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby (62307); picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-9, Morning Prayer (62310); picture 1-46, Children Giving Mother Flowers; picture 1-55, Sermon on the Mount (Gospel Art Picture Kit 212; 62166); picture 1-56, Three Men in the Fiery Furnace (Gospel Art Picture Kit 116; 62093).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Politely ask the children to do several actions, such as stand up, turn around, reach up high, touch their toes, and sit down. Thank them for doing as you asked. Explain that they were being obedient. They obeyed your instructions.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to obey our parents

Show picture 1-5, Family with a Baby.

What does this picture show?

Point to the baby in the picture and talk about how each of us came to earth as a baby. Remind the children that because babies are so small and helpless, they need someone older and bigger to take care of them.

Who took care of you when you were a baby?

Who takes care of you now?

Explain to the children that the people who take care of them, such as their parents and other family members, love them and want them to be safe and happy.

What do your parents teach you not to do?

Talk about things the children might do that could hurt them or make them unhappy, such as playing in the street, touching a hot stove, picking up a sharp knife, running down a steep hill, or fighting with their brothers and sisters.

Why don’t your parents want you to do these things?

Talk about things the children can safely and happily do, such as playing with their toys, going places with their parents, and being kind to their brothers and sisters.

Why do your parents let you do these things?

Why should you obey your parents?

Explain that our parents love us and want us to do things that will keep us safe and happy.

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following action verse:

My legs like to run (run quietly in place),

My hands like to play (wiggle hands),

But when Mother [or Father] says, “Come” (motion with hand),

I quickly obey.

How do you feel when you obey your parents and come when they call you?

How do you feel when you do other things your parents ask you to do?

Explain that when we obey our parents, we can feel happy. Our parents are also happy when we obey.

Tell the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to obey our parents. Read and explain Ephesians 6:1 to the children.

Song

Sing or say the words to all three verses of “Quickly I’ll Obey” (Children’s Songbook, p. 197).

When my mother calls me,

Quickly I’ll obey.

I want to do just what is best

Each and every day.

When my father calls me,

Quickly I’ll obey.

I want to do just what is best

Each and every day.

Heavenly Father loves me,

Blesses me each day.

I want to do just what is best

Each and every day.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to obey the commandments

Show picture 1-55, Sermon on the Mount.

Who is in this picture?

Explain that when Jesus was on the earth, he taught the people what Heavenly Father wanted them to do. These teachings are called commandments. Hold up the scriptures. Tell the children that the commandments are written in the scriptures.

Activity

Open your Bible and read John 14:15. Explain that Jesus said these words. Explain that keep means obey. Have the children repeat the scripture with you a few times.

What are some of the commandments Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to obey?

Using the following pictures, talk about some of the commandments the children can obey:

Picture 1-5, Family with a Baby—love our families

Picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament—attend Church meetings

Picture 1-9, Morning Prayer—pray to Heavenly Father

Picture 1-46, Children Giving Mother Flowers—be kind to others

What does Heavenly Father do when we obey his commandments?

Heavenly Father blesses us when we obey

Story

Briefly relate the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, as found in Daniel 3. Display picture 1-56, Three Men in the Fiery Furnace, at an appropriate time. Explain that one of Heavenly Father’s commandments is that we pray only to him. We do not pray to other people or to images, which are like statues. Explain that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew Heavenly Father’s commandments and wanted to obey them. Heavenly Father protected these men from the fire because they obeyed him. The fire did not burn them.

Why weren’t Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego hurt by the fire?

How do you think Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego felt when Heavenly Father protected them from the fire?

Testimony

Express your feelings about the importance of obeying our parents and Heavenly Father and Jesus. Tell the children how obeying the commandments helps you be happy.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing or say the words to the first verse of “Keep the Commandments” (Children’s Songbook, p. 146) or the second verse of “I Have Two Little Hands” (Children’s Songbook, p. 272).

Let each child have a turn giving the class some instructions, such as “stand up” and “put your hands on your head.” Have the other children obey the instructions.

Use the fishing pole from lesson 11 and prepare some paper fish on which are written simple instructions, such as “fold your arms,” “repeat ‘Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments,’” “walk quietly around the room,” “smile at the other children,” and “help the class sing ‘I Am a Child of God.’” Give each child a turn to catch a paper fish and obey the instruction written on the fish.

Review the story of Noah, emphasizing that Noah and his family were saved from the flood because they obeyed the commandments.

Give each child a piece of paper on which you have drawn a happy face and written the words I am happy when I obey. Let the children color the faces.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children do the actions to the following finger play:

Busy little fingers (hold up a fist),

Who will help us to obey?

“I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will” (raise a finger with each “I will” until all the fingers are extended),

The busy fingers say.

Bring several items that offer protection, such as shoes, hats, and gloves. Ask the children what kind of protection each item gives (for example, shoes protect our feet; hats protect our heads from cold or our eyes from the sun). Tell the children that when we obey our parents, we are protected also. Talk about some rules and how they protect us.

Hold up your hands and show the children how you can move your fingers. Have the children hold up their hands, move their fingers, and open and close their hands. Explain that we can move our own hands and fingers, but no one else’s. Explain that we can make our hands obey when someone asks us to do something. Doing this makes us feel happy inside.

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words:

I Like My Hands

I like my hands; they are my friends (hold hands in front and look at them).

They are busy and helpful until the day ends (pantomime work hands do).

They can quietly fold (fold hands) or clap really loud (clap)!

When they do what is right, it makes me proud!

Lesson 29

I Can Say I’m Sorry

Purpose

To help each child understand that when we do something wrong, we should say we are sorry and try to correct the wrong thing we have done.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Mosiah 27:8–37.

Materials needed:

A Book of Mormon.

A small toy that could fit in a pocket.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

As the children enter the room or gather for the lesson, deliberately make some mistakes in arranging the classroom or preparing for the lesson. You might—

Drop something on the floor.

Place a chair backwards.

Display a picture upside down.

Start to write something on the chalkboard or on a piece of paper and then erase it or cross it out.

After each mistake say, “I’m sorry; I made a mistake.” Then correct the mistake.

Ask the children if they noticed all the mistakes you made. Point out that everyone makes mistakes.

Sometimes we do things that are wrong

Explain that as we are growing up and learning to choose the right, sometimes we make wrong choices. These are not just mistakes like putting a picture upside down; these are times when we do something that is wrong, something that Heavenly Father and Jesus and our parents do not want us to do. By making wrong choices, we may make ourselves and other people unhappy.

Story

Tell the following story in your own words, using a small toy to illustrate it:

Travis and Matt were having fun playing at Matt’s house. Travis liked Matt’s toys and wished they were his own. Travis decided to borrow some of the toys, and he put them into his pocket without asking Matt.

When Travis played with the toys at home, it wasn’t much fun. His mother asked why he was unhappy. Travis told his mother that he had borrowed Matt’s toys without asking and that now he felt bad about it.

Travis’s mother told him that it is wrong to take something that belongs to someone else. She asked Travis what he should do to correct his wrong choice. Travis wanted to take the toys back, but he was afraid Matt might be angry with him. Travis’s mother said that even though Matt might be angry, returning the toys was the right thing to do. She also told Travis that telling Matt he was sorry would help take away the bad feelings he had for doing something wrong.

Travis took the toys back to Matt. He said he was sorry for taking the toys without asking and promised never to do it again. Matt was happy that Travis brought the toys back. Travis was glad that he told the truth and made things right (adapted from Pat Graham, “Travis Repents,” Friend, Mar. 1987, pp. 40–41).

What did Travis do that was wrong?

How did Travis feel when he took Matt’s toys?

Explain that when we do something wrong, we feel bad inside. This is one way Heavenly Father helps us know we have done something wrong.

What did Travis do to make the bad feelings go away?

How did Travis feel when he returned Matt’s toys and said he was sorry?

We should say we are sorry

How do you feel when you do something wrong?

What can you do to make the bad feelings go away?

Help the children understand that when we know we have done something wrong, we need to admit it. Then we need to say “I’m sorry.” We also need to try to correct what we did wrong and promise that we won’t do it again.

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following activity verse with you:

When I do something wrong (shake finger from side to side),

“I am sorry,” I will say.

I feel so unhappy (pull down corners of mouth with fingers, making a frown)

For what I did today.

I will do better (put hands on hips and nod head up and down);

I’ll try with my might.

I will be happy (smile)

If I do what is right (fold arms and nod head).

We should do our best to correct the wrong

Story

Show the children the Book of Mormon. Tell them that the Book of Mormon tells about a man who did something wrong.

Open the Book of Mormon and tell the story of Alma, as found in Mosiah 27:8–37. Explain that Alma would not listen to his father. He disobeyed Heavenly Father and Jesus. He did many things that were wrong. He told people things that were not true about the Church. Many people believed him and would not listen to the Church leaders.

Explain that Alma changed from doing wrong things to doing right things. He tried to correct the wrong things he had done by teaching the people the truth.

How do you think Alma felt when he realized he was doing the wrong things? (See Mosiah 27:29.)

How did Alma try to correct the wrong things he had done? (See Mosiah 27:32, 35–36.)

How do you think Alma felt when he started teaching the people the truth?

When you do something wrong, why should you try to correct it?

Share a simple personal experience about a time when you said you were sorry. Tell the children how you felt and how you tried to correct the wrong thing you had done.

Review the things we need to do when we know we have done something wrong:

Admit we did something wrong.

Say “I’m sorry.”

Promise not to do it again.

Do our best to correct what we did wrong.

Explain that all these steps together are called repentance. Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy when we repent of the wrong things we do.

Have the children discuss how they could follow these steps of repentance in the following situations:

What should you do if you took something that does not belong to you?

What should you do if you said something unkind to someone?

What should you do if you did not tell the truth to your parents?

What should you do if you pushed someone down?

Testimony

Express your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us even when we do wrong things. Tell the children that you know they will be happy when they say they are sorry for things they do that are wrong and when they try not to do the wrong things again.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Help the children sing or say the words to “Repentance” (Children’s Songbook, p. 98). Explain that to repent means to say you are sorry, promise not to do the wrong thing again, and try to correct the wrong thing.

Provide each child with a piece of clay or play dough. Show the children how to roll the clay or play dough in a ball and then flatten it. Help them make a smiling face in the clay or play dough to remind them that when they say “I’m sorry” they will feel better. (A play dough recipe can be found on page xv of this manual.)

Give each child a piece of paper and a crayon or pencil. Have each child draw a smiling face. Label the picture I can be happy when I say I’m sorry.

Sing or say the words to “I Want to Live the Gospel” (Children’s Songbook, p. 148).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

“Accidentally” spill a box of crayons or other small objects on the floor. Tell the children that you are sorry you spilled the crayons, and then ask what you should do to make the situation better. As you clean up, tell the children that you will feel better when the floor is neat and clean again. Invite the children to help you clean up.

Explain that sometimes we do things that make us or other people feel sad. When this happens, we should say “I’m sorry” and try to make things better. Thank the children for helping you clean up, and remind them that they feel happy when they help others.

Sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61).

Have the children say a large word, such as hippopotamus. Tell them that it is sometimes hard to say some words. Explain that it may be hard to say “I’m sorry” when we have done something wrong. Explain that even when the words “I’m sorry” are hard to say, they can help turn sad feelings into better feelings.

Tell a short story about two children who are playing together. When one of the children bumps into the other, the first child says, “I’m sorry” and tries to help the hurt one feel better. Include the idea of turning a sad feeling into a happy one. You may want to use the Smiling/Frowning Face figure from lesson 21. Let a child hold the figure and turn it to show the feelings of the children in the story.

Lesson 30

I Can Forgive Others

Purpose

To encourage each child to be forgiving.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 37:12–28; 41:38–43; 42:1–8; 45:1–15; Matthew 18:21–22; and Luke 23:33–34.

Prepare small pieces of paper and write on each piece a statement such as one of the following:

Someone hit you and pushed you down.

Someone won’t let you play a game.

Someone broke something of yours.

Someone called you an unkind name.

Someone took what you were playing with and won’t share it.

Prepare a piece of paper for each child in the class (create more situations if necessary). Put the papers in a small box labeled “Forgiveness Box.”

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-47, Children Quarreling; picture 1-57, Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers (Gospel Art Picture Kit 109; 62525); picture 1-58, Joseph Making Himself Known to His Brothers; picture 1-59, The Crucifixion (Gospel Art Picture Kit 230; 62505).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Display picture 1-47, Children Quarreling.

What are these children doing?

Why do you think they are quarreling?

How do you think they feel?

What could these children say to each other to end the quarreling and make themselves feel better?

Review from the previous lesson how important it is to say “I’m sorry.” Explain that after the children say they are sorry, they should forgive each other. This means that they should not be angry at each other anymore and they should be friends. Remind the children of the story about Matt and Travis from the previous lesson. Matt forgave Travis for taking his toys. They were still friends.

Joseph forgave his brothers

Story

Display picture 1-57, Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers. Tell the story of Joseph being sold into Egypt, as found in Genesis 37:12–28.

How do you think Joseph felt when his brothers sold him to be a slave in Egypt?

Explain that Joseph became an important man in Egypt (see Genesis 41:38–43). After many years, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to get food because they didn’t have enough food in their own country. They found out that Joseph was still alive and that he was an important man in Egypt (see Genesis 42:1–8; 45:1–15).

Display picture 1-58, Joseph Making Himself Known to His Brothers.

How do you think Joseph felt to be with his brothers again? (See Genesis 45:14–15.)

Was Joseph angry with his brothers? (See Genesis 45:5.)

How do you think Joseph’s brothers felt toward him?

How did Joseph show he had forgiven his brothers? (See Genesis 45:5–15.)

Activity

Have one child pretend to be Joseph and the other children pretend to be Joseph’s brothers. Help the children act out the story of Joseph being reunited with his brothers and forgiving them.

Jesus told us to be forgiving

Hold up a copy of the Bible. Explain that in the Bible, Jesus told us to be forgiving. One of Jesus’ apostles asked him about forgiving others (see Matthew 18:21–22). Jesus told him that we should always be forgiving. Explain that the Bible also tells us that Jesus was forgiving.

Display picture 1-59, The Crucifixion. Explain that the soldiers were very cruel to Jesus. They beat him and spit on him. The soldiers drove nails through Jesus’ hands and feet and hung him on a cross to die. Explain that Jesus forgave the soldiers. He wasn’t angry with the soldiers for what they had done to him. (Be careful not to be too dramatic as you tell this story. Some children may be very sensitive to the idea of people hurting Jesus.)

Turn to Luke 23:34 and tell the children what Jesus said when he prayed to Heavenly Father just before he died: “Father, forgive them.” Have the children repeat this phrase aloud a few times.

Even though the soldiers hurt Jesus, what did he do?

What does Jesus want us to do if someone makes us feel angry or unhappy?

Activity

Ask the children to do everything you do. Have them follow you as you stand, stretch, smile, sit down, and fold your arms. Explain that because they did everything you did, they were following you. If you follow someone, you do the same thing that person does. When we forgive others, we are following Jesus. We are doing what he did. Jesus wants us to forgive those who make us sad or upset.

We can forgive others

Activity

Show the “Forgiveness Box” and invite one child at a time to take a piece of paper out of it.

Read each statement and ask questions such as the following:

Has this ever happened to you?

How would it make you feel?

What should the person who made you unhappy or angry say to you?

What should you do or say to a person who has been unkind to you or who has made you unhappy or angry?

Tell about a time when you forgave someone and how you felt. Help the children understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be forgiving.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “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.

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be forgiving. Encourage the children to pray and ask Heavenly Father to help them forgive others.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Review the story of the prodigal son, as found in Luke 15:11–32. Use picture 1-49, The Prodigal Son. Help the children understand that the father loved his son and forgave him.

Do the following finger play. Invite the children to do the actions with you.

Two little friends, one left and one right (hold up both hands with fists closed),

Started to quarrel and started to fight (wave fists at each other).

Now these little friends were not happy that day,

For they had been taught the right way to play.

Then one little friend hid his head down in shame (lower right fist from wrist and turn away);

The other did too, for he felt just the same (lower left fist and turn away also).

The first little friend said, “I know what I’ll do (clap hands).

To show you I’m sorry, I’ll ask forgiveness of you.”

“I too am sorry,” the next one did say,

“Let’s play and be happy the rest of the day” (fold arms and sit down).

Make a simple badge for each child to wear home. Write on each badge I can be forgiving.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Review the story from lesson 29 about two children playing (see Additional Activities for Younger Children, activity 4). Tell how the hurt child forgave the other one.

Sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61) or “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, p. 60).

Sing or say the words to “If You’re Happy” (Children’s Songbook, p. 266). Explain to the children that when we forgive those who are unkind to us, we will feel happy.

Lesson 31

I Am Thankful for My Home

Purpose

To encourage each child to feel gratitude for his or her home and to help take care of it.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 1 Nephi 2:2–6; 17:7–8; and 18:6, 23.

Materials needed:

A Book of Mormon.

A container with water, a container with soil, and a small branch. If you prefer, bring pictures of a lake, soil, and a tree.

Paper and crayons or pencils.

Picture 1-60, Lehi and His People Arrive in the Promised Land (Gospel Art Picture Kit 304; 62045); picture 1-61, Exodus from Nauvoo (Gospel Art Picture Kit 410; 62493).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show the container or picture of water and ask what animals or insects make their homes in water. Help the children think of as many as possible. Show the soil and then the branch, and help the children think of animals and insects that make their homes in the ground and in trees.

What do you think it would be like if your home was in the water?

What might happen if your home was in a tree?

There are many different kinds of homes

Explain that animals and insects live in many different kinds of homes. People also live in different kinds of homes.

Story

Show picture 1-60, Lehi and His People Arrive in the Promised Land, and display the Book of Mormon while you tell about Lehi and his family and the kinds of homes they lived in (see 1 Nephi 2:2–6; 1 Nephi 17:7–8; and 1 Nephi 18:6, 23). Lehi’s family had a comfortable home in Jerusalem, but when the Lord told them to leave Jerusalem, they traveled in the desert and lived in tents. After many years the Lord commanded Nephi, Lehi’s son, to build a ship. Lehi and his family lived in the ship while they traveled to the promised land, a place Heavenly Father and Jesus had prepared for them to live. After arriving in the promised land, Lehi and his family lived in tents again until they could build more permanent homes.

What different kinds of homes did Lehi and his family live in?

Story

Show picture 1-61, Exodus from Nauvoo. Tell about the early members of the Church who built a city called Nauvoo. They worked hard to build their homes and a beautiful temple. But some people around Nauvoo did not like the Church members and forced them to leave. The Church members traveled with only the belongings they could fit in covered wagons. Because the covered wagons were small, many of the children had to leave their toys behind. Some of the people lived in their covered wagons and in tents for a long time.

Why would it be hard to live in a covered wagon or tent?

Activity

Have the children stand and do the following action verse:

The pioneer children walked and talked (walk in place);

Then they played games and skipped and hopped (hop or jump in place).

When it was night, stars sparkled and gleamed (close and open hands);

Inside the wagons they slept and dreamed (close eyes, lay head on hands).

Home is a place where we are loved

Explain that the kind of home we live in is not important. We might live in a large house, a small house, an apartment, a tent, or a boat. The important thing is that our homes are places where family members love each other. Tell about your own home and what you do to make it a loving place.

Why do you like to be at home?

How do you know your family loves you?

Have you ever spent the night away from home?

Where did you sleep?

How did you feel when you came back to your own home?

Remind the children how good it was to come back to their own homes and beds.

Song

Have the children stand and listen as you sing or say the words to “Home” (Children’s Songbook, p. 192). Tell the children to give themselves a hug whenever they hear the word home. If you desire, repeat the verse and have the children sing or say the words along with you.

Home is where the heart is

And warmth and love abound.

Home is where warm, circling arms

Go all the way around.

(© 1975 by Sonos Music, Orem, Utah. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

We can help our families take care of our homes

Explain that we need to take care of our homes so they will be good places to live. Every family member should help keep the home neat and clean.

Activity

Have the children pantomime some things they can do to help keep their homes neat and clean, such as picking up their toys, sweeping the floor, and folding and putting away their clothes.

Invite the children to come up one at a time and stand next to you. Describe to each child a situation in which he or she could be a good helper in the home. Ask the child what he or she would do to help in that situation. Use the following examples or make up your own situations to fit the class members:

You accidentally spilled a glass of water on the floor. What should you do?

You played with your blocks all afternoon. Now it is time to eat. What should you do with your blocks?

Your mother is in a hurry to get dinner on the table. She needs someone to set the table before the family can eat. What could you do?

Your clothes are washed and neatly folded. What should you do with them now?

You have been playing outside and your shoes are covered with mud. What should you do before you come into the house?

Your bed is messed up when you get out of it in the morning. What should you do to it?

Encourage the children to talk about things they do to help keep their homes neat and clean. Tell the children how you work to keep your home neat and clean.

Activity

Give the children paper and crayons or pencils and have each child draw a picture of something he or she will do during the week to help out at home. Label each picture I am thankful for my home.

Testimony

Share your feelings about your home and express your gratitude to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ for blessing you with a home.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Bring some common household objects (at least one for each child) in a bag. Let each child choose an object from the bag and explain how to use it while helping around the house. For example, a cloth can be used for dusting or drying dishes, a spoon can be used when setting the table for a meal, and a toy can be put away when cleaning a room.

Sing or say the words to “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), using phrases such as “Making my bed is fun to do” or “Setting the table is fun to do” while pantomiming the action.

Trace each child’s hands on a piece of paper to take home. Label each paper I have helping hands. Talk about what the children’s hands can do to help.

Have the children pretend that their chairs are covered wagons. Have them pull their chairs into a circle like the pioneers did at night for protection from unfriendly people and wild animals. Have them act out building a campfire and cooking supper, singing and dancing after supper, and climbing into their wagons (chairs) to go to sleep.

Bring pictures of different kinds of homes, or draw them on the chalkboard or a piece of paper. Discuss with the children what each house is made of and what it would be like to live in. You might include a tent, an igloo, a castle, a cabin, and a house on stilts.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198). Let the children act out things they can do to help around their homes.

Help the children do the actions to the following finger play:

Busy little fingers (hold up a fist),

Who will help us to obey?

“I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will.” “I will” (raise a finger with each “I will” until all the fingers are extended),

The busy fingers say.

Lesson 32

I Am Thankful for Food and Clothing

Purpose

To help each child feel and express gratitude for food and clothing.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 1:11–12 and 1 Kings 17:8–16.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

A fruit or vegetable with seeds in it.

A beanbag or other soft object.

Cutout 1-5, fish; cutout 1-7, pig; cutout 1-8, sheep; cutout 1-9, cow; cutout 1-22, chickens (similar cutouts can also be found in Primary Visual Aids Cutouts set 4); or find pictures of animals that provide food and clothing in your area.

Picture 1-15, Blessing the Food; picture 1-50, I Can Dress.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Give the following instructions, filling in the blanks with common breakfast foods:

If you like to eat for breakfast, raise one hand.

If you like to eat for breakfast, raise the other hand.

If you like to eat for breakfast, stand up.

Continue with other actions until you have named at least one food each child likes. Then say, “If you are thankful to Heavenly Father for the food you eat, sit down and fold your arms.”

We use plants and animals for food

What other foods do you like to eat?

Where do we get our food?

Who created the plants and animals from which we get food to eat?

Talk about some of the foods you eat and where they come from. Explain that we get many foods from plants.

Break or cut open the fruit or vegetable you brought and point out the seeds.

What are these?

Why do plants have seeds?

Explain that Heavenly Father planned for plants to have seeds so the seeds could grow into more plants to provide food for us (see Genesis 1:11–12). When a plant such as a fruit or vegetable grows, more seeds are formed.

Activity

Do the following activity verse with the children:

Seeds Are Buried Deep

Seeds are buried deep (bend over and touch floor with hands).

In the soil they sleep (place one hand on top of the other, palms together).

Yellow sun shines bright (put arms overhead to make a circle).

Raindrops fall so light (wiggle fingers as they move down).

Gentle breezes blow (sway arms overhead).

Little seeds begin to grow (wiggle fingers up from floor).

Have you ever helped plant seeds?

What did you plant?

What foods do we get from plants?

Help the children think of several fruits, vegetables, and grains. Explain that bread and cereal are made with grains. Tell the children how thankful you are to Heavenly Father for seeds that grow into fruits, vegetables, and grains.

Show the seeds again.

What do these seeds need in order to grow?

Story

Tell the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, as found in 1 Kings 17:8–16. Help the children understand that there was not enough food because there was no rain. Without the rain to bring water, no food would grow.

How would you feel if you didn’t have any food to eat?

How was the widow blessed for sharing what little she had with Elijah? (See 1 Kings 17:15–16.)

Explain that not all of our food comes from plants.

Where do we get milk?

Where do we get eggs?

Where do we get meat?

Talk about how some food comes from animals. Using the appropriate cutouts or pictures, discuss the animals that are used for food in your area.

We use plants and animals for clothing

Point out that food is not the only thing we get from plants and animals. Show picture 1-50, I Can Dress.

What is this boy doing?

What do you put on when you get dressed?

Activity

Have the children pantomime putting on articles of clothing such as a shirt, a dress, shoes, a coat, and a hat.

Why do we need clothing? (To cover our bodies, to protect our bodies, to keep us warm when it is cold.)

What is clothing made of?

If the children can name some of the materials used to make clothing, ask if they know where those materials come from. Explain that we get materials for making clothing and shoes from plants and animals. Tell the children what plants or animals provide materials commonly used for clothing in your area. For example, cotton and linen come from plants, and silk comes from silk worms. Wool comes from sheep, and most leather comes from cows.

We can be thankful for food and clothing

Activity

Ask the children to think of foods for which they are thankful. Toss or hand a beanbag or soft object to each child, one at a time. Have each child name a food for which he or she is thankful and then toss or hand the beanbag back to you. Discuss where the food named comes from before tossing the beanbag to the next child. Remind the children that each plant or animal was created by Jesus, under Heavenly Father’s direction.

Repeat the activity, asking each child to name an article of clothing instead of a food.

Show picture 1-15, Blessing the Food.

Whom should we thank for our food?

Whom should we thank for our clothing?

How can we thank Heavenly Father for these things? (One way is to mention them in our daily prayers.)

Testimony

Express your gratitude that Heavenly Father and Jesus have made it possible for us to have clothing to wear and food to eat.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Give each child a piece of paper with a line drawn down the middle and the words I am thankful for: written across the top. Let each child draw a picture of a food on one side of the line and an article of clothing on the other side.

Help the children sing or say the words to the first two verses of “Thanks to Our Father” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20).

Let the children pretend they are seeds. Have them crouch down as though they were planted in the ground, then rise slowly as the sun shines and the rain gently falls on them. You may want to let the children take turns being the sun and the rain.

Bring a fruit or vegetable and give the children small samples to eat. Describe the kind of seed and plant the fruit or vegetable came from. (Check with the children’s parents to make sure no child is allergic to the food you bring.)

Describe a familiar food to the children and ask them to guess which food you are describing. For example, you could say, “This food is white or brown on the outside. It has a shell. It is laid in a nest. What is it?” (An egg.) Repeat as many times as you want. You may want to bring an example of each food that you describe.

Bring dress-up items such as sweaters, coats, and hats and let the children try them on as you talk about clothing the children are thankful for.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children sing or say the words to “A Song of Thanks” (Children’s Songbook, p. 20) or “For Health and Strength” (Children’s Songbook, p. 21).

Have the children pantomime getting dressed as you say the words to the following activity verse:

Children, put your pants on, pants on, pants on.

Children, put your pants on, one, two, three.

Children, put your skirt on, skirt on, skirt on.

Children, put your skirt on, one, two, three.

Children, put your shirt on, shirt on, shirt on.

Children, put your shirt on, one, two, three.

Children, put your socks on, socks on, socks on.

Children, put your socks on, one, two, three.

Children, put your shoes on, shoes on, shoes on.

Children, put your shoes on, one, two, three.

Children now are all dressed, all dressed, all dressed (clap hands).

Children now are all dressed; let’s go play!

Lesson 33

I Can Be a Friend

Purpose

To help each child desire to be a good friend.

Preparation

Prayerfully study John 6:1–13 and 11:1–7, 17–44.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Point to yourself and ask, “Who am I?” The children might respond with your name or the word teacher. Explain that you are also their friend, and they are your friends. Explain that friends are people who like each other.

Gather with the children in a circle. Looking at each child in turn, say, “(Name of child) is my friend.” Let each child have a turn doing this, making sure every child is mentioned each time.

We have many friends

Who are your friends?

Allow the children to talk about their friends. Point out that friends can be of any age. Family members can be some of our best friends. Emphasize that each person in the class is a friend.

Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Explain that the person in the picture is a very good friend to everyone in the class.

Who is our friend in this picture?

How do you know that Jesus is your friend?

Song

Sing or say the words to “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, p. 58).

Jesus is our loving friend.

He is always near.

He will guide us when we pray;

Every child is dear.

Story

Tell the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, as found in John 11:1–7, 17–44. Emphasize that Lazarus and his sisters were friends of Jesus. When Jesus was in Bethany, he stayed at their home and had dinner with them.

How did Jesus feel about Lazarus? (See John 11:3, 35–36.)

What did Jesus do for Lazarus? (See John 11:43–44.)

How do you think Lazarus, Mary, and Martha felt toward Jesus?

We can be good friends

How should we treat our friends?

Explain that when we are being good friends, we help others do good things. We care about our friends and want them to be happy. Discuss the importance of treating others the way we like to be treated. Ask how the children could be good friends in situations like these:

You and a friend are playing, and another child comes and wants to play with you.

A new child comes to class for the first time and feels shy or afraid.

A child has been teased and feels bad.

Song

Sing or say the words to “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 145).

I want to be kind to everyone,

For that is right, you see.

So I say to myself, “Remember this:

Kindness begins with me.”

How do you feel when your friends are kind to you?

How do you think they feel when you are kind to them?

Help the children understand that if they want to have friends, they must be good friends themselves.

Friends share with each other

If you are playing with (name a toy or something else specific), and a friend comes to play with you, what should you do?

Explain that when we let another person play with us, or when we give some of what we have to someone else, we are sharing. Sometimes we can’t divide up what we have, so we take turns with it. This is also sharing.

If one of your friends is hungry and you have food, what should you do?

Story

Show the Bible and tell the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, as found in John 6:1–13. Emphasize that because a young boy shared the food he had, Jesus was able to use his power to make enough food to feed all the people.

Remind the children of the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath (told in lesson 32). The widow was blessed because she shared her food even though she did not have very much.

What can we share with our friends?

What can we share with our families?

Song

Have the children stand and sing “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), using the phrase “Sharing my (toys, book, or whatever else the children suggest) is fun to do.” Have the children make up actions to go along with the words.

Sharing my toys is fun to do,

Fun to do, to do, to do!

Sharing my toys is fun to do,

To do, to do, to do!

(© 1963 by D. C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission.)

Remind the children that friends help each other, and encourage them to help clean up the classroom as needed.

Testimony

Bear your testimony of the importance of being a good friend. You might share a personal experience about a friend of yours. Remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus are our friends and they love us. Encourage the children to be kind to their friends this week.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing or say the words to “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream” (Children’s Songbook, p. 236), “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), or “Friends Are Fun” (Children’s Songbook, p. 262).

Sing or say the words to “We Are Different” (Children’s Songbook, p. 263). Help the children understand that we should be friends with those who seem different from us as well as those who are like us.

Have the children stand and do the action verse “Dear Little Friend”:

I have the dearest little friend (hug self);

I see her [or him] every day.

I love my friendly little friend.

This is how we play:

We play with dolls (pretend to rock a doll in your arms);

We throw our balls (pretend to throw a ball);

We march like soldiers, too (march quietly in place).

We play in the swing (pretend to swing);

We talk and sing;

Like all good friends should do (fold arms and nod head).

Bring a small treat for the class (check with the children’s parents to make sure no child is allergic to the treat). Place the treat where the children can see it. Mention how good it looks and ask the children if they would like you to share it with them. Ask the children how they would feel if you shared the treat with only some of them. Discuss how others feel when they are not included. Share the treat with the children.

Have each child draw a picture of himself or herself sharing with a friend. Label each picture I can share with my friend.

Tell the following true story in your own words:

The Copper-Toed Shoes

When the pioneers came to live in Utah, most of them were poor. They had spent all their money to buy things for the long trip and to buy the tools they would need to build homes and plant gardens. Because the people didn’t have much money, many children had only one pair of shoes, which they wore on Sundays. They often went barefoot the other days of the week.

One pioneer girl named Melinda had a pair of heavy, ugly, copper-toed shoes that she had worn during the winter. In the summer her family bought her a new pair of pretty, comfortable Sunday shoes, and she was going to wear them in a parade.

Melinda’s best friend, Amanda, had no shoes at all. Melinda felt sorry for Amanda and got her mother’s permission to loan one of her pairs of shoes to Amanda to wear to the parade. As Melinda picked up her old, heavy, copper-toed shoes to take to her friend, her mother said, “If you are going to share, you should give something you would like to receive yourself.”

Melinda thought very hard for a few minutes. She thought about what Jesus would have done. She thought about which pair of shoes she would rather wear, and then she made up her mind. She took her new Sunday shoes for her friend to wear, and she went to the parade wearing her old, ugly, copper-toed shoes. But Melinda felt very happy! She knew she was sharing just as Jesus would want her to do.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Set out several toys for the children to play with. Discuss the importance of saying “please” and “thank you.” Encourage the children to share the toys when playing and to help each other put the toys away when they are done playing.

As you say the following verse, lead the children in the actions. Repeat if the children desire.

Make Happy Days

Two eyes to see nice things to do (point to eyes),

Two lips to smile the whole day through (smile a large smile).

Two ears to hear what others say (cup hands around ears),

Two hands to put the toys away (pretend to pick up toys and put them away).

A tongue to speak kind words each day (point to mouth),

A loving heart to work and play (hold hands over heart).

Two feet that gladly run (point to feet)—

Make happy days for everyone.

Sing or say the words to “I Have Two Little Hands” (Children’s Songbook, p. 272).

Lesson 34

I Can Love Others

Purpose

To encourage each child to express love for others through kind words and deeds.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Matthew 7:12; Mark 10:13–16; Luke 10:30–37; and John 13:34.

Review the story from lesson 19 about Jesus healing the blind man (see John 9:1–7).

Make a paper heart for each child in the class. Write I love you on each heart.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-43, Jesus Healing the Blind (Gospel Art Picture Kit 213; 62145); picture 1-48, Children Playing with Blocks; picture 1-62, The Good Samaritan (Gospel Art Picture Kit 218; 62156).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show picture 1-48, Children Playing with Blocks.

What are these children doing?

Do you think these children are friends?

How do friends treat each other?

Remind the children that friends treat each other kindly. When we are kind to others, we are showing them love.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), using the actions indicated below:

Jesus said love everyone (spread arms out wide);

Treat them kindly, too (nod head up and down).

When your heart is filled with love (put hands over heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

Jesus showed love to others by being kind

Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ, and tell the children that Jesus told us to treat others as we would like to have others treat us. Show the Bible and read Matthew 7:12 through do ye even so to them. Explain that this scripture means that if we want others to be kind to us, we must be kind to them.

Story

Display picture 1-43, Jesus Healing the Blind. Let the children help you tell the story illustrated by the picture (see John 9:1–7).

How was Jesus kind to the blind man?

Story

Tell the story of Jesus blessing the little children, as found in Mark 10:13–16.

How was Jesus kind to the children?

Emphasize that Jesus spent his life helping other people. By being kind, Jesus was showing love for others. Explain that Jesus commanded us to love one another. Read John 13:34 to the children. Have the children repeat “love one another as I have loved you” a few times.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, p. 136).

As I have loved you,

Love one another.

This new commandment:

Love one another.

By this shall men know

Ye are my disciples,

If ye have love

One to another.

(© 1961, 1989 by Luacine C. Fox. Used by permission.)

We can show love to others by being kind

Story

Show picture 1-62, The Good Samaritan, and tell the story of the good Samaritan, as found in Luke 10:30–37.

Who in the story was kind?

What did the Samaritan do to help the man who was hurt?

Help the children think of ways they can be kind to others. Have them share their ideas with the other class members.

Explain that sometimes it is hard to be kind to someone because that person may seem unfriendly or different from us. Help the children understand that everyone needs to be treated kindly. Even if people seem unfriendly or look different from us (for example, if they have a different color of skin or a disability), we should treat them kindly.

Talk about the importance of showing love and kindness in our families.

How can you show love to your father? to your mother? to your brothers and sisters?

Emphasize that when we are kind to our families, not only are our families happy, but Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy, too.

Explain that sometimes babies or younger children take or break things that belong to us. Help the children understand that very young children don’t always understand what they are doing. We need to treat them kindly and not be angry with them. If we have things that could be broken, we should try to keep them out of little children’s reach.

How can we show love to Heavenly Father and Jesus?

Emphasize that we can show love to Heavenly Father and Jesus by keeping the commandments, by being reverent in church, and by being kind and helpful to those around us.

We can show love by speaking kindly

Activity

Ask the children to follow the instructions below. After the children do each action, thank them for following the instruction.

Please stand up.

Sit down, please.

Please stand up and turn around. Please sit down. Stand up again, please.

Stretch your hands high above your head, please.

Please sit down quietly.

What polite, or kind, words did I say?

How do you feel when someone says “please” and “thank you” to you?

Help the children understand that if we want others to speak kindly to us, we should speak kindly to them.

Remind the children of other polite phrases, such as “I’m sorry” and “Excuse me, please,” and the situations in which those phrases should be used. Ask the following questions or similar ones appropriate to your culture:

How would you politely ask for a drink of water?

What should you say if someone brings you a gift?

What can you say if you make someone feel sad?

What can you say to politely get someone’s attention?

Explain that even though others sometimes speak unkindly to us, we should still speak kindly in return.

Song

Sing “Jesus Said Love Everyone” again with the children.

Testimony

Compliment the children on ways you have observed them being kind. Explain that because Heavenly Father and Jesus love everyone, they are pleased when they see us being kind to each other. Bear testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be kind. Give each child a paper heart. Tell the children what the words on the hearts say, and express your love for the children.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Read the following examples (or create some of your own), and have the children hold their paper hearts up if the action described is kind or shows love. Have them hold the hearts in their laps if the action is not kind and does not show love.

Taking turns when playing a game.

Being grouchy.

Helping a child who is hurt.

Hitting someone who makes you angry.

Walking reverently in the meetinghouse.

Saying “please” and “thank you.”

Holding a door open for someone.

Being noisy at church.

Helping clean up.

Remind the children that when we are kind to others, we are showing love, and Heavenly Father and Jesus are happy with us.

Think of several familiar situations where children have an opportunity to be kind and to show love for others. Write these situations on pieces of paper and have each child choose a piece of paper. Read each situation and have the child who picked it tell how to act in that situation. You may wish to use the following examples:

You and a friend are playing together, and another child comes into the room. What should you do?

You and your sister want to play with the same toy. What should you do?

Your baby brother took something that belongs to you. What should you do?

Using familiar examples from your ward or area, discuss how to show kindness and love to those who have disabilities. Help the children think of specific ways they might help a person with a disability.

How can we show love to someone who cannot see?

How can we show love to someone who cannot hear?

How can we show love to someone who uses a wheelchair or crutches?

Help the children understand that although some people may speak a different language or have a different skin color than they do, we are all Heavenly Father’s children. We should all be kind to one another. We should treat everyone as we would like to be treated. You might sing or say the words to “We Are Different” (Children’s Songbook, p. 263) or “Every Star Is Different” (Children’s Songbook, p. 142). Explain that every person is different from everyone else in some way.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 145) or “A Special Gift Is Kindness” (Children’s Songbook, p. 145).

Help the children do the following activity verse:

A smile is very catchy (push corners of mouth into a smile),

And so when I feel sad (push corners of mouth into a frown),

I try to give a smile away (push corners of mouth into a smile),

And soon I’m feeling glad (place both hands over heart)!

(Adapted from Pat Graham, “Feeling Glad,” Friend, Mar. 1990, p. 21.)

Lesson 35

I Can Be Kind to Animals

Purpose

To help each child understand the importance of being kind to animals.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Genesis 2:19–20; 6–8.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-28, Creation—Living Creatures (Gospel Art Picture Kit 100; 62483); picture 1-30, Noah and the Ark with Animals (Gospel Art Picture Kit 103; 62305).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Pretend to be an animal that is familiar to the children. Have the children guess which animal you are. Let each child have a turn pretending to be an animal while the other children guess which animal he or she is.

Adam gave each of the animals a name

Remind the children that Heavenly Father planned and Jesus created all the animals, fish, birds, and insects on the earth. Show the Bible and explain that the scriptures tell us that Adam named all the animals (see Genesis 2:19–20). Show picture 1-28, Creation—Living Creatures.

What are the names of the animals in this picture? (Let the children take turns pointing to an animal in the picture and telling its name.)

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be kind to animals

Story

Show picture 1-30, Noah and the Ark with Animals, and review the story of Noah and the Ark, as found in Genesis 6–8. Emphasize that at least two of every kind of animal were saved from drowning. Heavenly Father and Jesus love animals and want them to be on the earth.

Why did Noah put animals on the ark?

What animals are you thankful that Noah put on the ark?

How do you think Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to treat animals?

Story

In your own words, tell the following story about President Spencer W. Kimball, the twelfth President of the Church:

When President Spencer W. Kimball was a boy, his job was to walk the cows to a pasture about a mile from his home. One day he made himself a slingshot, a toy that he could use to shoot rocks at fence posts and tree trunks. He became very good and could hit a tree or a fence post that was far away.

Tall trees grew along the side of the road where he walked the cows. Spencer noticed that there were many little birds in those trees. When he saw the birds, he was tempted to shoot them to show what a good shot he was. But then he remembered a song that he sang in Primary. It said, “Don’t kill the little birds. . . . The earth is God’s Estate, and he provideth food for small as well as great.” Spencer thought of those words that he sang. He decided that the birds were important to Heavenly Father, and it was not right to kill them. So he was always careful to shoot his slingshot where he would not hit any birds (see Conference Report, Apr. 1978, p. 71; or Ensign, May 1978, p. 47).

How did Spencer W. Kimball show kindness to the birds?

Tell the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be kind to all animals.

Song

Sing or say the words to “Kindness Begins with Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 145).

I want to be kind to everyone,

For that is right, you see.

So I say to myself, “Remember this:

Kindness begins with me.”

Do you have any pets?

Activity

Invite the children to talk about their pets and how they take care of them. Read the following statements and have the children put their thumbs up if a statement is a kind way to treat pets. Have them put their thumbs down if it is an unkind way to treat pets.

Feed them good food every day.

Forget to feed them.

Forget to give them water.

Have fresh water available for them to drink.

Provide a safe, comfortable place for them to sleep.

Keep them shut up in a hot place all day.

Give them love and attention.

Testimony

Remind the children that animals were created by Jesus and are a part of Heavenly Father’s plan. Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be kind to animals. Share your feelings about a pet or about animals.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Make a copy of the rabbit at the end of the lesson for each child, and let the children color their rabbits. Glue a cotton ball to the tail of each rabbit to make it fluffy.

Sing or say the words to “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (Children’s Songbook, p. 228).

Using the fishing pole from lesson 11 and the animal cutouts that came with the manual, let the children take turns fishing for an animal. When each child has caught an animal, let the children take turns showing their animals and telling what they know about them.

Make a badge that says I will be kind to animals for each child to wear home.

Help the children do the actions to the following finger play:

My Little Kitten

My little kitten ran up a tree (“run” fingers of right hand up left arm)

And sat on a limb to look at me (let right hand rest on left shoulder).

I said, “Come, kitty,” and down he ran (run fingers back down arm)

And ate all the food I poured in his pan (cup left hand; pretend right hand is kitten eating food).

Have the children stand and do the actions with you as you recite the following verse:

Noah

Noah built an ark so big (hold arms outstretched);

He knew just what to do (place finger on side of forehead).

He hammered, sawed, and measured (make motions as indicated)

As he’d been commanded to (nod head).

And Noah called his family (beckon with arm)

To march onto the boat (march quietly in place)—

And, two by two, the animals (hold up two fingers)

Came aboard to float (make floating motion with hands).

The heavy dark clouds gathered (place hands above head),

The rain began to fall (wiggle fingers imitating rain)—

And all the earth was covered (make a sweeping motion with hand and arm);

There was no land at all (turn head from side to side).

The ark just floated safely (make a floating motion with hands)

Many a day and night (put hands together on one side of face),

Until the sun came out again (place arms in a circle above head)

And shone so warm and bright.

And all the water dried right up (cross arms across chest);

Dry land did appear (open arms and extend hands).

Noah’s family gave their thanks (bow head and fold arms)

That God was always near.

(Adapted from a verse by Beverly Spencer.)

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Let the children talk about any pets they have or would like to have. Discuss with the children how we should treat and care for pets.

Sing or say the words to “The World Is So Big” (Children’s Songbook, p. 235). Do the actions as indicated below:

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms),

And in it God’s creations are found;

Mountains (put hands in mountain shape over head)

And valleys (put hands palms down in front of body)

And trees so tall (stretch arms up tall),

Animals big (reach up)

And animals small (reach down).

The world is so big and, oh, so round (form a large circle with arms).

God loves us all; our blessings abound (grasp arms and hug self).

Show a few of the animal cutouts, one at a time, and let the children tell you what they know about each animal, such as where it lives, what it sounds like, and what they like about it.

Lesson 36

I Can Be a Good Example

Purpose

To help each child set a good example for others by following the example of Jesus.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Matthew 4:19; Luke 19:1–10; John 13:15; and 3 Nephi 17:11–24.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

Several footprints cut from paper.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-63, Zaccheus in a Tree; picture 1-64, Jesus Praying with the Nephites (62542).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Sing or say the words to “Do As I’m Doing” (Children’s Songbook, p. 276) with the children. Have the children follow whatever actions you do, such as rolling your arms, clapping your hands, or pretending to fly like a bird.

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

If I do it high or low,

If I do it fast or slow,

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me!

Do as I’m doing;

Follow, follow me.

(© 1963 by D. C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission.)

Explain to the children that when they did the same actions you did, they were following your example. When we follow someone’s example, we do what they do. Tell the children that Jesus said, “Follow me” (see Matthew 4:19).

Heavenly Father sent Jesus Christ to earth to be an example for us

Display picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Explain that one of the reasons Jesus came to earth was to be an example for us and show us how to live. Jesus was perfect. That means he did everything the right way. The way he lived when he was on the earth is the way we should try to live.

Open the Bible and read John 13:15 to the children. Tell the children that these are Jesus’ words. Emphasize that we want to be like Jesus and follow his example.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to the first part of “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 78).

I’m trying to be like Jesus;

I’m following in his ways.

I’m trying to love as he did,

In all that I do and say.

(© 1980 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)

What kinds of things should we do if we are trying to be like Jesus?

Story

Show picture 1-63, Zaccheus in a Tree, and tell the story of Jesus and Zaccheus, as found in Luke 19:1–10. Explain that Jesus set a good example for us when he was kind to Zaccheus. Even though other people did not like Zaccheus, Jesus wanted to go to his house and be his friend.

How was Jesus kind to Zaccheus? (See Luke 19:5.)

How do you think Zaccheus felt when Jesus was kind to him?

Song

Sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), using the actions indicated below:

Jesus said love everyone (spread arms out wide);

Treat them kindly, too (nod head up and down).

When your heart is filled with love (put hands over heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

Story

Show picture 1-64, Jesus Praying with the Nephites, and tell the story of how Jesus prayed for the Nephite children, as found in 3 Nephi 17:11–24. Explain that Jesus showed by his example that we should pray for others.

Whom did Jesus pray for? (See 3 Nephi 17:21.)

How do you think the children felt when Jesus prayed for them?

Whom can we pray for?

Discuss people we can pray for, such as family members, people who are sick, the missionaries, and our Church leaders.

Activity

Display picture 1-63, Zaccheus in a Tree, and picture 1-64, Jesus Praying with the Nephites, on opposite sides of the room, and place paper footprints on the floor leading to each picture. Have the children sing or say the words to the first part of “I’m Trying to Be like Jesus” again as they follow the footsteps to each picture.

Stop at each picture and have the children retell as much of the story as they can. Help the children think of ways they can be a good example like Jesus was in each situation. For example, they can share their toys or play with a child who needs a friend (Zaccheus), and they can pray for someone who is ill or needs special help (praying for the Nephite children).

Help the children realize that when they show love for others by being kind and by praying for them, they are following the example of Jesus. They are also setting a good example for other people.

Song

Sing or say the words to the chorus of “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 78), using the actions described below:

Love one another as Jesus loves you (hug self).

Try to show kindness in all that you do (shake another person’s hand).

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought (pretend one hand is an animal’s head and pet it with the other hand),

For these are the things Jesus taught (hold hands together, palms up, like a book of scripture).

(© 1980 by Janice Kapp Perry. Used by permission.)

We can be good examples to others

Explain that just as the children follow the example of Jesus, other people watch them and follow their examples.

Activity

Have a child come to the front of the class and be the leader. Have the child lead the other children in actions such as clapping their hands, turning around, or jumping up and down. Repeat the activity to allow other children to be the leader.

Explain that there are more important ways to be an example than by how we move our bodies. Tell the children they can be good examples by doing good things, such as telling the truth, obeying their mothers and fathers, sharing their toys, being reverent at church, and helping their families.

What can you do to be a good example to others?

Have each child think of a way he or she can be a good example and tell the class what he or she is going to do.

Testimony

Tell of a time when you followed someone’s good example. Share your feelings about the importance of following Jesus’ example. Encourage the children to set good examples for others by doing the things that Jesus would do.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Make a simple crown or hat out of paper for each child. On each crown or hat, write I can be a good example. Discuss ways the children can be good examples during the week.

Sing “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, p. 55), “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, p. 60), or “I Am like a Star” (Children’s Songbook, p. 163).

Show a flashlight or other small light. Turn it on and discuss how the light from the flashlight helps people as it shines. Read aloud the first phrase of 3 Nephi 12:16. Explain to the children that they are like little lights when they set good examples, because other people watch and follow them. Let one child hold the flashlight and lead the others around the room. Repeat until every child who wants to be the leader has had a turn.

Have the children stand and do the actions to the following activity verse:

Jesus Loves Little Children

Some children ran down a dusty street (run in place),

Hurrying fast on their little feet (point to feet),

Through the crowd to find a place (pretend to push through a crowd)

Close to Jesus, to see his face (stand on tiptoe and look around).

Some grown-ups said, “Send them away” (hold hand out as if saying “stop”).

“He is too busy for children today” (frown and shake head).

But Jesus said, “Let them come unto me” (beckon with hands).

“They are important and are loved by me” (hug self).

(Adapted from Margaretta Harmon in Bible Story Finger Plays and Action Rhymes [Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing, 1964], p. 27.)

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Ask the children to repeat the word example. Tell them that a good example is someone you want to grow up to be like. Our parents can be good examples to us. Ask the children to name things their parents do to take care of them or to make them happy.

Have the children join hands and move in a circle while you sing or say the words to “When We’re Helping” (Children’s Songbook, p. 198). Repeat the song as many times as you want, replacing mother with father, brother, sister, grandma, or grandpa.

Play “Follow the Leader” with the children. Have the children stand in a line. The first child in line runs, hops, skips, or does some other action to the other side of the room. The other children follow the first child, doing what he or she did. Then the first child goes to the end of the line, and the next child becomes the new leader. Continue until each child has had a turn to be the leader.

Lesson 37

I Can Be Honest

Purpose

To strengthen each child’s desire to be honest.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Exodus 20:15–16; Alma 53:16–22; 56:44–57; and Articles of Faith 1:13. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 31.

Make a simple headband for each child out of a strip of paper or cloth. Write on each headband I can be honest.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

A button or other small object.

Picture 1-13, Joseph Smith (Gospel Art Picture Kit 400; 62449); picture 1-65, Two Thousand Young Warriors (Gospel Art Picture Kit 313; 62050).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have a child come to the front of the class. Press your hands together with a button or other small object inside. Have the other children press their hands together. Go from child to child, passing your hands between theirs. Drop the button into one child’s hands. Have the children keep pressing their hands together, pretending they have the button. Say, “Button, button, who has the button?” Have the child at the front try to guess which child has the button by asking, “(Name), do you have the button?” Tell the children that they should answer truthfully, “No, I do not have the button” or “Yes, I have the button.”

Play the game several times, choosing other children to guess and to pass the button. Compliment the children for being honest.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be honest

Show picture 1-13, Joseph Smith. Tell the children that the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, “We believe in being honest” in the thirteenth article of faith. Help the children memorize these words.

What does it mean to be honest?

Explain that being honest includes telling the truth, not taking things that belong to someone else, and treating other people fairly.

Show the Bible and tell the children that Moses brought the Ten Commandments to his people (see Exodus 20). Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus gave Moses two commandments on honesty: “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” Read Exodus 20:15–16 aloud.

What does it mean to steal?

Explain that to bear false witness means to say something that is not true.

Song

Sing or say the words to the first part of “I Believe in Being Honest” (Children’s Songbook, p. 149).

I believe in being honest;

I believe in being true,

That honesty should start with me

In all I say, in all I do.

Activity

Describe some actions to the children. Have the children stand when the action is honest and sit down when the action is dishonest. Use the examples below or create some of your own:

Taking a treat when your mother has asked you not to do it.

Telling the truth about what you do.

Taking something that doesn’t belong to you.

Admitting to doing something wrong.

Saying that someone else did something wrong when you really did it.

Finding some money or something that belongs to someone else and returning it to the owner.

Ask the children to share experiences of when they have been honest.

How do you feel when you are honest?

How do you feel when you are not honest?

Why might you sometimes be afraid to be honest? (You might be punished or make someone unhappy.)

Help the children understand that we can feel better when we are honest, even though it is sometimes hard to do.

We are blessed when we are honest

Story

Show picture 1-65, Two Thousand Young Warriors. Tell the story of the two thousand stripling warriors, as found in Alma 53:16–22 and Alma 56:44–57, especially Alma 53:20–21. Explain that one reason these young men were so outstanding was that they were honest. Read aloud the last part of Alma 53:20 (from they were men who were true). Explain that being true means being honest. Because these young warriors were honest, they were protected in battle. They were blessed for their honesty, faith, and courage. We will also be blessed if we are honest.

How were the two thousand young warriors blessed for being honest? (See Alma 56:54–56.)

Activity

Place the headbands on the children. Have them pretend they are the two thousand stripling warriors and march around the room as you clap a rhythm. Have them stop marching when you stop clapping, and ask a child to tell how he or she can be honest. Start clapping again, and repeat the activity until each child has had a turn to give an answer.

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to be honest and that we can feel happy when we are honest.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Tell the following story of Jacob Hamblin and his son in your own words:

Jacob Hamblin was one of the first pioneers to go to southern Utah. He loved the Indians who lived there and learned to speak their language. He was always honest with the Indians, and they learned to trust him. One day Jacob sent his son to trade a pony to an Indian for some blankets. The Indian carefully looked over the pony and set out a pile of blankets. Jacob’s son said, “Not enough.” The Indian kept adding blankets to the pile. When Jacob’s son thought he had enough blankets, he rode home, proud that he had received so many blankets for the pony. When Jacob saw how many blankets his son had brought home, he was not pleased. The pony was not worth that many blankets. Jacob made his son take half the blankets back to the Indian. When the boy went back, the Indian laughed and said, “I knew that Jacob would send them back” (see Jacob Hamblin, Jr., as told to Louise Lee Udall, in A Story to Tell [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1945], 359–60).

Explain that the Indian knew that Jacob Hamblin was an honest man and would send back the extra blankets. The Indian could trust Jacob because he was always honest. Let the children act out or retell the story.

Sing or say the words to both verses of “Jesus Loved the Little Children” (Children’s Songbook, p. 59) or “Jesus Once Was a Little Child” (Children’s Songbook, p. 55).

Use simple puppets, such as sock or paper bag puppets, to act out situations where someone has a choice between being honest and being dishonest. Use the examples below or create some of your own:

You broke a dish and your mother asks who did it.

You are helping pick up some money that has spilled, and you are tempted to take some.

You ate two cookies after your father told you not to. Your father asks if you ate the cookies.

Have the children take turns using the puppets and telling what they should do in each situation.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Ask the children if there is a horse in the room. Tell them that even if they looked very carefully, they could not find a horse in the room because there isn’t one. It would not be honest to say there is a horse in the room. Ask if they can see (name something that the children can easily see). Explain that it would be honest to say that this item is in the room. Tell the children that when they say something that is true or real, they are being honest.

Ask the children to raise both hands when you say something that is true and lower both hands when you say something that is not true. Make simple but obvious statements, such as “I have a flower in my hair,” “I am wearing a dress,” “John’s pants are red,” or “You are sitting on a chair.”

Sing or say the words to “A Prayer” (Children’s Songbook, p. 22) or “Dare to Do Right” (Children’s Songbook, p. 158).

Lesson 38

I Can Be Reverent

Purpose

To encourage each child to show love for Heavenly Father and Jesus by being reverent.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Exodus 3:1–10.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-19, Christ and the Children (Gospel Art Picture Kit 216; 62467); picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush (Gospel Art Picture Kit 107; 62239); picture 1-67, A Reverent Class.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Ask the children to fold their arms and sit quietly while you sing or say the words to “Reverently, Quietly” (Children’s Songbook, p. 26) in a soft voice. If the children know the song, they may sing along.

Reverently, quietly, lovingly we think of thee;

Reverently, quietly, softly sing our melody.

Reverently, quietly, humbly now we pray,

Let thy Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts today.

When you finish, thank the children for sitting quietly.

We can be reverent in church

Show picture 1-67, A Reverent Class.

Where are these children?

What are they doing?

What do you think they are thinking about?

How do you act when you come to Primary?

Explain that when we come to church we should act in a certain way. This is called being reverent.

Have the children repeat the word reverent several times.

What do you think it means to be reverent?

Explain that being reverent means doing things that show our love and respect for Heavenly Father and Jesus. We can show our love for them in the following ways (let the children demonstrate some of these as you talk about them):

Walking quietly and talking softly.

Sitting quietly and listening to prayers and lessons.

Raising our hands when we want to say something.

Folding our arms.

Keeping the meetinghouse clean.

Explain that when we do these things, Heavenly Father and Jesus know that we love them and that we are happy to be at church.

Song

With the children, sing or say the words to “I Want to Be Reverent” (Children’s Songbook, p. 28). Repeat if desired.

I want to be reverent,

To show my love for thee.

I will quietly listen,

For reverence begins with me.

Why should we be reverent in Primary?

Remind the children that when we are reverent, we can listen to our teachers and learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus. When we are reverent, we help others to be reverent also.

What building are we in now?

Whose house is this?

Explain that the meetinghouse belongs to Heavenly Father and Jesus. It is a place where we come to learn about them and what they want us to do.

Activity

Do the following finger play with the children. Improvise hand actions to show the parts of the meetinghouse.

The Meetinghouse

These are the walls of a house so fine;

This is the steeple so tall.

These are the windows that let in the light

And the doors that swing open to all.

This house was built by loving hands

As a place to sing and pray.

Let us fold our arms, bow our heads (fold arms and bow heads),

And give thanks for this house today.

What are some of the things you should do in the meetinghouse?

What are some of the things you should not do in the meetinghouse?

Help the children understand that there are places and times in the meetinghouse for running and playing games, but in most of the building and on Sundays we should be reverent. Point out that besides sitting quietly in Primary and in the chapel, we walk and talk quietly in the halls.

Story

Tell a story about the children in your class coming to Primary. Include how excited they are as they run and skip on their way to the building, how they walk quietly as they come inside, and what they do during sacrament meeting and Primary and afterwards in the hall. Emphasize how reverent the children are when they come to church.

Song

Sing or say the words to “Two Happy Feet” (Children’s Songbook, p. 270) as the children walk around the room quietly and carefully so their shoes do not make any noise.

I have two happy little feet

To take me where I go.

They hop me and they skip me,

And make a noise, I know.

But in my Heavenly Father’s house

So softly do they fall

That, though I walk, you cannot hear

My little feet at all.

What do you do with your feet in the halls at church? in the chapel? in class?

What do you do with your hands?

What do you do with your voice?

We can have reverent feelings

Show picture 1-19, Christ and the Children, and express how you feel when you think about Jesus Christ and how much he loves us. Explain that these are reverent feelings. Invite the children to express their feelings about Jesus.

Story

Display picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush, and tell the story found in Exodus 3:1–10. Emphasize the reverent feelings Moses felt when the Lord spoke to him out of the burning bush and called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Read aloud from the Bible and explain part of verse 5: “Put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.”

Why did Moses take off his shoes?

Explain that this was a way of being reverent. Be sure the children understand that we do not have to take our shoes off to be reverent. We have many other ways of being reverent.

How can you be reverent?

We can be reverent at home

Tell the children that the meetinghouse is not the only place where we should be reverent.

What do you do at home when someone is praying?

What do you do at home during family home evening?

Explain that when we listen quietly during prayers and lessons at home, we are also being reverent. This shows Heavenly Father and Jesus that we love them.

Testimony

Express your love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and your gratitude that you can show this love by being reverent. Encourage the children to show their love for Heavenly Father and Jesus by being reverent in Primary, in sacrament meeting, and during prayers and family home evening at home.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Take the children on a reverent walk through the halls of the meetinghouse. If possible, go to the chapel. When you return to the classroom, praise the children for their reverent behavior and discuss how their reverence helped other people in the building to be reverent in their classes.

Sing or say the words to “I Will Try to Be Reverent” (Children’s Songbook, p. 28), “Father, I Will Reverent Be” (Children’s Songbook, p. 29), or “Our Chapel Is a Sacred Place” (Children’s Songbook, p. 30).

Trace each child’s feet on a piece of paper that has the verse “Two Happy Feet” written on it (see page 126). Let each child color his or her tracing and take it home.

Have each child take a turn showing a way he or she can be reverent in class, such as sitting quietly, folding arms, or raising a hand to say something. Talk about why we should be reverent in Heavenly Father’s house.

Help the children say the words to one or both of the following verses. Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

Open, Shut Them [Hands]

Open, shut them;

Open, shut them;

Give a little clap.

Open, shut them;

Open, shut them;

Lay them in your lap.

I Shake My Hands

I shake my hands.

I roll my hands.

I give my hands a clap.

I raise my hands,

Then bring them down

And fold them in my lap.

I hush my feet.

I rest my feet.

I sit straight in my chair.

I bow my head.

I close my eyes.

I’m ready for the prayer.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “The Chapel Doors” (Children’s Songbook, p. 156). Have the children put a finger to their lips each time the phrase “Sh, be still” is said.

Have the children close their eyes. Ask them to raise their hands if they can hear you drop a coin or button. Drop the coin or button on the floor or a table. Then wrap the button or coin in a handkerchief or small piece of cloth. Ask the children to keep their eyes closed, listen carefully, and raise their hands if they can hear the coin or button this time. Drop the wrapped button or coin on the floor or table. Help the children understand that there is a lot to hear if we listen carefully.

Lesson 39

Music Makes Me Happy

Purpose

To help each child understand that good music can help us feel happy and remind us of Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 1 Samuel 16:19–23; Ether 6:2–12; and Doctrine and Covenants 25:12.

Materials needed:

A Bible, a Book of Mormon, and a copy of the Doctrine and Covenants.

Picture 1-61, Exodus from Nauvoo (Gospel Art Picture Kit 410; 62493); picture 1-68, David Plays for King Saul; picture 1-69, Jaredite Barges.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Note to the teacher: You may want to invite the Primary music leader to help you with this lesson.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have the children form a circle and sing “If You’re Happy” (Children’s Songbook, p. 266) several times, using phrases such as “clap your hands,” “tap your toes,” and “blink your eyes.” Improvise actions as suggested by the words.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

If you’re happy and you know it,

Then your face will surely show it.

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

How did you feel when you were singing this song?

Good music can help us feel happy

Explain that happy, beautiful, or peaceful music can help us feel good inside. When we are sad, angry, or frightened, good music can help us feel happy again.

Story

Display picture 1-68, David Plays for King Saul. Tell the story of David playing his harp for King Saul when the king did not feel well, as found in 1 Samuel 16:19–23.

Why do you think David’s music made King Saul feel better?

What musical instruments do you like to hear?

Briefly pantomime the instruments as they are mentioned.

Activity

Have each child pretend to play a musical instrument, such as a piano, violin, guitar, flute, or harp, while you hum a familiar Primary song or hymn.

Song

Explain that singing can also help us feel happy. Sing “Happy Song” (Children’s Songbook, p. 264), using the actions described below:

Ducks in the pond quack a happy song (open and close thumb and fingers like a duck’s bill).

Mother hens cackle the whole day long (put hands under arms to make wings).

Birds in their nests (put hands in the shape of a nest) and wind in the treetops (wave hands above head like trees blowing in the wind)

All join in singing a happy song.

(© 1963 by D. C. Heath and Company. Reprinted by permission.)

What Primary songs help you feel happy?

Song

Let the children choose a favorite song, and sing it with them.

Story

Show picture 1-61, Exodus from Nauvoo, and tell the following story in your own words:

When the pioneers left their homes in Nauvoo and moved west, they packed everything they could in covered wagons or handcarts. They had to leave many of their belongings behind because there was no room for them. Traveling was hard, and the pioneers were usually very tired by the end of the day.

At night the pioneers gathered their animals and wagons into a circle and built a large fire in the middle of the circle. Brigham Young, the prophet, knew the people would be happier on their journey if they had music. He encouraged them to sing and dance. The pioneers who brought fiddles, trumpets, and drums used them to make music. Everyone sang and danced around the fire. One of their favorite songs was “Come, Come, Ye Saints.” The music gave the pioneers strength and courage. When they went to bed at night after singing and dancing, they felt happy.

Song

Have the children sit in a circle and pretend to be pioneers sitting around the campfire. Sing “Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked” (Children’s Songbook, p. 214) or another favorite Primary song with the children.

Music helps us remember Heavenly Father and Jesus

Explain that music in church reminds us of Heavenly Father and Jesus. Ask the children to close their eyes and pretend to hear the music playing in the chapel before sacrament meeting.

How can music help you be reverent in church?

Explain that Heavenly Father and Jesus love to hear us sing. Read aloud the first two phrases of Doctrine and Covenants 25:12 (through a prayer unto me). Explain that singing church songs is like praying to Heavenly Father. We are thanking Heavenly Father for the blessings he gives us. Singing songs about Heavenly Father and Jesus reminds us that they love us and want to help us. Explain that the songs we sing in sacrament meeting are called hymns.

Why do we sing songs and hymns in church?

Story

Show picture 1-69, Jaredite Barges, and tell the story of the Jaredites coming to the promised land, as found in Ether 6:2–12. Explain that the Jaredites sang songs of praise to Heavenly Father and Jesus while they were inside their barges, or ships.

Why do you think the Jaredites sang songs on their voyage?

How do you think the Jaredites felt when the wind and the waves hit their barges?

How would singing help them when they were afraid?

Have you ever sung a song when you were afraid? How did it help you?

Testimony

Share a time when music made you feel happy. Remind the children that Heavenly Father and Jesus love to hear them sing good songs. When they sing, they can feel happy and remember that Heavenly Father and Jesus love them.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing “Fun to Do” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), “Sing a Song” (Children’s Songbook, p. 253), or “I Think the World Is Glorious” (Children’s Songbook, p. 230).

If the class is small, have each child pick a favorite Primary song, and then sing those songs together as a class.

Make paper cup shakers for the children to use as rhythm instruments. Put a small amount of rice or sand inside a paper cup. Tape a second cup to the first so that no rice or sand can fall out. Sing a Primary song while the children use their shakers. You could also bring other objects to be used as rhythm instruments, such as bells, blunt sticks to tap together, or wood blocks to tap against.

Play music from the Children’s Songbook audiocassettes (52505 or 52428) or compact discs (50505 or 50428), and have the children sing with it or move to it.

In your own words, tell the story of when the Prophet Joseph Smith and other Church leaders were in Carthage Jail. Evil men had put them in jail even though they had done nothing wrong. The Prophet knew his life was in danger, and he felt very sad. He asked his friend John Taylor to sing for him. John was very sad too, and he told Joseph that he didn’t feel like singing, but Joseph encouraged him. As John sang a song about Jesus, everyone in the jail felt better. The song reminded them that Heavenly Father and Jesus loved them. It gave them strength and courage.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing some of the children’s favorite songs with them. Have the children clap quietly as they sing. Talk with the children about how music makes them happy.

Prepare a recording of different styles of music for the children to listen to. Make sure the music is appropriate for the Sabbath. You may want to use some of the selections on the audiocassette that accompanies this manual.

Tell the children that Heavenly Father has given us many different kinds of music. Some music is made by people, and other music is made by things in the world around us. Name several things in nature that make sounds that are like music, such as the wind, rain, birds, bees, and thunder. Have the children imitate each sound.

Lesson 40

The Sacrament Helps Me Think about Jesus

Purpose

To encourage each child to think about Jesus Christ during the sacrament.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 22:19–20 and 3 Nephi 18:1–11. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 23.

With the approval of your Primary president, ask the bishop to arrange for a member of the priests quorum to come to your class for a few minutes at the beginning of lesson time. The member of the priests quorum should prepare to tell the children about his responsibilities in administering the sacrament and his feelings about this sacred ordinance.

Materials needed:

A Bible and a Book of Mormon.

Pictures of events from Jesus’ life, such as picture 1-16, The Nativity (Gospel Art Picture Kit 201; 62495); picture 1-17, Boy Jesus in the Temple (Gospel Art Picture Kit 205; 62500); picture 1-19, Christ and the Children (Gospel Art Picture Kit 216; 62467); picture 1-43, Jesus Healing the Blind (Gospel Art Picture Kit 213; 62145); and any others you want to use.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Gospel Art Picture Kit 316; 62380); picture 1-70, The Last Supper (Gospel Art Picture Kit 225; 62174).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Show picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament. Tell the children that the meeting on Sunday where we usually meet together as families is called sacrament meeting.

Why do we call this meeting sacrament meeting?

Introduce the member of the priests quorum to the children. Have him tell about the Aaronic Priesthood’s responsibility for the sacrament. Have him express his feelings about his role in this sacred ordinance. Thank him for coming and excuse him to return to his quorum meeting or Sunday School class.

Jesus gave us the sacrament to help us remember him

Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Remind the children that Jesus is the son of Heavenly Father. Because Jesus loves us so much, he came to earth to be our Savior. He healed the sick, taught the gospel, and showed the right way to live. Then he died for us.

Story

Show picture 1-70, The Last Supper. Tell the story of the Last Supper, as found in Luke 22:19–20. Read aloud from the Bible the last phrase of verse 19: “This do in remembrance of me.” Explain that Jesus told his Apostles to meet together each Sabbath day and remember him by taking the sacrament.

Show picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere. Explain that when Jesus visited the Nephites, he told them also to meet together each Sabbath day and remember him by taking the sacrament (see 3 Nephi 18:1–11).

Whom were the Apostles supposed to think of when they took the sacrament?

Whom were the Nephites supposed to think of when they took the sacrament?

Whom should we think of when we take the sacrament?

When do we take the sacrament?

Activity

Do the following activity verse with the children:

I’m Glad I Came to Church Today

I’m glad I came to church today (clasp hands and make steeple of church by putting tips of forefingers together).

I love to listen (cup hand around ear)

And to pray (fold arms and bow head).

I learn of Jesus up above (point up);

I think of Jesus and his love (hug self).

Stories

Show the pictures of Jesus’ life one at a time. If the children recognize the picture, let them tell the story. If they do not know the story, share it briefly with them. Let as many children as possible participate in telling the stories.

What stories of Jesus can you think about during the sacrament?

Let the children tell other stories about Jesus that they could think about during the sacrament. If they cannot think of any, tell them one or two stories about Jesus that you like to think about during the sacrament.

We can be reverent during the sacrament

Activity

Help the children say the following verse, using the actions described:

I’ll fold my arms (fold arms),

I’ll bow my head (bow head),

And quiet, quiet be (whisper this line).

As the sacrament is blessed,

I will remember Thee.

Explain that because Jesus gave us the sacrament to help us remember him, it is important to think about Jesus and to help others think about him, too. We can do this by being reverent during the sacrament.

Activity

Whisper one of the following statements to a child and have him or her repeat it aloud to the class. Continue with the other statements and other children.

We get ready for the sacrament by singing a reverent hymn that reminds us of Jesus.

We listen carefully as the prayer to bless the bread is said.

When the bread is passed to us, we take only one piece.

We listen carefully as the prayer to bless the water is said.

We reverently drink the water and put the cup back in the tray.

We never play with the bread or the sacrament cups.

Explain that doing these things shows we are reverent as we take the sacrament.

How can we be reverent during the sacrament?

Activity

Have the children listen carefully to the actions you describe. Tell them to stand up if you say something they should do or think about during the sacrament. Tell them to sit down if you say something they should not do or think about during the sacrament. Use the following examples or some of your own:

Listen carefully while the sacrament prayers are said.

Remember that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us.

Think about going on a picnic.

Remember that Jesus made sick people well.

Talk to your brother or sister.

Wiggle.

Think about Jesus blessing the children.

Testimony

Bear your testimony about how grateful you are to have the sacrament to help us remember Jesus Christ and what he has done for us. Explain that you are especially grateful when everyone is reverent during the sacrament so you can concentrate on thinking about Jesus.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing or say the words to “Before I Take the Sacrament” (Children’s Songbook, p. 73) or “To Think about Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 71).

Have each child draw a picture of himself or herself taking the sacrament. Label each picture I can think of Jesus as I take the sacrament.

Bring to class empty sacrament trays for the bread and water. Let the children look at and hold the trays. Have the children describe what happens during the administering of the sacrament in sacrament meeting.

Have the children act out some of their favorite stories from the life of Jesus.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Explain the sacrament in a simplified way: Show a picture of Jesus and tell the children that there is a time on Sunday when we remember Jesus in a special way. This is when we eat a small piece of bread and drink a small cup of water during sacrament meeting. Explain that during the sacrament we remember how much Jesus loves us and think about the many things he has done to help us be happy.

Sing or say the words to “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57) or “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” (Children’s Songbook, p. 60).

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse while you say the words:

The Creation

Jesus said the sun should shine (make a large circle above head with arms),

The rain should fall (bring hands down in front of body while wiggling fingers),

The flowers should grow (cup hands, palms facing up).

Jesus said the birds should sing (open and close fingers and thumb like a bird’s beak),

And it was so, was so (fold arms).

(Johnie B. Wood, in Sing, Look, Do, Action Songs for Children, ed. Dorothy M. Peterson [Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Co., 1965].)

Remind the children that Jesus has given us many things to make us happy. During the sacrament we can show we are thankful by thinking about Jesus.

Lesson 41

Heavenly Father and Jesus Gave Us the Scriptures

Purpose

To help each child understand that the scriptures contain the words of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and that we can learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by studying the scriptures.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 22:19–20; 3 Nephi 18:21; Doctrine and Covenants 59:6; and Moses 7:11. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 10.

Prepare to tell one of your favorite stories from the scriptures, using a picture if possible.

Materials needed:

A set of scriptures (Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price).

A piece of cloth to cover the scriptures or a piece of paper to wrap them in.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133); picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere (Gospel Art Picture Kit 316; 62380); picture 1-70, The Last Supper (Gospel Art Picture Kit 225; 62174).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Before class, cover the set of scriptures with a piece of cloth or wrap them in paper. Place the covered scriptures on a table or chair where the children can see them. Explain that you have covered something that is important to you and to everyone. Let the children guess what you have covered.

After a few guesses, let the children feel through the cloth or paper. If a child guesses that it is a book or books, tell the children that is correct and uncover the books. Tell the children that these books are called the scriptures. Have the children say the word scriptures a few times.

The scriptures are sacred books

Explain that the scriptures are important books that are different from other books. They are sacred books. Remind the children that something that is sacred helps us think about Heavenly Father and Jesus. Explain that the scriptures tell us about Heavenly Father and Jesus and how much they love us. They tell us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do so we can be happy.

Show and name each of the four standard works, one at a time. If some of them are combined in one book, point to the side binding where the titles are listed or turn to the title pages of each of the standard works.

Activity

Tell the children that we should take good care of the scriptures and turn the pages carefully. Have the children come to the front of the class one at a time and demonstrate how carefully they can handle the scriptures and turn the pages.

Explain that the scriptures contain stories that are true. These stories help us know what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do. The stories in the scriptures can help us in our lives.

Story

Tell the children one of your favorite stories from the scriptures, using a picture if possible. Emphasize how the things taught in this scripture story help you. Express how much you love to read the stories in the scriptures.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57). Remind the children that the scripture stories they learn in Primary are true stories.

Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear,

Things I would ask him to tell me if he were here.

Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,

Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.

The scriptures contain the teachings of Jesus

Explain that some of the scriptures were written by men who knew Jesus and lived when he did. They saw Jesus and heard him teach. These men wrote scriptures so that everyone could learn about Jesus and his teachings and know that he was Heavenly Father’s son.

Display picture 1-70, The Last Supper. Let the children tell what they know about the picture. Show the Bible and have the children repeat its name. Open the Bible to Luke 22. Explain that Jesus taught in the Bible that we should take the sacrament to remember him. Jesus took bread and blessed it and gave it to his disciples (helpers). He took a cup and had them drink. Read the part of verse 19 where Jesus said, “This do in remembrance of me.” Point out that these are the words of Jesus.

Display picture 1-44, Jesus Teaching in the Western Hemisphere, and remind the children of what is happening in the picture. Show the Book of Mormon and have the children repeat its name. Open the Book of Mormon to 3 Nephi 18. Explain that Jesus taught the people many things. Read the part of verse 21 where Jesus said, “Pray in your families.”

What does Jesus tell us to do with our families?

Display picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ. Show the Doctrine and Covenants and have the children repeat its name. Open the Doctrine and Covenants to section 59. Explain that one of the things Jesus taught was that we should love everyone. Read the part of verse 6 where Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor.”

What did Jesus say to do?

Who is your neighbor?

How do you feel when you are kind to others and show love to them?

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), using the actions described below:

Jesus said love everyone (spread arms out wide);

Treat them kindly, too (nod head up and down).

When your heart is filled with love (put hands over heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

Display picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus. Let the children tell about the picture. Emphasize that Jesus was baptized and that he wants everyone to be baptized. Show the Pearl of Great Price and have the children repeat its name. Open the Pearl of Great Price to Moses 7 and tell how Jesus taught a man named Enoch to go to the people and baptize them. Read the part of verse 11 where Jesus said, “Baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, . . . and of the Holy Ghost.”

Hold up the four standard works. Emphasize that Jesus’ teachings are in all of them.

What are these books?

Whose teachings are found in the scriptures?

Why were the scriptures written?

How does it make you feel to know that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us and have given us the scriptures?

Testimony

Express your gratitude and love for the scriptures. Bear testimony that the scriptures are Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ words and that by studying the scriptures we can learn what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Fold pieces of paper in half to make small replicas of the covers of the four standard works, one set for each child. Print the names of the standard works on the covers. Punch a hole in the corner of each cover and use a piece of string or yarn to tie each child’s four scripture covers together.

On the inside of each cover, print the scripture that was taught during the lesson:

Bible: Jesus taught us about the sacrament (Luke 22:19).

Book of Mormon: Jesus taught us to pray in our families (3 Nephi 18:21).

Doctrine and Covenants: Jesus taught us to love our neighbors (D&C 59:6).

Pearl of Great Price: Jesus taught us to be baptized (Moses 7:11).

Give a set of covers to each child to take home. As you do, review the teachings of Jesus discussed in the lesson.

Help the children memorize part of the eighth article of faith: “We believe the Bible to be the word of God” and “we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”

Obtain pictures of some Book of Mormon stories from the pictures that accompany this manual or from the meetinghouse library. Show each picture and briefly discuss the story it illustrates. Remind the children that the scriptures contain true stories. Have the children sing “Book of Mormon Stories” (Children’s Songbook, p. 118).

Tell the children of a time when the scriptures had special meaning in your life. Explain how the scriptures helped you and how this made you feel.

Find short scriptures that contain the words of Jesus, like the ones in the lesson. Recite each scripture, beginning with the words Jesus said. For example, “Jesus said, ‘Follow me.’” Toss or hand a beanbag or other soft object to a child and have him or her repeat the scripture after you and then toss the beanbag back. Continue tossing the beanbag until each child has had a turn.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Sing or say the words to “Book of Mormon Stories” (Children’s Songbook, p. 118) while holding up a copy of the Book of Mormon or “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 57) while holding up a Bible.

Briefly tell the story of the ten lepers (see Luke 17:11–19), and then do the following finger activity with the children:

Ten men were sick (hold up ten fingers);

Christ healed them one day.

He simply spoke, and their pain went away (make a waving gesture)!

Isn’t it strange? And isn’t it odd (put a finger on side of head and look puzzled)

That only one man (hold up one finger)

Gave him thanks

And praised God (raise both arms upward)?

(Adapted from Jean Shannon in Bible Story Finger Plays and Action Rhymes [Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Co., 1964], p. 27.)

Show the children where this story is found in the Bible.

Ask the children what their favorite scripture stories are. If you can, show them where these stories are found in the scriptures.

Lesson 42

I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Purpose

To help each child understand that he or she belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Mark 1:9–11; Doctrine and Covenants 115:4; and Joseph Smith—History 1:5, 10–19. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 17.

Cut a large piece of paper or posterboard into as many large jigsaw puzzle–type pieces as there are people in the class (children and teacher). Write the name of each class member on a piece of the puzzle.

Materials needed:

A set of scriptures.

Picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470); picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-12, Girl Being Confirmed (62020); picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 208; 62133); picture 1-39, Blessing a Baby; picture 1-40, Administering to the Sick (62342); a picture of the living prophet.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Hold up the puzzle piece with your name on it. Tell the children that it belongs to a puzzle. Pass out the other pieces and help the children assemble the puzzle. Point to each name in the puzzle and read it to the children. Explain that just as each puzzle piece belongs to this puzzle, each of them belongs to this class. Explain that to belong to something means to be a part of it.

What else do you belong to?

Explain that we belong to other groups, such as families or neighborhoods. We also belong to Jesus’ church.

Show picture 1-39, Blessing a Baby.

What is happening in this picture?

Explain to the children that most of them received a name and a blessing when they were babies. Because of this naming and blessing, their names were put on the records of the Church and they can say, “I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Help the children say “I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” a few times.

Activity

Do the activity verse “I’m Glad I Came to Church Today” with the children:

I’m glad I came to church today (clasp hands and make steeple of church by putting tips of forefingers together).

I love to listen (cup hand around ear)

And to pray (fold arms and bow head).

I learn of Jesus up above (point up);

I think of Jesus and his love (hug self).

Explain to the children that we come to our church meetings to learn more about Jesus and what he wants us to do. Tell the children that in this lesson they will learn about some of the important things that are a part of Jesus’ church.

Jesus’ church has the priesthood

Show picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament; picture 1-12, Girl Being Confirmed; and picture 1-40, Administering to the Sick. Let the children tell what they know about what is happening in each picture. Explain that the priesthood is needed to do each of these things. The priesthood is the power that Heavenly Father and Jesus have. They share this power with righteous men so the men can help do Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ work on earth. Point to the priesthood holders in each picture. Have the children say the word priesthood a few times.

Who do you know who holds the priesthood?

Help the children understand that men who hold the priesthood can bless and pass the sacrament, baptize, give blessings to people, and do other important things. Show picture 1-39, Blessing a Baby, again and tell the children that babies are blessed by men who hold the priesthood.

Story

Display picture 1-18, John the Baptist Baptizing Jesus. Let the children tell what they remember about the picture. Briefly review the story, as found in Mark 1:9–11.

Who is baptizing Jesus? (See Mark 1:9.)

What power did John need to have to baptize Jesus? (The priesthood.)

Explain that being baptized by someone who holds the priesthood is an important part of belonging to Jesus’ church. Tell the children that when they are eight years old, they can be baptized a member of Jesus’ church.

Jesus’ church has a prophet

Story

Show picture 1-4, The First Vision, and tell the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision, as found in Joseph Smith—History 1:5, 10–19.

Who came to talk to Joseph Smith in the grove? (See Joseph Smith—History 1:17.)

Explain that because Heavenly Father and Jesus talked with Joseph Smith, we call Joseph Smith a prophet. A prophet tells us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to know.

What is a prophet? (A man who has a special calling to talk with Heavenly Father and Jesus and tell us what they want us to know.)

Show a picture of the living prophet. Tell the children about him. Explain that Jesus’ church always has a living prophet to teach us what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to know and do.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to the chorus of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, p. 110). Explain that to go astray means to do wrong things. Have a child hold up the picture of the living prophet while you sing.

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; don’t go astray.

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; he knows the way.

Jesus’ church has the scriptures

Hold up the scriptures.

What am I holding?

Let the children tell what they know about the scriptures. Remind the children that the scriptures contain the teachings of Heavenly Father and Jesus. The scriptures contain many true stories about Jesus, prophets, and other people. The scriptures are an important part of Jesus’ church.

We belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Whose church do we belong to?

What is the name of the church we belong to?

Read Doctrine and Covenants 115:4 to the children. Explain that this name means that this is Jesus’ church in the time in which we now live. Help the children understand that there are many people throughout the world who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

You may want to explain that there are other churches on the earth today that teach about Jesus and teach people to live good lives, but they don’t have the priesthood, a living prophet, or all of the scriptures.

Activity

Ask everyone who belongs to Jesus’ church to stand. Remind the children that all of them should be standing. Have the children repeat, “I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Briefly review, using the pictures and the scriptures, that the priesthood, a living prophet, and the scriptures are important parts of Jesus’ church.

Testimony

Bear your testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Help the children feel how important and wonderful it is to belong to Jesus’ true church.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Make a badge that says I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for each child to wear home. Let the children color their badges.

Do the following finger play with the children:

Here Is the Church

Here is the church (clasp hands with fingers interlaced inside),

And here is the steeple (extend forefingers and put tips together).

Open the doors (open palms, keeping fingers together)

And see all the people (wiggle fingers).

Close the doors and hear them pray (close hands with fingers inside; hold hands to one ear).

Open the door and they all walk away (open hands, make fingers “walk” away).

Tell a story about a child who belongs to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints going to church. Include the activities the children in your class might participate in, such as sitting with their families in sacrament meeting, taking the sacrament, sitting reverently in Primary, praying, and singing.

You could also have the children think of these ideas by asking questions such as “What should children who belong to the Church do on Sunday?” “What should they do in sacrament meeting? in Primary?” “What should they do at home on Sunday?” “What should they do during family home evening?” “How should they treat their families? their friends?” Help the children understand what boys and girls who belong to Jesus’ church should do.

Have the children think of different groups they belong to, such as a family or a Primary class. Have the children tell what they like about belonging to each group. End this discussion with what they (and you) like about belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sing or say the words to “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, p. 77).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Before class, draw four simple pictures—an eye, a hand, an ear, and a mouth—on separate pieces of paper.

Tell the children that there are many things we can do at church. (Post the picture of an eye.) We can read scripture stories. (Post the picture of a hand.) We can play kindly with our friends. (Post the picture of an ear.) We can listen carefully to our teachers. (Post the picture of a mouth.) We can speak softly while we are in church. Have each child come up and point to one of the pictures. As a picture is pointed to, tell the children again what it stands for.

Help the children sing “Book of Mormon Stories” (Children’s Songbook, p. 118), improvising actions as suggested by the words. Or have the children march around the room as they sing.

Lesson 43

We Have a Living Prophet

Purpose

To help each child understand that we are blessed when we follow the prophet.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–20. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 9.

List on individual pieces of paper several teachings of the living prophet from conference addresses or writings in Church magazines. Prepare at least as many pieces of paper as there are children in the class. Fold the pieces of paper and put them in a bowl or basket. The teachings might include—

Learn from the scriptures every day.

Keep the Sabbath day holy.

Pray every day.

Go to sacrament meeting and Primary.

Be honest.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-4, The First Vision (Gospel Art Picture Kit 403; 62470); picture 1-29, Building the Ark (Gospel Art Picture Kit 102; 62053); picture 1-42, Boy Samuel Called by the Lord (Gospel Art Picture Kit 111; 62498); picture 1-66, Moses and the Burning Bush (Gospel Art Picture Kit 107; 62239); a picture of the living prophet.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

One at a time, show the pictures of Noah (picture 1-29), Moses (picture 1-66), and Joseph Smith (picture 1-4). Invite the children to tell what they know about what is happening in each picture.

After discussing what the children know about the pictures, briefly explain that Jesus told Noah to build an ark so his family would be saved from a flood. Jesus told Moses to free the Israelites from slavery. Jesus told Joseph Smith that he should not join any of the churches then on the earth.

Prophets talk with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ

Explain that Noah, Moses, and Joseph Smith were all prophets. A prophet is a man who talks with Heavenly Father and Jesus. Since Heavenly Father and Jesus are not on the earth to teach us, they have prophets to help them. Heavenly Father and Jesus teach the prophet, and the prophet teaches us what we should do so that we can be blessed and happy.

Story

Show picture 1-42, Boy Samuel Called by the Lord, and tell the story of Samuel being called to be a prophet, as found in 1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–20. Read 1 Samuel 3:10 to the children.

Who called Samuel’s name while he was in bed? (Jesus. See 1 Samuel 3:4.)

Who did Samuel think was calling him? (See 1 Samuel 3:5.)

What did Eli tell Samuel to do? (See 1 Samuel 3:9.)

What did Samuel say to Jesus? (See 1 Samuel 3:10.)

Explain that Samuel was a young boy when Jesus spoke to him the first time. When he grew older, he taught his people what Heavenly Father and Jesus wanted them to do.

Activity

Ask three children to pretend to be Samuel, Eli, and Jesus and act out the story. Repeat with other children in the roles, if desired.

We have a prophet on the earth today

Display the picture of the living prophet. Tell the children something you know about the prophet.

Have the children stand and say, “(Name of the living prophet) is a prophet of God.”

Why do we need a living prophet? (So we can know what Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to do.)

Explain that the prophet teaches us by speaking at conferences. Conferences are big meetings attended by a lot of people. We might be able to listen to the prophet on television, radio, or recordings. His words are also written in Church magazines that our parents or others can read to us.

Activity

Have each child select a piece of paper from the bowl or basket you prepared. Read the message on each piece of paper and discuss it briefly with the children. Tell the children that these messages are all things that the living prophet has asked us to do.

Activity

Ask the children to think of ways they can follow the prophet. Toss or hand a beanbag or soft object to each child and say, “I will follow our prophet by .” Have each child finish the sentence with a way he or she can follow the prophet.

We are blessed when we follow the prophet

Refer again to the pictures of Noah, Moses, Joseph Smith, and the living prophet. Explain that because Noah’s family followed him, they were saved from a flood. Because the Israelites followed Moses, they were led out of Egypt into a better land. Because people followed Joseph Smith, they became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Explain that these people were blessed because they followed the prophet. We will also be blessed when we follow the prophet.

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to the chorus of “Follow the Prophet” (Children’s Songbook, p. 110). Explain that to go astray means to do wrong things. Have a child hold up the picture of the living prophet while you sing.

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; don’t go astray.

Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, follow the prophet; he knows the way.

Testimony

Share your testimony of the living prophet. Tell the children that you know that when we follow the prophet, we will be blessed and happy.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Obtain an audiocassette or videocassette recording of the living prophet to play for the children, or show pictures of him from Church magazines.

Sing or say the words to “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (Hymns, no. 19) for the children.

Retell the story of President Lorenzo Snow’s vision of the Savior (see lesson 26). Explain that Jesus appeared to President Snow to tell him how to lead the Church. Jesus told President Snow what to teach the members of the Church.

Think of some situations where the children could follow the prophet’s teachings. Describe each situation to the class, and have the children tell or act out what they would do in each situation to follow the prophet. For example: “You see some money in the kitchen. You would like to have it, but you know it belongs to your mother. What will you do to follow the prophet’s teaching to be honest?”

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Display a picture of the living prophet during the entire class time. Take time to tell the children who he is. Explain that he loves them and wants to help them return to Heavenly Father and Jesus. Repeat this two or three times during the class.

Play “Follow the Leader” with the children. Have the children stand in a line. The first child in line runs, hops, skips, or does some other action to the other side of the room. The other children follow the first child, doing what he or she did. Then the first child goes to the end of the line, and the next child becomes the new leader. Continue until each child has had a turn to be the leader.

After the game, explain that the prophet is the leader of the Church. If we follow the things he tells us to do, he will lead us back to Heavenly Father and Jesus.

Lesson 44

We Can All Help at Church

Purpose

To help each child understand that every member of the ward or branch can help at church.

Preparation

Prayerfully study 1 Nephi 17:7–15; 18:1–4.

Prepare a simple thank-you card for each child to color and give to the Primary president or to someone else who helps the children at church. You may want to draw a flower on the front of a folded piece of paper and write the words Thank you on the inside.

Materials needed:

A Book of Mormon.

The fishing pole and fish from lesson 11. On each fish put a clue about the bishop or branch president, such as “He sits on the stand at church,” “He helps the people of our ward [or branch],” or “We can give our tithing to him.”

A container of crayons or pencils.

Picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament (62021); picture 1-67, A Reverent Class; picture 1-71, Building the Ship.

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Bring a chair to the center of the classroom and try to lift it by one of its legs. Explain that there are many things we can’t do unless we work together. Invite three children to each take a leg of the chair and help you lift the chair a few inches off the floor. Explain that when everyone works together, we can do many things we can’t do alone.

Heavenly Father and Jesus want us to work together

Story

Show picture 1-71, Building the Ship, and briefly tell the story of Nephi and his family building the ship, as found in 1 Nephi 17:7–15 and 1 Nephi 18:1–4. Emphasize that Nephi needed the help of the Lord (Jesus) and his family to build the ship.

Why couldn’t Nephi build the ship without help?

How did the Lord help Nephi? (See 1 Nephi 17:8–10; 1 Nephi 18:1.)

How did Nephi’s family help? (See 1 Nephi 18:1.)

What happened when everyone worked together? (See 1 Nephi 18:4.)

Allow the children to talk about any experiences they have had working together with other people.

Activity

Explain that we also work together at church. Each person in the ward (or branch) helps the others. Pretend, through words or actions, to be someone who helps the members of your class at church each week, such as the chorister, the pianist, a teacher, or the Primary president. Have the children guess who you are pretending to be. After the children guess who you are, explain the responsibilities of that person’s calling. Repeat as many times as you want.

Show picture 1-8, Passing the Sacrament.

What is this deacon doing?

Do you know anyone who passes the sacrament?

Explain that young men who hold the Aaronic Priesthood may prepare, bless, and pass the sacrament. These are ways that young men can help at church.

Activity

Explain that there is someone in your ward or branch who helps everyone at church. Heavenly Father has given this person an important work to do. Have the children take turns fishing for the clues on the paper fish. Read each clue aloud. Continue until all the clues have been read, and then let the children guess who the person is.

What is the name of our bishop (or branch president)?

What important things does he do to help us?

Discuss the work done by other people in your ward or branch, such as home teachers and visiting teachers. You may want to talk about the callings the children’s family members have.

We can help at church

Activity

Scatter a container of crayons or pencils on the floor. Ask one of the children to pick them up, and time him or her to see how long it takes. Scatter the items again. Have the whole class help pick them up, and see how much time it takes. Explain that when everyone works together, we can get the job done better.

What can you do to help at church?

Help the children think of ways they can help at church, including keeping the meetinghouse clean, being kind to others, helping children who are sad or frightened, and being reverent during meetings.

How can we help keep our classroom and the meetinghouse clean?

How can we help other people at church?

Show picture 1-67, A Reverent Class.

How are these children helping at church?

How does it help our classmates when we are reverent?

How does it help the teacher when everyone is reverent?

How do we feel when everyone is reverent?

Activity

Explain that another way we can help at church is by saying “thank you” to the people who do things for us. Have the children color the thank-you cards you have prepared, and deliver them during class time if possible.

Testimony

Express your gratitude for all the people who help in your ward or branch. Tell how you feel about doing Heavenly Father’s work by being a Primary teacher.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Sing or say the words to “Our Bishop” (Children’s Songbook, p. 135). Have the children shake hands with each other whenever the word bishop is mentioned.

If possible, go for a walk to the chapel and show the children where the bishopric (or branch presidency) sits during sacrament meeting. Let the children take turns sitting in the chairs. Then show the children where the bishop’s (or branch president’s) office is.

Toss or hand a soft object such as a ball or beanbag to a child, and ask him or her to name someone in the ward (or branch) who helps at church and explain how that person helps. Then have the child toss the object back to you. Continue until each child has had at least one turn.

With the approval of your Primary president, invite a member of the bishopric or another ward leader to visit the class and tell the children what he or she does to help at church.

Draw a simple face on a paper plate or round piece of paper for each child. Give the children crayons or pencils, and have each child add hair the same color as his or her own hair. Tell the children that if you say something that is true about how they can help at church, they should hold up their paper faces. If the statement is false, they should leave them on their laps. Use statements such as—

I should throw paper under my chair.

I should thank people who help me at church.

I should run on my way to class.

I should be reverent at church.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Play “Follow the Leader” with the children. Have the children stand in a line. The first child in line runs, hops, skips, or does some other action to the other side of the room. The other children follow the first child, doing what he or she did. Then the first child goes to the end of the line, and the next child becomes the new leader. Continue until each child has had a turn to be the leader.

After the game remind the children that the bishop is the leader of the ward. He wants us to do the things that will lead us back to Heavenly Father.

Sing the song “Do As I’m Doing” (Children’s Songbook, p. 276), using an action suggested by one of the children in the class. Repeat the song enough times that each child has a turn to choose an action.

Lesson 45

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Easter)

Purpose

To help each child understand that Jesus Christ was resurrected.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 23:33–24:12, 36–40, 51. See also Gospel Principles (31110), chapter 12.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

Picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ (Gospel Art Picture Kit 240; 62572); picture 1-16, The Nativity (Gospel Art Picture Kit 201; 62495); picture 1-55, Sermon on the Mount (Gospel Art Picture Kit 212; 62166); picture 1-59, The Crucifixion (Gospel Art Picture Kit 230; 62505); picture 1-72, Jesus Praying in Gethsemane (Gospel Art Picture Kit 227; 62175); picture 1-73, Burial of Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 231; 62180); picture 1-74, Jesus Shows His Wounds (Gospel Art Picture Kit 234; 62503).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Hold picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ, face down in your lap. Tell the children that you are going to talk about someone who is very important. Ask the children to guess who this person is after you give them the following clues:

This person loves everyone very much.

He lived on the earth long ago and organized his church.

He taught us how to live and be happy.

He blessed people and told them to be kind and loving.

When the children have guessed (or you have told them) that the person is Jesus, display the picture.

Jesus loves us

Remind the children that Jesus is Heavenly Father’s son. Heavenly Father sent Jesus to earth for an important purpose.

Story

Show picture 1-16, The Nativity. Briefly tell about Jesus’ birth. You may wish to have the children help you tell the story. Remind them that Jesus was a special baby.

Show picture 1-55, Sermon on the Mount. Explain that when Jesus grew up, he organized his church and taught the people how to live and to love each other.

Song

Have the children stand and sing or say the words to “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61), using the following actions:

Jesus said love everyone (spread arms out wide);

Treat them kindly, too (nod head up and down).

When your heart is filled with love (put hand over heart),

Others will love you (hug self).

Show picture 1-72, Jesus Praying in Gethsemane.

What is Jesus doing in this picture?

Explain that before Jesus died, he went to pray in a place called the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus suffered there for our sins so we could repent and be forgiven of the wrong things that we do. Jesus was the only person who had the power to do this for us. He did it because he loves us so much.

Jesus was resurrected

Explain that many people who lived during Jesus’ time on earth loved him. However, some people did not like Jesus. They did not believe he was Heavenly Father’s son.

Story

Show picture 1-59, The Crucifixion. Explain in simple terms the Crucifixion, as described in Luke 23:33–46. Explain that the people who didn’t like Jesus were very cruel to him. Soldiers drove nails through Jesus’ hands and feet and hung him on a cross. They left Jesus on the cross until he died. (Use caution in telling this story and doing the activity verse below. Some children may be very sensitive to the idea of people hurting Jesus.)

Explain that when Jesus died, his spirit left his body and went to heaven. Remind the children that each of us has a spirit. Our spirits cannot be seen, but they are what make us alive.

Show picture 1-73, Burial of Jesus. Explain that people who loved Jesus took his body and wrapped it carefully in cloths. They carried Jesus’ body to a tomb (a cave-like place where people were buried) and gently laid his body there (see Luke 23:50–56).

Show picture 1-74, Jesus Shows His Wounds. Explain that three days after he died, Jesus was resurrected. He was alive again. When Jesus died, his spirit left his body. When he was resurrected, his spirit came back into his body. Jesus was the first person to be resurrected.

Explain that many people saw Jesus after he was resurrected (see Luke 24). Jesus taught his friends and showed them his resurrected body (see Luke 24:36). He had his friends touch him so they would know that his resurrected body had flesh and bones (see Luke 24:39–40). After teaching the people, Jesus went to live with Heavenly Father again (see Luke 24:51).

Why did Jesus want the people to touch him? (See Luke 24:36–40.)

Where did Jesus go after he left the people? (See Luke 24:51.)

Explain that the day Jesus was resurrected was the first Easter. We celebrate Easter each year to help us remember that Jesus was resurrected.

Activity

Have the children stand and do the actions to the following verse with you:

Jesus came alive again

Three days after he died (hold up three fingers).

There were nail prints in his hands and feet (point to palm of hand and to feet)

And a spear wound in his side (point to side).

Jesus came and taught us all (spread arms out)

To live the gospel true (fold arms).

Because Jesus was resurrected,

We’ll be resurrected too (nod head up and down).

We will be resurrected

Help the children understand that Jesus came back to life after he died. Jesus is alive right now in heaven, and he will never die again. Explain that Jesus made it possible for us to be resurrected like he was. This means that each of us will live again after we die.

Do you know anyone who has died?

Explain that when people die, their spirits are still alive. Someday they will be resurrected, which means their bodies and spirits will come together again like Jesus’ did. You may want to explain to the children that we may not be resurrected after three days, like Jesus was, but we will all be resurrected someday.

Have the children repeat the word resurrected a few times and tell what it means.

Point out how wonderful it is to know that all the people we know and love—our parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and friends—will be resurrected. We will all live again after we die. Jesus made this possible.

Testimony

Bear your testimony that Jesus loves each of us. Because of his great love for us, he suffered and died and was resurrected so that each of us can also be resurrected someday.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Briefly discuss some Easter experiences and customs the children are familiar with. Acknowledge that secular Easter customs are fun, but help the children separate those ideas from the real meaning of Easter.

Show the children a glove or mitten. Compare our earthly bodies to a hand with a glove on it. Show how the hand (the spirit) makes the glove (the body) move. Take off the glove and explain that this is like physical death. The spirit and the body are separated, and the body cannot move. Put the glove back on your hand and explain that this is like being resurrected. Now the spirit and body are reunited. Remind the children that because Jesus Christ was resurrected, all people will be resurrected someday.

Make copies of the handout entitled “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend,” found at the end of lesson 6, and let the children color them.

Toss or hand a beanbag or other soft object to a child and have him or her respond to one of the questions below (or a similar question) before tossing or handing the beanbag back to you. Continue until every child has had a turn to answer a question.

Why do we celebrate Easter?

Who was the first person to be resurrected?

What does it mean to be resurrected?

Where was the body of Jesus placed after he died?

After Jesus was resurrected, did many people see Jesus?

Why did Jesus have people touch his resurrected body?

Who else will be resurrected because Jesus was resurrected?

Help the children sing or say the words to “Did Jesus Really Live Again?” (Children’s Songbook, p. 64) or “Jesus Has Risen” (Children’s Songbook, p. 70).

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Help the children do the actions to the following activity verse as you say the words:

Jesus Is Risen!

Here is the place where Jesus lay (point);

See, the stone has been rolled away!

Stoop down; look in (stoop down and shade eyes with hand).

He is not here (stand up)!

Jesus is risen! Be of good cheer (clap hands)!

(Dana Eynon, in Bible Story Finger Plays and Action Rhymes [Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Co., 1964], p. 29.)

Explain that Jesus died and was resurrected in the springtime. The springtime is a time of new life. Trees and flowers begin to grow again. Many animals are born in the spring. Let each child draw a picture of flowers or baby animals. Show picture 1-3, Jesus the Christ, and explain that because Jesus was resurrected, we will all live again after we die.

Help the children sing or say the words to “Jesus Loved the Little Children” (Children’s Songbook, p. 59) or “Jesus Is Our Loving Friend” (Children’s Songbook, p. 58). Remind the children that we celebrate Easter to remember Jesus and his resurrection.

Lesson 46

The Birth of Jesus Christ (Christmas)

Purpose

To help each child feel gratitude for the birth of Jesus Christ.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Matthew 2:1–12 and Luke 1:26–35; 2:1–20.

Find out a few simple details about the births of the children in your class, such as where they were born, what color of hair they had, and where they lived the first week of their lives. Be sensitive to the feelings of any adopted children.

Cut strips of paper (approximately 8″ long and 1 1/2″ wide) for Christmas chains. Cut enough strips for each child to make a chain a few links long.

Write a note explaining the Christmas chain (see lesson) to each child’s parents, so they can encourage their child to do kind deeds.

Materials needed:

A Bible.

A small nativity scene. You may want to use a baby doll wrapped in a blanket, lying in a small box. Cut a star from paper to put over the nativity scene. If a nativity scene is not available, use picture 1-75, The Birth of Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 200; 62116).

Crayons and glue.

Picture 1-75, The Birth of Jesus (Gospel Art Picture Kit 200; 62116); picture 1-76, No Room at the Inn (62115); picture 1-77, The Announcement of Christ’s Birth to the Shepherds (Gospel Art Picture Kit 202; 62117); picture 1-78, The Wise Men (Gospel Art Picture Kit 203; 62120).

Make the necessary preparations for any Enrichment Activities you want to use.

Learning Activities

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Have a child stand by you as you tell the details you know about his or her birth. Repeat for each child in the class.

We celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth at Christmastime

Explain that since this is the Christmas season, we are celebrating the birth of someone we all love.

Whose birth are we celebrating?

Story

Tell the story of the angel’s visit to Mary, as found in Luke 1:26–35. Explain that the angel told Mary that she would be the mother of the Son of God, Jesus.

What was the name of Jesus’ mother? (See Luke 1:27.)

Who was the father of Jesus? (Heavenly Father. See Luke 1:35.)

Explain that Joseph was not Jesus’ father. He was a good man chosen to take care of Jesus. The angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him about the important baby Mary would have. The angel told Joseph that Mary should be his wife.

Story

Show picture 1-76, No Room at the Inn, and tell about the journey of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, as found in Luke 2:1–7. Read Luke 2:7 aloud, explaining any words that may be unfamiliar to the children.

Activity

Have the children sit or kneel on the floor in front of the nativity scene. You may want to provide a blanket for them to sit on. Pass around picture 1-75, The Birth of Jesus, and have each child tell about one thing he or she sees in the picture.

Why didn’t Mary and Joseph sleep in the inn? (See Luke 2:7.)

Where was Jesus born? (In a stable.)

What kind of a bed did Mary have for baby Jesus? (See Luke 2:7.)

Song

Help the children sing or say the words to “Away in a Manger” (Children’s Songbook, p. 42). Improvise hand and arm movements to fit the words.

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,

The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head;

The stars in the heavens looked down where he lay,

The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

Story

Show picture 1-77, The Announcement of Christ’s Birth to the Shepherds, and tell about the visit of the shepherds, as described in Luke 2:8–20.

Why were the shepherds afraid? (See Luke 2:9.)

What did the angel tell the shepherds? (See Luke 2:10–12.)

What did the shepherds do after they visited baby Jesus? (See Luke 2:17, 20.)

Story

Show picture 1-78, The Wise Men, and tell about the visit of the wise men, as described in Matthew 2:1–12.

Activity

Have the children stand and pretend to ride camels around the room, following the star that will lead them to baby Jesus.

After several trips around the room, have the children get off their camels and come back to the nativity scene. Explain that by the time the wise men found baby Jesus, Joseph had found a better place for the family to stay and they were no longer in the stable. Remind the children that the wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Have each child tell if his or her pretend gift is gold, frankincense, or myrrh and then present it to the baby Jesus.

Our gift to Jesus is to be like him

Explain that each Christmas as we celebrate the birthday of Jesus, we can give gifts to him. We can’t give gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh like the wise men did, but we can give another type of gift. We give a gift to Jesus when we try to be like him. We are being like Jesus when we are kind to our family and friends.

Activity

Help each child make a Christmas chain with several links. Have the children color their links and then glue the links together (see illustration at the end of the lesson). Tell the children to put their chains somewhere in their homes where they will remind them to do kind deeds for others as gifts to Jesus. Challenge the children to do at least one kind deed each day until Christmas.

Help the children think of kind deeds they can do. Remind them that when they do kind deeds, they are giving a wonderful gift to Jesus. Give each child a note explaining the chain to his or her parents.

Testimony

Explain that the birth of Jesus Christ was one of the most important things that has ever happened on the earth. Express your love for Jesus and your desire to be like him, not only at Christmastime but all year long.

Enrichment Activities

Choose some of these activities to use during the lesson.

Retell the story of the birth of Jesus while the children act out the parts of Joseph, Mary, the innkeeper, the shepherds, and the wise men. Use props such as a baby doll, a small blanket, and a shawl, if they are available. Give every child a chance to participate. You may want to repeat the activity, allowing the children to take different parts.

Help the children cut or draw simple star decorations. Let the children color their decorations, and attach a string to each star so the child can hang it somewhere in his or her home.

Discuss some of the commercial preparations for Christmas that the children have noticed. Help them understand that things like gifts and parties are fun, but Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus Christ and the importance of focusing on him and his life.

Discuss local Christ-centered Christmas customs that you enjoy or are aware of. Invite the children to talk about any Christ-centered traditions their families enjoy at Christmastime.

Additional Activities for Younger Children

Have the children pretend to be the shepherds resting in the field. Help them act out the fear the shepherds felt when they saw the angel, then the happiness they felt when they understood the news. Help them imagine hearing the angels sing and looking at the beautiful night sky and seeing the star. Walk together around the room to search for the baby. Kneel before the baby Jesus in the manger, and sing a song of praise.

Help the children do the actions to the following verse as you say the words:

A baby in a manger (rock arms as if cradling a baby),

A loving mother near (reach out arms),

A star shines in the heavens (point with awe to the sky),

The Son of God is here (clap hands for joy)!

Sing or say the words to “Little Jesus” (Children’s Songbook, p. 39) or “Jesus Said Love Everyone” (Children’s Songbook, p. 61). Remind the children that we celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmastime.

Make simple paper cutouts of the swaddled baby Jesus. Collect dried grass, hay, or straw and bring it for the children to glue onto a “manger” (a square of paper). Have the children glue the baby Jesus cutout over the bed of grass or straw.

Index to Activity Verses and Songs with Actions in Primary 1

A Baby in a Manger

153

A Happy Family

76, 80

A Prayer Song

10

A Smile Is Very Catchy

114

A Song of Thanks

12

Adam and Eve

43

All Things Bright and Beautiful

40

Away in a Manger

13, 152

Because Today Is Sunday

47

Beehive

41

Birds in the Tree

41, 76

Book of Mormon Stories

141

Busy Little Fingers

94, 103

Children, Put Your Pants On

106

Clap Your Hands

55

Counting Fingers

54

Dear Little Friend

109

Do As I’m Doing

50, 72, 119, 147

Eency Weency Spider

41

Five Little Fishes

33

Fun to Do

24, 25, 54, 72, 80, 103, 108

God’s Creation

9, 24, 44

Grandmother

81

Happy Song

129

Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

48

Heavenly Father Knows Me

2, 17

Helping Makes Me Happy

68

Here Is the Church

140

Here We Are Together

76

Hinges

50

Home

102

How Long Is Forever?

86

I Am a Helper

86

I Am Thankful for My Eyes

8, 12, 61

I Dig

30

I Have a Nose

63

I Have a Wonderful Body

5, 49, 59

I Have Two Little Hands

53

I Like My Hands

54, 94

I Love to See the Temple

84

I Pray in Faith

11

I Reach Up High

54

I Shake My Hands

xvi, 128

I’ll Fold My Arms

133

I’m Glad I Came to Church Today

46, 133, 138

I’m Trying to Be like Jesus

120

If You’re Happy

69, 129

If You’re Very, Very Tall

3, 17

Jesus Came Alive Again

149

Jesus Is Risen!

150

Jesus Loves All Children

16

Jesus Loves Little Children

121

Jesus Said Love Everyone

111, 120, 136, 148

Joseph Knelt among the Trees

6

Little Baby Moses

3, 80

Little Seeds Lie Fast Asleep

29

Make Happy Days

69, 110

My Family (1)

76

My Family (2)

77

My Feelings

67

My Hands

53

My Heavenly Father Loves Me

15

My Legs Like to Run

93

My Little Kitten

116

Noah

36, 116

Once I Was a Baby

14, 51, 73

One Little Butterfly

40

Open, Shut Them

xv, 127

Our Arms We Fold

12

Popcorn Popping

28

Saturday

47

Seeds Are Buried Deep

104

Smiles

66

Sometimes I’m Tall, and Sometimes I’m Small

xvi

Ten Men Were Sick

137

The Chapel Doors

128

The Creation

47, 134

The Goldfish

32

The Little Turtle

33

The Meetinghouse

126

The Pioneer Children

102

The Raindrops

26

The Still Small Voice

21

The World Is So Big

24, 37, 40, 44, 117

This Is My Mother

90

This Is What the Baby Does

80

This Little Fellow

23

Touch Your Eyes

59, 62, 65

Two Happy Feet

126

Two Little Friends

100

Two Little Tweety Birds

40

We All Lived Together with Heavenly Father

9, 87

We Fold Our Arms

12

When I Do Something Wrong

96

When We’re Helping

83, 103

Young Jesus Went to the Temple

14

Songs for the Nursery from the Children’s Songbook

The following songs from the Children’s Songbook are especially appropriate for use in the nursery. Included are some suggestions for ways you may adapt the words. You may have other ideas for ways to adapt these or other songs in the Children’s Songbook so they will be appropriate for the nursery.

In addition to the songs in the Children’s Songbook, you may use children’s songs from your own culture. Make sure the songs meet the following criteria:

They are short and simple.

They use a narrow range of notes (5 to 8 tones).

The words are repetitive (the same words are used several times) and easy to learn.

The words describe things the children can see, hear, touch, smell, or feel.

The words are not contrary to gospel teachings.