Earth image courtesy creative commons license flickr.com by Beth Scupham July 2012
Monthly Theme: The Earth Was Created for Heavenly Father’s Children
Monthly Scripture: "We will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" Abraham 3:24–25
Week 1 Jesus Christ created the earth under the direction of Heavenly Father.
* Matt & Mandy are a favorite part of The Friend at our home. HERE is one of their cartoons that talks about the creation and how it is a miracle. It would be a nice attention activity to introduce the week's sharing time theme.
* HERE is a felt board of the creation. It's from The Friend and entitled, "The Creation, Each Day a Gift". You could have 6 boxes wrapped nicely with a felt piece in each one. Ask children to talk about how each part of the creation was a gift.
*After you go over the account of the creation, play a game of charades! A primary friend has to act out one of their favorite creations while the others raise their hand and then guess!
* This could be a good follow up after you've gone over the account of the creation for SENIOR PRIMARY. I based all questions off of Chapter 7 of Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual.
* HERE is a felt board of the creation. It's from The Friend and entitled, "The Creation, Each Day a Gift". You could have 6 boxes wrapped nicely with a felt piece in each one. Ask children to talk about how each part of the creation was a gift.
*After you go over the account of the creation, play a game of charades! A primary friend has to act out one of their favorite creations while the others raise their hand and then guess!
* This could be a good follow up after you've gone over the account of the creation for SENIOR PRIMARY. I based all questions off of Chapter 7 of Doctrines of the Gospel Student Manual.
*Break out some play dough and let children share what their favorite part of the creation is.
* Invite a couple members to sing "For the Beauty of the Earth,” Hymns, no. 92. After they sing, have them share a photo of something The Lord has created that they are very grateful for.
* There is a TV commercial (that I would never show the primary, but I would discuss) that has a man in nature. He is breathing the fresh air and climbing a mountain with the city in the back. He smiles and asks, "What more could I need?" Then he thinks about a certain TV show, and another one, and another one... pretty soon he is running back to the city where the ending shot is him super happy on his couch with a remote control in hand.
Ask the primary children the following questions. First off, what do you think about this type of commercial? How does it make you feel? Why would it be more important to enjoy the creations of Heavenly Father rather than watching TV?
Since the world thinks TV is more important than nature, take a posterboard and draw an outline of a TV. Cut out the middle so a child's face can be seen behind it. Divide the children into groups and ask the children to come up with commercials to teach the world about the creation and why we should enjoy it!
Week 2 The Fall was part of God’s plan.
* What do you personally know about The Fall?? HERE is a good read for preparation this week! Also from Preach My Gospel is the suggestion:
"When first teaching this doctrine, do not teach everything you know about it. Explain very simply that God chose two of His children, Adam and Eve, to become the first parents on earth. After their transgression they were subject to both sin and death. By themselves they could not return to live with Heavenly Father. The Lord spoke to Adam and taught him the plan of salvation and redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. By following that plan, Adam and his family could have joy in this life and return to live with God (see Alma 18:36; 22:12–14)." (Lesson 2)
* Do you have a child that belongs to you in primary? Invite your own child to fall back and you catch them. What would happen if you weren't there to catch them? Heavenly Father knew that Adam would fall and He provided Jesus to be our Savior.
* HERE is a wonderful visual. It's an article by Sister Esplin and an account from President Hinkley. After sharing with the children, give them 10 strips of paper. Have them work in partners to come up with 10 facts about The Fall. If they need help, send them to the Bible Dictionary!!! Afterwards, they can glue stick the strips together to make a chain!
* Ask a primary friend how they got into the primary room. Did they walk through the doorway? Who else in the room did so? Could we get into the room without the door? (Someone is going to bring up the windows... they just are. Be prepared. Counter back with, who would want to break a window to God's house and get hurt!!) Just like it was necessary for us to walk through the door to get to primary, The Fall was a necessary and very important part of God's plan!!
* Bring in a basket of things that give you lots of joy!! Have questions, songs and scriptures having to do with the fall attached to the items. Invite a primary friend to come up and choose one of your favorite things. Explain that the only reason we are able to have these things that make us happy, is because of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior! Invite the children to draw a picture of one of their favorite things and copy the scripture below it!!
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).
* Bring in some measuring tools. Does anyone know how long a piece of paper is? What about the length of a primary friend's nose? We need a ruler, right?!?! How do we measure flour for a recipe? Is it important to measure? A little bit of a deeper question is, how do we measure knowledge? We cant put knowledge in a glass cup? If you are taught all about foxes and read 20 books about them.... how would a teacher measure how much you learned? A test!!! Heavenly Father sent us to earth to gain our body and measure how much we would learn and be obedient! In the pre mortal world we listened and prepared, now is our time to measure up!!
* Invite a couple members to sing "For the Beauty of the Earth,” Hymns, no. 92. After they sing, have them share a photo of something The Lord has created that they are very grateful for.
* There is a TV commercial (that I would never show the primary, but I would discuss) that has a man in nature. He is breathing the fresh air and climbing a mountain with the city in the back. He smiles and asks, "What more could I need?" Then he thinks about a certain TV show, and another one, and another one... pretty soon he is running back to the city where the ending shot is him super happy on his couch with a remote control in hand.
Ask the primary children the following questions. First off, what do you think about this type of commercial? How does it make you feel? Why would it be more important to enjoy the creations of Heavenly Father rather than watching TV?
Since the world thinks TV is more important than nature, take a posterboard and draw an outline of a TV. Cut out the middle so a child's face can be seen behind it. Divide the children into groups and ask the children to come up with commercials to teach the world about the creation and why we should enjoy it!
Week 2 The Fall was part of God’s plan.
* What do you personally know about The Fall?? HERE is a good read for preparation this week! Also from Preach My Gospel is the suggestion:
"When first teaching this doctrine, do not teach everything you know about it. Explain very simply that God chose two of His children, Adam and Eve, to become the first parents on earth. After their transgression they were subject to both sin and death. By themselves they could not return to live with Heavenly Father. The Lord spoke to Adam and taught him the plan of salvation and redemption through the Lord Jesus Christ. By following that plan, Adam and his family could have joy in this life and return to live with God (see Alma 18:36; 22:12–14)." (Lesson 2)
* Do you have a child that belongs to you in primary? Invite your own child to fall back and you catch them. What would happen if you weren't there to catch them? Heavenly Father knew that Adam would fall and He provided Jesus to be our Savior.
* HERE is a wonderful visual. It's an article by Sister Esplin and an account from President Hinkley. After sharing with the children, give them 10 strips of paper. Have them work in partners to come up with 10 facts about The Fall. If they need help, send them to the Bible Dictionary!!! Afterwards, they can glue stick the strips together to make a chain!
* Ask a primary friend how they got into the primary room. Did they walk through the doorway? Who else in the room did so? Could we get into the room without the door? (Someone is going to bring up the windows... they just are. Be prepared. Counter back with, who would want to break a window to God's house and get hurt!!) Just like it was necessary for us to walk through the door to get to primary, The Fall was a necessary and very important part of God's plan!!
* Bring in a basket of things that give you lots of joy!! Have questions, songs and scriptures having to do with the fall attached to the items. Invite a primary friend to come up and choose one of your favorite things. Explain that the only reason we are able to have these things that make us happy, is because of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior! Invite the children to draw a picture of one of their favorite things and copy the scripture below it!!
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).
Week 3 I have been sent to earth to gain a body and to be tested.
* Bring in some measuring tools. Does anyone know how long a piece of paper is? What about the length of a primary friend's nose? We need a ruler, right?!?! How do we measure flour for a recipe? Is it important to measure? A little bit of a deeper question is, how do we measure knowledge? We cant put knowledge in a glass cup? If you are taught all about foxes and read 20 books about them.... how would a teacher measure how much you learned? A test!!! Heavenly Father sent us to earth to gain our body and measure how much we would learn and be obedient! In the pre mortal world we listened and prepared, now is our time to measure up!!
* Display a picture of a human heart: "Have you ever thought to be thankful for your heart? Look at the job it’s doing. It’s pumping enough fluid every day to fill a railroad tank car, about 2,000 gallons (7,570 liters). Inside the heart are four sets of valves that open and close 100,000 times a day, more than 36 million times a year, and they don’t break. No man-made material—paper, plastic, metal, or steel—can open and close that many times, with that frequency, without breaking. Every organ in the body is so well designed and so marvelous in its function" Elder Russell M. Nelson Focus on Values Liahona Feb.2013
Have about 15 paper hearts. On the back put different "tests" we might face in life. Invite a child to come up and pick a heart. They will have to say one thing they are grateful for about their body and then act out what they would do in that "test". For example: You are at school. A bully is picking on another student. What would you do?
Our bodies are a miracle. Let's make sure we use them the best we can so we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus.
Have about 15 paper hearts. On the back put different "tests" we might face in life. Invite a child to come up and pick a heart. They will have to say one thing they are grateful for about their body and then act out what they would do in that "test". For example: You are at school. A bully is picking on another student. What would you do?
Our bodies are a miracle. Let's make sure we use them the best we can so we can return to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus.
* What is earth life all about? This is more for Senior Primary. Have a picture of the earth cut up in 7 different puzzle type pieces. Have the following scriptures from Preach My Gospel, one on each piece:
Give a puzzle piece or two to each class. Once they have looked it up together, invite a primary friend to explain what their scripture talked about and put their piece on the board, trying to fit the puzzle together.
* Play a game of "My body can do that!" Of course, be sensitive to your primary needs!!! If you have a friend in a wheelchair or other special needs, DON'T PLAY THIS GAME. You don't want them to ever feel bad for something they don't have control over. Life is hard enough without common sense of teachers!!!
With that said, the game is pretty simple.
* Play a game of "My body can do that!" Of course, be sensitive to your primary needs!!! If you have a friend in a wheelchair or other special needs, DON'T PLAY THIS GAME. You don't want them to ever feel bad for something they don't have control over. Life is hard enough without common sense of teachers!!!
With that said, the game is pretty simple.
----Can your body stand on one leg and put it's ring finger on the top of it's left ear?
----Can your body click it's heels 3 times, knees 3 times, elbows 3 times and nod 5 times?
----Can you roll your hands then quickly put them behind your back touching your pointer fingers?
Why are we here on earth? Call on a primary friend who is REVERENTLY (it's OK to giggle, but it's not OK to be falling to the ground like a laughing hyena!) playing the game to look through the room for hidden papers about our life on earth. Once they read the paper, and answer a simple question about it, have them come up with something for My body can do that! Topics for the pieces of paper can be found from Preach My Gospel:
" - Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace, joy, and happiness as families and to prepare to return to live with God.
- We came to the earth to be tested (see Abraham 3:24–25).
- We gain a body of flesh and bones, but we are subject to physical death.
- God gives commandments. If we obey, we are blessed. If we disobey, we sin and receive the consequences.
- All sin must be paid for, either by ourselves or by Christ (see D&C 19:15–20).
- We make choices, and we all commit sin (see Romans 3:23).
- We have experiences that bring us happiness and also sorrow.
- We cannot overcome either physical or spiritual death without Christ."
Ask simple questions after they read the paper. (If they can't read, you say it and they repeat it!)
For example, Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace... what does that mean? What is something we can do to prepare to return to live with God?
* "Wow! That's amazing!! Game" Give everyone in primary a fascinating fact about the body. Give them about 3 minutes to reverently walk around the room and share their fact with others. If a primary friend can't read, walk up to someone who can!!! Invite friends to return to their seat and share a few amazing facts!!
" - Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace, joy, and happiness as families and to prepare to return to live with God.
- We came to the earth to be tested (see Abraham 3:24–25).
- We gain a body of flesh and bones, but we are subject to physical death.
- God gives commandments. If we obey, we are blessed. If we disobey, we sin and receive the consequences.
- All sin must be paid for, either by ourselves or by Christ (see D&C 19:15–20).
- We make choices, and we all commit sin (see Romans 3:23).
- We have experiences that bring us happiness and also sorrow.
- We cannot overcome either physical or spiritual death without Christ."
Ask simple questions after they read the paper. (If they can't read, you say it and they repeat it!)
For example, Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace... what does that mean? What is something we can do to prepare to return to live with God?
* "Wow! That's amazing!! Game" Give everyone in primary a fascinating fact about the body. Give them about 3 minutes to reverently walk around the room and share their fact with others. If a primary friend can't read, walk up to someone who can!!! Invite friends to return to their seat and share a few amazing facts!!
Did you know the brain doesn't feel pain? Sneezes are faster than 100 MPH?!?!
Click HERE for more facts.
Wow! That's amazing!!!!! It's also amazing that Heavenly Father and Jesus love us so much. Invite primary friends to share times in their life when they've been "tested" and have succeeded with the help of Heavenly Father. To get thoughts started... has anyone ever had a rough day at school or had a time at home when they were tempted to do something and chose the right? Wow! That's amazing!! As children share, repeat some of the things they've said. Make sure everyone is listening while another child speaks!Week 4 If I keep the commandments, I can live with Heavenly Father again.
* From Gospel Principles Chapter 35, " When Jesus was on the earth, a lawyer asked Him a question: “Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40).From these scriptures we learn how important it is for us to love the Lord and our neighbors. But how do we show our love for the Lord? Jesus answered this question when He said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father” (John 14:21)."
Divide the primary into small groups. Give each group a heart. Have them come up with a way to show love for Heavenly Father and write down on the heart what commandment they are keeping. Have them come up with a way to act it out and have the primary then guess what commandment is on the heart. For example: A group of children kneel down in a circle together. On their heart they put family prayer!
* Similar to the Sharing Time Outline: What are some rules you have at home? School? What about traffic rules... is it good to drive through red lights? Did you know Joseph Smith had a rule?
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “I made this my rule: When the Lord commands, do it” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 160)
Have a couple paper bag puppets of examples from the scriptures who kept the commandments and some who didn't. Have children choose a puppet, put it on and briefly tell how that person did or didn't keep the commandments. What was their rule- The Lord commanded and I did it or I choose the wrong? Have paper bags for the children to make into themselves. Does anyone have a story they can share with their own puppet of a time they kept the commandments? Have them share. Bear testimony that if we follow the wise counsel of Joseph Smith's rule.... does anyone remember? That's right... when the Lord commands, do it! Then we will be able to live with Heavenly Father again.
* Have little envelopes with bows or if you want to be fancy, wrapped boxes. You'll need 11 total. In each box you will need to put one letter of the words ETERNAL LIFE. Invite children to come up and talk about different commandments The Lord has given us. Let them unwrap and put the letter on the blackboard. Invite the children to figure out the right order of the letters to find out what we can have if we keep the commandments!!
The Lord counsels us, “If you keep my commandments and endure to the end
you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the
gifts of God” (D&C 14:7)
* Invite 2 children up front. Tie one of their feet together, like a 3 legged race. Have them work together and walk across the room. When you tied their legs together did the other person HAVE to move their foot when the other person moved their foot?
D&C 82: 10 "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."
When we keep the commandments we're bound to get to heaven!!!
