DM research idea and a DM game

idea by Jeanne Gilmore Merrell‎

I tried something a little bit different with the #scripturesqueeze / #analyze a DM scripture passage that many of you have tried.
My kids were getting a little frustrated that they were all looking up the same things, I so wrote out small research assignments on pieces of paper (one for each student). On each paper I wrote something different and each student reported to the class on what they learned from their assignment. Research assignments included some of the following:
--footnote material (scripture, TG, BD, JST, etc)
--answer a question about the passage from the DM manual
--search the DM topic in the DM Core Document for information about the scripture passage
--a scripture to cross reference that was not in the footnotes
--look up a word or phrase at dictionary.com

--look up a specific reference in the Guide to the Scriptures at lds.org

--look up a specific reference in True to the Faith
--find a quote at lds.org

or at the LDS Scripture Citation Index
You could really use anything you want. Just make sure each student has an assignment. Or even two assignments. They just all need to be different.
I passed out the assignment papers, gave them about 2 minutes and then each reported what they found while I wrote on the board, diagramming and taking notes around the passage written previously on the board. I have started printing out the scripture in a small block for the kids to glue to the center of a journal page as was suggested by someone else. I encourage the kids to take notes on their page and many of them were scrambling to keep up with my notes on the board as everyone was reporting what they found. It was great! And it didn't take as long as it had been with them choosing to search on their own. We finished in one session. The kids liked having the specific assignments so that they weren't duplicating each other's work. It worked really well for my class. At the top of the journal page, I have them write the DM reference and the DM Topic. The scripture is glued in the middle and notes are taken all over the page. After all of the research was done and reported, I had them write somewhere on the page how this scripture applies to them and called on one of them to share. And we did this analysis of John 3:5 as part our lesson on John 3. I think it really contributed to the lesson, too.


 byAmy Slusser McAllister‎
A #doctrinalmastery game that works really well in our class--Divide class in teams of 4 (or adjust accordingly) and have them set their chairs in a line, perpendicular to the front of the room (one chair behind another). I read out a DM reference, the first person in the row has to find the reference in paper scriptures, then the second person can start and they have to write down the reference on a piece of paper, alone with the doctrine it supports. They pass that paper to the third person, who has to write down a question that the DM scripture can answer (why did there need to be a restoration, who calls prophets and apostles, etc). They pass it to the 4th and final person, who crumples up the paper into a ball and has to throw it to the front of the room to make a basket in the trash can. Teams get points and then we have a short discussion about the questions they wrote down and how they are applicable and other specific points and doctrines from the reference. It's a really good way to create discussion and everyone wakes up for this game!