Grade 8 - 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, 35, FC 17, 28, 42, AL 11, 29, 71, CCC 1604, 2207, 2780 – 2782]

Examine how family life in the domestic church reveals and communicates the gift of God's ever-present love for humanity and creation.

Express how God's love is shown in all families.

Identify how the Church is a family of families called to be transformed by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

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.") [LG 40, AL 260, CV 253-255, CCC 1905 – 1926, 2222-2230]

Articulate how discovering their vocation and forming their identity can fulfill their call to holiness.

Summarize how their gifts and talents are from God and are to be used generously and prudently in their family and the world (e.g. through the type of career or job that one seeks, by doing all work with love).

Determine ways in which families use their gifts and talents to participate and transform society for the common good.

Understand the family as domestic church or 'home' or 'little' church. [LG 11, FC 21, AL 67, CV 257, DC 226-227, 239 – 241, CCC 1666,2204-2206]

Investigate how the history of the domestic church is important to the Catholic tradition today.

Explore and apply the ways in which young people will continue to evangelize in their domestic church as they grow, develop and mature (e.g. in high school, post-secondary, career, new family, etc.).

Discuss how the liturgical cycle of the Church accompanies the celebrations of daily life in the domestic church.

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

Analyze the task of the family to practice love and mercy in all its relationships and to form persons in love.

Evaluate ways in which the gifts of family and friendship help them to understand how to be in relationship with themselves, God and others.

Convey how growing in one's relationship with God helps one to know God, love God and serve God.

Demonstrate an understanding that the Holy Family accompanies the Christian family as it forms and develops relationships. [FC 64, AL 65, CCC 1601-1605, 1655-1657]

Explore how families are called to express trust as it is modeled by and within the Holy Family.

Describe how loving one another gives witness to the loving communion of the three Divine Persons in One God, the Trinity.

Understand and communicate that marriage is one of the seven Sacraments of the Church, and that marriage calls a man and woman to become one and form a family.

Demonstrate an understanding of the duties, rights, responsibilities, and decision making within the family and community. [FC 17, CCC 1776 – 1782, 1804-1829, 1878 – 1896, 2207-2213]

Identify that all persons are gifted by God with free will and examine the ways in which all people need discernment and right judgement. (HPE A1.6)

Evaluate how families help to shape them to become responsible citizens who witness Catholic Social Teaching by promoting equality, democracy, and solidarity for a just, peaceful, and compassionate society. (Links to be made to Catholic Social Teaching, Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Calls to Action.)

Discuss God's call for families to encourage healthy habits and coping strategies and to incorporate them into daily routines (e.g. praying, experiencing nature, eating as a family, choosing healthy foods, maintaining consistent sleep times, etc.) as a means to support mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. (HPE D2.4, HPE D3.1 and HPE D3.4)

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, 362-368]

Examine and explain how families help them to seek God who is truth, beauty and goodness as revealed in new life and creation.

Understand that human image and likeness pours out through God's unconditional love, freely shared through God's Son, Jesus Christ.

Communicate human dignity as a unifying principle in seeking equity, peace and justice.

Understand that God desires abundant life for us as healthy, whole persons, gifted into families. [CCC 50-53, 371-372, 1602 – 1605, 2288-2289, 2337 – 2347, 2522-2524]

Identify sources of support that affirm modesty, chastity and abstinence as the best moral and the healthiest option for adolescents when making decisions related to relationships, sexual activity, health and consent (e.g. a trusted family member, teacher, religious leader, health professional, etc.). (HPE D1.4, HPE D2.3 and HPE D3.3)

Research how chastity and abstinence are the healthiest option to prevent pregnancy and STBBIs, and examine Natural Family Planning in the light of Catholic teaching. (HPE D2.3 and HPE D3.3)

Assess the intent and potential impact on themselves and others of inappropriate behaviours in-person and online, and exercise Christian leadership to advocate for kindness, humility, love and hope in the online setting. (HPE D2.2 and HPE D3.2) (See resources available through the Institute for Catholic Education: #Digital Citizenship https://iceont.ca/digital-citizenship/.)

Understand the Catholic teaching on formation of one's identity, which is a complex reality that is, in part, socially constructed and also tied intrinsically to biological sex, and reflect on how and why this differs from a secular understanding, while considering what contributes to healthy development. (HPE D1.5)

Identify that in the adolescent and early adult developmental stages of growth, people start to experience sexual attraction, curiosity, feelings and sensations as they come to know themselves and journey toward maturity. (HPE D1.5)

Demonstrate an understanding of human growth and development as graced from conception to natural death. [GS 50, FC 28, 30, AL 83, 92, CV 217, CCC 2258, 2318-2319, 2337 – 2363]

Identify how families help the human person to grow and develop from adult to senior.

Explore how hormones (e.g. estrogen, progesterone, testosterone) affect the physical, mental and emotional well-being of a person.

Articulate how seniors and the elderly are a gift and play a role in our families and communities (e.g. by passing down traditions, stories, rituals, faith, etc.). (Links to Indigenous ways of knowing that honour and respect Elders.)