Praise to the Man Primary Singing Time Ideas
Keyword Topics: lds primary songs, lds childrens songbook, lds primary song book, primary music leaders, lds primary singing time ideas, primary chorister, lds chorister, lds primary chorister, lds primary singing time, lds primary, lds primary music, lds singing time ideas, primary songs, lds primary printables, Joseph Smith, Praise to the Man, restoration, lds primary music leader
Silent Video * Song Visuals Games * Medal of Honor * Clapping Patterns & Song Actions * Verse 3 Beat & Actions * Follow the Poster Body Rhythm * Four Corners * Who am I? & Vocab Choose * Bonus: Flipchart Link
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1. SILENT VIDEO
Play a video (doesn’t have to be this one…lds.org has several short video selections) about Joseph Smith on a large screen for the children, but turn the sound off and sing the first verse yourself about 3 times (or however many times the song fits to the video) as the video plays. Feel free to sing it more slowly and point to something on the screen. I turn off the video (in this video it is right before it shows Emma crying as he is taken to Carthage), then turn to the children and bear my testimony. It is powerful and wonderful, and the children get a feel for who Joseph was. They hear the melody, rhythm, and words over and over again in personal way. The visual images and the feelings the children feel as they watch and listen link up to this song in their heads. I love watching the children’s eyes as we experience this together.
2a. SONG VISUALS GAMES
WHAT YOU NEED:
Praise to the Man Poster Song Visuals
HOW TO USE:
Option 1: Display the symbols on a poster and use as a type of visual “flipchart.”
Option 2: Mix up the picture symbols and let students arrange in the correct order.
Option 3: Make 2 copies & use as matching game. Make up other games as you see fit.
2b. MEDAL OF HONOR
[Idea thanks to basicprimarymusic.com]
WHAT YOU NEED:
Poster Board - Giant Medal
Stickers
HOW TO PLAY:
Sometimes hero's get a medal of honor. Make a giant medal on a piece of poster board with Joseph Smith written on it (and a picture of Joseph Smith as well, if you would like). Invite children who are singing boldly to come up to the front and add a little sticker to the medal. Also, you can sing a phrase leaving out a word and whoever can sing that word gets to come up and decorate.
3. CLAPPING & SONG ACTIONS PATTERN
Option 1:
[Thanks to Jenna Dickenson]
OPTION 2:
[Thanks to Sharla Dance]
Patsch, patsch, patsch, patsch, Big arm circle
Patsch, patsch, patsch, patsch, ASL sign for prophet
Patsch, patsch, patsch, patsch, Bent arms held up in front of face then opening
Put on a crown, then hold a septre, Patsch, patsch, patsch
Stand up raising hands above head, sit down
Stand up raising hands above head, sit down
Patsch, patsch, patsch, Make an ugly face like a tyrant,
Patsch, patsch, fist thumps against other palm four times (va-a-i-n)
Patsch, patsch, patsch, patsch, point to your head as if planning something, cross arms across heart
Wag finger as if saying no, Patsch, patsch, patsch
(And yes, the two videos are in different keys. Sorry!<grin>)
The patsching helps the children practice steady beat, feel the strength of this song through the beat, and move. The actions are a concrete way for the children to represent some of the words of the song (a strong way for children to remember). And it is fun!
Extender: While you are singing and moving, call out “Freeze!” Ask the children if their movement is just like your movement. Sing again. Call out “Freeze!” at a different part of the song, and again ask the children to check their movements to yours. (It helps to re-focus and make them more aware of their moving body.)
After you have sung and moved at least once through the song, ask if there are any children who would like to come up and help you lead the song. Sing the song again, doing the movements with the children who are up front with you.
Ask those children to sit down, then challenge the children to do the movements only without singing. You are mouthing the words, but not singing out loud. It is a great way to increase memory because the children have to “hear” the song inside, not outside. The children don’t realize they have just experienced the song four or five times because there have been different challenges each time.
4. ACTIONS & BEAT - 3rd Verse
[Note: This helps kids differentiate between the first verses and verse 3].
[Thanks to Sharla Dance]
When you give kids different experiences with different verses, they categorize it into a different
place in their memory.
Great – Swing your arm in front as if punching
is – patsch
glory – arms and hands pushing upward like light glowing
endless his priesthood – hand over eyes then extending forward
Ever and ever – circle one hand above your head 4 times
keys – hold out hands, palms up
hold – put two hands together as if catching something
Faithful and true – point to your head, bring the side of your hand down to your other palm, then slice thru your palm
enter his kingdom – hold your hand straight and point it up to heaven
Crowned – put a crown on your head
prophets of old – ASL sign for prophet
Chorus:
Patsch, patsch clap with R hand on top, turn hand to clap with L hand on top – x3
(on the end of the 3rd time, you will wait on the fermata)
Patsch, patsch clap with R hand on top, turn hand to clap with L hand on top – x4
6. Follow the Poster Body Rhythm
A fun crack-the-poster-code and body movement game.
Find all pictures and instructions for this fun game HERE.
7. WHO AM I? & VOCABULARY CHOOSE
[Idea thanks to teachldschildren.com]
CHECK OUT ANOTHER VERSION OF "WHO AM I?" HERE.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Pictures and Word Pages
Preparation
Print the pictures, and the word pages. Cut each picture page in half lengthwise so one picture is on each half. Put each of the word pages in a page protector. (Optional: cover each word page with a colored paper, and tape the top edges so the colored paper can be flipped up to show the clue.)
Items needed: a large picture of Joseph Smith, a dry erase pen or strips of paper.
NOTE: Game below explains the process for all verse. Do NOT try and teach every verse all at once. You can break up the process below into several different primary singing times.
HOW TO PLAY:
Tell the kids they are going to learn a new song and they are going to do two activities to help them learn and remember it. The first activity is to try and guess who the song is about. (Post the pictures on the board and explain that the song is about one of the people). Also post the first seven word pages on the board, in order, but turned over or covered with another sheet of paper.) Explain that the covered pages are lines in the song, and they are clues to who the song is about. One person on the board will be eliminated as each clue is read. (Some of the children may guess the name before the clues are finished, but tell them not to say it out loud.)
The second activity is to have the kids find the correct word in each line. Explain that there will be two orange words on each song page. One of the words is the correct word that is in the song, and the other is a synonym and means the same thing as the correct word. Tell them as they listen to the song to see if they can figure out which is the correct word.
To begin teaching the verse, turn over the first song page on the board, and explain to the children that the first line in the song is the name of the song – “Praise to the Man.” Point out that this line doesn’t have any orange words in it, but it is a clue to who the song is about. Have a volunteer take off one of the pictures on the board that doesn’t match with this clue. (Emma Smith, because she is not a man.)
Turn over the second song page on the board – “who talked/communed with Jehovah.”
• Who is Jehovah? (Jesus) Which of the people on the board did not talk to or communicate personally with Jesus? (Benjamin Franklin)
(Note: We don’t know if President Monson has talked directly with the Savior, but we do know that as His spokesman on the earth, President Monson has received direction from the Savior through revelation. The picture of President Monson is included because he is needed for a clue further on in the song. And Lorenzo Snow saw and talked with the Savior Jesus Christ in the Salt Lake Temple – see Friend/August 1993).
Once the children have taken off one of the pictures, have them listen to the songand see which of the orange words is correct. (Whenever you restart, start singing from the beginning and have the children sing along until they get to the clue they are working on, and then they should just listen.) Have a volunteer cover up the incorrect word with strips of paper or cross it out with a dry erase pen.
Turn over the third song page on the board – “Jesus anointed/appointed that prophet and seer.”
Explain that the clue for this line is the words “prophet and seer.”
Which person on the board is not considered to be a prophet and seer? (Joseph had a very special role as Jesus’ guardian, but as far as we know he was not considered to be a prophet and seer.)
After the children guess the clue, have them listen to the song to find out which of the orange words are correct. After they figure out which is correct, explain that one definition of anointing is a sacred ceremony or process of appointing someone to a position of great responsibility, usually using consecrated oil. (For example, in the scriptures, kings and priests were anointed to their office in ancient times by prophets.)
Explain to the children that the next line in the verse needs to be skipped for now because it would give away who the song is about. Turn over the line that comes after the skipped line – “Kings shall praise/extol him and nations admire/revere.”
• Which of these prophets is not well enough known for kings to praise and nations to admire?” (The choice would be either the Brother of Jared or Lorenzo Snow. Have them take off Lorenzo Snow.)
After the children remove a picture, have them listen to the song for the correct words in the line. (Start the song at this point instead of at the beginning.) Turn over the next song page on the board – “Hail/salute to the prophet ascended /risen to heaven.”
• What does ascended or risen to heaven mean? It means that the person is no longer living and is in heaven. Which prophet is still living in mortal life? (President Monson)
(Note: Moses might be a confusing one for this category because he is not dead but was taken up to heaven in a translated state.)
Turn over the next song page on the board – “Traitors and tyrants/oppressors now fight him in vain/unsuccess.”
• Which prophet did not have traitors and tyrants fighting against him, that we know of? (The Brother of Jared)
After the children remove a picture, have them listen to the CD for the correct words in the line. After they have crossed out the incorrect word, go back to the song line that was skipped, and turn it over -“Blessed to open the last dispensation/gospel period.“
• Dispensation is a period were the gospel is renewed upon the earth. Which prophet opened the last dispensation? (Joseph Smith) Remove the picture of Moses and replace the small picture of Joseph Smith with the large picture. Point out that the children have discovered who the song is about.
Have the children listen to the song for the correct words in the line. Start the song from the beginning and remind them to sing all lines that they can, except for the current clue.
Put the last two lines on the board one at time starting with – “Mingling with Gods, he can plan for his brethren.”
• Do you think Joseph Smith is still serving in heaven trying to help us, his brothers and sisters?
Turn over “Death cannot conquer/overcome the hero again.”
• How is Joseph Smith a hero? (See D&C 135:3) He gave his all, including his life, in service to God and his fellow man.
Can death overcome him again after he is resurrected? No, he will never die again.
Sing the song all the way through, and have the children sing what parts of the song they can until they come to the last line, then they should listen for the correct word.
Note: If you have already taught this verse, this activity can be used as a review.
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