CTL S1 Student book
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<strong>Student</strong> Book<br />
<strong>S1</strong><br />
Created<br />
in Love
KEY MESSAGES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE<br />
“We are not some casual product of evolution.<br />
Each of us is the result of a thought of God.<br />
Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”<br />
(Pope Benedict XVI)<br />
1. You are a special human being, created by God in his own image<br />
and likeness, gifted with unique talents and potential for life.<br />
2. You are called to love - to know the love of God, of family and of<br />
friends - and to love others as you are loved by God.<br />
3. God loves all people as his children. You are called to show<br />
respect for all people, even when their views and actions, their<br />
values and beliefs, are different from your own.<br />
4. Your sexuality is an important and intimate feature of your person,<br />
given to you as part of God’s plan for your happiness and your<br />
life’s vocation. You should cherish it and ensure that it is not<br />
exploited.<br />
5. Your sexuality makes it natural for you to be attracted to other<br />
people. Such attraction can lead to strong emotional and physical<br />
feelings which should always be expressed with modesty and<br />
respect, both for your self and for others.<br />
6. The ultimate sexual expression of such attraction should be an<br />
expression of true love, in which you commit to being faithful in<br />
marriage to a husband or wife, for life. Such total gift of self –<br />
body, emotions and soul – is a great responsibility and requires<br />
careful preparation and total commitment by both partners.<br />
7. You are called to share with God in the creation of new life<br />
through the rearing of children in a loving family which should be<br />
a reflection of God’s love.<br />
8. You are loved by God who shows compassion when things go<br />
wrong, who helps to heal wounded relationships, who forgives<br />
when your actions fail to match your ideals.
Created in Love:<br />
CONTENTS<br />
Session Session Page<br />
number title number<br />
INTRODUCTION 3<br />
1 YOU 4<br />
2 I AM ME 6<br />
3 FAMILY (1) 8<br />
4 FAMILY (2) 10<br />
5 FRIENDS (1) 12<br />
6 FRIENDS (2) 14<br />
7 HAPPINESS 16<br />
8 ME AND MY BODY 18<br />
9 PUBERTY 20<br />
10 CREATING NEW LIFE 22<br />
11 HOW HUMAN LIFE DEVELOPS 24<br />
12 MARRIAGE 26<br />
Appendix Appendix Page<br />
number title number<br />
1 YOU 28<br />
2 GROWING AND CHANGING 29<br />
3 THE OLD GRANDFATHER AND HIS LITTLE GRANDSON 29<br />
4 FAMILY STRESS 30<br />
5 FOOTSTEPS 30<br />
6 SITUATIONS 31<br />
7 PUBERTY 32<br />
8 PLANT REPRODUCTION 33<br />
9 THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN LIFE 34<br />
10 THE RITE OF MARRIAGE 35
Created in Love:<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
“God is love and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in him.”<br />
(1 Jn. 4:16)<br />
In the first letter of St John we are reminded that human love is a reflection of the love that God<br />
has for us – a love which is so great that it can quite often go beyond our human<br />
understanding, especially when times are hard or things go wrong.<br />
In our modern world “love” is such a misunderstood and misused word, yet it is something<br />
without which our very survival would be intolerable, for we need love. In the first encyclical of<br />
his Pontificate – Deus Caritas Est (God is Love) – Pope Benedict XVI writes on the subject of<br />
love when he recounts a story from the Gospel of St Mark where Jesus is asked which is the<br />
greatest of the Ten Commandments.<br />
Jesus replies, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and<br />
with all your mind, and with all your strength . . . and you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”<br />
(Mk. 12:30-31)<br />
This, then, is the purpose for which we have been created: to share with others the love that<br />
God gives us. We are created to know, to love and to serve God. We are created to share love<br />
with others. We are created in love.<br />
page 3
SESSION<br />
1<br />
Created in Love: YOU<br />
It was you who created my inmost self<br />
and put me together in my mother’s womb.<br />
For all these mysteries I thank you:<br />
for the wonder of myself, for the wonder of your works.<br />
(Psalm 139: 13-14)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an understanding of the uniqueness of each human being;<br />
• to develop an appreciation of one’s gifts and talents.<br />
Does anyone know the real you? Does anyone know everything there is to know about you?<br />
You are such a special and complex person that no one, except God who created you,<br />
knows you fully.<br />
In a way we are perhaps a bit like jigsaw puzzles: we all come in different sized boxes and all of<br />
us are made up of many different pieces. Some people think that they know you when they only<br />
have a few pieces of the jigsaw that is you, whereas others may have slightly more pieces but<br />
still do not really know you. It is only when you have all of the pieces and can place them<br />
together that you get to see the whole picture. The only person who has all the pieces is God . . .<br />
and he doesn’t even need the box lid!<br />
Each of us is special, each of us is unique. We are all wonderfully different individuals, yet at the<br />
same time we all share one very important aspect of our humanity with every other person on<br />
this planet – we are all created in the image and likeness of God.<br />
What does this mean?<br />
How can we possibly be unique, but still be the same as everyone else?<br />
page 4
TASK 1.1<br />
YOU ARE SPECIAL<br />
1. Read ‘You’ by Fr John Powell. You will find this in Appendix 1.<br />
2. Take a piece of paper and write ‘ME’ in the centre of the page.<br />
3. Now write all around this the gifts or talents that you think you have.<br />
Think of the things you are good at, such as sport, music, being a<br />
friend, etc.<br />
4. Choose three things from your list and briefly write down how these<br />
have helped either (a) yourself or (b) other people.<br />
5. Are there any things that you would like to have on your list? What<br />
sort of things would you like to be good at? Give one or two examples<br />
and explain why you would like this.<br />
As Fr Powell says, we are all special, we are all unique, we are all different. We should celebrate this<br />
fact and always thank God for the most wonderful gift we are given . . . the gift of ourselves.<br />
Reflection:<br />
Dear God,<br />
I thank you for the wonderful gift that is me. I thank you for my gifts and talents. Help me in my<br />
daily life to use them wisely and to show love and respect to the people I know and meet.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Discuss: By using our gifts and talents we give praise and thanks to God.<br />
• In what ways can we make best use of our gifts?<br />
• In what ways can we help others?<br />
• In what ways can this be seen as an offering to God?<br />
• Why do you think we should give thanks to God?<br />
page 5
SESSION<br />
2<br />
Created in Love: I AM ME!<br />
“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness . . .’”<br />
(Genesis 1:26)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to consider how we grow and change from childhood to adulthood;<br />
• to understand the things about ourselves we can change, and those we cannot;<br />
• to develop a deeper understanding of who we are as persons.<br />
Have you ever thought about how you got to be you? Or about the<br />
sorts of things that have helped you to become the person that you<br />
are?<br />
Somewhere at home, perhaps hidden away somewhere, there may<br />
possibly be at least one photograph of you as a nice, cute little baby.<br />
There will most probably also be some photographs of you from your<br />
time in primary school, and it is even possible that there may be some<br />
photographs of you that are more recent. These photographs, though<br />
all of you, will look quite different. See how you have changed!<br />
You have grown taller, the shape of your body has changed,<br />
your hair may have changed colour and maybe even in style.<br />
Yet despite all of these changes, you are still the same you.<br />
Change is a normal part of growing up and is something we<br />
all go through as we progress from childhood through to<br />
adulthood and into later years.<br />
Since we are all unique<br />
individuals created by<br />
God, however, the rate at<br />
which we change is likely<br />
to differ from one person<br />
to another. This, too, is<br />
perfectly normal, for we<br />
all grow and mature at<br />
different times and at<br />
different rates.<br />
page 6
TASK 2.1 GROWING AND CHANGING (1)<br />
Working in groups of about 4 or 6, do the following:<br />
1. Read ‘Growing and Changing’. You will find this in Appendix 2.<br />
2. In your groups, discuss how a young child changes in their short lifetime<br />
as a child, e.g. size, shape, hair, teeth, talking, walking, eating, etc.<br />
3. One person from each group should now report back to the assembled<br />
class.<br />
TASK 2.2 GROWING AND CHANGING (2)<br />
1. Working on your own, write down which of these things you can change and which you<br />
cannot.<br />
2. Choose two examples of each and write why you can/cannot change them.<br />
Reflection:<br />
Dear God,<br />
Give me the strength to change the things I can,<br />
the patience to accept the things I cannot change,<br />
and the wisdom to know the difference.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Read 1 Corinthians 13:11-13<br />
Discuss:<br />
How has your understanding of who you are changed over the years?<br />
• What does it mean to think or feel like a child?<br />
• In what way(s) might this be different from how an adult<br />
thinks or feels?<br />
• Why do you think there might be such a difference<br />
here?<br />
page 7
SESSION<br />
3<br />
Created in Love: FAMILY (1)<br />
“Love one another as I have loved you.”<br />
(John 15:12)<br />
Learning objectives for students;<br />
• to develop an understanding of what it means to belong to a family;<br />
• to consider roles and responsibilities within the family;<br />
• to develop an understanding of the need for love, respect and responsibility within the family.<br />
Everyone wants to be happy in life – to feel love, support, and to feel<br />
safe. It could be argued that these are basic human rights, and that<br />
from the moment of our birth the one place where we should expect these is<br />
from within the family.<br />
Of course, everyone is likely to have had a slightly different experience of<br />
what we mean by ‘family’, since each family is different and works in a<br />
different way. No matter what the structure, shape or size of a family,<br />
however, there are three very important elements that should be common to<br />
all families: love, respect and security.<br />
TASK 3.1<br />
FAMILY ROLES<br />
Working in groups of about 4 or 6, do the following:<br />
1. Discuss who does what in a family. For example, who does the cooking, housework,<br />
decorating, gardening, earning money, etc.?<br />
2. Now discuss why this may be the case. For example, is it because of gender, or ability or<br />
interest, etc.?<br />
3. What is your role within the family?<br />
Who we are as people is very heavily influenced by our families,<br />
their history, background and customs, and this is something in<br />
which we should be able to take immense pride.<br />
A sense of ‘family’ is one of the most significant factors in our<br />
development as individuals. For the first faces we see, the first<br />
hands that touch us, the first voices we hear, belong to our<br />
family members. Through them we learn how to love.<br />
Ideally, our family should supply our basic needs of love, food,<br />
shelter, safety and security. We also need our family for<br />
support at critical times in our lives.<br />
We should always try to be a good family member by sharing<br />
some of the responsibility for doing things around the home.<br />
For as well as receiving from the family, we also have a<br />
responsibility to give back to the family in the things we do, and<br />
the way we treat each other . . . always with love and respect.<br />
page 8
TASK 3.2<br />
THE GRANDFATHER AND HIS GRANDSON<br />
You will need Appendix 3 to complete this task.<br />
1. Read ‘The Old Grandfather and His Little Grandson’ by Leo Tolstoy, then work with a partner<br />
to discuss the following:<br />
a Why did the man and woman in the story not want the old man to eat with them?<br />
b How would the old man be feeling?<br />
c What made the man and woman stop and think about what they were doing?<br />
d What does this story tell us about love and respect?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Loving Father, we cannot live without love and we thank you for the love and support of our<br />
family and friends. Bless and take care of those who have cared for us from the moment of our<br />
birth. May we love our parents and guardians and give them the respect they deserve. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Television Families.<br />
• Think of a family from any TV programme e.g. the Simpsons.<br />
• Discuss how this family is portrayed.<br />
• How would you describe their relationship?<br />
• Do you think this is an accurate picture of a ‘real’ family?<br />
page 9
SESSION<br />
4<br />
Created in Love: FAMILY (2)<br />
“No one can develop freely in this world and find a full life<br />
without feeling understood by at least one person.”<br />
(Paul Tournier)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an understanding of the stresses that can be part of normal family life;<br />
• to consider strategies for dealing with these;<br />
• to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of prayer in stressful situations.<br />
Not everyone shares the same experience of ‘family’ for a number of reasons. Some families have<br />
two parents living at home, others have only one parent or none at all. Some have extended<br />
families where there are possibly aunts, uncles and grandparents all living together. Families come in<br />
all shapes and sizes and are as unique and different as individual people are.<br />
It is not always easy to be a family member, however.<br />
TASK 4.1<br />
FAMILY STRESS<br />
1. Read ‘Family Stress’. You will find this in Appendix 4.<br />
2. Working in groups of about 4-6, take a large sheet of paper and write ‘Family Stress’ in the<br />
middle. Now write down a list of the sort of day-to-day stresses that most families might<br />
experience.<br />
3. Why do our relationships with others often involve stress?<br />
Some of the causes of stress in family life can be common to many families:<br />
• arguments with brothers and/or sisters;<br />
• work to be done around the house;<br />
• pressure from parents to work hard and to do well at school;<br />
• getting into trouble for breaking family rules;<br />
• not being allowed to do everything you want to do.<br />
Some of these stresses are actually quite good in a way, for they provide an opportunity to become<br />
more aware of the needs and opinions of others, to become more reliable and to develop your<br />
talents. In other words, stress can sometimes help you to<br />
become a better family member.<br />
page 10
SESSION<br />
TASK 4.2<br />
COPING WITH STRESS<br />
1. The class will be divided into small groups of between 4 and 6.<br />
2. Each group should discuss one of four possible strategies for handling or<br />
coping with family stress. (Resource Sheet 1)<br />
3. Now discuss the following:<br />
• Why might this be a good way of handling stress?<br />
• In what other situations might this strategy be useful?<br />
There are possibly many pupils in your school for whom stress is just a normal part of their daily<br />
life. Stress is something that many people have to live with, and it is possible to cope with stressful<br />
situations. However too much stress can begin to have an effect on you. It can make you feel<br />
unhappy or upset, and when this happens it is important to let others know how you are feeling.<br />
By sharing your thoughts, your feelings and your hurt with someone else, something really good<br />
can happen. For, although the pain doesn’t magically disappear, in the very act of sharing how you<br />
feel with someone, you can lessen the stress. You can be comforted in the knowledge that<br />
someone is listening to you and that they care.<br />
Another useful way of expressing our feelings when we are stressed is through prayer. We pray for<br />
strength, for patience, for understanding and for a way to lessen our problems. For example, each<br />
time that we pray the ‘Our Father’ we are asking God to help us in our relationships, especially with<br />
those who are closest to us. We do this especially when we pray the words, “Forgive us our<br />
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” When we ‘trespass’ on someone we do<br />
something that hurts them, either physically or emotionally. And, of course, when someone<br />
‘trespasses against us’ they do things which hurt us.<br />
Reflection:<br />
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.<br />
Thy Kingdom come.<br />
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.<br />
Give us this day our daily bread,<br />
And forgive us our trespasses,<br />
As we forgive those who trespass against us.<br />
And lead us not into temptation,<br />
But deliver us from evil. Amen<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Read ‘A Conversation with God’ which is on Resource Sheet 2.<br />
Two people should read this as a conversation.<br />
page 11
Created in Love:<br />
5<br />
Session 5<br />
SESSION Created in Love: FRIENDS (1)<br />
“A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: when you have found one you have found a treasure.”<br />
(Sirach 6:14)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to consider what it means to be a friend;<br />
• to develop an understanding of the qualities that make a friend;<br />
• to consider how friendship changes as we grow older.<br />
You weren’t born with the knowledge of how to be a friend. Rather, it is something you have<br />
picked up along the way, and is something that some people pick up more easily than others.<br />
The main influence on how your understanding of ‘friends’ has developed will have been your family.<br />
By being a member of a family you will have learned about what it means to get on with others, to put<br />
the interests of others before your own, to compromise, to communicate, and to enjoy the company<br />
of other people. All of this will have prepared you well for developing your own friendships.<br />
What does it mean to be a friend? What does it mean to have friends?<br />
TASK 5.1<br />
WHAT IS A FRIEND?<br />
You will need Resource Sheet 3 and the ‘What Is a Friend?’ cards.<br />
1. Working in groups of about 4, take the<br />
cards and arrange them on the grid<br />
in the order in which you think best<br />
describes what a friend is, with 1<br />
being the best description, and<br />
16 being the least satisfactory.<br />
2. Now discuss why you have<br />
placed the cards in this order<br />
before one member of the<br />
group reports back to the<br />
class.<br />
page 12
SESSION<br />
1<br />
We don’t really know why people become friends or what draws people together. Sometimes it can<br />
be because they share something in common, but often friends can be quite different from each<br />
other.<br />
TASK 5.2<br />
FIRST FRIENDS<br />
Working with a partner, discuss the following:<br />
1. Who was your first friend?<br />
2. What did you enjoy doing with them?<br />
3. Do you have to be “the same” as someone in order to be their friend?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Guardian Angel,<br />
Watch over those whose names you can read in my heart.<br />
Guard over them with every care<br />
And make their way easy and their labours fruitful.<br />
Dry their tears if they weep;<br />
Bless their joys;<br />
Give them courage if they weaken;<br />
Restore their hope if they lose heart,<br />
Their health if they be ill,<br />
Truth when they err,<br />
And forgiveness if they fall.<br />
Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Read ‘Footsteps’. You will find this on Appendix 5.<br />
• What does this story tell us about our relationship with God?<br />
• What does it tell us about being a true friend?<br />
• In what way(s) can we ‘carry’ our friends?<br />
page 13
SESSION<br />
6<br />
Created in Love: FRIENDS (2)<br />
“A greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”<br />
(John 15:13)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop a deeper understanding of peer pressure;<br />
• to consider choices and their possible consequences;<br />
• to understand how we know right from wrong;<br />
• to consider our right to say ‘No’ to behaviour of which we disapprove;<br />
• to consider the need for rules and laws in society.<br />
As you grow older your experience of friendship<br />
changes and stress can have a major influence<br />
on how your friendships develop. For example, a<br />
friend may not want to spend as much time with<br />
you anymore and you may feel hurt by this.<br />
‘Peer pressure’ is part of growing up and wanting<br />
to be accepted. This is where you feel pressure to<br />
behave in particular ways in order to please your<br />
friends or to ‘fit in’ with the company you keep. At<br />
times this may lead you to behave in ways which<br />
cause difficulty for you and for others.<br />
Sometimes, of course, peer pressure can also<br />
have good effects, especially where someone is<br />
forced to change their negative behaviour in<br />
order to be accepted<br />
TASK 6.1<br />
CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES<br />
Working in groups of approximately 4 to 6, take one of the situations described in Appendix 6<br />
and discuss the following:<br />
1. What choice is the person in the story faced with?<br />
2. What option(s) do they have?<br />
3. What are the possible consequences of their various options?<br />
4. What do you think would be the correct choice to make, and why?<br />
page 14
TASK 6.2<br />
PEER PRESSURE<br />
Class Discussion:<br />
In each of the four situations we have looked at someone was faced<br />
with making a difficult choice.<br />
1. How do we decide what is right or wrong in a given situation?<br />
2. Why is it not always easy to make the right choice?<br />
3. How important is self-control in making right choices?<br />
4. Why does peer pressure have such an impact on our decision-making<br />
and on our friendships?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Dear God,<br />
Sometimes it is hard to do what we know to be right, and there are times when we are weak<br />
and fail to please you. May your Holy Spirit work within us, guiding us and giving us the courage<br />
and the strength to make the right choices in our lives that will lead us to a fulfilled life and to<br />
you. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
1. It is the year 2061. Imagine that you and your companions are part of a large group who have<br />
been sent from earth to colonise a new planet somewhere in the universe.<br />
2. What sort of rules or laws would you make to ensure good order in this new society?<br />
3. Why would it be important to have rules and laws?<br />
4. Read: ‘The Ten Commandments’ (Exodus 20:1-17)<br />
5. Why are these laws or commandments so important in the Judaeo-Christian tradition?<br />
page 15
SESSION<br />
7<br />
Created in Love: HAPPINESS<br />
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.<br />
If you love what you are doing,You will be successful.”<br />
(Albert Schweitzer)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to consider what we mean by happiness;<br />
• to develop an understanding of the things that will make us happy;<br />
• to appreciate that we cannot always have the things that we want;<br />
• to discover through the Beatitudes what it truly means to be happy.<br />
What do we mean by ‘happiness’? Is it a question of seeking to have a number of possessions or<br />
experiences from which we get pleasure? Or is happiness better described as being more like<br />
an inner contentment?<br />
We spend so much of our time looking for happiness, and for some of us it can be a more enjoyable<br />
pursuit than it is for others. The trouble is, we very often look for happiness in the wrong place and<br />
then complain when we don’t find it.<br />
This constant pursuit of happiness does not mean that we are selfish, for we all want to be happy. In<br />
searching for happiness all we are doing is aiming to achieve our ultimate goal – the very reason for<br />
our existence.<br />
God wants us to be happy. God wants us to live fulfilled lives. All we need to know is where to look for<br />
happiness.<br />
TASK 7.1<br />
PERSONAL WANTS AND NEEDS<br />
You will need Resource Sheet 5 to complete this task.<br />
1. Working on your own, fill in the ‘Personal Wants and Needs List’.<br />
page 16
SESSION<br />
TASK 7.2<br />
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?<br />
You will need Resource Sheet 6 to complete this task.<br />
1. Fill in the blanks in the ‘What Makes You Happy?’ list.<br />
2. You will notice that the sheet is divided into four categories to help you, with an<br />
example given under each category, e.g. a Games Console is a possession that<br />
may make you happy, whereas being shown kindness is an attitude that can<br />
bring you happiness.<br />
God does want you to be happy. If this is to happen, however, it is clear that there are certain things<br />
you have to do, situations you have to avoid, and ways you have to treat others and be treated<br />
yourself. If you don’t come to understand what these are, you will continue to look for happiness in<br />
the wrong place.<br />
Reflection:<br />
True Happiness (The Beatitudes)<br />
Happy are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<br />
Happy are those who mourn; for they shall be comforted.<br />
Happy are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.<br />
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they shall be satisfied.<br />
Happy are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.<br />
Happy are the pure in heart; for they shall see God.<br />
Happy are the peacemakers; for they shall be called children of God.<br />
Happy are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness;<br />
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Meditation on the Beatitudes.<br />
The class will join together in contemplating a modern interpretation of the Beatitudes.<br />
(Resource Sheet 7)<br />
page 17
SESSION<br />
8<br />
Created in Love: ME AND MY BODY<br />
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,<br />
who you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price.<br />
Therefore honour God with your body.”<br />
(1 Cor. 6:19-20)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an appreciation of sexuality as a gift from God;<br />
• to consider the need to cherish this gift;<br />
• to develop an understanding of the correct terminology for the reproductive organs.<br />
Learning about your sexuality is something that you have been doing from a very early age, even<br />
though you were perhaps not even aware of thinking about it. During this time there have been<br />
many things that will have influenced your learning, such as TV programmes, films, magazines,<br />
and seeing other people around you. The most important influence, however, will have been those<br />
people who are closest to you. How they look, the way they relate to one another and to you, the<br />
things they do – all of these will have had a major influence on how you feel as a girl or a boy.<br />
This gift of our sexuality comes from God and, like any gift we receive, we should look after it and<br />
respect it. God wants us to be happy. Your parents and your teachers want you to be happy. Part of<br />
being happy means leading good lives and showing that you can both understand and follow God’s<br />
plan for your sexuality.<br />
Your body has changed quite considerably over the years. As you grow and your body develops,<br />
you will begin to look more like an adult, and as this happens you receive another gift from God –<br />
the capacity to create life.<br />
Sexuality is not just about body parts. It is more about the sort of person you are, created by God,<br />
as male or female. As members of God’s family and as part of his creation, we must learn to<br />
respect each other. We should show this in the<br />
way we speak, the things we say to others, the<br />
language that we use. We should always avoid being<br />
disrespectful or hurtful to other people, even when we<br />
sometimes disagree with them.<br />
How do you respect your body? How do you respect the<br />
bodies of others? How do you show this in the language that<br />
you use, for example, in describing parts of the body?<br />
page 18
TASK 8.1<br />
UNDERSTANDING THE BODY<br />
Working in groups of about 4 to 6, do the following:<br />
1. Get a copy of Resource Sheet 8.<br />
2. In your groups, correctly label the parts of the male and female body using the list of words provided.<br />
3. Now get a copy of Resource Sheets 9 and 10.<br />
4. Using the same list of words, correctly match each part of the male and female body with its<br />
correct description.<br />
TASK 8.2<br />
Your body is a beautiful gift from God which you should treat with care and<br />
respect. This means that you should use the correct words for the parts of<br />
your body, so that you are not disrespectful to the beauty of God’s creation.<br />
The male body and the female body are designed to develop so that a<br />
husband and a wife are able to join together and be part of the creation of<br />
a new life - a life that has never existed before. This is a wonderful gift,<br />
but it also brings with it major responsibilities. For, in accepting this gift,<br />
you have to consider how you use it, with whom you use it and how you<br />
look after it.<br />
RESPECT FOR THE BODY<br />
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,<br />
whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were<br />
bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your body.”<br />
(1 Cor. 6: 19-20)<br />
1 What is St Paul telling you about your body?<br />
2 In what ways can the following harm our bodies:<br />
• drugs • alcohol • sexual activity?<br />
3 In what other ways can we harm our bodies?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the<br />
eyes with which his love looks out to the world; yours are the feet with which he goes about<br />
doing good; yours are the hands with which he blesses people now. (St Teresa of Avila)<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Using one of the examples from the discussions in Task 8.2, design a poster which could be used as<br />
part of a health campaign which draws particular attention to your chosen theme.<br />
• Think of an appropriate image and slogan.<br />
• How would you warn the public about the dangers presented by your chosen theme?<br />
page 19
SESSION<br />
9<br />
Created in Love: PUBERTY<br />
“So God created men and women in his own image . . . male and female he created them.”<br />
(Genesis 1:27)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop a deeper understanding of the complexity of the human body;<br />
• to develop a deeper understanding of changes which occur in puberty;<br />
• to develop an appreciation of our potential to share with God in the creation of new life.<br />
If someone gave you a gift which you really liked, you would want to look after it and make sure that<br />
it was not damaged in any way. So, too, with your body, which is a very special gift from God.<br />
You have looked at the reproductive systems of males and females, you will have seen how men and<br />
women are designed in a very complex way and with a specific purpose – to create new human life.<br />
This is what is called “procreation”. In this very special way a man and a woman are able to cooperate<br />
with God in creating a new, unique and special person.<br />
Our bodies are designed by God to develop at various stages as we<br />
grow, so that we become physically equipped to play our part in the<br />
creation of new life. A key stage in our physical and emotional<br />
development is called “puberty”.<br />
page 20
TASK 9.1<br />
PUBERTY<br />
Working in groups of about 4 to 6, do the following:<br />
1. You will require a copy of Resource Sheet 14 for the first part of this task, which is a quick<br />
quiz about puberty. Which statements are either true or false?<br />
2. Now read over the information in Appendix 7.<br />
3. Write a list of the outwardly visible changes that occur during puberty, then write a list of those<br />
changes which are not visible, in other words, which happen inside the body.<br />
4. Why might some people become anxious or worried if they think they are early or late<br />
developers?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Loving God, we marvel at the wonder of your creation.<br />
You have given us the wonderful gift of life; male and female you have created us.<br />
We thank you for this gift and we ask that you help us daily as we try to use the gift of our<br />
sexuality in the way that you intended. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Read the following:<br />
“I can’t go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.”<br />
(Lewis Carroll)<br />
• What do you think Lewis Carroll is saying here?<br />
• What does this mean with regard to us as individuals?<br />
page 21
10<br />
SESSION Created in Love: CREATING NEW LIFE<br />
“We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.<br />
Each of us is the result of a thought of God.<br />
Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”<br />
(Pope Benedict XVI)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an understanding of human reproduction;<br />
• to develop an understanding of Catholic teaching on the place of sexual intercourse within<br />
the context of marriage;<br />
• to consider how the subject of sex is portrayed through the media.<br />
As you have been getting older, many changes have been occurring within your body as it<br />
prepares itself for the possibility of creating new human life. ‘Reproduction’ does not happen by<br />
chance, nor is it something that can be achieved on your own. In most cases in the natural world<br />
there usually needs to be some input from both the male and female of the species to bring about<br />
reproduction.<br />
TASK 10.1<br />
REPRODUCTION<br />
Working with a partner, do the following:<br />
1. Read over the information on plant reproduction in Appendix 8.<br />
2. Now take Resource Sheet 11 and, using the given clues, unscramble the letters of the 11<br />
words and write them in the correct space in the grid to reveal the hidden word in the shaded<br />
boxes.<br />
In the Book of Genesis we read about when God<br />
decided to create people and that he created<br />
them male and female. Men and women have<br />
been perfectly designed for the purpose of<br />
creating new life together. This requires a<br />
contribution from the man (sperm) to fertilise<br />
something from the woman (egg) which can then<br />
develop as a baby in the woman’s womb.<br />
Sexual intercourse is a special gift that you<br />
should share with someone to whom you have<br />
made a commitment to love, honour and respect<br />
until the end of life. For Catholics and other<br />
Christians, for people of other faiths and none,<br />
this commitment is recognised through the<br />
Marriage ceremony.<br />
page 22
When a man and a woman commit to marriage, they promise to share all that they have, through<br />
good times and bad, in sickness and in health, until they are parted by death.<br />
The couple also promise to share their bodies with each other through having sexual intercourse.<br />
This will not only satisfy them in a physical sense, but in an emotional and spiritual sense. It will help<br />
to make their relationship much stronger as they express their love, trust and commitment to each<br />
other.<br />
Sexual intercourse is sometimes referred to as ‘making love’ since it is a sign of a very special<br />
relationship between a husband and wife. This is why the Catholic Church teaches that sexual<br />
intercourse should only take place between a man and a woman within a loving and married<br />
relationship.<br />
During the loving act of sexual intercourse the husband places his penis inside his wife’s vagina.<br />
During their love-making, millions of sperm cells contained in only a small amount of semen, are<br />
released through the penis into the vagina, where they begin their journey towards the fallopian tubes<br />
in search of an egg to be fertilised. If there is an egg ready to be fertilised, and if one of the sperm<br />
reaches it, the wife may become pregnant.<br />
TASK 10.2 HUMAN REPRODUCTION<br />
Working on your own, do the following:<br />
1. In what way(s) do you think plant reproduction and human reproduction have something(s) in<br />
common?<br />
2. In what way(s) do you think they are different?<br />
3. What do you think the difference is between ‘having sex’ and ‘making love’?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Dear God,<br />
We thank you for the special gift of our sexuality and for the wonderful way that you have<br />
created men and women so that their bodies may complement each other in sharing the work of<br />
your creation. Help us, so that we learn to respect this gift and more fully understand how, by<br />
loving in this way, we show the love you have for us. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
How is the issue of sex tackled on television programmes?<br />
• Think of two characters from any TV programme you have seen recently and who are<br />
involved in a relationship.<br />
• How would you describe their relationship?<br />
• If it is a sexual relationship, do you think they would describe themselves as ‘having sex’ or<br />
‘making love’?<br />
page 23
Created in<br />
11<br />
Love: Session 11<br />
SESSION Created in Love:<br />
HOW HUMAN LIFE DEVELOPS<br />
“And only where God is seen does life truly begin.”<br />
(Pope Benedict XVI)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an understanding of how human life is conceived;<br />
• to develop an understanding of how human life develops from conception to birth;<br />
• to develop a respect for human life, from its beginning to its end;<br />
• to understand what is meant by the dignity of human life.<br />
When a husband and wife have sexual intercourse it is possible that the woman may become<br />
pregnant. However when the husband’s semen passes into his wife’s vagina, if there is no ripe<br />
egg in either of the fallopian tubes, pregnancy may not follow. Sperm is able to stay alive inside the<br />
woman’s body for as much as six or seven days after intercourse, so even if an egg is released after<br />
intercourse the wife may still become pregnant, although the chances are slightly lower.<br />
A woman who is healthy and fertile will usually release an egg from one of her ovaries each month,<br />
and this egg will travel into one of the fallopian tubes to wait for the arrival of sperm cells. It waits for<br />
a short time, and if it is not fertilised, it dies off.<br />
When sperm are released into the vagina, millions of tiny sperm cells race off in search of an egg to<br />
fertilise. Of the many sperm cells that start this race, there will only ever be one winner. Some of the<br />
sperm cells will die on the way, some will swim into an empty fallopian tube, and others are not able<br />
to swim as fast.<br />
When the sperm cells reach an egg they try to burrow through its outer layer and, though many try,<br />
only one will enter into the inner part of the egg, where an explosion of activity called conception<br />
takes place.<br />
You could say that the chances of you becoming who you are were several million to one, and that in<br />
the one moment of conception, you became you. All of the genetic information from your parents,<br />
including your height, the colour of your hair, the colour of your eyes, the colour of your skin – all of<br />
these decisions and more were made in that split second. And you are the result . . . a truly<br />
wonderful gift from God.<br />
page 24
TASK 11.1<br />
DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN LIFE<br />
Working in groups of about 4 to 6 do the following:<br />
1. Read over the information on Appendix 9.<br />
2. Arrange the ‘Development of Human Life’ cards<br />
(Resource Sheet 12) so that the various stages in the<br />
development of human life are placed in their proper sequence.<br />
3. Discuss: At what stage does human life begin?<br />
Reflection:<br />
Dear God,<br />
We thank you for the gift of sharing in your creative power.<br />
Help us to grow in understanding and respect for this miraculous gift.<br />
Give us the wisdom to understand how to use this gift lovingly,<br />
so that we may more and more come to realise your purpose for us. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
A continuum –<br />
Imagine a line running across the classroom floor. One end of this line represents total<br />
agreement, and the other, total disagreement. You are asked to stand on this imaginary line in a<br />
position that reflects the extent to which you either agree or disagree with each statement that<br />
your teacher will read out.<br />
page 25
Created in<br />
12<br />
Love: Session 12 11<br />
SESSION Created in Love:<br />
MARRIAGE<br />
“This is why a man leaves his father and his mother<br />
and becomes attached to his wife and they become one flesh.”<br />
(Genesis 2:24)<br />
Learning objectives for students:<br />
• to develop an understanding of why people choose to marry;<br />
• to understand the nature of the vows made during marriage;<br />
• to understand marriage as a Sacrament of the Church;<br />
• to consider what it means to live a celibate life;<br />
• to develop an understanding of the Catholic Rite of Marriage.<br />
God created us as male and female, and this gift of sexuality draws us closer to other people in<br />
different ways. As girls and boys we become more aware of each other and want to spend some<br />
more time in each other’s company. Some other people we will meet will stay as no more than<br />
friends. However there may be that special person that you meet and with whom you will develop a<br />
special loving relationship that will lead to marriage.<br />
TASK 12.1<br />
WHY DO PEOPLE MARRY?<br />
Working in groups of about 4 to 6 discuss the following:<br />
1. Why do people get married?<br />
2. What do people expect to get from being married?<br />
3. How long should you know someone before you get married?<br />
4. What sort of preparations would you need to make?<br />
As Christians we believe that we have been called by God to serve him in a number of different ways.<br />
Some people are called by God to marriage: this is their vocation. In answering this call, a husband<br />
and wife say something very important to each other, so much so that they take special vows before<br />
God and before other witnesses. When they take these vows they are saying,<br />
“I give you myself totally and completely – mind, body and spirit – not just for today, but for all time.”<br />
This is a very serious promise to make, for it means that they are<br />
giving themselves to another person, including all their worries, their<br />
fears and their hopes for the future. This is their expression of love,<br />
trust and commitment that they make to each other. This is why the<br />
Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a “sacrament”, an outward<br />
sign of the love that God shows for each of us.<br />
page 26
Of course not everyone is called to serve God in this way, to get married or<br />
to have children. Some people might stay single because they have<br />
never met that one person to whom they can give themselves so<br />
completely. Others are called in another very special way, where<br />
they choose to stay single and to offer their complete lives as a<br />
gift to God, in service to others. Priests, nuns, and religious<br />
brothers and sisters, for example, choose to remain “celibate”,<br />
which means unmarried. This means that they sacrifice having a<br />
sexual relationship with a husband or wife, but can still express<br />
their sexuality without an intimate, physical relationship.<br />
TASK 12.2 WHAT’S IN A MARRIAGE?<br />
Working in groups of about 4 to 6 do the following:<br />
1. You will need a copy of Resource Sheet 13.<br />
2. Look at the sheet and rank each item according to how important you think each is within a<br />
marriage. You should rank them on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being essential and 5 not<br />
important.<br />
Reflection:<br />
Heavenly Father, you call us to serve you. Help us to recognise and accept the plan you have<br />
for us. Give us understanding that we may learn to appreciate your ways. Inspire us to live with<br />
dignity and respect and to participate with you in building family through the sacrament of<br />
marriage. Amen.<br />
Extension Task:<br />
Read the excerpt from the Catholic Rite of Marriage. You will find this in Appendix 10.<br />
• Why are the bridegroom and the bride asked to publicly state their intentions?<br />
• What are the three things the bride and bridegroom promise to do?<br />
• Why do you think this is so important in Catholic marriage?<br />
page 27
Appendix 1<br />
APPENDIX1<br />
YOU<br />
John Powell, SJ<br />
You are a special person. The one and only you, in this entire world there is not another you.<br />
In fact, since the beginning of time there has never been another you. No human being has<br />
ever had your eyes, your nose, your hair or hands or voice. You are unique among all human<br />
beings. You are special. No one will ever have your fingerprints or brainwaves. Nobody<br />
anywhere has your tastes: for food or music or art. No one sees exactly as you do. Think about<br />
it. In all human history there has never been another person who laughs as you do, no one who<br />
cries as you do. And what makes you laugh or cry could never call identical laughter or tears out<br />
of anyone else. No one reacts to any situation as you react. You are unique. You are the one<br />
and only you.<br />
You are the only one in all creation who has your combination of abilities. Oh, there will always<br />
be somebody who is better at one of the things you are good at. But no one in the whole<br />
universe can ever duplicate the quality of talents, ideas, choices, abilities and feelings.<br />
It’s like a room filled with musical instruments. Some may sound better than others when played<br />
alone; but none can match the symphony sound when all are played together. And you are a<br />
symphony. You are a sound; a melody never heard before and never to be heard again.<br />
Through all eternity no one will ever look, talk, walk or think as you do. You are indeed an<br />
‘original by God’. There will never be a carbon copy of you.<br />
And all ‘originals’ are of great value. So you don’t have to attempt to imitate others. You don’t<br />
need to compete with others. You should rather accept – yes, celebrate – your differences from<br />
others. It’s these very differences that make you unique among all human beings.<br />
Last of all, it’s no accident that you are unique. God has made you unique for a very special<br />
reason. He clearly has a job for you that no one else can do as well as you. Only you can do it.<br />
Out of all the billions of applicants, only one has all the<br />
qualifications. Only one has the right combination of<br />
what it takes. And that one is you, the never-to-berepeated<br />
you. To achieve we only have to believe.<br />
Fr John Powell, SJ<br />
page 28
APPENDIX2<br />
GROWING AND CHANGING<br />
Anonymous<br />
Two-year old, two-year old,<br />
What can you do?<br />
Throw things in the toilet;<br />
Whoops, that was my shoe!<br />
Four-year old, four-year old,<br />
Where have you been?<br />
Playing in a mud hole,<br />
And staying nice and clean.<br />
Ten-year old, ten-year old,<br />
Why do you run?<br />
Walking isn’t fast enough,<br />
Besides, it isn’t fun.<br />
Thirty-year old, thirty-year old,<br />
Why do you sigh?<br />
I can’t find time for everything,<br />
No matter how I try.<br />
Sixty-year old, sixty-year old,<br />
What do you see?<br />
Greying hair and wrinkles,<br />
I wonder if it’s me?<br />
Old person, old person,<br />
Why do you smile?<br />
I have so many stories,<br />
Can you listen for a while?<br />
Teenager, teenager,<br />
Where do you go?<br />
I’ll find out when I get there,<br />
Oh, why is life so slow?<br />
Appendix 3<br />
APPENDIX3<br />
THE OLD GRANDFATHER AND HIS<br />
LITTLE GRANDSON<br />
Leo Tolstoy<br />
The grandfather had become very old. His legs would not carry him, his eyes could not see,<br />
his ears could not hear, and he was toothless. When he ate, bits of food sometimes<br />
dropped out of his mouth. His son and his son’s wife no longer allowed him to eat with them at<br />
the table. He had to eat his meals in the corner near the stove.<br />
One day they gave him his food in a bowl. He tried to move the bowl closer; it fell on the floor<br />
and broke. His daughter-in-law scolded him. She told him that he spoiled everything in the<br />
house and broke their dishes, and she said that from now on he would get his food in a<br />
wooden dish. The old man sighed and said nothing.<br />
A few days later, the old man’s son and his wife were sitting in their hut, resting and watching<br />
their little boy playing on the floor. They saw him putting together something out of small<br />
pieces of wood. His father asked him, ‘What are you making, Misha?’<br />
The little grandson said, ‘I’m making a wooden bucket. When you and Mamma get old, I’ll feed<br />
you out of this wooden dish.’<br />
The young peasant and his wife looked at each other and tears filled their eyes. They were<br />
ashamed because they had treated the old grandfather so meanly, and from that day they<br />
again let the old man eat with them at table and took better care of him.<br />
page 29
Appendix 3<br />
APPENDIX4<br />
FAMILY STRESS<br />
Picture the scene . . . there you are, rushing to school, and to make matters worse it is<br />
Monday morning again. You hate Mondays. In such a bad mood before you left the house,<br />
you had a big argument with your brother (or sister). To make matters worse, you didn’t finish<br />
your maths homework, and it is due in first period. As if things couldn’t get any worse, you get<br />
to school and there isn’t a soul to be seen on the playground, which means that you are also<br />
late!<br />
There’s a word to describe how you are feeling . . . you feel stress!<br />
Stress, or tension, is a normal part of life. Many things happen to you each day, and you come<br />
into contact with many different people. Along the way it is inevitable that conflicts may occur<br />
and you may feel yourself being pulled in different directions by people who all want<br />
something from you. Stress is this sense of being pulled or stretched.<br />
Some stress is actually good for us . . . if you don’t get challenged, what is the point in getting<br />
up in the morning? We need to be stretched; how would we ever develop otherwise? But then<br />
again, you can have too much stress, and when it begins to get on top of you, life can become<br />
pretty difficult.<br />
As humans we relate to others, and with relationships come stress. Nowhere is this truer than<br />
within the family, and for as long as there have been families, there have been family tensions.<br />
Hardly surprising really, since we live so closely together and expect so much from each other<br />
– what else can you expect, then, that we should have disappointments and disagreements?<br />
Appendix 5<br />
APPENDIX5<br />
FOOTSTEPS<br />
Margaret Fishback Powers<br />
One night I dreamed a dream.<br />
I was walking along the beach with my Lord.<br />
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.<br />
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,<br />
one belonging to me and one to the Lord.<br />
When the last scene of my life shot before me<br />
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.<br />
There was only one set of footprints.<br />
I realised that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life.<br />
This always bothered me<br />
and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.<br />
‘Lord, you told me when I decided to follow You,<br />
You would walk and talk with me all the way.<br />
But I’m aware that during the most troublesome times of my life<br />
there is only one set of footprints.<br />
I just don’t understand why, when I need You most,<br />
You leave me.’<br />
He whispered, ‘My precious child,<br />
I love you and will never leave you, never ever.<br />
During your trials and testing,<br />
when you saw only one set of footprints<br />
it was then that I carried you.’<br />
page 30
Appendix 6<br />
APPENDIX6 SITUATIONS<br />
Situation 1:<br />
Elaine, Fiona and Debbie have been good friends since Primary 3 and spend most of their<br />
spare time together. In the last few weeks Debbie has begun to feel a bit left out as Elaine and<br />
Fiona seem to be getting much more interested in clothes and fashion. Debbie likes clothes<br />
too, but she knows that her mum is finding money tough just now. She has mentioned this to<br />
her friends in the past. It is Saturday morning and Elaine asks Fiona to go shopping for some<br />
new clothes but does not ask Debbie. Fiona does not want Debbie to be left out.<br />
Situation 2:<br />
John has gone to the shops on the way home from school with two boys in second year.<br />
Usually he would go straight home with his friend Dave who lives next door to him. The boys<br />
go into a shop and as they are looking around they see a large box on the floor at the back of<br />
the shop. It is partly open and contains cartons of cigarettes. One of the older boys takes one<br />
of the cartons, rips it open and hands a couple of packets of cigarettes to his friend and then<br />
offers one to John. “Here,” he says, “take them, they’re free. The lady’s busy with a customer.<br />
She’ll never notice.”<br />
Situation 3:<br />
It is Friday night and you are going to a school disco with your friends. On the way there your<br />
friends are all bragging about how much they can drink and how great it is to get ‘smashed’ at<br />
the weekend. You know they are only boasting, but say nothing. When you arrive at school<br />
your friends go to the toilet, and you go with them. Once inside, they take out bottles they had<br />
hidden earlier in the day. One of your friends holds out a half bottle of vodka towards you. “Go<br />
on, have a drink! What harm can it do? You’ll enjoy the disco much better with a drink in you!”<br />
Situation 4:<br />
You are at a party in your friend’s house. Their parents are out for the evening and won’t be<br />
back until late. You are talking with your friend when you see a girl from another class that you<br />
really like but are too shy to ask out. Your friend sees you looking at her and says, “Fancy her,<br />
then? I can get you set up, no problem!” You laugh nervously and deny that you are interested.<br />
Some time later your friend comes over, bringing the girl with him. “This is Tracey,” he says,<br />
“do you two want to go upstairs for some privacy?”<br />
page 31
Appendix 6<br />
APPENDIX7<br />
PUBERTY<br />
Puberty is the word that is used to describe the period of our development when the body and<br />
the brain go through a number of stages leading to sexual maturity. It can be a worrying time<br />
for young people as the changes are sometimes very fast and very noticeable.<br />
• During puberty, the male and female sexual organs mature and the body is ready for the<br />
exciting prospect of becoming a parent. The female ovaries produce egg cells and the male<br />
testes produce sperm.<br />
The time when puberty starts is different for boys and girls and, even then, not all girls reach<br />
puberty at the same time, nor do all boys.<br />
• A girl’s body will start to develop when she is between 11 and 14 years old.<br />
• A boy’s body will start to develop when he is about 13 or 16 years old.<br />
• Each person’s body, however, develops at its own rate and in its own time. There is no hard<br />
and fast rule about when puberty should begin or when it should end.<br />
During puberty you cannot see the internal changes, but what are called the “secondary<br />
sexual characteristics” become much more visible.<br />
• Girls will develop breasts, pubic hair, and will begin to grow taller.<br />
• They will also experience menstruation for the first time, signalling their potential to become<br />
a mother.<br />
• Boys will also notice changes, such as genital development, the growth of pubic hair,<br />
growth in height, and a deepening of their voice as the larynx (voice box) gets larger and is<br />
able to produce a deeper sound.<br />
• They may also experience a ‘wet dream’, where a small amount of semen is released from<br />
the penis. This is perfectly natural and is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.<br />
During puberty young people may feel awkward as their bodies grow.<br />
• They need to consider their personal hygiene more, since sweat glands in the armpits,<br />
under the breasts and around the genital area become active.<br />
• Spots also can become a problem, with excess sebum blocking pores. This can be treated<br />
with regular washing or, in extreme cases, by applying a cream from your GP or<br />
pharmacist.<br />
• During puberty, young people often experience mood swings as they<br />
cope with their changing emotions, and first ‘crushes’ may also be<br />
experienced.<br />
page 32
Appendix 7<br />
APPENDIX<br />
8<br />
PLANT REPRODUCTION<br />
Plants reproduce through a process known as pollination. Plants are made up of many<br />
different parts, and each of these has its own specific purpose. Some of these parts are<br />
described as being ‘male’ and others as ‘female’, and without these, pollination would not be<br />
able to happen.<br />
The head of a flower has petals that are often brightly coloured to attract insects, birds and<br />
small furry animals. The petals also protect the flower’s reproductive organs.<br />
The two most important parts of a flower are the pistil (female) and the stamen (male). The<br />
pistil contains the ovaries and the top part of it, called the stigma, gathers pollen which then<br />
travels down towards the ovaries where it fertilises the ovules (eggs), producing seeds. The<br />
stamen is where the pollen comes from and comprises of the filament and the anther. The<br />
anther is the part from where the pollen is released.<br />
Pollination can happen in a number of different ways. Some plants release a sweet- smelling<br />
liquid called nectar which attracts small birds and insects. Bees, for example, land on flowers<br />
and, as they brush against the anther with their legs, pick up some pollen and transfer this to<br />
the stigma. Sometimes they will then fly on to other flowers, where more pollen may stick to<br />
the stigma of these plants – we call this cross-pollination. The same can happen if the plant is<br />
visited by other insects or birds or small furry animals. Another way that flowers can be<br />
pollinated is by the wind; some flowers have more open petals and pollen can be carried by<br />
the wind, landing either on the stigma of the same plant or another plant completely.<br />
Pollination is the key to the survival of plant life and is only possible because of the presence<br />
of both male and female parts – in other words, plants are only able to reproduce because<br />
they have been created with the right equipment.<br />
page 33
Appendix 8<br />
APPENDIX9<br />
THE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN LIFE<br />
Stage Timescale Size Description<br />
Conception<br />
Within days of<br />
intercourse<br />
Almost invisible<br />
New life starts as a single cell, so small as<br />
to be almost invisible. Transfer of genetic<br />
information.<br />
Zygote<br />
A few hours<br />
after conception<br />
Size of full stop<br />
Fertilised ovum divides into 2 cells, each<br />
containing genetic information from both<br />
parents.<br />
Every 12-15<br />
hours<br />
Micro<br />
Egg divides further – 2 cells in 4, then 8,<br />
16, 32, 64, etc.<br />
Blastocyst<br />
3 days<br />
Micro<br />
Ball or cluster of cells moves from fallopian<br />
tube into uterus.<br />
Day 5<br />
Micro<br />
Transparent membrane around cells<br />
disappears.<br />
Embryo<br />
Day 7<br />
Micro<br />
Attaches to lining of uterus (implantation)<br />
Day 18<br />
0.2cm<br />
Backbone, brain, nervous system and<br />
some internal organs begin to form.<br />
Day 21<br />
0.4cm<br />
Heart starts to pump blood.<br />
Day 28<br />
0.6cm<br />
Muscles, arms, legs and ears beginning to<br />
show.<br />
Foetus<br />
2 Months<br />
3cm<br />
Kidneys, stomach, liver, brain and muscles<br />
start to function.<br />
3 Months<br />
7.5cm<br />
Sex of foetus can be distinguished, internal<br />
reproductive organs develop. Begins to<br />
move about.<br />
4 Months<br />
15cm<br />
Can move its arms and kick legs.<br />
5 Months<br />
25cm<br />
Sucks thumb. Somersaults in womb<br />
6 Months<br />
30cm<br />
Moves more often. Opens eyes. Reacts to<br />
sounds.<br />
7 Months<br />
Varies<br />
Internal body systems almost completely<br />
developed.<br />
8 Months<br />
Varies<br />
Fully developed. Settles into position, head<br />
downwards.<br />
9 Months<br />
40-50cm<br />
Ready to be born.<br />
page 34
APPENDIX10<br />
THE RITE OF MARRIAGE<br />
Priest:<br />
Priest:<br />
__________ and __________, you have come together in this Church so that<br />
the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church’s<br />
minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already<br />
consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a<br />
special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and<br />
lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your<br />
intentions.<br />
__________ and __________, I shall now ask if you freely undertake the<br />
obligations of marriage, and to state that there is no legal impediment to your<br />
marriage.<br />
Are you ready freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in<br />
marriage?<br />
The Bridegroom answers first and then the Bride:<br />
Bridegroom: I am.<br />
Bride: I am.<br />
Priest: Are you ready to love and honour each other as man and wife for the rest of your<br />
lives?<br />
Bridegroom: I am.<br />
Bride: I am.<br />
Priest: Are you ready to accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according<br />
to the law of Christ and His Church?<br />
Bridegroom:I am.<br />
Bride: I am.<br />
The Bridegroom says after the Priest, or reads:<br />
I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I _____ may not be joined<br />
in matrimony to _______.<br />
Then the Bride says after the Priest or reads:<br />
I do solemnly declare that I know not of any lawful impediment why I ______ may not be<br />
joined in matrimony to ______.<br />
CONSENT<br />
The Priest invites the couple to declare their consent:<br />
Priest: Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, declare your consent before God<br />
and his Church.<br />
To the Bridegroom:<br />
Priest: __________ will you take __________here present for your lawful wife,<br />
according to the rite of our Holy Mother the Church?<br />
Bridegroom: I will.<br />
page 35
Appendix APPENDIX10<br />
THE RITE OF MARRIAGE<br />
Priest:<br />
Bride:<br />
__________ will you take __________ here present for your lawful husband,<br />
according to the rite of our Holy Mother the Church?<br />
I will.<br />
The Bride and Bridegroom join their right hands. The Bride’s hand may be placed in the<br />
Bridegroom’s by the person who gives her away.<br />
The Bridegroom then says after the Priest, or reads:<br />
Bridegroom: I call upon these persons her present to witness that I __________ do take thee,<br />
__________ to be my lawful wedded wife to have and to hold from this day<br />
forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love<br />
and to cherish, till death us do part.<br />
They separate their hands for a moment and then rejoin them before the Priest invites the<br />
Bride to make the same vows:<br />
Bride: I call upon these persons here present to witness that I __________ do take<br />
thee, __________to be my lawful wedded husband to have and to hold from this<br />
day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health,<br />
to love and to cherish, till death us do part.<br />
Receiving their consent, the Priest says:<br />
Priest: You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his<br />
goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God<br />
has joined together, let no man put asunder.<br />
All: Amen.<br />
Blessing and exchange of rings<br />
Priest: May the Lord bless this ring (these rings) which you give (to each other) as the<br />
sign of your love and fidelity.<br />
All: Amen.<br />
The husband places his wife’s ring on her finger, saying:<br />
Husband: __________, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the<br />
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.<br />
If the husband is to receive a ring, the wife places it on his finger saying:<br />
Wife: __________, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the<br />
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.<br />
page 36
© Scottish Catholic Education Service 2008<br />
Scottish Catholic Education Service<br />
75 Craigpark, Glasgow G31 2HD<br />
Tel: 0141 556 4727<br />
Fax: 0141 551 8467<br />
Email: mail@sces.uk.com<br />
Web: www.sces.uk.com