By Susan Ciancio
Are you a parent wishing to instill pro-life values and moral courage in your child or teen? We know that desire; that’s why American Life League founded the Culture of Life Studies Program.
The Culture of Life Studies Program offers Catholic pro-life educational lessons from pre-K through high school. These lessons cover a wide range of topics—from one-day lessons on saints; to handprint lessons with activities for younger kids; to four-day lessons on euthanasia, the sanctity of marriage, and the preborn baby; to four-week picture book lessons about caring for and protecting others; and more!
But don’t be discouraged by the idea of working on lessons at home. You don’t have to be a teacher or trained in any way. We provide all you need (minus supplemental books or craft supplies). All you have to do is read the booklet to your child and discuss the themes. It’s that easy!
Rest assured that all of our lessons are age appropriate and adhere to Catholic teaching. Many have a nihil obstat and imprimatur. These lessons are used throughout the country in Catholic schools, by homeschoolers, in religious education programs, and in youth groups.
Now more than ever, the Culture of Life Studies Program is so relevant and so important for kids to explore. Our lessons teach moral courage so that your children can make a difference in this world. That’s what building a culture of life is all about.
We want to familiarize you with our program, so we have chosen to highlight 10 awesome lessons—for a wide range of ages—that will help you build that necessary foundation of faith in your home, school, or youth group. All are downloadable, so it’s easy to order, print them, and start learning and talking right away!
This is a four-class lesson for middle schoolers that explores the science of the earliest moments of a person’s life and gives students a firm foundation regarding the fact that every human being’s life must be protected from creation until death.
2. Unconditional Love and Respect for Everyone: St. John Bosco
Middle school students will learn about the life of St. John Bosco and how he created a home and school for young boys who had nowhere to go and no one to care for them. Through stories about his lessons and his life, students will learn to reflect on potential prejudices they have toward certain people based on their appearances, behaviors, or financial status. They will be challenged to think about how their own choices can have a lasting positive impact when they treat all people with respect.
In this lesson, 3rd and 4th grade students will learn about Jesus’ teachings from the Sermon on the Mount, specifically the Beatitudes. Through these teachings about who is considered blessed, children will learn that even when life may seem or feel difficult, Jesus walks with us, cares for us, and loves us. This lesson helps children see others through Jesus’ eyes and teaches them ways to build a culture of life by caring for those in need or who may be hurting because of how someone has treated them.
Using Church documents, the Catechism, and subject-matter experts, this four-class supplement for teens provides students with a basic understanding of the Catholic Church’s teachings on euthanasia and gives students the tools they need to defend those teachings against current cultural attitudes and pro-euthanasia arguments. This lesson examines the complex topics of euthanasia and assisted suicide and teaches students the reality behind what the culture of death advocates regarding end-of-life issues.
This 16-class lesson for kids in kindergarten and older helps students understand that every human being has value because we are all made in the image and likeness of God. Our value does not depend on our appearance, ability, or background. Students will learn about Down syndrome, autism, the beauty of the elderly, and the fact that it’s okay to be different.
This four-class lesson for middle schoolers teaches students that God created marriage between one man and one woman. Through the lives of saints and saintly couples, students learn how they can stand up and defend marriage and the family in our society.
7. St. Joseph: Pro-Life Saint, Hero, and Role Model
This one-day lesson for children third grade and older teaches about the beauty of fatherhood through the example of St. Joseph as he cared for Jesus and Mary. In this lesson, students will learn about why we honor St. Joseph, the foster father of our Lord Jesus, as the guardian of the Church. They will also learn the important role that fathers play in our lives and why we should turn to St. Joseph for his intercession.
8. Who Was the Real Margaret Sanger?
Produced as a three-lesson unit study and video set for high school students, Who Was the Real Margaret Sanger? exposes the truth about the founder of the largest abortion provider in the United States. This lesson helps students understand the impact of the contraceptive mentality on the decriminalization of abortion, identify the connection between the eugenics movement and the Nazis, and recognize the ties between the sexual revolution and destruction of the feminine genius in society.
9. Blessed Carlo Acutis: Extraordinary in the Ordinary
This lesson teaches high school students about the short yet impactful life of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a youth who used his exceptional computer skills to create a website cataloging the Catholic Church’s approved Eucharistic miracles and who will be canonized a saint in April. Carlo is a beautiful example of how living an ordinary life can become extraordinary because of faith, love of Jesus in the Eucharist, and generosity toward others. This one-day lesson reinforces students’ understanding of and faith in the True Presence of the Eucharist, teaches students that holiness can and should be attained through ordinary things, and guides students as they seek to live a holy life and build a culture that respects all people.
10. St. Ignatius: Cura Personalis
In this two-day lesson, students will learn about the Ignatian concept of cura personalis—care for the whole person. When God places us in relationships with others, He expects us to love those people as part of loving Him. Likewise, we are called to take care of our own selves, body and soul. The first lesson in this two-part series challenges students to care for themselves by caring for their whole person (heart, soul, mind, and body). The second lesson teaches students the importance of cura personalis toward others and debunks the lie of the “you do you” mentality. Through readings, discussion, and thought-provoking activities, students will come to understand the importance of caring for a person, both body and soul.
All of our lessons help build a culture of life in your home or school so that you and your students can build a culture of life in your community. All are easy to teach at home. And all will engender beautiful discussions about culture-of-life topics. Now is the time to sit down with your children and help them understand the sanctity of all life and the importance of standing up for the vulnerable.
For a complete list of pro-life lessons, visit our store at shop.all.org/collections/culture-of-life-studies-program?page=1.