Thursday, February 22, 2018

Short Attention Span Sunday School: Primary 6 Lesson 8 Noah and the Flood

PRIMARY 6 LESSON 8 NOAH AND THE FLOOD
CLASSROOM PREP


Put up NOAH after ENOCH on your Old Testament Prophet Timeline.


Put up an image of Russell M Nelson on the board or have it on a laptop etc.
Put up the image of Noah from the Primary Manual artwork
Blue tablecloth and “ark” for the table (Lego, Fisher Price Little People, paper, etc.)





OPENING ACTIVITY


Adapted from many versions online

Have an orange (probably any size would work) and a bowl or container of water.

You can use a bowl/water from your church’s kitchen or you could bring a bowl and a full water bottle.
Ask your class if they think it will sink or float if you put it in the water, but don’t tell them what will happen.
Put it in and remark on how it floats.
Take it out and write LISTEN OBEY BELIEVE on it in sharpie all around the orange.
Show that it floats again.
Now peel off the skin - taking off those protective words with it.
Ask them if they think it will sink or float now?
Put it in the water and remark on how it sinks!
Listening, obeying, and believing in our prophet will protect us!
Without, we will sink.








OPENING DISCUSSION
Facilitate an open discussion to hear their thoughts and get their minds working on the topic.


Tell me about listening, obeying, and believing.
You can have the sign ideas from the manual on display for this if you’d like.
Or have photos or hand drawn versions of road signs as examples of things you listen to and obey.


Discussion question ideas, if needed:

Which is the hardest for you?
What motivates you to want to obey a rule?
Think of a rule you don’t really like - what makes you still follow it?
What makes listening hard? Or obeying?
If you believe that a prophet, leader, bishop, etc. is a man of God, does it make believing their words easier?
If you don’t want to listen, obey, or believe, what can you do about it?
When did you feel believing/obeying/listening (to prophets, leaders, God) protecting you?

Let this discussion continue for 5-10 minutes if it’s reverent, respectful, and on topic.







VIDEO: OBEDIENCE



Hand out one piece of paper per kid and a pencil or pen

Tell them that this video is a great depiction of the importance of following the prophet, obedience, listening, and believing!

When they’re watching, you want them to take notes -- write single words or phrases

After the video, discuss their notes and how they can apply those concepts in their notes in their daily lives.







LESSON: NOAH & SAY IT OR SPRAY IT
This is a game I used to play as Primary Music Leader and have adapted to use as a teacher.

Heavenly Father wants us to be safe from the evils and temptations of the world.
He has given us someone to warn us and to teach us! President Nelson


Today, we’re going to be talking about Noah!
And guess what, we’re in the middle of the rain storm!
So we have a spray bottle (have a spray bottle of water set to “mist”)
You could also have some rainstorm music playing on a laptop in the background

I’m going to have you guess the missing word or answer questions.
If you get it right, you get the umbrella as a protection from the rain!
If you get it wrong, you’ll get some rain on you! Be sure to only lightly mist them in an area where they want to be sprayed, let them pick, you don’t want sad or upset kids!
So Noah.
He was a descendent of Adam and Enoch, same family line!
He was obedient and he listened and he believed - and he and his family were blessed.

Now have them take turns answer questions - have them come to the front one by one, answer the question, if they get it right then they get the open umbrella to protect themselves while you lightly and respectfully mist them!


At the end, discuss the protection of the umbrella = protection following the Prophet provides.
Scripture references are given so you can adapt this to include reading the scriptures.
You can also come up with different questions, more or less, etc.

1. Genesis 6:5-7 - The people were very wicked and the Lord was grieved! He wanted to destroy man and all the ______. Animals

2. Genesis 6:8-9 - Noah found grace in the eyes of the _______. Lord
He was good, and walked with God.

3. Genesis 6:13 - Noah knew that the people were ________ and the _______would be destroyed and in Moses 8 he was called upon to tell everyone to _________ - but they didn’t listen! Wicked, Earth, Repent

Don’t have a kid answer this -- read the scripture here:
Genesis 6:14-16 Noah was instructed on how to make the ark!

Read the scripture and they will ask what a cubit is, so be prepared to answer!
4. Genesis 6:17 - The Lord will bring a flood of ________ and everything will be destroyed and die! Waters 

5. Genesis 6:18-20 - He will establish a covenant with Noah and their family shall go into the ark with _____ of every living thing, male and female. Two

6. Genesis 7:4, 10, 12, 20 - A lot of rain came down! It rained for 7 days and everything was flooded and it stayed flooded for ___ days and ___ nights, even the mountains were covered! 40

Genesis 7:23 Only Noah and everyone and everything in the ark survived!

7. Genesis 8: 1, 2, 5 - God remembered Noah and the rain __________ and the water decreased. Stopped

8. Genesis 8:6-11 Noah opened the window and set forth a raven and a dove, and the dove finally came back with an _________ that indicated dry land was visible again. olive branch

9. Genesis 8:16-20 - Noah and his family could leave the ark and Noah built an _______ and showed gratitude. Altar

10. Genesis 8:21, 9:12-15 - The Lord covenanted that such a thing would not happen again, and the token of that covenant is the ________. The Lord will remember His covenant! Rainbow







PROPHET DISCUSSION: PRESIDENT NELSON

Share some information you find online about President Nelson - fact, background, perhaps even a video of him speaking.

Share some of his sayings and talk about how they can make use of the concepts in their daily lives.

Challenge them to find a way to use them this upcoming week:
“As you choose to live on the Lord’s side, you are never alone.”

“When we follow Jesus Christ, we act as he would act and love as he would love.”






ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY IDEA

If it fits with the dynamics of your class, you could make a video using a phone or camera.

Have your class write something in their own words/handwriting on a piece of paper (or a whiteboard that they take turns using).

Take a photo of each of them holding their paper or the whiteboard with what they’ve written.

They should all use the same prompt, examples are:
What have I learned from Noah?
How can I be obedient to the prophet?
How am I blessed by listening to the prophet?

Take a video of them singing “We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet” (make sure they know the words or have them posted.

Later intermix the footage with the photos of them with their paper or whiteboard.
Show the prompt question on the screen somehow.

This could turn out really cute!





TESTIMONY/TAKE HOME IDEA

I’m so grateful for prophets!
For Old Testament prophets that lived in ways that we can look up to.
They made good decisions, they were brave, they were obedient, they listened.
And modern-day prophets as well that we can continue to look up to, and that remind us that God still speaks to us today.


Take home ideas:
- Have a nice quotation printed out by President Nelson for them, such as the “Each day is a day of decision” one at this link (or one of the many others) https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/category/president-russell-m-nelson-picture-quotes?lang=eng

- Umbrella-related
- Mini boat or perhaps instructions to make a paper boat
- If not Fast Sunday, you could give animal cookies or crackers
- Animal eraser (the puzzle kind or something else)
- Rainbow-related treat or item

Friday, February 16, 2018

Short Attention Span Sunday School: Primary 6 Lesson 7 Enoch and a Zion People

PRIMARY 6 LESSON 7 ENOCH AND A ZION PEOPLE



CLASSROOM PREP

Post Moses 7:18
And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

Also post 3 Nephi 12:8

Blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Also an idea for the year starting this week:
Post a piece of paper on the wall in one corner of the room with simply the name ADAM in big letters.
Have another one next to it /connected that says ENOCH.
You’ll add to this throughout the year as you learn about prophets in each lesson.

Periodically you can review who these different prophets were and what their general stories are.





OPENING ACTIVITY

Place two things on either side of the room - needs to be unclear what it is but you could have anything (envelope with a paper heart inside, candy wrapped up, etc)

Have a pair of kids come forward and link their arms back to back.

Assign one kid per item and tell them that they, with arms linked back to back, have to get their own thing.

Say “go” and anticipate that they’ll pull each other.
They will need to work together and cooperate and go one at a time.
They need to be unified and work together and they get their reward!

The kids may have thought of this, and if so, describe what they may have done (fought over where to go and ended up getting nothing) and why that's wrong.

(depending on how desirable the thing is that you brought in, the entire class may want a turn to do it before moving on)

So what made that activity successful? Working together
What was your motivation for making that successful? 
Why would you all want that to work? Everyone gets the reward and is happy




LESSON

Needed: 
- City papers (about a dozen pages with an "ancient city skyline" or "ancient city skyline clipart" found on Google or draw your own...just be sure there's white space left to write in words)
Many examples found using those search terms, such as:
and





- Scene papers like a big yellow paper sun
- Tape like painter’s tape that won’t damage the wall
- A dark marker or Sharpie

Have the class help you as you teach the lesson below.
Tell them that you’re going to create a city on the wall using the papers.
You need one wall available, which may require rearranging the chairs to face that wall.


How to do this:

  1. Hold up one of the city papers as you read each section below and explain a little.
  2. Choose a good listener to tape that paper to the wall, starting low and going across by 4 and up by 3 or however you want to arrange the 11 papers to look like a city.
  3. Then have a Sharpie or dark marker available and ask the class to summarize that section with a phrase, sentence, word, etc. Choose a good listener to write the chosen phrase/word on the paper.
  4. Continue in this fashion.
  5. At the end, read each summarizing phrase/word/etc (in order) for the whole story again (so they hear it all one more time).


1/Enoch was the great great great great grandson of Adam!
Adam was still alive! People lived longer then!
Enoch was blessed by Adam and taught in all the ways of God by his father Jared.
While Enoch was righteous, along with some of Adam’s other descendants, more were wicked.
Read Moses 6:27-29 - how were most people on earth living? = wicked
They didn’t believe in God and this made God very angry.


2/One day as Enoch journeyed into the land where the people were, the Spirit of God came upon him and he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people and say unto them repent.”
The Lord was angry with them - their hearts have waxed hard, their ears are dull of hearing, their eyes cannot see afar off.


Discuss: What does it mean to have your heart hard, your ears dull, and your eyes not able to see far off? How would this help or hurt someone’s ability to choose the right?


3/Enoch bowed himself to the earth and spake - “Why is it that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?” Read Moses 6:31

Discuss: Have you ever felt that people don’t like you because you’re different? 


4/The Lord told Enoch “Go forth and do as I have commanded thee, and no man shall pierce thee. Open they mouth and it shall be filled and I will give thee utterance.” From Moses 6:32
And to say unto the people “Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you.” From Moses 6:33



5/He also made him a really important promise “the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” From Moses 6:34


Discuss: How do you think Enoch felt after hearing these promises?


6/Then Lord told “Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see.”
Enoch listened and he beheld all the spirits that God had created and other things not visible to the natural eye. The people started saying about him that a “seer” hath the Lord raised up.


Discuss: Enoch listened to the Lord and is having faith in the Lord’s promises, and is being blessed



7/He wasn’t afraid anymore - he stood upon the hills and high places and preached, testifying of God and to repent. The people were afraid of him because they knew he was a prophet.

Discuss: Compare this to how he was feeling before!


8/The Lord commanded him to baptize!
He continued to call people to repent, and to baptize.


9/So great was his faith that he led the people of God, and when their enemies fought against them, Enoch used the power the Lord had given him - he moved mountains made the earth tremble, changed the course of rivers, and caused the roar of lions to be heard from the wilderness.

Discuss: This fulfilled the scripture/promise!


10/The Lord called his people Zion because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness, and there was no poor among them.
Their city was called Zion, meaning City of Holiness, after the people.


Discuss: The people were called Zion before the city! What does it mean to be of one heart and one mind?


11/He said to the Lord, “Surely Zion shall dwell in safety forever.”
But the Lord told him that Zion is blessed but everyone else is too wicked.
After many years of obedience, Enoch, along with all the people and the city, were taken up into heaven.

Discuss: What does it mean to be taken up into heaven/translated?
Their bodies are changed so they will not experience pain or taste of death (3 Nephi 28:7)
Then at the time of the Second Coming, they’ll be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality



Wrap up:
He was a great prophet - he spent his life trying to live as the Savior would have him live.
He did it so well that he walked with God!
He spoke with God face to face!
He was shown things in the future, even Jesus Christ and his mission on earth.
He saw the restoration as well and the gospel being preached (Moses 7:62).
He saw the Millennium.
He saw his city would join the latter-day Saints - the New Jerusalem/Zion.

Enjoy your city on the wall!




YARN/STRING OBJECT LESSON

Adapted from mormonshare

Have everyone stand in a circle and get out yarn or string.
The first person ties the yarn around their finger and says something nice about someone else.
They throw the yarn across.
The person who gets the yarn wraps it around their finger or thumb and says something nice about someone else and throws it across the circle.
Continue until there’s a big web of yarn (5-8 fingers?).


If they need help throwing because of the fingers wrapped, you can help them.
Everyone backs up so the web is tight (make sure fingers aren’t too tight!)
Throw in a beach ball - the web will hold it up!
Talk about how when everyone works together and builds on strengths, they can withstand anything!





VIDEO: DAYTON’S LEGS - 3 MINUTES

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/daytons-legs?lang=eng


I have a really wonderful video about a young man who is a great example of unity within his ward.

Think about how he’s showing the pure love of Christ, that he’s pure in heart, and that he desires unity with others in his life.


Show video, then pass out index cards and pens
Post these questions on the board and have them write their answers on their card
  1. Why is Spencer a good example of being pure in heart?
  2. How can you use Spencer as an example this week?
The kids can share if they'd like, one or both of their answers.





TESTIMONY/TAKE HOME IDEA
It’s my testimony that through small and simple things, great things can come to pass!
Did Enoch think of himself as amazingly awesome at everything he did, and of course the Lord would choose him to be a spokesman to preach repentance?
No, not at all!
Do we sometimes feel that we can’t do very much because of all of our weaknesses?
We see that Enoch truly magnified his abilities through the Lord’s help, so much so that an entire city was so righteous that they were all translated!
We can do great things when we work together with others and strive to be pure in heart.


Ideas of what to take home:
- heart-shaped items (candy, pencils, stickers, etc.) with the “pure in heart” scripture
- something related to vision (sunglasses, etc.) and the “pure in heart” scripture but highlighting the “see God” part
- clay and the “pure in heart” scripture with a note to have them tell their parents the story of Enoch!

- something web-related to hearken back to the yarn activity


Thursday, February 8, 2018

Short Attention Span Sunday School: Primary 6 Lesson 6 Adam and Eve Lived the Gospel of Jesus Christ

PRIMARY 6 LESSON 6 ADAM AND EVE LIVED THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST



CLASSROOM PREP

Post sign on the board:

1/Red, white and blue (if you’re in the USA) sign that says Endure To The End with the Olympics rings symbol

2/4th Article of Faith on the board



OPENING ACTIVITY
(something I have done in a previous lesson from Primary 5)

Hold up a popcorn kernel
Last week we had a lot of fun eating popcorn.
Let’s talk a little bit about this guy (refer to the kernel)
What’s inside? It’s the potential to become something else.

How are we like a popcorn kernel?
Remember, there’s a lot of potential in it, but potential to become what?
What does the kernel turn into? a piece of fluffy popcorn
What do we have to add to the kernel? Heat and oil

Faith = getting into the pot
Repentance = moving around in the oil and taking action to repent
Baptism by immersion = oil
Gift of the Holy Ghost = heat
Some kernels use that heat and oil for their benefit and turn into yummy popcorn.
They magnify themselves and find their true potential.
Some kernels don’t take advantage and just lie there and do nothing.
They enjoy the heat and the oil but they don’t do anything with it.


What happens to the ones who turn into yummy popcorn? They make the popcorn-eaters very happy, they find their true purpose

What happens to the ones who don’t take advantage of the heat and oil? They stay a hardened kernel, they aren’t able to reach their potential as fluffy popcorn

We want to be like those kernels that pop and become something better!
We want to endure to the end of the popping!


LESSON - OLYMPICS

Some ideas adapted from here

Welcome to the 2018 Adam and Eve Gospel Olympics!
Play Star Spangled Banner on a phone, tablet, laptop

Today, we’re going to be learning important things about Adam and Eve and the gospel.
And putting ourselves to the Olympics test!

Show them an official Olympic photo of each sport as you go so they get the image in their mind.

Or print out these coloring pages to show them:



1. Torch passing
Flashlight with orange tissue paper attached

What does it mean to “pass the torch”?
Show an image of an Olympic torch bearer.
Let’s think about how Adam was the first man on earth, the first prophet, the first to make the covenants that we make in our life too.
After Adam came many many other prophets, right?
Which prophet just passed away? Monson
Who did the “torch” get passed to after him? Nelson
In this gospel, that torch will never go out, it will never die.
Our Father in Heaven will never leave us without a prophet, without guidance.
In your life, who has passed the torch to you? Your parents, your ancestors, a missionary who taught you or your parents, etc.



As this Olympic torch bearer is in control of the torch, what is everyone counting on them to do? Keep it going, keep it strong, pass it to the next person, be a respectful and admirable holder

In our life too, we need to keep the gospel going in our lives, keep it strong, pass it onto the next generation, and while we do all of that….to be respectable and admirable

So everyone stand up and line up.
I’m going to give the first person the torch and you’re going to run a slow motion circle around the room, and while you do so, you need to say at least one way that you can be a good gospel torch bearer in your life
Ideas if they need help: read the scriptures, pray, attend church, show kindness and charity, etc.
Continue on until everyone’s had a turn.

Now, the gospel in our life is the same gospel that was in Adam and Eve’s life.
Why would the gospel be the same? Based on eternal truths
The gospel we’re basing all of this on - the scriptures, church, kindness, etc. - that gospel is the same gospel that they were taught. The Lord’s plan is an eternal plan, He does not change!

So let’s have some fun learning what Adam and Eve were taught.


2. Skiing - faith
Minifigures, Little People, or figurines of some sort (enough for one per kid) taped or somehow attached to popsicle stick skis and a box ramp down from a chair
Idea from here:
http://www.toddlerapproved.com/2018/01/easy-little-people-ski-ramp-for-kids.html

First, faith!
Does it take faith to strap two metal sticks to your feet and slide down a hill?
Yes indeed!
Why would someone still want to try the first time? They trust their ski instructor, they’re excited to learn, they think it would be fun, they’ve done similar things before, they want to be like a famous skier

When we’re faced with something a little scary or hard that we’ve never done before, we need extra help from Heavenly Father.

We need to use our faith and take action.
If we know how to show our faith, it’s easier.
Maybe we trust our parents or leaders.
Maybe we’re excited to do something and think it will be fun and that motivates us to use our faith.
Maybe we want to be like someone we admire like our Bishop or Primary President.

I have some questions for you about faith.

Two of you line up your skiers at the top of the ramp, and when the right answer is said by either of you, you get to have your skiers go down the hill! It’s not a competition, you’re on the same team.
  • Is faith a principle or ordinance? Principle - a principle is a basic doctrine or law
  • Faith is like a little ______ - what? seed
  • Name one way faith is like a seed you have to take care of it or it won’t grow
  • What’s a way that Adam showed faith? Was obedient to the commandments, raised his children in the gospel, prayed, repented after following Satan
  • How did we show faith in the premortal life? Choosing the Plan of Salvation
  • How can we show faith in this earth life? Similar to torch bearing: scriptures, church, kindness, etc.


3. Snowboarding - repentance
Piece of paper per kid (or whatever you can think of to be a snowboard for them to stand on)

Everyone get on a snowboard! Have them hop “on” their paper or whatever you’ve brought in.
Turn on a fan you’ve brought in, set to low.
Play sound effect on your phone of a blizzard/snowstorm/storm/wind rushing
I’m going to ask a question, and as soon as I’m done with it you need to turn/shift your body on your snowboard. And remember you’re balancing! (act it out for them)

Then when someone answers, you’ll shift on your snowboard.
When I ask the next question, you’ll shift again….and so on.
  • What does it mean to repent? The way provided for us to become free from our sins and to receive forgiveness from them
  • How do we repent? Feel sincere sorry for our sins, stop sinning, keep the commandments
  • What are examples of repentance we’ve learned about with Adam and his family? They followed Satan for awhile and then repented, Cain didn’t repent for his offering
  • Tell me what this scripture means - Moses 6:53 Adam repented and was forgiven
  • How often should we repent? Daily, whenever needed
  • How does taking the Sacrament relate to repentance We renew our baptismal covenants if we are worthy to do so through repentance/the Atonement


4. Luge - baptism by immersion

Do you guys know much about the luge?
Show an image of an athlete on a luge track

The athletes are lying on a fiberglass sled that doesn’t have brakes.
They can go up to 90 miles an hour!

They have to lie perfect flat and know exactly how to shift their body weight to steer the sled.
What ordinance does this position remind you of? Baptism
So what’s an ordinance? a sacred ceremony with spiritual meaning that’s performed by someone with priesthood authority

Adam was also baptized!



5. Ice skating - Gift of the Holy Ghost
Two paper plates per kid

Let’s review what ice skaters do!
They spin, and they jump with a cool poses in mid-air.

Have everyone practice those (make sure they’re spread out away from each other)

I’m going to say something and if it’s true, spin around on your plates without lifting them off the ground.

If it’s false, jump with a cool pose in mid-air.
  • Another name for the Holy Ghost is the Comforter true
  • Adam was not visited by the Holy Ghost in the Garden of Eden false
  • We receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost through the power of the Priesthood true
  • Adam was baptized and he heard a voice out of heaven saying: Thou art baptized with fire and with the _____ _____. Holy Ghost
  • If we haven’t been baptized, we can’t feel the Holy Ghost at all ever! False, someone may feel it temporarily even without the gift of the Holy Ghost
  • The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit and a member of the Godhead true



6. Hockey - 4th Article of Faith
Puck-shaped block or toy, or a ball

Split up the class and have them sit facing each other on the floor with some clear space in between
Slide the puck/ball back and forth as you sing the Fourth Article of Faith song.
Explain that if their side has the puck, it’s their turn to sing

You could do it this way:
Start off with the puck on one side
Side 1 sings: We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are
Then they slide the puck over
Side 2 sings: First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
slide the puck over
Side 1 sings: Second, repentance
slide the puck over
Side 2 sings: Third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
slide the puck over
Side 1 sings: Fourth, laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost

Go through it a few more times, singing faster and faster so they can slide it faster and faster


TESTIMONY/TAKE HOME IDEA

Remember the kernel?

How being obedient and enduring to the end, utilizing what you’re given, you reach your potential and you become something better?

We did a lot of great learning today about principles, ordinances, and enduring to the end.

Faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, and enduring to the end are the steps that are necessary for exaltation, so to be able to live with God.

These were all things Adam was taught - the gospel is the same today too!

Take home ideas:
- medal (edible or toy)
- winter sports-related toy
- something patriotic
- small bag of Fruity Cheerios (colorful rings)