Everyday object lessons

This lesson comes fromMeridian magazine in the section for Family Home Evening. The article is by C.S. Bezas.
Each person gets a half of a raw potato. The potato represents your brain. Begin to carve a very simple shape (square, circle, star, music note) into the potato and take off the pieces of the potato that are not part of the shape. This carving represents the music that you listen to. It forms and shapes your brain in a very specific way. It helps shape your attitudes, affects learning ability and has an effect on your physical, mental and emotional health. When the shape has been cut, put the potato in some paint and stamp the potato shapes onto paper. If you carved a circle, you won’t stamp out a square. If you are listening to uplifting and positive music, that’s how your brain is going to be shaped and you will reap the benefits and blessings.
You can add things like listening to music, making a stamp poster, discussing the negative or positive benefits of music, talking about the standards in For the Strength of Youth that discuss music.
This topic is wide open and this is a good lesson that can reinforce how the music actually makes brain pathways like the knife carves a potato. For older kids, do a search and get some info about how the brain works or how music affects brain ability.