Tuesday, October 1, 2013

2014 Primary Theme - Families Are Forever


I'm not sure how everyone else is doing, but I'm feeling pretty good about this theme.

I've had so many different ideas flickering around in my head for the past few weeks, I can't wait to sit down with my presidency and flesh out our plans.

I love to make plans.  Does anyone else think planning is fun?  Find it strangely exhilarating?

Anyone?

Okay, I'm sure you're out there.  I'm also sure some of you might think I'm nuts.  Oh well, it's alright.

As I just mentioned, I don't have all my plans ready yet, but I thought I'd share a few of the ones making the most noise right now (you know, inside my head...that's normal, right?) and then share a printable with you.

A really cute printable.  Of course I'm biased, but I promise, it's cute.

Right now I'm picturing a few things...

Bulletin Board

We have a two sided bulletin board (small vertical rectangles on each side of the chalkboard at the head of our primary room) and I think we're going to put a tree on one side and a temple on the other.

While sitting in the balcony at the General Primary Auxiliary Training earlier this year, I just knew I wanted to use a tree next year for our bulletin board and I knew it would work (okay, I felt a little inspired, so I hoped it would work).  And it does, perfectly.

The tree will represent our primary family.  As we spotlight each child and teacher throughout the year, we'll add their leaf to our tree.  I also want to somehow incorporate a picture of Christ, perhaps at the base of the tree because Christ should be our base, our foundation.

I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to physically make the temple right now, but I know how I want it to work.  I want to use the temple closest to us (which is the Ogden, Utah temple) as it will be when it's completed next year.  I also want to make it to fit our board, but then cut it apart into twelve pieces.  Each month, as we learn a new principle, we'll add a piece onto our temple.  We'll make it one step (or piece) closer to our goal of being worthy and ready to attend the temple every month.

The last thing I want to do is have the year theme as a central focus.  This year we talked about it in January, but I don't feel like we're keeping it as front and center as we could be.  Or should be.  I'm not sure how to execute this just yet, but I'm percolating (in other words, if you have an idea, I'd love to hear about it).

Spotlights

I love to focus our spotlights on the annual theme.  This year we've been talking about what each child feels Heavenly Father's plan is for them and how they know He loves them.  Next year, we're going to ask a bunch of family themed questions.  I don't have them nailed down yet (I'll post it here when I get it done), but they'll be along the lines of: What's your favorite family home evening?  What was your favorite family vacation?  What's your favorite family story?  What is your favorite thing to do as a family?

I might also go through the Sharing Time Outline to see if I can gear a few questions toward the monthly topics to make writing next years primary program a breeze.

Binder Covers

Now we've come to my printable.  I love my binder cover this year (it was a cute one I found on Sugardoodle), but I thought I'd try and make my own for next year. I love to play around on Photoshop and this gave me a great opportunity.


It's a little funny, I made the one above first and wasn't quite sure I liked it.  So, I moved things around and then ended up with this one.

(The beautiful temple I use in both versions are from Susan Fitch Illustration and Design, she is such a talented artist!)

After finishing the second one, I opened the first one back up and discovered I wasn't sure (again) which one I liked better.  They're very similar, but still different enough that I thought I'd put them both on here for you.

You can pick which you like best or even print both.  I was thinking, seeing as I have two complementary covers, I might as well use them.  Maybe one for Senior Primary and one for Junior.

I've got a few versions of each, the only difference being how the tag is labeled, one says Class (for the teachers) and one says Presidency (for, you know, the presidency).  I like to just stick the class on the binder (as opposed to the teachers names) so I don't have to print a new one if I lose a teacher.  On the flip side, I like to stick the presidency members name so we can tell our binders apart.  The third pdf leaves the tag blank in case you have a different preference.

Vertical Families Are Forever Primary Binder Covers
Horizontal Families Are Forever Primary Binder Covers

Have you made any plans yet?  Come across any fantastic ideas?  I'd LOVE to hear about them!

Leah

Check out my other printables here and here.  Plus, there are still a few more things I'm working on, so check back through December!

26 comments:

  1. I have to admit I'm a little worried about this theme in our sweet Primary. We have a number of non-traditional situations and children that get very emotional with this subject. Our July was a rough month. I am praying very hard about how to approach this year in our Primary. I loved your family tree being of your Primary Family. Thank you for that idea.

    P.S. I love both your Primary ideas and homeschooling posts. I am amazed you find time to blog. I feel like I am one step away from drowning with doing both.

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    1. Remember that we won't live as the families we know here on earth while we are in heaven. We won't live with Mommy and Daddy and brother and sister. We will live with our spouse. So, teach children that the goal is to be sealed to your spouse and to strive for that.

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  2. We also have a primary with some non-traditional families or that have had loved ones pass away recently. But reading the previous comment made me think, maybe those are the children that need the theme this year the most? Just a thought. Anyway, I was thinking about putting together a FHE lesson based on the theme for each month to send home with each family. Sort of help their family to strengthen their testimonies.

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  3. Love it! Thank you! You are so talented and creative! Could you make matching CD labels, jewel covers, and class door signs for us too? Sorry, I know you are so busy

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  4. Your work is beautiful and meaningful. I too hope you will make CD labels and class door signs.
    Two more things: I am considering using your poster of just the Families are Forever (with temple, family etc.) for our bulletin board and having it enlarged. Is there any way you would please take off the "So you think you can learn" at the bottom? I know it is your way of stating who gets credit for the work, but I don't think it's a good idea to have it on the bulletin board at church. Also, on the binder covers, our ward does not have a use for the yearly calendar, can you remove that and just have that great temple/family picture instead?

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  5. Do you have a store that I can purchase the families are forever clip art with the temple and family?

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    Replies
    1. No store, but I have other posts with more free printables that might work for what you need. Just click on the primary tab and scroll through. Or you can do a search just on my site for 2014.

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  6. Can't wait to see more designs for 2014. Our ward does a bulletin board and magnetic chair signs for class teachers as well as a newsletter and other miscellaneous decor for activities/announcements/invitations/programs thru out the year. Thanks for your creativity and sharing your talent with the computer!

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  7. Beautiful! Would you mind making them in Portuguese too? I could give you the words. Hugs from Brazil! dani-bv@hotmail.com

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  8. Thanks so much for sharing your talents. The covers are just beautiful. This year we are doing a family fun house. I purchased a house shaped advent calendar that I am repainting and covering the numbers in fun scrap book paper. One child will be chosen to come up and open a mystery door. Behind the door are activities and questions about families. For example we will have them act out a fun game they play with their family or choose their favorite song about families etc. We have 25 different family things for them to do. We are also gathering activities and stories about the month and making FHE packets to give to the kids at the end of each month.

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  9. Is this Families are Forever binder cover available in a word format?

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    Replies
    1. I just uploaded word versions today that you can edit with text boxes.
      http://soyouthinkyoucanlearn.blogspot.com/2013/11/2014-families-are-forever-extra.html

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  10. How are you introducing the theme to the children?

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    Replies
    1. I haven't decided yet. It will probably involve having them fill out their new spotlight form, we always ask questions geared towards the years theme. When we get it all figured out, I'll do a post about it.

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  11. I love it! I also love planning ahead. We have the same double sided bulletin board, but we have three wards in our building, so we are only in charge of one side, and it has to be generic to the theme and can't be specific to our primary (we have one in the hall that can be specific to us, just not the one in the room). So we are going to also do a temple, and then just change the decorations around the temple for the seasons- snow around it in winter, flowers in the spring, sunshine in the summer, etc. We are hoping to tie it in that just as seasons in our lives and families change , the temple covenants stand strong.
    We also thought it would be fun to have "family talks" in opening exercises instead of just the child giving talks. The family (whatever that means to each child) will come in and talk on how each month's topic is important to their family.
    We also hope to work towards a cumulative family activity on a Saturday towards the end of the year (maybe September-ish) that will incorporate what we have learned this year.
    I love reading your blog and hearing your great ideas. I have not been in Primary very long, but I already wish I knew you in person so we could get together and share all our great ideas. :) Thanks for all you share! :)
    -Anna

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  12. I LOVE the clipart of the temple with the familie in front. Where did you get it? I would love to talk to you about getting that image in full resolution so I can use it for our primary room. I'd love to print it using the engineer prints size from Staples. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get in contact with me about this possibility ASAP! rachieshaw@hotmail.com

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    Replies
    1. Rachel, did you ever find out how to get the family clip art from Leah?? I am interested as well. Did you print anything at Staples yet? If so, how was your experience? Please share if you can, thanks!

      Melissa

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  13. We love your work! Thank you for sharing! Have you created your 2014 Spotlight form yet?

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  14. Leah all your work is amazing!! For some reason I am not able to download anything from your blog. I was hoping you could REALLY help me out and possibly email some items to me??? I am very interested in the binder covers with the calendar vertical on the side, bookmarks and the door sign with class list. If you can please email me at amberoy@nglconnection.net Again your work is amazing! Please contact me so we can work something out. Thank you so much Leah. I am excited to see what you do throughout the year. :) Amber

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  15. I really love your binder cover and really want to use it. I love the picture of the family in front of the temple. However, I would love to add the scripture for the year on it. Is there anyway I can do that? Or add the presidency names and contact info.? Just wondering.
    Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. There are links at the very bottom of the page that will take you to a few other posts with more downloads. The second "here" is linked to the page that has all the downloads in Microsoft word so you can edit them by adding text boxes.

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  16. Thanks for the fun ideas and printables! I'm so excited to use them this year.

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  17. I am so impressed with you generosity providing these resources and quite honestly, a little floored at some of these lady's requests of you. Thanks for doing what you do!

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  18. Will you be doing a binder cover for 2015? I loved this year's!

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  19. I need to create a A5 binder cover for my family tree pages, any ideas?
    I wanted to make it myself.

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