Create your own drums for primary using an item you likely have in your pantry: paper plates! Your primary children will just love this As I Search the Holy Scriptures Paper Plates pattern!
This living music singing time idea incorporates simple rhythms to make for a fun primary review activity! Let’s jump in and I’ll show you how you can transform simple household items into instruments to use as you practice As I Search the Holy Scriptures (archives) this month!
As I Search the Holy Scriptures Paper Plates Pattern
How to Play:
Start by reviewing As I Search the Holy Scriptures (flip chart) at the beginning of singing time.
Today we’re going to create some fun rhythms using paper plates as our instruments! Pass out 2 paper plates to each child. To save on time, you may want to just pass a stack to each teacher and have them distribute the plates.
Post the printable paper plates pattern on the board to help familiarize your primary children with the pattern.
Before adding music, demonstrate each rhythm individually, having the children copy your actions. Start by swishing the backs of your plates together. This is our first action!
Then, simply tap your plates together two times. Simple enough! Gently bring your plate to your chest and tap your heart. Pat your knees twice for the next action!
Looking at the pattern sheet, there’s only one more action we haven’t learned yet. For this action, gently tap your head with your paper plate twice.
Ready to add the music? Slowly sing the first line of the song while practicing the paper plate pattern on the first page. How did it go? Let’s try it again.
Move on to the actions for the last line of the song while trying the actions on the second page. Once you’ve tried the actions for both pages separately, put it all together! Have some fun practicing these paper plate rhythms while getting in lots of repetition!
Paper Plates Pattern:
Swish: One of the most basic rhythms to create with paper plates is a quick swish. For this action, hold your paper plates with the backs facing each other. Then, simply swish your plates back and forth.
*Use this action while singing, “As I search the holy,”
Tap – Tap: Simply tap the backs of your paper plates together twice.
*Use this rhythm while singing the word, “Scrip-tures,”
Pat Heart: We’ll use this rhythm two different times in the song. For this action, bring your paper plate close to your chest and give a simple pat on your heart.
*Use this action while singing the phrases, “Loving Father” “May my heart be”
Pat Knees: Pat your knees twice with your paper plates. This works best if you pat with the back of the plate facing down.
*Use this rhythm while you sing the words, “Man-kind” and “know-ledge”
Tap Head: Simply pat your head with your paper plate twice at the end of the song.
*Use this action while singing, “Wis-dom” and “my mind.”
Extension Activities:
- Try some of these other easy paper plate patterns: Alternate between patting knees twice and tapping plates twice, or alternate between swishing and tapping plates.
- Make it a partner pattern! Tap plates with a partner and tap across to your partner’s shoulders instead of tapping your knees.
- Have one side of the class sing and do the paper plates pattern for the first line of the song and have the other side of the room do the actions for the second line of the song. Then, switch!
For another fun similar activity, head over to see this Have I Done Any Good Paper Plates singing time activity!
As I Search the Holy Scriptures Paper Plates Demo Video!
Having a hard time visualizing this pattern? No worries! That’s why I created this short video demonstrating the pattern! In this video, I’ll demonstrate all the paper plate rhythms used in this pattern for the first verse. I’ll also explain a few adaptations you can try to mix things up a bit!
–> As I Search the Holy Scriptures Paper Plates Demo Video <–
As I Search the Holy Scriptures Paper Plates Printable Song Helps
This free in-post printable includes a two-page printable pattern with symbols to represent each paper plate rhythm.
Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including reusable 1/2 page and full page action cards. You’ll find these bonus files included when As I Search the Holy Scriptures is the featured song of the month.
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For another fun way to review this hymn, head over to this As I Search the Holy Scriptures Dance Scarves idea!
What other fun ways will you use this paper plates singing time activity in your Primary room?
