Lesson Suggestions For Grade 4
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Fourth graders are in a state of transition. These students are moving out of the close confines of family into a broader context of life. A growing capacity for self-motivation, responsibility, and self reliance becomes apparent. Fourth graders are group oriented, and they need opportunities for group sharing and co-operative efforts.
The nine-year-old is a person who
· loves to explore the unknown;
· can exhibit sincere loyalty and compassion;
· makes choices out of a context of "conscience";
· is sensitive to peer pressure;
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· prefers to be with members of his/her own sex;
· has an increasingly keen interest in relationships,
sexuality and the appropriate names of body parts.
Some suggestions for teaching fourth graders
· provide opportunities for group sharing and
cooperation;
· encourage them to set goals for themselves;
· help them express loyalty and compassion;
· give practice in making choices;
· help them learn how to deal with peer pressure. |
Lesson # 14
CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
| Lesson Objective
The students will be able to
C-4 understand and appreciate the importance of loving
unselfishly and responsibly.
Overview
The class begins with discussion using Charlie Brown and his friends, then moves to the example of Jesus and his friends. Students are helped to judge which everyday actions are loving, responsible, and faithful. The lesson concludes with the suggestion to tell parents about the class.
Suggested Teacher
Religion, science or health teacher
Basic Information and Vocabulary
If we are really to love as Christ intends, we have to overcome our own selfishness. Christian loving means showing concern for others, accepting pain and disappointment, using one's human powers productively.
Vocabulary:
unselfishly, responsibly
Suggested Materials
"Peanuts" cartoon books or other books showing relation- ships which are relevant to children
New Testament
Handout # 14, "Think About These" |
Teaching/ Learning Activities
A. Introduction
Begin with a class discussion on relationships.
Suggested questions:
How many of you have ever seen Charlie Brown and his friends on TV or in cartoons or movies?
(Elicit answers.)
What is the name of the girl who always wants to be Charlie Brown's girl friend?
(Peppermint Patty)
What does she always seem to be doing?
How does Charlie Brown act?
Why do you think he acts that way?
Who does Charlie Brown want to be his girl friend?
(Little redhead)
Sometimes we can be very glad or sad about those who love us or those we want to love. Their love can be shown in selfish or unselfish ways.
B. Discussion
Using Handout # 14, "Think About These," discuss Case # 1 altogether as a class, then Cases # 2-5 in small groups.
The teacher, while emphasizing that we cannot judge a situation by external actions only, can indicate the probability of these elements when discussing the answers:
1. John's actions appear selfish.
2. Patti's action was responsible.
3. Billy has an opportunity to be responsible and
compassionate
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4. This kind of touching is not pure, unselfish, responsible.
5. They are loving responsibly and unselfishly.
The teacher must be sensitive to the fact that, despite the desire and effort to work together, some of the childrens' parents are separated or divorced.
(The teacher may wish to invite students to give examples of ways love has been shown to them - if the moment is right.)
In today's lesson I want to talk about a way of loving that is good in every way. It is good because it is responsible, not selfish, and prompts people to want the best for others. Jesus often gave us examples of that kind of love and today our Catholic Church teaches us to practice it.
In this lesson we will examine how Jesus showed love to others.
Introduce the fact that Jesus had many relationships with both men and women. Ask the students to name some of Jesus' friends.
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(Lazarus, Mary, Martha, Zaccheus, Mary Magdalene, Peter, John, etc.)
Discuss how Jesus showed love for each person named.
With each person, Jesus' love was always true, loyal,
unselfish, responsible. Jesus' way of relating to and loving others is a model for us, a model that is reflected in the teaching of the Catholic Church. We should try to develop this kind of love.
Whenever we love responsibly and express love that is not selfish, we are imitating the way Jesus loved.
Tell Mom and/or Dad what you have learned today in class about loving unselfishly and responsibly.
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Lesson # 15
BASIC INFORMATION
| Lesson Objective
The students will be able to
B4 name three ways in which children can get the AIDS virus.
Overview
The class begins with a discussion of how wonderfully God made our bodies so that they usually protect themselves. Then the teacher introduces AIDS as a disease that breaks down this protection and briefly explains three ways in which children can get the AIDS virus. Students write answers to the two key questions, then offer a prayer of thanks, using Psalm 139.
Suggested Teacher
Religion, science, or health teacher
Basic Information and Vocabulary
The teacher should be familiar with the content of the Orientation section of this manual. In addition, the teacher should assess how much of the factual information has already been learned in science class, then concentrate on the Christian dimensions within these lessons.
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By this grade level, correct terminology should be used whenever sexual matters are introduced or discussed.
Vocabulary: (* = in Glossary)
*transfusion injection needle drugs *virus
*body fluids (presentation at this level treats only blood) infected
Suggested Materials
Transparency Masters # 15a and # 15b
Teaching/ Learning Activities
A. Introduction
Have any of you ever heard of AIDS?
Elicit answers to determine prior knowledge and build upon
it.
One of the most wonderful facts about our bodies is that God made them so they can often protect themselves. For example, when I went to see a friend who had a terrible illness, I didn't catch it because my body could protect itself. Doctors and nurses work daily to care for the sick and they usually don't catch the disease others have because the human body takes care of itself. God made us that way. For example, a cut finger has power to heal, a broken arm can mend.
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Download the Applicable Worksheet in Adobe Acrobat Format
Lesson # 16
TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION
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Lesson Objectives
The students will he able to
T- 9 articulate the morality of drug abuse and the risks involved in any use of unsterilized needles;
T-10 suggest ways to deal with peer pressure.
After a diagnostic true-false quiz, an explanation is given concerning the possible transmission of the AIDS virus through drug abuse. Then the students learn "Rules for Deciding" to help them deal with peer pressure.
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Suggested Teacher
Religion, health, or science teacher
Basic Information and Vocabulary
By this age, students should know how to identify and say "no" to dangerous behavior at home or school. They should know the basic AIDS information in Lessons # 11 and # 15.
Vocabulary:peers abuse *contaminated
inject, prescribe,
prescription, decisively |
??????????
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Suggested Materials
Handout # 16a, True/ False
Transparency Masters # l6b and # 16c
Teaching/ Learning Activities
Begin with the diagnostic True/ False Quiz (Handout # 16a). Allow a self-check as well as followup discussion, if needed, to be sure that all students have the correct basic information about AIDS.
Answer Key to True/ False Quiz (Handout # 16a)
False. It is a new disease (discovered in the U.S. in 1981).
2. False. No cure exists.
4. False. It is NOT caught through children's
everyday activities.
9. False. It is not spread in the same way.
When the basic facts are known, present additional ideas about drug abuse as follows:
Part of God's marvelous plan for us is that God created us so wonderfully. Our bodies are capable of existing here on earth and even capable of producing new life. We are ungrateful if we do not care for our bodies. God's fifth commandment reminds us to care for ourselves and others. That includes taking proper care of our bodies through rest, proper food, and exercise.
Have any of you - when you were sick - received an injection like penicillin? Why did the doctor inject that drug?
(To help get better faster, to fight the infection, etc.)
Penicillin is an example of a drug which can help a person become healthy again. Only doctors can prescribe drugs so that they are used only when they can help people's health.
Sometimes people mistreat their bodies by abusing drugs. That means they take drugs that are not healthy for them. Taking a drug that is not prescribed for you is against the law. Illegal drugs can harm the body very much when they are swallowed or injected into the body.
Remember in our last lesson we learned that the AIDS virus can be gotten through contaminated blood left in
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needles. Using unsterilized needles can add even more danger to the use of harmful drugs. A needle used by a person with the AIDS virus can put AIDS-infected blood into someone else's blood stream. This abuse of drugs and injections is certainly a misuse of the wonderful bodies that God has given to us.
C. Discussion
Can others force you to do something you don't want to do?
Let students answer.
Did any of you ever have an experience when someone forced you to do something that you thought was wrong and that you really didn't want to do?
Let students answer. If no examples are given, use some you have prepared in advance; e.g., staying out later than your parents allowed because a friend insisted that you do it.
All of us at times are caught by the problem of deciding when to say "Yes" or "No" to others. In this lesson, I would like to help you learn when you are being pressured by friends (peers) and suggest what you can do.
Recall an example that a student gave or one you have cited and analyze it. Taking the example of staying out later than permitted after school, you could begin to analyze it with the question,
How could you have decided whether you should have stayed out or gone home?
D. Presentation and Discussion
Some key steps for deciding involve three words, Think, Judge, Act. Some persons call these RULES FOR DECIDING.
Apply these three words - Think, judge, act - to the example(s) used earlier. Uncovering the material on Transparency Master # l6b one line at a time, develop the three key words with questions such as the following:
Think -
If you had thought about staying with your friend longer than permitted, you could have asked:
How will my staying late affect my mom?
(She may have supper/ dinner waiting at a certain time. She may need my help and I wouldn't be there. She may worry about me, etc.)
Judge –
What are the reasons for staying out later than permitted?
(Give more time to be with my friends. Show my friend that I'm not afraid to do risky things, etc.)
What are the reasons against staying out later than permitted?
(I agreed to return early and should obey parents. If I do this once, my friends will always expect me to do what they want, etc.) |
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Act -
What should I really do?
(Stay? Return home? Phone home to see if I can stay later? Other?)
What will help me act decisively in this situation? (Move immediately to act rather than continuing to talk with my friend. Use a firm voice and clear words.)
These are three key steps that can often help us to not be forced into doing something wrong that we really don't want to do.
E. Role Play
After this example, students could role play with scenarios involving skipping school or religious education class, stealing a very expensive jacket/ skirt because they want to be in the "in" crowd, or some other relevant example.
When the students understand the rules for deciding, apply the rules to drug abuse:
We have discussed situations which can result in our feeling forced into doing something wrong that we don't want to do. Another of these situations - a very serious one - is the use of illegal drugs.
Have any of you heard or seen references to "Saying NO to Drugs"?
(Learn how much is known and build on it. If students lack basic knowledge and attitudes, the teacher will need to take steps to Initiate a drug education program. If they seem to have some background, the teacher would review the following ideas briefly.)
Illegal drugs are very dangerous for many reasons. Besides harming and even destroying our bodies which God has created, there is the possibility of getting AIDS through needles or injections.
Let us be clear how this might happen: If drugs are injected into a person's body by a needle that has been used by a person with the AIDS virus, that injection could pass on the AIDS virus. This will not happen in
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a hospital or doctor's office where clean needles are used, but it often happens with illegal drugs.
Let us review this by using these "stick" persons (Transparency Master # 16c):
If a person with the AIDS virus uses a needle for drugs and leaves infected blood in that needle, the next person who uses that needle can get the AIDS virus.
Transparency Master # l6b could be used to guide the following:
Let us apply our Rules for Deciding.
If someone invites you to inject illegal drugs, what would you think?
What would you judge the reasons for accepting the offer? the reasons against?
How should you act?
Closure
Illegal drugs can destroy our bodies that were created by God. Dirty or contaminated needles used with illegal drugs can also spread the AIDS virus. We can make better choices by following the Rules for Deciding: Think, Judge then Act.
Please take home your True/ False Quiz (with correct answers clearly indicated) to share this important with your parents.
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Download the Applicable Worksheet in Microsoft Adobe Acrobat Format
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