Hymn Study

 
Although I enjoy several styles of music for worship, traditional hymns are ones that touch my heart the most. Why? Maybe it's because that is what I have been singing the most since I was a child, maybe it's the familiarity of memorized words and well known tunes, maybe it's the knowledge that innumerable Christians worldwide have sung them before me throughout centuries, or maybe it's a little bit of everything! Whatever the reason, the lyrics have such strong messages of faith and hope ~messages that are deep and sincere that I find strength in! They contain faith building words that I would like my children to hear, know, and understand.

How can I go about teaching the songs to them? We sing some of them on Sunday mornings, but there are so many inspirational ones. What about teaching them the meanings and stories behind these great hymns of faith? How do I make it interesting and meaningful to them? Squidoo author, Jimmie, has some wonderful suggestions for parents and teachers on making the hymns and their messages familiar to children in her article,
 Hymn Study for Homeschool. Although she writes it in the view from a Christian homeschool parent, her suggestions and ideas would be wonderful for any parent or teacher.

She includes articles which explain the benefits of studying the traditional hymns for you to consider. Given are sources of free hymn music and lyrics, discussion topics, and curricular connections. Several free online hymn study lesson plans are listed to give you suggestions for study and guide you in choosing ones that are helpful to the children you are working with.

Helpful reference books in print for reading and study are listed for you. Sources and samples for notebooking pages and worksheets for study notes are near the bottom of the article. The information may be used as a huge unit study about the hymns, an occasional study with a particular hymn that fits with your study topic, or as a family or choir devotional source. Whether you are a parent, homeschool teacher, Sunday school or Christian school teacher, or children's choir director, I think you will find this information useful!

Hymn Study by Jimmie