Grade 4 - Family Life Education

Families: A Living Communion of Love

Families: Called to be in Relationship

Families: Created in Love, Wonderfully Made

Demonstrate an understanding that God, who is love, is ever-present in families. (AL 59: "The mystery of the Christian family can be fully understood only in the light of the Father's infinite love revealed in Christ.") [LG 11, 31, FC 28, 42, AL 87, CCC 1604, 2207, 2780 – 2782]

Examine how families are the basic cell of society gifted by God.

Illustrate ways in which families show their love of God by being caring family members, and respecting others. (Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectation 6)

Describe how "The Church is a family of families".

Demonstrate an understanding of how families support one's God-given vocation and purpose. (AL 260: "Families cannot help but be places of support, guidance and direction.") [AL 260, CV 253-255, CCC 2222-2230]

Explain how the domestic church helps form their identity and discern their purpose.

Articulate that respect and responsibility are gifts offered to one another in the family.

Illustrate and describe how families share gifts and talents as acts of love.

Understand the family as domestic church or 'home' or 'little' church. [LG 11, FC 21, AL 67, DC 226-227, 239 – 241, CCC 1666, 2204-2206]

Show how the domestic church is a family within the universal church.

Discuss how members of the domestic church are called to evangelize.

Explore how celebrations at Church are witnessed and visible in the domestic church (e.g. celebrating notable feast days, liturgical colours, lighting of candles during the month of November, etc.).

Demonstrate an understanding that family relationships are a gift from God. [FC 15, CCC 2201 – 2206]

Compare and contrast the relationships between different members of their family (e.g. sibling to sibling, any variation of familial relationships).

Express how families can learn to show God's love and mercy in times of joy and sorrow.

Understand that God desires to be in relationship with people through prayer and love.

Demonstrate an understanding that the Holy Family accompanies the Christian family as it forms and develops relationships. [AL 65, CCC 1601-1605, 1655-1657]

Explore the value of trust in the relationship between Mary and Joseph.

Identify how Jesus lovingly makes promises and commitments in relationships.

Connect and communicate ways in which the expression of love in marriage is self-giving and open to the welcoming of new life.

Demonstrate an understanding of the duties, rights, responsibilities, and decision making within the family and community. [FC 17, CCC 1776 – 1782, 2207-2213]

Explore some key aspects of discernment in the moral decision-making process (e.g. prayer, confession, Eucharist, pastoral support). (HPE A1.6, HPE D2.2, and RE ML2.2)

Identify how families help shape them to become responsible citizens who value and honour the important role of the family in society. (Links to be made to Catholic Social Teaching, Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Calls to Action.)

Express how God wants them to make choices every day that can have a positive impact on their mental health and relationships. (HPE A1.3, HPE A1.4, and HPE D2.5)

Demonstrate an understanding that human beings are created body, mind and spirit, in the image and likeness of God. (Gen 1:26-27) [GS 24, 29 FC 11, AL 10 – 11, CCC 222-227, 299, 353 – 354, 356-361]

Express how all of God's creation reveals God's truth, beauty and goodness.

Explain how love of self, body, mind and spirit, acknowledges being wonderfully made. (HPE D2.4 and HPE D3.2)

Identify ways in which people within a family promote the dignity of the human person. (HPE D3.3)

Understand that God desires abundant life for us as healthy, whole persons, gifted into families. [CCC 50-53, 362 – 368, 2288-2289, 2522 - 2524]

Demonstrate an understanding that families are places where one can learn that a healthy, abundant life requires personal care and the application of personal hygienic practices associated with the onset of puberty. (HPE D2.4)

Communicate ways in which families model and support strategies to manage stress in a variety of situations (e.g. through prayer, reflection, adoration, meditation, eating well, getting enough sleep). (HPE A1.2 and HPE D3.3)

Explore the Catholic understanding of being a body and how it relates to being healthy and whole.

Demonstrate an understanding of human growth and development as graced from conception to natural death. [GS 50, FC 28, 30, AL 83, CCC 2258, 2318-2319]

Identify how families help the human person to grow and develop from childhood to adolescence.

Articulate the physical changes that occur at puberty (e.g. growth of body hair, loss of teeth, changes in voice and height, production of body odour, skin changes, breast development) and the emotional and social impacts that may result from these changes. (HPE D1.5)

Examine the spiritual, emotional and social changes that occur during adolescence, and the strategies to manage these changes. (HPE A1.2, HPE D1.5, HPE D2.5 and HPE D3.3)