June 2009 Sharing Time, Week 2
Week 2: Prayer strengthens me and my family.
References: James 1:5; Alma 37:37; Primary 3, Lesson 19; Prayer, TTF, 118-23
This sharing time focuses on flannel board stories, one of my favorite teaching methods. You’ll help the children learn some stories about prayer and learn how to tell them as a flannel board story. Each child will take home a printed pattern for a story to tell their families.
In preparation, read the stories listed below and assign one story to each class, based on age and size. If a class is large, you may want to add additional stories or have the children create some additional pictures to go with the story. Give each child a printed copy of the story and pictures to take home and make. Explain they don’t have to put flannel on them. They can tell the stories on their kitchen table or the floor.
Make one copy on cardstock for each class. Pre-cut them for younger children. If time is short, pre-cut them for everyone. Bring small squares of flannel and glue. Prepare a flannel board, or attach a square of flannel to the chalkboard.
Assign each group one story and give them the cardstock version, the flannel, and the glue. Make sure each child has a paper copy of the story as well.
Ask the teachers to help the children cut out the pictures, color them, and flannel them. You only need a square or two of flannel for each piece. If extra scenery is needed, provide paper for drawing on. Each child should color the piece he will control for the story.
Go to singing time. Afterwards, Tell a flannel board story of your own to demonstrate how it’s done. Any scripture story is fine. Then have the children gather in groups again. Have the teacher read the story to the class and ask them to tell her how prayer helped in this story. Then have the teacher show the children how to use the flannel board pictures to tell the story. They should practice placing the pieces as the teacher reads.
Do singing time again.
Finish Primary by having each class tell their story to the other children and to explain how prayer helped. Share your testimony of how prayer helps.
Stories with patterns: (All are from The Friend.)
Jonah and the Whale. (The story is not found on this page. Assign it to the oldest class to read from the scriptures.) January 2006 For Little Friends. Note the scriptures don’t actually say whale. This story is already colored, so they will use the time to read the actual story and learn it instead of coloring.
Enos and the Power of Prayer: What Other Special Helps Has Heavenly Father Given Me to Help Me Keep My Baptismal Covenants?,” Friend, Sep 2000, 15
Moroni’s Words to Us: How Will Keeping My Baptismal Covenant Help Me Follow Jesus Throughout My Life?,” Friend, Dec 2000, 38 (Note: The teacher should help them focus on praying to receive promptings of the Holy Ghost because there is another story about the baptismal prayer.
The Nephites Learn of the Sacrament: How Does Partaking of the Sacrament Help Me Remember My Baptismal Covenants?,” Friend, Jul 2000, 34 (This should go to an older class, because they need to focus on the Sacrament prayer.)
The Resurrected Christ Teaches About Baptism: What Happens When I Am Baptized?,” Friend, Mar 2000, 39
Esther Saves Her People,” Friend, Sep 1998, 39