I love March. For those who don’t know, this is the month that college basketball teams from all over the nation battle it out for #1. For me, March also seems to be the time that hope is back in the air. Help your kids feel that. I know that some of you teachers do a little competition with March Madness to decrease TARDIES, and increase READING. There are many ways to do this. One way is to break the class into two EVEN teams for the month of MARCH and let them choose a team name. Then you can set up a hoop (converted trashcan can work) in the room and then at the end of class, if they READ they can shoot for their team, and if they were there ON TIME, they can shoot. I would give them the option of choosing to take their earned shots at a 2 point or 3 point line. Over the month the teams will battle it out by being on time and reading.
The trick to all this is don’t let it take much class time. For this reason, let them simply mark being on time and reading as they come in. (Don’t take class time for that!) Then leave the last 3 minutes of class for the shooting for the entire month.
Since you might already have a hoop set up for “March Madness” you might also be interested in playing Scripture Mastery Basketball. Divide the class into two teams. One team will send up someone to shoot (with a rebounder) while the other team chases. The faster the other team can all get to the scripture mastery in their scriptures, the less time the other team has to shoot. Then they switch. I like to give the shooter the option of shooting from a 2 point line or a three point line. The team with the most points wins. Make sure to give everyone the chance to shoot. Each team will also want to have someone helping with rebounds.
Here are a few great resources that I have found very useful so I wanted to pass them on to you. In this post you will find 3 different reading chart book marks you can pick from, the link to the Sons of Ammon Scripture Mastery music, where to get the big 18” by 24” Scripture Mastery posters, and the reward pins & necklaces. I have no connection to any of the follow products or people who produce these items. But I did want to pass them along to you in case they would help you in your teaching:
Many students like to have something they can mark off as they progress with their reading through the New Testament. When you challenge them to read the whole New Testament, give them one of these book marks. The Three Wise Men is nice to use as you teach about them in Matthew 1. The Reading with Pacing one is not small enough to be a bookmark, but I love that it has the student marks the days they read, and it keeps pace with the lessons. I would love for someone to make this into a bookmark size. If you know of one, please send it on to me.
· Three Wise Men
· Basic
· Reading with Pacing
Here is the “Sons of Ammon” group that for FREE created and produced songs that go with every New Testament scripture mastery verse. It can really help your students memorize. The link is: http://lds.about.com/od/seminary/a/scripture_songs_5.htm or Click Here. Some teachers just have the music playing as students come in and other have the student sing along when they spotlight the new verse that week. It will probably be most useful to make a CD of the songs. If you are not sure how to do this, I guarantee there is a student in your class who would LOVE to do this for you. Just give them the link and they will do it for you. Here is a scripture mastery musical chairs game that uses this music.
Musical Chairs -October 2010
The idea is pretty simple. Have one less chair than students in a circle. When you give the clue, they walk around the chairs while chasing to the place in their scriptures. When they have found it, they can sit down. The student who is last to find it and sit down won’t have a chair so they are out. Then you take out another chair after each round. Fun.
Another variation is to get the Sons of Ammon CD that we made for you and randomly pick SM songs. They can chase as they recognize the verse. So the faster they become familiar with all 25, the faster they can chase. For this reason, this variation of the game might work better for later in the year. Let me know if this is confusing and you need some clarification.
Carr Printing Co. makes great 18” by 24 inch scripture mastery posters that you can hang up as you spotlight that scripture for the week. It costs about $20 for the set of all 25 posters. Some share with other teachers in the building to reduce the cost. This can also be reimbursed from your teacher supplies budget. Click on the picture to go to their site.
Latter-day Editions is a company that makes tie-pens and necklaces that can be used as part of a program to be recognized for “Lettering” program or great accomplishments in seminary. They are about $1.50 per pin or necklace. We use them as part of the “President’s Award” with my stakes. Click on the picture to see their site.
Again, I have no connection to those who have products here. I’ve just been asked where to get these this often enough, that it is easier to post here.
I love March. For those who don’t know, this is the month that college basketball teams from all over the nation battle it out for #1. For me, March also seems to be the time that hope is back in the air. Help your kids feel that. I know that some of you teachers do a little competition with March Madness to decrease TARDIES, and increase READING. There are many ways to do this. Break the class into two EVEN teams for the month of MARCH and let them choose a team name. Then you can set up a hoop (converted trashcan can work) in the room and then at the end of class, if they READ they can shoot for their team, and if they were there ON TIME, they can shoot. I would give them the option of choosing to take their earned shots at a 2 point or 3 point line. Over the month the teams will battle it out by being on time and reading.
The trick to all this is don’t let it take much class time. For this reason, let them simply mark being on time and reading as they come in. (Don’t take class time for that!) Then leave the last 3 minutes of class for the shooting for the entire month.
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