Review Activity: What's the Secret Word?

~~ Credit: Hum Your Favorite Hymn ~~

Yesterday I did a review activity with my Sr. Primary called WHAT'S THE SECRET WORD?  It was a hit!!  I handed out 4 different half sheets of papers with instructions to 4 different teachers at the beginning of Primary.  When Singing Time started I put 4 chairs at the front of the room and invited the teachers to come sit in the chairs.  I told the kids that we were going to do an activity called What's the Secret Word?, that each teacher was going to do a different action for a specific word in each song, and their mission was to figure out what was their word and action.  For each song we sang it through one time for a good review and also for the teachers to remember where their words were in the song.  And then we sang it through a second time when the teachers would do their actions.  At the end of each song I had the kids tell me who had what action and which word.  They loved it!

I was a little nervous about doing this with I Stand All Amazed because of the sacred nature of the song.  But I chose actions that were simple and reverent and actually were similar to the sign language I had been teaching the kids for this hymn.  When it was time to sing this song I briefly explained to the kids that we had to make a deal, that because this song is special and talks about sacred things we should treat it with reverence and respect.  So we could sing this song and have the teachers do their actions, as long as they (the kids) were reverent and respectful as we sang it.  They actually responded well to this and they were not rambunctious while trying to figure out the teachers' actions and words like they were for the other songs.  We still were able to use this activity as a good and different review and they understood that this song is not one to go crazy during.

I created a PDF form with actions already written in, all you need to do is type in the song and the word for each action.  This form is editable which also means you have the ability to change the typing in the action column as well.

Click HERE for the editable PDF form.

This is my Master List:

FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER

I                               Jump up and down a few times

FAMILY                 Clear your throat loudly

FOREVER             Give yourself a high five

SHOWN                Raise the roof

HE SENT HIS SON (boy/girl cards)

HOW                     Hop up and disco dance
TELL                       Hop up and stomp your feet
SENT                      Hiccup loudly
LIVE                       Tug on both your ears

I WILL FOLLOW GOD’S PLAN (stand/sit)

LIFE                        Clap three times really fast
PLAN                     Stretch and yawn loudly
EARTH                   Hop up and flap your wings
I                               Bark loudly

I STAND ALL AMAZED (sign language)

ME                         Point to self
HE                           Lift one hand up to heaven
OH                          Stand up then sit down
WONDERFUL     Raise both hands above your head

MOTHER, I LOVE YOU (cover mouth on “you”)

MOTHER              Give yourself a hug
LOVE                     Hop up and wave quickly
HAPPY                  March in place
YOU                       Cough loudly

BAPTISM

KNOW                  Sneeze loudly
WITNESS              Hop up and spin around once
WORD                   Do the chicken dance in place
OBEDIENCE         Hop up and snap your fingers

~~ Credit: Hum Your Favorite Hymn ~~

I did not do this activity in Jr. Primary.  I decided instead to do a simple review of songs with them by doing something different for each song.  I'll probably use this activity with them closer to Program time when they know the songs better.  Below is what I did for Jr. as we sang through each song.  We stopped and focused on I Stand All Amazed for about 5-7 minutes with pictures from the Gospel Art Book and going over the simple sign language we've been learning.  Then with just enough time at the end of Singing Time we finished with singing through our song for Mother's Day.

• Give Said the Little Stream - 236
  Actions: GIVE (hands out in giving motion), LITTLE/SMALL (shrink)
• He Sent His Son - 34
  Cards: Boys / Girls (stand when it's their turn)
• I Love to See the Temple - 95
  Louder and softer, by big/small arms conducting
• I Will Follow God's Plan - 164
  Stand/sit : I/me/my
• Popcorn Popping - 242
  Actions
• I Stand All Amazed - h. 193
  Sign language
• Mother, I Love You
  Hug yourself on the word "love" (or sign language for LOVE)