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.
  | 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 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |
 | 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 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |
 | 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. Lesson I – Made in the Image of God Lesson II – The Unconditional Love of God Lesson III – The Four Levels of Happiness Lesson IV – The Comparison Game |
 | 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 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |
 | Topic: Loving our Neighbor (Overcoming Polarization) Goal: Learning what mercy is. Our world is often confused by what true mercy looks like. Pope Francis calls us to a culture of encounter, to recognize the dignity in the person in front of us. This encounter leads us to action on their behalf by serving others through works of mercy. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |
 | Topic: Life is a Gift (Abortion) Goal: Understanding abortion and its effects. Lesson 1- Human Dignity Lesson 2- Life Begins at Conception Lesson 3- Building a Culture of Life Lesson 4- Talking about Abortion Lesson 5– Healing after Abortion |
 | Topic: Learning to Forgive (Restorative Justice/Death Penalty) Goal: Forgiving those who hurt me. Students will learn about the mercy of God and His invitation to us to uphold the dignity of every person, even those who have committed crimes. Students will examine the difference between punitive prison time and restorative justice, and be challenged to view those in prison through the lens of the dignity of the human person. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Caring for those in Need (Poverty) Goal: True empathy for the poor. Students will be encouraged to explore the meaning of poverty here in the United States as well as around the world. What does poverty look like? Why is help for the poor central to Jesus’ message? Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Celebrating Special Needs Goal: Recognizing goodness in others. Students will learn about the importance of loving and reverencing those who are different from us. Students will learn to recognize that every person is unique and created by God and loved for who they are. They will learn that our physical appearance and abilities cannot change our irrevocable dignity. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan |
 | Topic: Dignity at Every Age (Physician Assisted Suicide) Goal: Treating the sick and elderly with dignity The international movement to legalize assisted suicide teaches that some lives are worth living while others have no value. Students will learn about interdependence and what life-affirming options are available for people at the end of life that are in keeping with human dignity. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan.pdf |
 | Topic: Marriage Goal: Understanding the significance of marriage. To introduce students 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 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan.pdf |
 | Topic: Immigration Goal: Building a Christian community. Students will learn that humans are meant for community, which means loving other people and treating them with respect both in theory and in reality. What does this look like in our culture? We explore the topic of immigration through the lens of building a Christian community Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Oct.pdf Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan – Jan.pdf |
 | Topic: Caring for Creation (The Environment) Goal: Understanding our role of stewardship. Students will receive an overview of main points of Laudato si and understand the connection between honoring the dignity of each person, serving the poor and vulnerable, and protecting our environment. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |
 | Topic: Loneliness Goal: Learning to befriend the lonely. There is an epidemic of loneliness in our world that is affecting people young and old alike. The busier we get, the more we seem to lose the ability to interact on a personal level, resulting in many people who feel alone. This lesson invites students to be more aware of how they can befriend the lonely and what to do when they realize they need friends too. Grades 7-9 Lesson Plan.pdf |