Introduce the doctrine: Show the children two glasses, one with dirty water and one with clean water. Ask the children which one they would rather drink and why. Tell the children that our minds are like the glasses, and we should put only clean and good things in them. Write the following sentence on the board, and have the children say it with you: “Reading, watching, and listening to wholesome things keeps my mind clean.” Consider teaching the children simple hand actions to help them remember the sentence. For example, for the word reading, put your hands out like you are holding a book; for the word watching, point to your eye; for listening, cup your hand around your ear; and for mind, point to your forehead. Repeat the sentence several times, substituting the actions for the words.Encourage understanding: Show the children a picture of Jesus Christ with children, and ask them to look at it for a few seconds. Cover the picture and ask the children to tell you details they remember about it. Help the children understand that we remember the things we see. Explain that when we fill our minds with good things we also think of good things. Show the picture again, and have the children sing “I Feel My Savior’s Love” (CS, 74–75). Ask the children to share how the song makes them feel. Explain that listening to good music helps us feel the Spirit and keeps our minds clean.
I LOVE the part about having them sing the song and I've created a poster with one of my favorite paintings of the Savior and I have included the lyrics underneath because let's face it, it's an AMAZING song!
"Consider how we use our time in the choices we are making in viewing television, playing video games, surfing the internet, or reading book or magazines.... Some things are better, and others are best,"
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
This handout -- in my opinion- is worth to print for each child or family to 1) remember the lesson 2) have something tangible to decide what is good/bad. Everything on this handout word-wise has been taken from THIS Friend article, I just wanted to make it more towards the game with the ice cream and be more friendly to the printer.
This week takes me back to my own youth and a Mormon ad that was in the New Era. Do you remember it? Awe... 2002..... (back to reality)
Even after 15 years, I still remember this ad and I wanted to create a game/printables around this ad.
Would you eat a bowl of ice cream if you knew that there was a bug in it? Would you keep eating the ice cream if you discover a bug in your ice cream after you've already started eating?Probably not! Why? It's still ice cream!
(write responses onto the board)
We don't eat bugs
Bugs are gross
etc
Today there are many good things to watch, read, and listen to, but there are also many bad choices. We must be careful about what images and thoughts we allow into our minds because we remember the things that we see. When we fill our minds with good things we have good uplifting thoughts.
How to play the game:
Printouts (print on sturdy cardstock)
White crayon
Permanent Marker
Acrylic Paint
Dish Soap
Paint brush
Coin
After printing and assembling the game board (16x16 when assembled) using the white crayon cover each ice cream heavily with the crayon. Mix 2 parts paint to 1 part dish soap (1:1 is fine too). Paint over the ice creams. Dry completely. Mark each ice cream 1-10 with your marker in order or scramble them up.
Please note that this game will take some of your own creativeness in creating the scenarios. I have included 7 of them. There are 4 "bugged" ice cream and 6 good ice cream. The bugged can be scenarios of things that we shouldn't be doing. I have numbered them in order but you can easily scramble the numbers all over the board.
I think it's really important to touch on pornography (please don't delve into it, as it's the parents that need to fully explain. Here's some Friend articles that can give you ideas on how to go over it .
Crash and Tell -- this Friend article has some great internet safety tips that would be perfect to go over,
Finding Help -- talks about talking with parents after seeing things on the tv
Oh No! Now what? -- seeing inappropriate images, gives things to do now.
Staying Media Smart
1. Always ask a parent for permission before you use the Internet or watch TV, and use computers or televisions only in an open area of your home, within the view of your parents.2. Go only to Web sites that you and your parents know are good for children. Ask your parents to set your TV and Web browser to block bad content.
3. Don’t be afraid to leave the room or ask someone to turn off movies, video games, or music that makes you feel uncomfortable.
4. If you have a page on a social-networking Web site, ask your parents to help you make sure that people you don’t know can’t see your page.
5. When you are on the Internet, don’t give someone you don’t know personal information like your name, address, or phone number.
6. Don’t send someone you don’t know a photograph of yourself.
7. Never agree to meet in person someone you “met” on the Internet. If someone asks to meet you, tell your parents.
8. Don’t give anyone your passwords.
9. Don’t open an e-mail from someone you don’t know. If you get an e-mail you’re unsure about, check with your parents.
Included in the download:
-Weekly Theme Poster
-Savior Picture/Song
- Ice cream and bug checklist
For your reference and study: