Follow the Prophet

When there is a song with this many verses (and we are just doing 6 of them) I like to spread the learning out over a few months.  So we are going to learn one verse each month leading up to May and then we'll pick up the extra verse during May.    We are adding the verse about President Monson that goes like this:

Thomas is a prophet
With a gentle heart.
Visiting the sick,
He always does his part.
Servant from his youth -
He will lead us well.
Listen to his stories,
Live by what they tell.

One of the reasons that we all like this song so much is that it is so rhythmic.  I used the rhythm pattern of the words "Follow the Prophet" to create a drum part for this song.  Once the children know one verse they are ready for drumming!

There are activities that we do in the Primary Room that will NEVER carry over into the chapel for our program.  I think it is still good to do them.  You need reasons to sing songs multiple times so that the children know the words well.  I prefer to use musical reasons to repeat songs wherever I can so I like using drumming with the children.

I always teach the rhythm of a percussion instrument with body movement before using the actual instruments.  It allows me see and identify which children are capable of playing successfully.  It gives all of the children something to do.  It challenges the children to do double thinking as we put movement together with a song.  Here is the rhythm notation for this song.  The pattern is Short Long Short Long Long.

Jr. Primary 

Step 1:  We begin by patting the pattern on our lap.  Get the teachers involved with you.  The adults are usually good at music and help keep the kids on the pattern.  Start slowly and then build up some speed as soon as you can see the children doing it.  

Step 2:  The children keep doing the beat while saying the ABCs.  Can they do 2 things at the same time?

Step 3:  Sing one verse of Follow the Prophet while patting the rhythm.

Step 4:  Children take turns playing this rhythm on drums while you sing the song.  For the younger children they can hold the drum under left arm while using soft drum mallet with right hand.  Reverse this for lefties.

Sr. Primary

Step 1:  Older children are capable of playing a drum with 2 hands so we learn this pattern by chanting the words Left Right Right Left Right while patting that pattern on our laps.  (Note the two Rights in a row.  This allows that the pattern will always be the same and that you won't be alternating which hand you start with.) Of course you are saying the left and right words to the pattern of  Short Long Short Long Long.  You will have to practice this ahead of time and know it well before you try this with the children.

Step 2:  The children keep doing the beat while saying the ABCs.  Can they do 2 things at the same time?

Step 3:  Sing one verse of Follow the Prophet while patting the rhythm.

Step 4:  Children take turns playing this rhythm on drums while you sing the song.  For two handed drumming the drum is held between the knees so that both hands are free to play.  

CODA ( THE ENDING)

Once your children have got this down, you can add an ending to the drumming.  The Coda adds a sense of completion to the music.

Here is what we do for the ending.  Play the drum pattern you already learned 2 times.   Then play Short Short Short Short Short Short Long.  And then conclude with the original drum pattern played once more only with an accent on the last beat!  

Children love adding endings to any song.  An ending is officially called the Coda.  They like knowing they are playing a Coda.  It sounds so important!  Here is the rhythm notation for this Coda.

I will do a post about making drums soon.