Easter Hosanna

I use puppets to teach harmony.  Once they know the notes, then I teach the song in a sacred reverent manner without puppets.

For Easter Sunday, our primary will sing Easter Hosanna in sacrament meeting.  I am having two children sing the two verses as solos since they will soon be moving out of Primary.  The verses could be split up into two parts to allow for more solos or could be done in small groups.  Since its just the chorus being taught, I decided to teach them two-part harmony on the "Hosanna".  It turned out to be really fun and beautiful.

SIDE NOTE: When looking for ideas for singing time, I always turn to The Friend first.  This was advice given to me at a stake primary inservice meeting.  It has never failed me.  I love The Friend and the subject matter is always on theme with the song of the month. 

Easter Hosanna

*This was presented as two lessons by the way.  Harmony just on Hosanna one week, and "Blessed be the name of the Most High God" the next.*

PART I

Introduction: "What are some things you can follow?"  Jesus Christ, our Prophet, the music leader.  Give them clues to finally say chorister or music leader.  Then sing Do As I'm Doing as a warm up song or Follow the Prophet and have them go different speeds and volume as they follow you. 

"Great job following me!  I saw you watching me closely so you could know how I wanted you to sing.  There is something else that has to do with music that you can follow.  Does any one know what that is?  They are on pages of music...NOTES!  That's right!  And our piano player always has a bunch of notes, I need some helpers to go get them from Sis. Porter." *I've been making an extra effort to involve the pianist more in singing time so the children know how valuable she is and we couldn't do without her.  It's made a difference and has been so fun*

Have the children get the notes from the pianist and bring them to you.  I just cut them out on colored paper.  Four of each color for the top and bottom harmony and then placed them on a staff I drew on the board with chalk.  I taped them to paper so the children could look at them for the sacrament meeting singing.  

"These are notes!  Listen to the Pianist play the notes as I point to them.  They are going to tell us the tune to sing."  Point to the Red only.  "Can you ooh along as I point again?"  Have the children ooh 3 times.  Then start over again with the Purple notes.  "Listen to the pianist..."

"There is something else we can follow today, and that is our helpers!"  Pull out two puppets.  *I found these at D.I. or you could make some out of paper, stuffed animals, or borrow some* 

"These guys like to say one word: HOSANNA.  HO-SAN-NA.  When they follow the notes it sounds like this:" Sing Hosanna just with top notes (RED).  "Elmo likes the high notes because they are red like him and he has a high voice. Let's sing Hosanna with him!"  Sing it 3 times.  Repeat with the other puppet for the low notes. "When he follows the purple notes it sounds like ..." Sing it 3 times.  

"Now these helpers like to sing their notes at the same time.  So this side of the room, follow Elmo singing the RED notes and this side of the room follow Larry singing the PURPLE notes. Notice that you both start on the exact same note."  

Sing the harmony over and over, switching the helpers so both sides of the room get to sing both parts.  Make it interesting by saying only boys, girls, now teachers only, close your eyes, turn the lights off, stand up, turn around, etc.  

Bear your testimony about Following the Prophet.

PART II

Introduction: Review the notes and put them back on the board.  Sing "Hosanna" a few times to review. 

"Now we are going to learn a few more words to this song.  Listen as I sing them to you."  Sing "Hosanna, Blessed be the name of the Most High God."  

Sing it a few times with the children.  Switch with the harmony.  Singing just RED, then PURPLE.  When doing both together, it helps to pull out the helpers (puppets) one more time.  

"These are very important words.  One of our Apostles tells us this quoting scriptures."  This is from the March 2016 Friend

Briefly talk about the people said this to Jesus before Easter as he came into the city.

Talk about the Palm Leaves using this picture.

I have some palm leaves here today!  We are going to wave them as we sing this phrase "Hosanna, Blessed be the name of the Most High God."  Now we have to wave them reverently and happily as we sing."  Call up three at a time and sing the phrase over and over. 

Just traced my kids' hands on green poster board (50 cents) and stapled to cardboard

Inspiration from the March 2016 Friend

*The hands that make the Palm leaf can be a guide to learning the words if needed:

Blessed: hands are used to bless people

be the name: our finger prints are special to our name

of the Most High: hold hand up high

God: the ASL sign for God is your hand up by your head*

Handout for them to practice at home.  It says, "I can sing, "HOSANNA! Blessed be the name of the Most High God!"

Bear testimony about Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer. 

Other Ideas for this lesson:

Use the Giant Book of Mormon and talk about how the people and angels said the same thing to Jesus when he came to the Americas after Easter.