Kindergarten - 3rd Grade LifeChest Activity Guide

I AM SPECIAL, YOU ARE SPECIAL, EVERYONE IS SPECIAL

THEME

Develop in children a sacred respect for life and personal responsibility to seek the specialness in every person.

CONCEPTS

1. Develop a positive self-image
2. Learn the three "R's"
- RECOGNITION of how everyone is special
- RESPECT for all members of our human family
- RESPONSIBILITY toward ourselves and others
3. Develop respectful recognition of similarities and differences between other people and ourselves
4. Learn that "A person's a person no matter how small" includes the unborn

ACTIVITIES AND DISCUSSIONS

Activity #1: Stages of Life

Activity: Have children bring pictures of themselves as a baby and up until the present. Allow them to present their pictures to the class in a time of "show and tell" or hang on poster board around the room. If so desired, have children arrange the pictures in order (or in a collage).

Discussion: Discussion may be facilitated by using one child's poster and pointing out (or having the child point out) the different stages of life he/she has gone through. This may also be a good time to show them a prenatal video in conjunction with the discussion.

Talking Points:

1. Talk about the fact that what they see in pictures of themselves is merely an extension of life in the womb (what they saw in the video).

2. Talk about what stages they have gone through in the womb (ex. hearing, seeing, kicking, sucking thumb, etc..). May be helpful to refer to "Facts of Life" poster (see k-3 checklist).

3. Ask the children what stages they have gone through outside of the womb (ex. crawling...walking...talking...going to school).

4. Ask children to talk about what they needed help with as a baby or small child (ex. getting dressed, eating, etc...).

5. Ask children what responsibilities they have that they are able to do on their own now (ex. walk to school, make a sandwich, ride a bike, take out trash, etc...)

6. Discuss with children their responsibilities towards others now that they are "older" (ex. helping grandparents, helping younger siblings, etc...).

7. Try to parallel their "micro-responsibilities" with their "macro-responsibilities" (responsibilities to the larger human race).

8. What kinds of responsibilities do the children think they will have in a few years when they are as old as their older brothers and sisters...even as old as their parents (ex. work, taking care of a family)?

Activity #2: Value of Life

Activity: Have children bring in a picture or tell a story about a family member or friend who is special to them. Why are they special? Depending on age, they may be able to write a story about why this person is special; or they could draw a picture explaining why this person is special.

Discussion: Use the pictures or stories to facilitate a discussion about value. This may be done in conjunction with a video (ex. Horton Hears a Who). Talk about the value of the person no matter how big or small they are...or young and old.

Talking Points:

1. Ask the children if they know people who are bigger than them...ask them if there are people out there who are stronger than them (who?)....then finally ask them if these people are more important than them.

2. Ask the children what they think value means. Is there anyone who is more valuable than another person?

3. What do we do when we value someone?

4. Is there value in every human life? Even if we don't know someone?

5. Talk with children about their classmates and ask them what they value about their classmates. For example, ask them why they think "Mark" is special?

6. Try to impress upon children that we don't know the special talents and differences of everyone we see...but our neighbors, people walking past us on the street or at the grocery store are valuable too...even if we don't know them.

Activity #3: Recognizing Our Uniqueness

Activity: Have children go through old magazines and cut out pictures of babies,
young children, young adults, elderly adults, etc...Make a collage with the entire class of the pictures that they have cut out.

Discussion: Work with children on recognizing how each person is different and unique. Use the
collage to facilitate discussion about the differences that each person in the picture has. Try to brainstorm similarities that each person could have.

Talking Points:

1. Ask the children what differences they see between the people in the collage.

2. Ask children if they think that the people in the collage could have something in common with them.

3. Go around room and have each student try to think of one thing about themselves or a fellow classmate that they think is unique or special.

4. Speak with children about the importance of understanding that everyone is special and unique, yet everyone is alike in some way too. Realizing that everyone is similar and yet unique will let children see the value in each human being.

CLASSROOM MATERIALS AVAILABLE

AUDIO-VISUALS

HORTON HEARS A WHO - Dr. Seuss's lovable elephant protects the tiny, threatened inhabitants of Whoville. (20 min)

YOU ARE A MASTERPIECE - The amazing world of life before birth is revealed in this live-action video. Crafted by medical and educational professionals, this video is perfect ages 5-10. (25 min)

BOOKS
ANGEL IN THE WATERS by Regina Doman. A story of fetal development and birth that is sure to delight all young children because the journey from conception to birth is their story, too.

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN by Joan L. Nixon. Beautiful illustrations of fetal development with an emphasis on God's miracle of a developing child.

I HAVE A SISTER, MY SISTER IS DEAF by Jeanne Whitehouse Peterson. Warm, intimate pictures with poetic text.

LOVE YOU FOREVER by Robert Munsch. Promotes respect for life from unbornthrough old age in a heartwarming children's story.

THAT'S ME IN HERE by Jean Darby. The delightful story of his development in the womb is related by the unborn baby.

HANDOUTS

Celebrate Life - balloons, available in red, green, blue and yellow

Choose Life - small envelope stickers

Keep the Dream Alive - coloring/activity book for grades K-3 featuring African- American children

Keep the Dream Alive - stickers featuring African-American children and the message "Dreams begin with life!" or "Abortion ends dreams."

CLASSROOM AIDS

Facts of Life poster - a colorful laminated poster depicting photos and drawings of the unborn child at every stage of development.

Fetal Models - a set of five, life-sized models of in-utero babies from one through five months. The 14- and 18-week babies may be lifted from their "womb."

Touch of Life Fetal Models-Lifelike and natural, a set of four in-utero babies at 12 weeks, 20 weeks, 26 weeks, and 30 weeks. Children able to pick up and hold. Right to Life of Michigan's State Central Office has only one set of these fetal models.

Keep the Dream Alive posters - a series of eight posters featuring African-American children and life-affirming messages.

Life Before Birth laminated reprint - first printed in 1965 by Life magazine. A unique, 12-page essay featuring color photos by Lennart Nilsson.

Young One fetal model - a 10- to 12-week old fetal model which fits in the hand.

Back to LifeChest mainpage