Scriptures Through Science

One of the most useful tools I've found for helping to prep primary lessons is the scripture annotation tool on churchofjesuschrist.org . This underrated feature is fantastic! Here's what it looks like: When you select a piece of text, you see this annotation menu appear, from which you can highlight the scriptures in different colours (I have my own fledgling colour coding system), tag it, write notes, and share it or link directly to it. More impressively is that if you have the Gospel Library mobile app , then these annotations will sync directly to it, so you can carry your fully annotated version with you. This has been handy for when I want to use my laptop for doing lesson prep, but then just take my phone or iPad with me to the lesson, and I can still call up my notes when needed. Do others use this too, and does anyone have any "power tips"? What other tools do you find useful in your lesson prep? Feel free to let me know in the comments below or on my Twitte...

This is the second in a series on how I prepare LDS primary lessons using scientific principles. The first part, which talked about finding the initial science inspirations, can be found here . This part will continue by discussing how to take that initial set of ideas and mould them into a lesson plan. From theory to application Whilst I've found that primary age kids are receptive to new science ideas, it really helps if there's a practical element I can use to demonstrate them, and even better if it's something interactive that they can do themselves. The next task is to figure out which of my initial ideas lends themselves to easy demonstration. This involves another round of brainstorming and research, and searching online for kid-friendly resources (such as videos or experiments) related to the topic I have in mind. Earlier this year, I taught a lesson based on D&C 20:72-74 about baptism and receiving the holy ghost. To draw an analogy, we talked about baby sea t...

Before I begin any discussion about how I prep for and teach lessons, I'd like to proffer a significant caveat - I am not an expert at teaching LDS primary classes, nor am I particularly good at it.  Fortunately it seems that I'm not alone in this. President Henry B. Eyring acknowledges in this talk in 2002 that many people who receive callings may feel overwhelmed, when he says  "You will feel at some time, perhaps at many times, that you cannot do all you feel you must". This rings true certainly with my first year or so, when I felt that I was completely unsuited for this calling and that there must have been some mistake. He offers some solace in adding that "All He asks is that you give your best effort and your whole heart." All I can offer is my experience of teaching LDS Primary classes (mainly 8-11 year olds) for the past 3 years, in which I've put in my best efforts and my whole heart to grappling with how to teach a subject matter that I'...