Family Life Outcome 8.3Page 1June 2003

Grade 8

W-8.3The student will explore and be respectful of the unique development of self and others: physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual and social development.

Catechetical Focus

As Christians, we appreciate our uniqueness, demonstrate sensitivity towards others, and understand that each person is worthy of love and respect.

Note to the Catechist
At this age the student’s sexual identity is in its formative stage. Not all students develop at the same rate. Great sensitivity should be instilled within the students not to be judgmental about the various rates at which their peers are developing physically. The development of the body is a beautiful occurrence that unfolds in its own good time; each at his or her own unique rate. No one should ever feel they are abnormal or that something is wrong with them because their personal rate of development is not the same as their peers. How I develop, in my good time, is God’s unique way of continuing his creative work in me.
It is only natural to be curious about how we develop physically. This curiosity is very often exploited by those in society that produce and sell pornographic material. The Church reminds us that pornography offends against chastity because it perverts the intimate sexual union of marriage and puts in on display for third parties. All who partake in it, as actors, vendors or those who consume it do grave injury to their personal dignity. Pornography reduces persons into objects of both lust and profit.

Theological Background

Scripture Commentary

It is important to recognize that as human beings we strive for “UNITY” not “UNIFORMITY”. Unity is most dynamic and life giving when it brings together a great diversity. If all were the same we would have uniformity, not unity. The uniqueness and precisely the “otherness” of my friends makes our relationship exciting and dynamic.

Scripture Texts

Gen. 1:27-31

27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ 29 God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Ps. 139:13-15

13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

1 Cor. 12:12-26

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

Commentary on the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Human Beings are a unique in God’s creation. Created as male and female, we are unique. We accept our sexuality as a gift and respect all people in their uniqueness as all people are a creation of God and thus have dignity.

CCC #355 "'God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.' [Gen 1:27] Man occupies a unique place in creation: (I) he is 'in the image of God'; (II) in his own nature he unites the spiritual and material worlds; (III) he is created 'male and female'; (IV) God established him in his friendship."

CCC #356 "Of all visible creatures only man is 'able to know and love his creator'. [GS 12 # 3] He is 'the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake', [GS 24 # 3] and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God's own life. It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity: ‘What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself! You are taken with love for her; for by love indeed you created her, by love you have given her a being capable of tasting your eternal Good’.” [St. Catherine of Siena, Dialogue 4, 13]

Family Life Outcome 8.38.3-2November 2003

CCC #357 "Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons. And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead."

CCC #369 "Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God: on the one hand, in perfect equality as human persons; on the other, in their respective beings as man and woman. 'Being man' or 'being woman' is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator. [Cf. Gen 2:7, 22] Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity 'in the image of God'. In their 'being-man' and 'being-woman', they reflect the Creator's wisdom and goodness."

CCC #2354. "Pornography consists in removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors, vendors, the public), since each one becomes an object of base pleasure and illicit profit for others. It immerses all who are involved in the illusion of a fantasy world. It is a grave offense. Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials. "

CCC #2333 "Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity. Physical, moral, and spiritual difference and complementarity are oriented toward the goods of marriage and the flourishing of family life. The harmony of the couple and of society depends in part on the way in which the complementarity, needs, and mutual support between the sexes are lived out.”

Family Life Outcome 8.38.3-2November 2003

Development of Lesson 8.3

W-8.3The student will explore and be respectful of the unique development of self and others: physical, emotional, sexual, spiritual and social development.

Activity 1 - Get ready

Choose a scripture reading from the biblical texts identified in the section entitled Theological Background. Ask the student to reflect on this passage. What do you think God wants to tell us in this passage?
Students are to complete the activity, The Me Box.

Activity 2 - Explore and apply

Discuss how relationships have changed with peers over the last five years. Read and complete Sexual Attraction.

Activity 3 - Extend and commit

Address the fact that not all grade eight students are changing at the same rate. It is important to remember that we all have different interests and styles, we look different, and we want different things out of our lives. Sometimes, our comments may hurt others. Sensitivity towards others is most important.

Family Life Outcome 8.38.3-2November 2003

Student Handout

The Me Box

In each shape, write or draw responses to the question. Cut around the entire prism net. Fold the flaps with dotted lines under and glue to form the box.

Family Life Outcome 8.38.3-2November 2003

Student Handout

Sexual Attraction

You are at an age now where it will start to feel more comfortable to be around the opposite sex. It may not seem as odd anymore, to have both male and female friends. In fact it’s great to have friends of both sexes who share our interests and activities.

During puberty, we know that the reproductive system releases hormones. These hormones cause a chemical reaction called sexual attraction. Sexual attraction means that we see someone as appealing because of his or her physical looks and gender.

Sexual attraction can be a strong feeling and it is important for us as teenagers to learn how to handle it appropriately. When we were younger, we learned how to manage our anger and hurt, now we must also learn how to handle what we call: sexual attraction.

Although we cannot control whom we are sexually attracted to, we can however, control how we respond to that attraction. We are not meant to act on every feeling of attraction. Being attracted, sexually to someone, may make us feel like we want to become sexually active with that person. Yet, it is very important to remember that sexual activity is a precious gift that we, as Christians want to save for the person whom we will to commit ourselves to for life, in a union called marriage. It is not easy to resist becoming sexually active, until we are in a committed married relationship. However, with God’s grace and our will power we can make this choice and feel really good about it too!

Some of the tried and true ways to resist becoming sexually active is to get involved in group activities and projects with lots of friends, like sports, youth groups, hobbies or volunteering. Not becoming sexually active before marriage, for the Christian is the “only way to go”! If you can save the gift of your sexual expression until the day when you give yourself completely to the one you will love for life, this will be one of most precious days of your life! And just think how much more precious it will be since you saved it for this moment! Your wedding day will then truly become the day when you give yourselves to one another in a way that you have never given yourself to anyone else before. It will be the day you will never forget!

Read the following stories. Provide some advice to the people who are dealing with these situations.

Jack and Shelley have been friends for a long time. They are neighbors and they have played on the same community soccer team for many years. Lately, their feelings seems to have taken on a character that goes beyond their childhood friendship. They are enjoying the new feelings, Shelley is trying to push the relationship into an exclusive boyfriend and girlfriend one. Jack is afraid to tell Shelley that he isn’t ready for that kind of relationship because he doesn’t want to ruin the friendship they have shared for many years.

Mark and some of his friends hang out at the mall after school. Sometimes they call out to the girls, from school, as they walk by. At times, their remarks can be are pretty mean and degrading. Mark is feeling really uncomfortable and he doesn’t want to participate in this activity anymore. He is afraid that his friends will think he is too immature, and they will start to pick on him.

Student Handout

John is a grade 9 student and really enjoys his sports with the guys. He likes girls but is not really interested in the “dating game”, yet. He very much prefers to continue investing much of his time with his long time buddies and the fun they have in their sports activities. Many of his friends have a girl friend and are putting a bit of pressure on John to get a girl friend too.

One day after school, Sam and his friend Kyle decided to go to the Community Centre to shoot some baskets together. After a good workout they went to Kyle’s for a pop. While they were drinking their pop, Kyle asked Sam if he wanted to see some very “hot" pictures from a Playboy magazine he had in his room.

Family Life Outcome 8.38.3-7November 2003

W- 8.7AThe student will explore our Christian call to uphold the dignity of the human person.

W-8.7BThe student will recognise the signs, methods and consequences of various types of abuse; e.g. neglect, emotional, physical, sexual abuse.

Catechetical Focus

We discern what is good and right for a healthy lifestyle through prayer, church teaching, personal reflection, an informed conscience and the wise counsel of others.
Our moral conscience is formed in the light of Sacred Scripture, Gospel values and the teachings of the Church. It guides our choices and decisions.
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

Note to the Catechist

Sexual abuse includes sexual exploitation, sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, exposure and sexual assault. Sexual exploitation is the improper use of another person for one’s own sexual purposes. Sexual interference is the touching of any part of a child under the age of 14 for sexual purposes. An invitation to sexual touching is making an invitation to a child under the age of 14 to touch the one making the invitation for sexual purposes. Exposure is exposing genital organs to someone for sexual purposes. Sexual assault is sexual activity that occurs without the consent of another. It often happens with the threat of physical force.

Theological Background

Scripture Commentary

It does not take much effort to “go with the flow” or just do what seems to come “natural”. Even when it comes to ridiculing and putting others down for their differences. However the call to be fully human means to supercede “what comes natural” and go beyond (to the “supernatural”) and make a conscientious choice NOT to “go with the flow” and do what we recognize is right, even when it’s hard.

Scripture Texts

Ephesians 4:17-24

17 Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart. 19 They have lost all sensitivity and have abandoned themselves to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 That is not the way you learned Christ! 21 For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22 You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.