​Pro-Life Education Program
Outline & Resources
Our mission is to develop a true and lasting understanding among children from K - 12th grade of the sanctity of all human life - unborn, handicapped, the terminally ill, and the aged. We are commanded by the Gospel to create a "Culture of Life" in our families, schools, parishes, communities and the world. Only by living out the Gospel of Life, and teaching it, can we hope to accomplish this awesome task.
Christian educators and especially those in charge, have a specific and unique opportunity and obligation: To rebuild a Culture of Life by teaching COMPREHENSIVELY the sanctity of Life. This is particularly true in a singular way for parents, as parents are the first and primary teachers of the Christian Faith and of morals.
We must acknowledge the reality that if we do not teach our children the truth NOW, we are all doomed to a future of a worsening culture of death.
We are in no way proposing sex education. We propose teaching the sanctity of life--from conception to natural death.
We are not presenting a finished program here. We are developing an outline, and offer it as a guide to be used in bringing about a full curriculum. There is an abundance of available material that is suitable for classroom use. Dozens of videos, books, booklets, and pamphlets, as well as fetal models, and posters are readily available.
Materials: This is only a partial list.
Seventh and Eighth Grade:
Seventh Grade:
"Window to the Womb" - Real-time Ultrasound of the unborn in the womb. Class observes the unborn in their natural prenatal environment as they respond to touch, breathe, jump, yawn, swallow, and suck their thumbs. Education again focuses on humanity of the unborn, with the same concepts as 5th & 6th, with greater emphasis on chastity. In the second year or as a follow-up either the next day or the next week, the film "No Second Chance" is presented.
Pro-Chastity education "No Second Chance" - 30 minute VHS California Health Care Advocates. Addresses the AIDS issue with pointed clarity and accuracy. Using interviews with the world's leading researchers in the field of Epidemiology and the teaching dynamics of Cathy Kay, this film presents facts, answers and solutions that teenagers will understand and respect. It presents the one answer - CHASTITY - which will protect our young people from this terminal infection. It has the answer that could save their lives, because with AIDS, there is no second chance. Extremely well done video on sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, and teen chastity. AIDS patients and their families describe the consequences of AIDS on themselves and families. (30 min)
Book: From Conception to Birth: A Life Unfolds by Alexander Tsiaras
The splendor and beauty of a child's growth and development in the womb--seen through unforgettable images made possible by revolutionary advances in visualization technology. The book tracks the development of a baby from the moment of conception, through the explosively complex early stages of development and the amazing stages of growth as the baby is nurtured by the mother, ending with the joy of birth. Order from www.amazon.com
Booklet: America's Hidden Citizens By Stephen Schwaetz 10 pgs.
Concepts taught:
1. Life begins at conception - this is a biological fact
2. The right to life is God-given
3. Abortion is the intentional taking of a human life
4. Abortion is legal in the U.S. for the entire 9 months
5. Legal does not equal right
6. Abortion is not the problem; sexual activity outside of marriage is the problem.
7. Chastity is believable and 100% effective
8. Teenagers are the largest group diagnosed with sexually transmitted diseases.
9. Teenagers account for 400,000 of the 1.3 million abortions each year.
Teacher focuses on choices and how these choices affect the rest of our lives. Discussion would include the major developmental landmarks of unborn child, God's plan for our lives, etc.
Question and Answer period recommended
Eighth Grade:
Knowing the Unborn: Amazing new research demonstrates how the child in the womb learns a great deal from his parents long before birth. 30 min.
Chance of a Lifetime: Adoption: What are the issues, the advantages? This week's program includes an onsite visit to a maternity home and interviews with women who chose adoption as their option. 30 min.
Euthanasia: Right to Die legislation, Assisted Suicide, and the ethical dilemmas involved. 30 min.
Pro-Chastity education: "Sex, Lies and the Truth" - Dr. James Dobson & Focus on the Family - Explores the double messages being given to youth regarding sexuality. Pro-chastity and pro-life. Celebrities, athletes and entertainers communicate that waiting isn't a sign of weakness and the winners are those who practice self control. Interview with kids who have AIDS because of promiscuity. (30 min)
Book 1: Matters of Life and Death : Calm Answers to Tough Questions About Abortion and Euthanasia by Francis J. Beckwith, Norman L. Geisler
Book 2: MAMA! WHY DID YOU KILL US? A true story of a woman haunted by the 7 infants she had aborted. It is also the story of her contrition and atonement and the mercy of God shown to her. She addresses her story "to all mothers," and every woman should read it !
Excellent On-line resource: Fetal PsychologyOutstanding Scientific expose' on the developmental life of the unborn. Addresses the unborn from distinct a perspective as Fetal Personality to Fetal learning, hearing, and alertness. Is appropriate for grades 8 - 12.
You can download this as a 4-page printer friendly handout.
Resource List
Human Development from Conception to Birth
SPIRITUAL ADOPTION PRAYER
Dear Jesus, child of Mary, I love you and thank you for your unconditional love. I plead with you to save the life of ______ and _______, the unborn children whom we have spiritually adopted and whose lives are threatened by abortion. May these children be allowed to grow in wisdom, age and strength in your presence and in the sight of all. Amen"
Plastic Model of 11-12 Week Preborn Baby (aprox. 2 ¼" Long) Only 26 cents in large quantity. Each model comes with a PHOTO FRONT card which details fetal development on the back. From Victory One.
This is a very powerful but inexpensive model that is excellent for hands on teaching with students. When a student holds this model pre-born baby in their hands and is taught the truth of life before birth it will create a lasting impression. Students are instructed to "keep baby safe" as they will be all bringing "their babies" back to class for future lessons. Used till end of High School.
Fifth and Sixth Grade:
"How Babies Grow" - 13 minute VHS presentation narrated by Dr. Jack Willke and Barbara Willke, R. N. This presentation goes a little more in-depth with fetal development and the fact that babies can be born prematurely and still live. Teacher focuses on self-respect as a good way to respect others - whether they are like us or not. Reinforces the fact that a baby is a human being from conception. Again, abortion is nevermentioned at this age level.
LIFE Magazine- Life Before Birth Reprint - Leonart Nilson photographs (1965) The Famous photos of life before birth, detailing the development of a child from conception to birth. It contains the original 1965 LIFE text. An excellent, inexpensive pictorial. (20 pages) (should be reviewed in each grade level through Twelfth grade!)
Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to state that:
1. Conception is when a cell from the mother and a cell from the father join together.
2. A new life begins at conception, not birth--and is from God.
3. The baby is inside his or her mother for nine months.
4. The unborn baby has a beating heart.
5. The unborn baby has finger prints and toe prints.
6. The unborn baby sucks his/her thumb and breathes fluid.
7. The unborn baby kicks and makes swimming motions.
8. The unborn baby can learn.
9. The unborn baby can feel pain.
10. Unborn babies are just as human as we are.
The purpose of this lesson is to provide the children with a body of information, which will enable them to reject pro-abortion messages that they will be exposed to, as they grow older. This lesson does not mention abortion at any time. It simply informs them about the development of the unborn baby in order that they will know it is not a "blob of tissue," but a little human being.
Procedure:
Tell the children that we are going to see some very special pictures today. Their parents and teachers couldn't have seen this sort of movie when they were in school because a new kind of camera was needed. The technique is called fiber-optic photography. It involves a very tiny camera on the end of a thin tube or "fiber" which is inserted into the body. Doctors use fiber-optic photography to see inside the human body to diagnose and treat various medical problems. It can also be used to see a baby growing inside his or her mother.
Show the film "How Babies Grow." Tell the children that we will discuss the film after it is over, and that they should remember any questions they have. After showing the film, guide the discussion by asking the following questions designed to highlight the main concepts of the film:
1. How long were you inside your mother before you were born?
2. Were you alive before you were born?
3. When did your life start?
4. What could you do inside your mother?
5. What happens if a baby is born before nine months have passed?
6. Does it look a little different?
7. Is it still a baby?
8. Do you look the way you'll look when you're all grown up? Discuss at this point that life is a continuum - we all look different from the way we looked when we were younger and we will all look much different when we are older. How a person looks at any particular stage of life does not determine how human he or she is. In fact, growing and changing in appearance is a characteristic of being human).
9. Is he/she still a baby even though they look different? Are they still alive?
10. Why do some people think a baby is not a real, live baby before he is born? (Answer-because they have not seen the baby yet).
"Preview of a Birth" - 16 minute VHS presentation on fetal development produced by Georgia Nurses for Life through the Human Development Resource Council. Fast paced and imaginative presentation creates a dynamic learning experience for 11-year-olds through adults. Abortion is never mentioned in the film itself. The classroom instruction explores the issue by presenting the basic facts and asking the class to look at an issue based on whether it is "right" because it is legal. Fetal models are also used at this age level as a teaching tool for fetal development.
Book 1 : IS THE FETUS HUMAN? By Eric Pastusek Biological, medical, legal, cultural, social and emotional evidence combined in an amazing array of facts to prove the fetus is human, plus many personal testimonies. One of the best pro-life books ever!
Book 2. The Tiniest Humans
Concepts:
1. Life begins at conception - this is a biological fact
2. The right to life is God-given
3. Abortion is the intentional taking of a human life
4. Teenagers account for 400,000 of the 1.3 million abortions each year.
Books for Sixth Grade:
Book 1: PRO-LIFE CHRISTIANS HEROES FOR THE PRE-BORN By Joe Gulotta Short Inspiring stories of 28 Christians who fight abortion today in a variety of ways. Just about every facet of the Pro-Life Movement. Positive, inviting and full of personal experience stories!
Every Student has a ruler.
Why not have one that teaches the truth of "Life before Birth"
