November

We Are to Thank God in All Things

“He commanded them that … every day they should give thanks to the Lord their God” (Mosiah 18:23).

Supplement the ideas provided here with some of your own. Each week, plan ways to (1) identify the doctrine, (2) help the children understand it, and (3) help them apply it in their lives. Ask yourself, “What will the children do to learn, and how can I help them feel the Spirit?”

Primary songs help children remember doctrines. Consider singing songs that reinforce what you teach. This month some of those songs might be “Children All Over the World” (CS, 16–17), “For Health and Strength” (CS, 21), “I Think the World Is Glorious” (CS, 230), “My Heavenly Father Loves Me” (CS, 228–29), and “Thanks to Our Father” (CS, 20).

Week 1: I am thankful for my body, and I know that it is a temple.

Identify the doctrine (seeing pictures and reading a scripture): Display a picture of a child and a picture of a temple. Read 1 Corinthians 3:16 out loud together. Ask: “What do we learn about our bodies from this scripture?” Write “My body is a temple” on the board.

Encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Discuss ways that we show Heavenly Father we are thankful for our bodies; for example, we take care of them and we keep them clean. Explain that prophets have counseled us to take care of our bodies by not smoking, using alcohol or illegal drugs, or getting tattoos. Divide the children into groups, and ask each group to read and discuss one or more of the following scriptures: Doctrine and Covenants 88:124; 89:7, 8, 9, 10–11, 12, 16–17. Invite each group to share what they learned from these scriptures about how they can care for their bodies.

Encourage application (setting a goal): Have the children write or draw something they will do during the week to take care of their bodies.

Week 2: I am thankful for temporal blessings.

Identify the doctrine: Write on the board, “I am thankful for temporal blessings.” Ask the children to repeat the sentence. Explain that temporal blessings are blessings that we can see, touch, hear, taste, or smell.

Encourage understanding (playing a guessing game): Display objects or pictures that represent some of our temporal blessings (for example, bodies, homes, food, water, clothing, health, the sun, the moon, stars, the earth, animals, plants, family, friends, toys, books, and school). Give clues describing one of the blessings, and ask the children to guess which blessing you are describing. For older children, write each of the blessings on a separate piece of paper and put the papers in a container. Invite a child to choose one and give clues about it to the other children. When the children guess a blessing, write it on the board, and ask a child to share why he or she is grateful for it.

Encourage application (sharing ideas): Ask the children to think about what they can do to show gratitude for one of the blessings you discussed. Ask a few children to share their ideas.

Children will learn more effectively when a variety of teaching methods are used. Choose activities and teaching methods that engage all of the children.

Week 3: I am thankful for spiritual blessings.

Identify the doctrine and encourage understanding (reading scriptures): Prepare a gift with a picture of the Savior and the following scripture reference inside: Moroni 10:8–17. Write on the board, “I am thankful for spiritual blessings.” Explain that there are many spiritual blessings the Lord may give us; He gives us these blessings by the power of the Holy Ghost. Have a child open the gift and show its contents. Ask the children to look up the scripture and find the spiritual blessings the Lord can give us, and write them on the board. Discuss some of these blessings, and explain that we should use them to help others.

Chalkboard: The chalkboard is one of the simplest, most readily available teaching tools. You can use the chalkboard to acknowledge the children’s responses and ideas by writing them down.

Week 4: We should thank Heavenly Father for all our blessings.

Identify the doctrine: Show the children one or two items that someone has given you. Explain that these gifts are important to you and that you have said “Thank you” for them. Ask the children to share other ways we can show our gratitude for gifts we receive. Ask the children who we should thank for all our blessings. Discuss reasons we should thank Heavenly Father for all our blessings.

Inviting the children to share in small groups gives more children the opportunity to participate. Teachers can help ensure participation and maintain reverence.

Encourage understanding (making lists): In five separate sacks, place a piece of paper, a pen, and one of the following items: a picture of a Church meetinghouse, an article of clothing, scriptures, a picture of a family, and a picture of the Savior. Divide the children into groups, and give each group one of the sacks. Have each group look at the item in their sack and write on the paper one way they can show gratitude for it. Then ask them to put the item, paper, and pen back in the sack and pass it to another group. Let each group have a turn with each sack, and then invite each group to share what is written on the list in their sack.

Encourage application (sharing ideas): Ask a few children to share what they have learned from this activity and what they will do to apply it in their lives.