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Stars Were Gleaming
Visual Aids for this song by Jolly Jen.
Flipchart from Primary-to-go for "Stars Were Gleaming".
Just scroll down to song, click on pdf file and print!
(Idea by Katie Beattie) I just
taught this song and one thing I did that was extremely helpful is I tried
to paint a picture about the song. I had everyone close their eyes (I even
turned off the lights). I started off asking them to pretend they were there
when Jesus was born.
The night was dark and a chill was in the air - Can they feel it?
There are millions of stars gleaming and twinkling over the sky. There
is one great golden star shining down marking the most sacred spot? - Can
they see it? On a hill there are shepherds dreaming. They are wakened
by Angels singing with glory telling the story of Christ's birth.
Their singing is beautiful - Can they hear it ringing? Listen, we can
hear it still. I had them listen as I sang the song for them.
I only taught them the 1st verse as I am using it in a medley. You could go
on to include the wise-men and how they saw the star. They could imagine
themselves riding a camel or horse (can they feel it?) and also seeing the
great golden star from a far that leads them through the dark desert toward
the star.
When I started teaching the song, I asked them questions about the song like
what were the stars doing and what gleaming means, what were the shepherds
doing, what the night was like. What the angels were doing and why. We found
rhyming words. All that helps. When we got to the "ing" words I had them
listen for the ing words and tell me what they were. We talked about what
they all meant which gave us many times to repeat repeat repeat. I also made
up actions for each of the ing words - that helps too.
(Idea by Cindy Ray) I think that
you can find pictures to go with the different "ing" words:
singing --picture of singing
ringing-- picture of bell
earthward winging-- I think I did a picture of wings on a picture of the
earth, I know silly, but it worked
Christmas bringing--any picture that you can associate with Christmas.
Then on the second verse:
showing --picture of eyes
shining--picture of light bulb
growing--picture of plant
going--picture of walking, or arrow
gleaming--picture of star
glowing--picture of Christmas tree light bulb
Obviously the pictures can be anything you decide on. And if you put the
words on then the readers in your Jr. Primary (which includes the older
classes & the teachers) can read them.
I find, though, that the best help for my kids singing the right words is
*me* singing the right words!
I saw this song performed with sign language once and it
was beautiful. So for teaching this song to my primary kids (and we've
only done the first verse so far), I made a paper with "singing, ringing,
winging, bringing" on it where the letters s, r, w, and br were alone
vertically and the "...inging" slides up and down. Then taught them the
sign language for just those 4 words. I'll do the same thing for the
second verse - showing, growing, going, glowing. (Credit Unknown)
(Ideas collected by Cindee
Alexander)
Idea #1
Stars were gleaming (open and close fingers like you are doing a blinking
light)
Shepherds dreaming (tilt head to the side on hands like you are sleeping)
And the night was dark and chill (wrap your arms around you like you are
cold)
Angels' story rang with glory (reach your hands upward like you are praising
God)
Shepherds heard it on the hill (cup your hand to your ear)
Ah, that singing! (put your hands like you are holding a song book)
Hear it ringing! (pretend to ring a bell)
Earthward winging (flap arms)
Christmas bringing (bring hands toward you like you are saying come)
Hearken! We can hear it still! (cup your hand to your ear)
Idea #2
(Credit Unknown) For each line of the song, I had one or two children dress
up or hold props and act out the line, and we took a picture while we sang
the line a couple of times. Then we'd go on to the next line. Then at
home over the week, I printed out the pictures, and we used them to review
the next week. The kids love it! We will save the pictures to use again next
year! Here are the props I brought:
Stars were gleaming: 2 foil stars on sticks
Shepherds dreaming: dress shepherds with small towels & some twine,
pretend to sleep
And the night was dark & chill: cut-out paper snow flakes on strings
Angels' story: drape angels in small white table cloths or sheets and
a little silver tinsel, have them hold a big story book
Rang with glory: a hand bell
Shepherds heard it on the hill: shepherds again with hands to ears
Ah that singing: angels again, pretending to sing opera style
Hear it ringing: hand bell again, and someone with hand to ear
Earthward winging: one child holds a globe, tape a pair of paper
wings to another child's back
Christmas bringing: hold out a wrapped package
Hearken we can hear it still: All children stand together with hands
to ears
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