BYU Education Week

Seminary Teachers and Friends,

Have any of you attended Education Week at BYU as a Seminary Teacher?
If yes, what are your tips for how to get the most out of it.
Did you feel it helped you be a more effective Seminary Teacher?
Are the crowds too overwhelming?

I attend BYU Women's Conference every year and I have learned the ins and outs of navigating the crowds, which classes fill up, which venues are best, etc. I am sure there is the same to learn for Education Week.
Any input for Education Week? Please leave a comment.

If you haven't attended...are you thinking about going?

If you have attended...
Did you go alone?
Did you go with friends?

Please share.

Palm Sunday

As my students entered the building, they were greeted by a path lined with palm leaves. This set the stage for us to discuss Holy Week, the final week of the Savior's life, starting with Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry.

 There was also a palm branch at the seat of each student and I discussed how in many faiths, on Palm Sunday, palms are distributed to the members and they make crosses or crowns representing the crown of thorns placed on Jesus as he was on the cross.   I printed out the instructions for making a cross from palm leaves  and as I taught, I welcomed them to try their hand at braiding the palm leaves, making a cross, or just using a leaf as a book mark.

Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

Our Names and Titles of Jesus Christ poster   is filling up, however, it is getting harder for the students to find something that has not already been listed. To help them filling up the poster board with names, I have been using the simple technique of word scramble. It has stimulated more research on names and titles. 

In case you are wondering what the answers to are:
AMEN
CHOSEN OF GOD
DELIVERER

Help Help Help

Seminary Teachers...

Former Seminary Teachers...

Seminary Students, past and present...

Anyone connected to LDS Seminary, HELP!

Do you know where to order these Scripture Mastery plaques?

On the back of each of these, there is a sticker with the following information:

Hand Crafted

in the Studios of:

Barbara and Dan Williams

Columbia, TN (931) 381-3610

The number is disconnected and so far, a google search has not been fruitful.

Can anyone point me in the direction of where/how I can order these 

plaques for Seminary Scripture Mastery?

Please leave a comment if you can help.

Have you seen these in years past?
Do you know if they are still available?
Do you have one of these from any year?

Books of New Testament Relay

• Divide class into teams (smaller teams are better so students get to participate at a deeper level)
• Give each team a bag that contains the names of the books of the New Testament written on individual cards-I used 1/2 size of a piece of construction paper. 
• One at a time have a team member draw a card out of the bag and race to the opposite wall to post. (provide masking tape or sticky tack)
• As soon as a student posts their card, they race back and tag the next team member who does the same. Continue this process until all cards are drawn.
• Once all the cards are posted, the team members race down to the wall and make any corrections needed.
• When they are confident their cards are in order, they all sit down and you can check for accuracy.
• If your class is very small or you don't have space for a relay, just give teams a bag and have them arrange the book names in order in the space that works best.
• Adapt this for learning the  Old Testament or Book of Mormon books

Great way to learn and reinforce the books of the New Testament in order.

 The end result.

Scripture Relay

I placed post it notes on the wall of the cultural hall containing one word or punctuation mark from 

1 Corinthians 10:13. The class was divided in to teams so I did the same for both teams but on opposite sides of the cultural hall. When I said go, they had to race all the words down to the other end of the cultural hall and place them in order. It was a very effective way to review the scripture. My only advice is to make smaller teams. I have 24 students so I should have made 4 teams rather than 2.

When this was complete, there was another relay where the team had to put the books of the New Testament in order (see next post) Again, very effective, but smaller teams are recommended.

Scripture Mastery Poetry and Scavenger Hunt

I am thankful to be teaching Seminary at a time when technology links me to so many wonderful teachers around the globe. We are all teaching The New Testament and within a few days/weeks of each other.
I am continually adding another Seminary Teacher's blog to my google reader list.
Yesterday, John Bushman from NW Seminary, posted this brilliant idea for Scripture Mastery.
There is a poem couplet for each Scripture.
I am going to use them as scavenger hunt clues for an activity close to St Patrick's Day when we search for a Pot of Gold.
Some of the couplets are challenging and some are easy which will work well for my students who are all working on different levels.

You may recognize the photo above. It has been shared on Pinterest over and over in the past 24 hours. Again, another wonderful resource for sharing and learning from other Seminary teachers.
If you have seen this, what ideas do you have to use it?

Happy Weekend!

I don't know about you, but when Friday comes, I am ready to not set my alarm for 4:45!