INTRODUCING: A 5-Minute Song

Have you heard of Sharla Dance?  I have Sharla Dance to thank for the inspiration for my 5-minute song!  Make sure to check out her website HERE.

I attended Sharla Dance’s workshop (see more details HERE) and walked away asking myself, how can I do more in singing time?  How can I incorporate more of Sharla Dance’s methods? And how can I still feel prepared for the program?

Enter 5-minute songs!

I have come up with a perfect arrangement! I am able to accomplish the following in singing time:

• Sing all 3 suggested songs for singing time each month
• Focus on one of suggested songs for the program
• Provide movement activities
• Review all program songs learned for the year
• Prepare for the occasional sacrament meeting musical number like Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Christmas
• Celebrate holidays and seasons with primary songs

What is a 5-minute Song?

Let’s delve into WHAT a 5-minute song entails.  Or rather, let me start by telling you what it’s not:

• A lecture or lots of talking
• Sitting still and listening
• Long

The 5-minute song is meant to ENGAGE children with songs through musical movement activities and minimal talking.

There is no attention getter and hardly any talking.  Instead there is movement, critical thinking and highly engaged children!

Simply sing through the entire song using movement or engaging activities as many times as you can in about 5 minutes.   Simple verbal instructions can be given as necessary.  The kids, for the most part, just mimic your movements/actions.  They get to engage with any given primary song as they move their little wiggly bodies!

The kicker is, that as they engage with the songs (singing or not), they are learning the music!  It truly is amazing!

So, now that you know what a 5-minute song is, let me show you how to use a 5-minute song in singing time.  You might be familiar with my monthly schedule HERE.

All I’ve done to tweak this schedule is add a 5-minute lesson plan to the 2 weeks that I teach the monthly program song like so:

• Two weeks a month are focused on learning that month’s 1 song for the program
• Those same two weeks also include a 5-minute song for the other 2 program songs we are NOT learning for the program.
• One week a month is centered around a holiday, season or event that occurs that month (I won’t touch the program song that week at all!)
• One week a month (typically the last week) I review of all the songs we’ve learned that year for the program with a review game
• If there is a 5th week, I usually take this week to catch up (due to Stake Conference, General Conference, Christmas, etc.) or do another review activity similar to the 4th week.  I just try to plan accordingly.

Supplies Needed

This is just a basic list and you may or may not use all these items.  But if you are looking to gather items to teach a 5-minute song, here’s what I suggest:

• Rhythm wands or scarfs
• Handbells (more details HERE)
• Egg shakers (more details HERE)
• Paper cups
• Paper plates
• Pencils and/or Rhythm sticks

Clear as mud?  Let’s use January 2022’s schedule as an example:

1st Sunday in January: Sing something relating to the New Year (check out my New Year’s Day singing time lesson plans HERE)

2nd Sunday in January: Since we have nothing to review this month, I do a PREVIEW.  Check out all my previous Sing-Along Video posts HERE.

3rd Sunday in January: Use a 5-minute song to engage with When He Comes Again (one of the suggested songs we won’t be using in our program).  Then teach I Know My Father Lives (the suggested song we will be using for the program) for the remainder of singing time.

4th Sunday in January: Use a 5-minute song to engage with I Am a Child of God (one of the suggested songs we won’t be using in our program). Then finish teaching (or review) I Know My Father Lives (to prepare for the program) for the rest of singing time.

If there is an occasional 5th Sunday, I use that Sunday to either get ahead, catch up (usually due to Stake or General Conferences) or just sing more holiday or seasonal songs.

5-minute Song Variation

Or, if you rather, teach 3 5-minute songs each Sunday.  Engage with each of the 3 suggested monthly songs for 3 weeks of the month.  This is how Sharla Dance schedules her singing time.  She has the children interact 3 different ways with the 3 suggested songs during the month.

I assume on the 4th Sunday of the month, she reviews previously learned program songs but don’t quote me on that ;).

For me personally, three 5-minute songs is too overwhelming to prepare.  It means preparing 3 different lesson plans for the same 3 songs.  I know Sharla Dance loves this method so find what works for you.