Your Jr. primary will love searching for the keywords found in Search, Ponder, and Pray. And your Sr. primary will love pondering the various puzzles to find the answers!
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This lesson plan idea comes from several sources:
- A Children’s Songbook Companion (find details HERE on this AMAZING resource)
- Danielle’s idea shared on the PML FB page HERE (thank you Danielle!)
Below are also 2 separate lesson plans for Junior and Senior primary. If your primaries are combined, try teaching each lesson on different weeks, starting with the Junior primary lesson plan first. Cater to each group but on different weeks.
But the younger primary may enjoy most of the Sr. activities with the exception of the scripture match-up which may be too difficult for them.
Jr. Lesson Plan
Attention Getter: Hold up the scriptures with a word card “TESTIMONY” tucked inside (word card below).
- Inside my scriptures is a word that describes what you can have if you study scriptures. There are clues in the song that will help you know what the word is. Sing the song to the children, or play it on CD. Open your scriptures and show the word card below. The word “testimony” means that you know something is true.
- The song says to “search, ponder, and pray” to gain a testimony. We are going to do some searching to learn this primary song.
- empty paper towel/toilet paper tubes
- magnifying glasses with the lights out (Amazon affiliate link)
- flashlights with the lights out!
- finger lights (Amazon affiliate link)
Check out my other posts that use finger lights HERE! They are very versatile and you won’t regret buying them to use over and over again in singing time!
Directive Listening Questions
- What do I love to do? [read the scriptures]
- What does the spirit do? [helps me to grow my testimony]
- What do I gain a testimony of? [the scriptures]
- What must I do to gain a testimony? [search, ponder, and pray]
- What is another word for lead or help? [guide]
- Where will I feel my testimony grow? [deep inside]
- How should I read the scriptures? [prayerfully]
- How often should I read the scriptures? [each day]
- What will I come to do? [understand]
- How can I live the Lord’s command? [answers vary – go to church, read the scriptures, keep the commandments, etc]
- How can I live as He would have me do? [answers vary – love and serve others, be an example, be baptized, etc.]
Sr. Lesson Plan
Searching for Sr. primary may be too simple to here’s a lesson plan to challenge them! However, use the same attention getter as in Junior primary to introduce the song.
Melody Map
The first page is a melody map. Hum the song and as you hum, have them figure out what phrase is on the melody map [I know the scriptures are true].
Phrase Chart
Note that this phrase chart is only for the verses and does not include the chorus.
Have the piano play while everyone sings (if they are familiar with the song). The first line is the first phrase, the second line is the second phrase and so on. Notice how the 3rd phrase has different phrasing. Move arms in a large rainbow pattern to mimic the phrases as you sing the song.
Decipher the Code
- Yellow dots: words referring to “me” including “I” and I’ll”.
- Red dots: “love” and “heart” words
- Blue dots: words that start with “S”
- Green dots: words that refer to Christ
Once the dots are all figured out, sing the song to check answers.
Scripture Match-Up
The very last page is an answer key – which I most likely will need to reference ;).
The scripture references are all out of order and need a line drawn to their matching phrase (which are all in order).
Draw a line from the scripture to the correct phrase. Quickly discuss each phrase and the scripture once a match is found. Sing the phrases after each one is matched up.
More Ideas
If you want more ideas for teaching Search, Ponder, and Pray check out my post HERE.
Check out this quick tutorial video for accessing the Resource Library:
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Song Title > Search, Ponder, and Pray.
37 thoughts on “Search, Ponder, & Pray”
I love the plans you come up with!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I did catch an oops though, on the 3rd deciphering sheet, the second to last dot should be yellow (live as he would have ME do). I just colored it in after I printed it. Thanks again for sharing, you are a million times more creative than I am!!
Hi 4 Nuts In a Basket!
Thanks for catching that – I just knew that I'd miss something on that one!!
~Camille
I was wondering where you got your pictures from? I have a lady in my ward that was just called as an early morning seminary teacher and she is looking for some resources.
I have already joined but I can’t get to the resource page. What am I doing wrong. I am trying to get to the pdf files for Search Ponder and Pray.
Hi Debbie!
Thank you for contact me. I just sent you an email. Hopefully you receive it :).
~Camille
I cannot access your access your Access Resource Library Page. I already subscribe to your site but it keep asking me to do it over. ?
Hi Renee!
I sent you an email, I hope that helps!
~Camille
Hi,
I’m having a similar issue as the above comments explained. I have joined but can’t access the resource library still. Please let me know what I can do. Thank you so much. Love your ideas so much!
Hi Tiffany!
I emailed you – hopefully that helps. If not, please let me know!
~Camille
Hi there, I am also having problems getting into resource library for printables. Is there something else I need to do to gain access?
Hi Ashley,
I sent you an email. From what I can see, you got it to work. Let me know if that’s not the case!
~Camille
I seem to be struggling like the others. I can’t seem to access your resources, and I’ve signed up… help?
Hi Jenni!
I just sent you an email. Sorry about the trouble!
~Camille
I had been checking my spam over and over for about 30 min… and it finally showed the first email in my spam a minute ago, and that it had been sent 30 min ago (it had been marked as Junk, don’t know if that’s different than spam)… Just got your second email too… maybe it just takes a while for the computer to receive it and mark it as spam? (I had been using my phone, a tablet and my computer to check my email on all three.
Fixed now, thank you
I’m so happy to hear! Thank you for the update!
~Camille
If you have trouble accessing the Resource Library, will you double check your spam folder – all my emails seem to be sent there. Then make sure you’ve got my email address in your contacts (you get that from the page that pops up right after you sign up). Everyone that has had trouble, I’ve been able to see that the emails have been sent.
For some reason, email servers are not liking my emails and are reporting them as spam. Thank you for your patience as I get this all figured out! I will respond to requests as quick as I can (I’m watching them closely!) so you can get access in time for singing time!!
Thanks for all of you being so great!!
~Camille
Thanks so much for sharing your talents. With the Sr primary, do you do all four actives on one day?
Hi Colette!
It’s a lot of material to get through but I do try to do it all in one singing time. The first 3 activities move pretty quickly. It’s the scripture references that take a little more time. But it wouldn’t hurt to split it up into 2 singing time lesson plans either. I hope that helps.
~Camille
Hi. I’m able to access the Resource page but it keeps taking me in circles for Search, Ponder, and Pray. I keep clicking the song on the resource page to download the pdfs and it keeps just taking me back to the post that says “click on the link below” over and over.
Hi Lindsey,
I sent you and email that hopefully will help. Let me know what else I can do. Thanks!
~Camille
Hello Camille! Love your ideas! Do you have your lesson plans formatted to PDF for easier printing?
Hi Tiffini,
Usually I type up Lesson Plans To-Go but I guess I don’t for this one! I’ll have to work on it but I’m not sure if I’ll have it ready by next Sunday or not, sorry about that.
~Camille
Hello Camille,
My name is Llubitza. I want to thank you for shearing your talent. I’m a new chorister and I don’t now anything about music. Thanks to your ideas I have been able to fulfill my calling.
I notice that you made changes on how to access your web page, I have sing up multiple times but it’s not working.
Hi Llubitza!
I’ve emailed you. Let me know how I can help you further!
~Camille
Your email came back as undeliverable. Will you contact me via the contact tab at the top of my website and I can send you the email again?
Thanks!
~Camille
I am unable to access your library of such good stuff.. Signed up and searched my junk box. No sign of it anywhere. Please help! Thanks.
Hi Mj!
Sorry you are having trouble – I’ve sent you an email. Hopefully you receive it.
~Camille
Camille I wanted to tell you thank you for sharing your talents and goodness with other sisters teaching music in primary. I appreciate you!
Hi Rochelle!
That is so kind of you to take the time to comment! It made my day and I really appreciate it :).
~Camille
I like many others am not able to gain access to the search ponder and pray material.
Hi Julie!
The printables you are looking for are filed on my Resource Library under Song Title > Search, Ponder, and Pray. I’ve also emailed them to you. Thanks!
~Camille
I like many others am not able to gain access to the search ponder and pray material. I noticed you have sent many others emails. could I also please have this sent to me? Thank you
Hi Julie!
The printables you are looking for are filed on my Resource Library under Song Title > Search, Ponder, and Pray. I’ve also emailed them to you. Thanks!
~Camille
I would love your Search, Ponder, and Pray printables.
Thank you Vicki, I’m so glad!
~Camille
Can you email me the Search, Ponder, and Pray picture printables? I can only find the word printables. Thanks!
Catherine Grames
chattycat2000@gmail.com
Sounds like you are looking at my Posting Words page. All my printables are filed on my Resource Library here that is accessed via email. Once you are on that page, scroll down under Song Title > Search, Ponder and Pray. I’ve emailed you the links as well. Let me know if I can do anything else for you.
~Camille