Below you’ll find the lesson plan or handout for each topic. Additional resources for each topic can be found under the Topics section by grade level.
Gospel of Life Week
Gospel of Life Week
Teachers and Parents
– Adoption
– Loving Our Neighbors
– Knowing My Value
– Life is a Gift
– Learning to Forgive
– Respecting Others
– Caring for Those in Need
– The Beginning of Life
– Celebrating Special Needs
– Overcoming Differences
– Receiving Mercy
– Immigration
– Life is Precious
– Dignity at Every Age
– Marriage
– Caring for Creation
DREs and Catechists
– Grades PK-3
– Grades 4-6
– Grades 7-9
– Grades 10-12
Topics
– The Beginning of Life
– Knowing My Value
– Adoption
– Respecting Others
– Receiving Mercy
– Immigration
– Loving Our Neighbors
– Life is a Gift
– Life is Precious
– Dignity at Every Age
– Learning to Forgive
– Caring for Those in Need
– Marriage
– Caring for Creation
– Celebrating Special Needs
– Overcoming Differences
High School Resources
Youth Ministry Resources
Service Opportunities
 | Topic: Immigration Goal: Loving Our Neighbor. To introduce children to the concept of loving our neighbor, even when we might not know him or her, and building a community on Gospel principles. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topics: Life is a Gift Goal: Recognizing the Uniqueness of Every Person, Putting the Needs of others First, and Choosing the Good To help children recognize the importance of treasuring the precious gift of life, there are three different sets of lessons which explore different topics. The first two lessons introduce the concept of personhood, the second set introduce the concepts of generosity and selflessness, and the final set introduce the concept of conscience and how to choose the good. Lesson I: Putting Others First Part I Lesson II: Putting Others First Part II Lesson III: Forming My Conscience Part I Lesson IV: Forming My Conscience Part II Lesson V: The Beginning of Life Part I Lesson VI: The Beginning of Life Part II |
 | Topic: Dignity at Every Age (Physician Assisted Suicide) Goal: Treating the Sick and Elderly with Dignity. Students will explore the concepts of illness and dying through the lens of the dignity of every person at every stage. Through stories and activities, students will realize that the elderly and the sick have love to give and need to receive love. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Marriage Goal: Why Marriage and Families Matter To introduce children to the concept and understanding of marriage as a sacramental bond between a man and a woman that is lasting, loving and fruitful, and that marriage is the basis of the family. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Caring for Creation (The Environment) Goal: Appreciating God’s Gift to Our World To introduce children to the concept that God has given us a beautiful gift in the creation of the entire world around us. Students will explore creation and see how caring for it is a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan.pdf |
Additional Topics
 | Topic: Receiving Mercy Life is a gift but sometimes we don’t recognize the goodness of God’s plans and we choose to turn away. God is always calling us back to Himself. He invites us to receive His mercy and to extend forgiveness to others. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Respecting Others Every person possesses inherent dignity. This means that persons can never be treated as objects to be used but must be respected as bearing the image of God. In this lesson, students will unpack what it means to respect others. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Knowing My Value Sometimes it is easier to recognize the goodness and value of other people. It can be difficult to believe that we are good and worthy of respect. Students will learn that taking care of ourselves is part of the call to holiness. God has created us body and soul to praise him through both. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Adoption Every child deserves a home and a family. In this lesson. students will learn about the loving choice of adoption and explore stories of people who have been adopted. Students will develop a deeper understanding of what adoption and foster care are and why, as Christians, we take very seriously the responsibility for every child born into the world. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Caring for Those in Need (Poverty) Goal: Learning to share. Students will learn why caring for the poor is at the center of Jesus’ life and mission. They will learn the importance of sharing with those in need. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Celebrating Special Needs Goal: Recognizing Goodness in Others. The children will learn about the unique beauty and goodness of each person regardless of appearance or ability. They will learn to celebrate differences. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Overcoming Differences Goal: Students should be able to recognize that the Beatitudes show us how to treat one another based on our dignity as human persons. Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Oct Grades 4-6 Lesson Plan – Jan |