Primary: I Can be a Missionary

Teaching Primary is a struggle. Recently, I have not been able to get to Primary because my headaches just don't lend well to a class of 9 five-year-olds. However, I do really enjoy planning the lessons with my husband. I think I enjoy it, in part, because the original lessons (written back in 1994) are so far outdated that I enjoy sprucing them up and adding more relevant material to each lesson in order to make them relatable. 

So, here is my lesson regarding missionary work:

Lesson 25: I Can be a Missionary

• Opening Prayer

• Review Classroom Rules

• Behavior Incentive: M&Ms
• We're trying something new. With a class of 9 five-year-olds, management is extremely important. We've tried several different tactics, however, after seeing the impact of this in class today, we may be sticking with this method. 
• "I want to reward each of you for following our class rules and helping us feel the Spirit. When we see that you are helping our class, you will get an M&M in your cup. At the end of Primary, you will be able to take home whatever amount of M&Ms you have earned."

• Attention Activity
• Ask for a child to help hand out a piece of paper to each person in the room, starting when you say "go." After each child has received a piece of paper, collect all the pieces. Ask the class if the child could do it faster with a helper. Ask for a second child to help hand out pieces of paper. Point out that they can accomplish their task much faster when they have help. 
• Show a picture of Jesus Christ (preferably one of him teaching people)
• "Jesus Christ has asked that we help teach the Gospel, that with the help of others, more people can learn His teachings."

• "There is a name for somebody who has been called of God to teach the Gospel. Do you know what these people are called?" (Missionaries)
• Have the class describe what a missionary looks like as you draw it on the board

• "There are other people who are also missionaries, but they don't have name tags. I will draw a picture of this type of missionary and you guess who it is."
• Draw a picture of a child, just like them

• Break
• "We are going to take a break, but when we come back, there is another important missionary we are going to talk about who also didn't wear a name tag or white shirt and tie."

• Show Picture of Jesus
• "Does Jesus look like the missionaries we have now with white shirts, ties, and name tags?"
• "Jesus was the best missionary on Earth and He looked like just a regular person. But what made him the best missionary was his example. How was Jesus a good example?"

• Rowdy to Reverent

• I am going to read you a story about a boy named Larry. While I read, listen for how Larry was a good example.
• Read the story Rowdy to Reverent in the July 2015 issue of The Friend
• "What happened when Larry chose to be a better example?"
• "Do you think people follow your example, like siblings and friends?"

• Bullied: Let Us be Kind
• "Now we are going to watch a video, and while you are watching, look for how the boy was a good missionary."
• Show the video Bullied: Let Us be Kind 
• "How was the boy a good missionary? How can you be good missionaries?"

• "We can all be good missionaries by being good examples. We don't have to be a missionary with a name tag to do that. Sometimes just being a friend is the best kind of missionary."

• Closing Prayer

• Hand out Earned M&Ms