Next week is General Conference, so this week is a combination of two primary lessons. Click on this image to be taken to some GC printable's. If you are making a GC packet for your children, you could add coloring pages or activities from this weeks lessons that you didn't get to, there is so much to cover this week.
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
I need to prepare to learn the teachings of Jesus.
Younger children may not be able to understand all of the symbolism in the parable of the sower, but they can learn the simple gospel truths it teaches. How can you help them better understand how this parable relates to them?
Possible Activities
Display different kinds of soil (or pictures of soil) as you summarize Matthew 13:3–8. Give each child a seed, and ask what they could do to help the seeds grow. Explain that our testimonies are like seeds. How do we help our testimony “seeds” grow?
SOOOO many ideas, maybe it's my spring fever that has got me excited about this.
1st idea. It's really good for these children to use all 5 senses to learn these experiences. And the primary manual did suggest showing different kinds of soil. I'm not totally crazy(:
I separated the soil with Washi tape, if you have a better idea, leave a message in the comments.
Read the scriptures to the children and have them point to which one the scripture is talking about. Hand them a seed and ask them which one is the the best soil to plant their seed in.
Then you can use the soil to plant seeds in a cup. Seeds are at Dollar tree for 25 cents.
Idea number 2. If you aren't keen on bringing dirt into the classroom, you could always plant a seed in a bag.
Use this week’s activity page to help the children understand what each type of soil described in Matthew 13 teaches about our hearts. Ask the children which type of heart Jesus wants them to have in order to learn His teachings.
There are some cute, clear gift bags at Walmart, that would still work well with this, and look nicer than my ziplock(: But for those that like practicality, this is what you probably have on hand.
Read Matthew 13:9, 15, and invite the children to point to different parts of their body when they hear them mentioned. How can we use these body parts to learn the teachings of Jesus?
This is a picture of my daughter 4 years ago when I started this whole Come Follow Me marathon. She is so little! She was so excited to be famous on my blog...with that face who would even know her(:
If you are worried about time you can print these on colored card stock, and already have them cut out, for quick assembly. Also, you can just do the ears, to keep it simple. It is so cute to see all your littles walking into singing time with their big ears(; Sorry for the walk down memory lane, but those were fun times(:
(Print on Card stock)
If you use the eyes, be sure to tape them to the headband that holds the ears. After they are done with dress-up, you can read the scriptures and have them point to these things and their heart.
(Print on card stock)
Heavenly Father wants me to choose the right.
Some of Jesus’s parables teach that at the last day, God will separate the wicked from the righteous. How can you use the parables to inspire the children to choose the right?
Possible Activities
Let the children act out the parable of the wheat and the tares (see Matthew 13:24–30). Explain that the wheat represents people who make righteous choices, and the tares (harmful weeds) represent people who do not. One day, Heavenly Father will gather the righteous people to live with Him.
Give the children some examples of right and wrong choices. Ask the children to say “wheat choice” when you describe a right choice and “tare choice” when you describe a wrong choice.
Cut out the two pictures and after explaining (from primary manual) the difference. Let them guess which one is the wheat and which one is the tare, by putting the happy face on the wheat and the sad face on the tare.
Then have them sort these choices "Wheat choices" and "tare choices."
Bring pictures of stalks of wheat, and let the children draw on the pictures some ways they can be righteous.
My membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a treasure.
How can you use the imagery of treasure and precious pearls to help the children understand the value of belonging to Christ’s Church?
Possible Activities
Hide pictures of a treasure chest and a pearl in the room, and let the children find them. Use the pictures to teach about the parables in Matthew 13:44–46. Talk about why someone might give up everything they have for a beautiful pearl or a treasure in a field. Explain that sometimes we give up something good for something even better. Tell the children why the gospel is valuable to you.
Place in a box or chest several objects or pictures that represent “treasures” in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as the Savior, temples, or the Book of Mormon. Ask each child to choose an object or picture and talk about why it is a treasure.
Sing together “The Church of Jesus Christ” (Children’s Songbook, 77), and ask the children to talk about reasons they’re thankful for the Savior’s Church. Testify of the blessings you’ve experienced because of your membership in the Church.
Next month is Easter! I have a week long Easter countdown banner, with QR codes to scan for videos simple spiritual thoughts, that keep us focused on the real reason for the season. Look through all the pictures on the listing before you purchase it, so you are aware of the size and assembling the banner. In my home we look forward to this every year. I hope you can enjoy it too.
(Click on the picture to be take to Etsy)
General Conference is next week, here are some gift ideas, with gift tags.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
I need to prepare my heart to receive the teachings of Jesus.
How can you help the children recognize the importance of having a soft and willing heart so that Jesus can teach them?
Possible Activities
Assign each child to read about one of four types of soil in Matthew 13:4–8. Invite them to look for and share what happens to the seed in the type of soil they read about. How can our hearts be like the different types of soil? (see Matthew 13:19–23).
This would be good for Senior primary too. You can apply the idea of the soft cotton ball to a soft heart.
Show the children a picture of a garden. What does the soil need to be like in order for plants to grow in it? Show a picture of rocky or thorny soil. Why would plants have a hard time growing in this kind of soil? How can we make sure our hearts are like the good soil so that we can receive the Savior’s teachings?
I made this printable, but I recommend showing it on an iPad, so you don't have to use the printing ink.
Invite the children to read Matthew 13:15–17. Draw an eye, ear, and heart on the board. How do we use each of these things to learn the teachings of Jesus?
I can choose the right even when those around me do not.
When you read these verses with the children in mind, what impressions come to you?
Possible Activities
Invite the children to draw different scenes from the parable of the wheat and the tares, found in Matthew 13:24–30, and share their drawings with the class. Ask them to label their drawings using the interpretation of the parable found in Matthew 13:36–43. You may need to explain that tares are harmful weeds.
If possible, display a picture of wheat and tares. Explain that the wheat and tares will grow together until the harvest (the end of the world). This teaches us that we live with both good and evil around us, and we must be careful to choose the right. Ask the children to share how they can tell the difference between good and evil.
Cut out the two pictures and after explaining (from primary manual) the difference. Let them guess which one is the wheat and which one is the tare. Some of them will be tricked, because they are so similar. Explain that after time the wheat will ripen and change colors and then the difference is more noticeable. Ask the children how that might apply to choices they are making today, and to the future. Or maybe people around them that don't seem like they have bad consequences for their bad choices.
My membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a treasure.
Do the children you teach see their membership in the Church as a valuable treasure? Perhaps discussing the parables in Matthew 13:44–46 can help them share their feelings about the Savior’s Church.
Possible Activities
Invite the children to read Matthew 13:44–46 to themselves and share the parables in their own words with another class member.
Cut out several circles to represent coins, and put them in a treasure box. Invite the children to pick a coin and draw or write on it one thing they love about being a member of the Church. Ask the children to share what they put on their coin.
Invite a ward member to share his or her conversion story with the children and tell what he or she sacrificed to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Or ask the children to talk about sacrifices they make for the Lord and His Church.
Encourage Learning at Home
Invite the children to teach their families about one of the parables they learned in Primary.
Next week is General Conference, so this week is a combination of two primary lessons. Click on this image to be taken to some GC printable's.
March 27–April 2
Teach the Doctrine: Younger Children
Jesus Christ knows what I need and can help me.
Ponder the account of Jesus healing the man at the pool of Bethesda. How can you help the children see what the story teaches about Jesus’s kindness, love, and other attributes?
Possible Activities
Use the picture Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda (Gospel Art Book, no. 42) to tell the children the story in John 5:1–9. Or show the video “Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Ask the children to imagine that they are the person Jesus healed. How would they feel when Jesus healed them?
Ask the children to name some things that are hard for them or that make them sad. Tell them about a time in your life when you received help from the Savior during a difficult trial. Testify that Jesus knows about all our problems and wants to help us.
I follow Jesus’s example when I am kind to others.
One way Jesus showed love was to feed His followers when they were hungry. How can you help the children learn to serve others like Jesus did?
Possible Activities
From the friend magazine, click on the image to take you to the page.
Show the children a basket and some bread as you tell the story in Matthew 14:13–21. Explain that even though Jesus had tried to find a place to be alone, the people wanted to be near Him. Share the rest of the story with the children, and ask them to listen for what Jesus did to show kindness and love for the people.
Ask the children to share ways in which someone has been kind to them. Then help them think of things they can do this week to be kind to others. For every answer they give, draw a loaf of bread or a fish on the board. Tell the children that when they do these things, they are following the example Jesus set when He fed the five thousand people who were hungry.
Faith in Jesus Christ can help me not be afraid.
Peter showed great faith when he walked on the water toward Jesus. What lessons might there be for the children in this story?
Possible Activities
Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (see also Gospel Art Book, no. 43) as you tell the story from Matthew 14:22–33 in your own words. Consider using this week’s activity page to help the children tell the story back to you. You could also bring a small bowl of water and invite the children to pretend to “walk” their fingers across the surface of the water.
This is a great object lesson:
Show the video “Wherefore Didst Thou Doubt?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), and ask the children why Peter was afraid. Then ask them to tell about times when they felt afraid and share what helped them. Help them see that faith in Jesus Christ helps us overcome fear.
Teach the Doctrine: Older Children
Jesus Christ teaches me about Heavenly Father.
How can Jesus’s teachings about His Father help the children learn about Heavenly Father?
Possible Activities
Create two sets of matching cards labeled with words that Jesus used to teach about Heavenly Father in John 5, such as love, life, and works (see John 5:20, 26, 36). Lay the cards face down, and ask the children to look for matches by flipping over two cards at a time. As each match is made, read the verse that contains the word, and ask the children what the word teaches us about Heavenly Father.
Ask the children to read John 5:30 and complete this sentence: “I seek not mine own will, but …” How did Jesus Christ do the will of His Heavenly Father? How can we do Heavenly Father’s will?
My small offerings can make a difference.
It was a young boy who provided the bread and fish that Jesus used to feed the five thousand. How can you help the children you teach see how they can contribute to the work of the Lord?
Possible Activities
Help the children imagine how large a crowd of five thousand people would be. What would it be like to feed that many people with only five loaves of bread and two fish?
Invite a child to tell the story of the feeding of the five thousand in his or her own words. Emphasize that it was a young boy who provided the bread and fish that the Lord used to perform this miracle. How can we be like the boy described in John 6:9? Invite the children to draw loaves and fish on paper and write on them some things they can give to the Lord to help in His work.
Give the children a small puzzle to complete. What would happen if one of the pieces of the puzzle were missing? Explain that we are each like a puzzle piece—we are all important, and we all need each other. Help the children name reasons they are important in their families, their Primary class, God’s family, and other groups.
Faith in Jesus Christ can help me not be afraid.
Faith and fear play prominent roles in the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the sea. What can children learn from this story?
Possible Activities
Show the picture in this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (see also Gospel Art Book, no. 43). Ask the children to find phrases in Matthew 14:22–33 that describe the picture.
Ask the children to look for signs of faith and signs of fear as they read Matthew 14:22–33. You could also show the video “Wherefore Didst Thou Doubt?” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). What does it mean to have faith in Jesus Christ? Help the children think of times when their faith helped them overcome fear.
Ask the children to imagine they were present and had a camera when Jesus and Peter walked on the sea. Which moment would they choose to photograph and why? Suggest that they search Matthew 14:22–33 for ideas. Invite them to draw a picture of the moment they chose, share their pictures, and explain why they chose that moment.