Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Pitch Wave

Try this unique Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Pitch Wave singing time activity to focus on learning the movement of the melody as you add in lots of singing repetition with purposes. Can you draw the way the pitch moves with me throughough the song?

Will you spend any time teaching Joseph Smith’s First Prayer (archives) this year? I think it’s such a powerful and great song to include, especially when we are studying the Doctrine & Covenants in Come Follow Me!

**See All Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Singing Time Ideas Here!**

Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Pitch Wave

Sing through Joseph Smith’s First Prayer with this flip chart once, before introducing this activity.

Post the pitch wave chart for the first line of the song up on the board.

Ask the children, what do you notice on this page? What do you think we might be doing today? Some might guess it’s a melody chart or point out the color or movement of the line.

Explain that this line represents the way the melody moves through the song let’s draw it together in the air as we sing. Sing through the first line of the song and draw the melody with one finger pointed in front of you and rising and falling like a wave along with the movement of the notes you are singing.

You did so great, let’s keep going! Here’s what comes next. Post the rest of the pitch wave chart up on the board. Continue to sing through the rest of the song drawing the pitch wave on the board.

Ask the children, what did they notice as they drew the pitch wave in the air? Did they notice how the movement matched the movement of the notes as the pitch would rise and fall throughout the line?

Sing through the song with the pitch wave again all together.

Invite a class to come up front to help lead the pitch wave, then rotate through different classes leading as you sing.

Extension Activities:

• Try adjusting your singing volume to match the movement of the pitch. Sing quite on low notes and louder on higher pitched notes. How does changing the volume as you sing also change the way the song feels?
• Divide the room into two groups and assign each group to a different part of the song. Have each group stand and draw the pitch wave as they sing their part of the song, then sit back down quickly before the next groups turn to sing.
• Add an action such as a clap, snap, or stomp whenever you reach a drawn symbol on the pitch wave chart. For example, instead of drawing “morning” and “sun” you would clap for each note.
• Put the pitch wave charts up on the board out of order or “accidently” drop the pages. Can the children listen to the melody and help you put the pages back in order?  

For another fun similar activity, head over to see this On a Golden Springtime Pitch Leading singing time activity!

Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Pitch Wave Printable Song Helps

This free in-post printable includes the pitch wave chart for the first verse.

Join INSTANT Primary Singing for extended printables including a pitch wave chart for all 4 verses as well as a black and white printable. You’ll find these bonus files in the Joseph Smith’s First Prayer packet in my shop. This song is also included as a bonus song for D&C Access members.

For another challenge, head over to this Joseph Smith’s First Prayer Unscramble Challenge to focus on the song lyrics!

What other fun ways will you use this pitch wave singing time activity in your Primary room?