Lessons

I have a large class and find that some lessons are hard to give, when I need a break I divide the lesson into two or three parts and copy and cut them. I divide my class into groups of three or four depending on how many are there and give each of them a "piece" of the lesson. Stories work the best obviously but any of it will work. One person in the group reads, one write down two or three of the points from what has been read and the other person stands up and tells what the main points were. The fourth person if you have four, tells how it applies to their life. Then all I have to do is add what is needed. It helps everyone get involved and think about what is in the lesson.
A. Moss

If you have a problem in class with one or two children who always like to answer the questions or get off subject easily with stories etc, this is something I tried that works. I don't use it every week but several weeks in a row will give you a break!! I bring a bean bag and tell the kids I will throw the bean bag to the one who can answer the next question. I have a couple that wiggle a lot when I ask a question but they don't usually talk!

This lesson went really great with my 10 to 12-year-old class. It was the lesson on having a firm foundation for ourselves and the lesson talked about how the SL Temple has an 8 foot deep foundation underneath and what would happen if it fell. I printed up key words from the questions we're asked in our temple recommend interviews that help build our own personal foundation (sustaining church leaders, word of wisdom, law of chastity, etc.) onto red cardstock and cut them out to look like red bricks. During class, I put a picture of the temple at the top of the board, then underneath I staggered the "bricks" to create a foundation. Then we talked about each brick and why we need it, then I would slowly one by one remove bricks saying "oh, you didn't obey the word of wisdom" and that brick would fall, and so on. I'd ask them what would happen if these bricks weren't there for the foundation and they responded that it would crack and fall. Then we talked about repentance and how these "bricks" could get back into the foundation. It was such an awesome lesson, I had so much participation in it.

Play "Who Am I" Have a child read facts from a card about a particular scripture character, then ask the others, "Who am I?" For the younger chldren, have a child stand in front of the class but you read the clues. You could bring an item for them to wear and give them an idea of a role play they could do to have the children in the class guess what they are doing and then finish by reading the clue.

This was an activity that takes about 15 minutes and is on having respect for the Church. I took my class on a tour of the meetinghouse. As we walked through I had them think of ways they could show reverence for it. Such as putting litter in the wastebasket, opening and shuting classroom doors quietly, and whispering in the chapel. We also talked about loud talking or shouting in the halls and cultural hall, and what was appropriate in the cultural hall, and not running through the hallways. I challenged them when we got back to the classroom to think about the things we had discussed and help each other to show respect.

This activity can be used at the end of a lesson or in conjuction with a lesson on attending church. Have the children go on a treasure hunt. Make pictures or written instruction where they are to look for the next clue. Each clue to include a place in the church that you can talk about why it is important that they be there. For example, near the sacrament table - talk about the importance of taking the sacrament every week, etc. Lead them through the building to the spot where the treasure is (the treasure could be a small treat) Then talk about why it is important of come to church each week, and review some of the things you have discussed while on the treasure hunt.

Use Tick Tack Toe to answer questions from the lesson. Put the squares on the wall or if the room is big enough have the kids hold them and sit on the floor. It gets them really involved!

This is a good attention getting activity at the beginning of a lesson on being an example to others. It's called "Influence for Good"
Show a picture of Jesus and explain that his "influence" helped others to do good. Talk about how we can influence others. Ask a child to read John 8:12. How is Jesus the light of the world? Activity Blindfold each child in the group explaining that the light has been shut out. Give them a pencil and paper and ask them to write "I am the light of the world". Ask them to remove the blindfold and see what they have done. Have them repeat the task without the blindfolds. Have them write down how they can be a "light" to others. Younger children could draw something instead of writing. Conclude by singing "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus."

This is an idea to review the lesson. This will work for young children in a very simple form, but probably works best for older children. Make question cards (I used index cards). On one side of the 1st card write the word "who", on the 2nd card "what"... the other cards say where, when, how, and why. At the end of the lesson ask six children to take a card. The child holding the who cards answers who the lesson was about, the what answers what the lesson was about. If one or more of the cards are not appropriate for the lesson, just take that one out. A variation is to ask a who, what, where etc. question and have them answer it. The children enjoy this activity, it's a good review, and it extends a lesson that might have been too short.