Intermediate Grades (3-5) – Safe Environment Plan – Keeping Myself Safe

Note:  It is essential to have read The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality by the Pontifical Council for the Family before presenting this material.

Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Objectives

·        Students will learn about their dignity as children of God. 

·        Students will learn about safety, safe environment and the care that surrounds them. 

·        Students will learn the difference between appropriate touch and inappropriate touch.

·        Students will learn the importance of saying “no” to inappropriate touch and of telling a trusted adult if this should happen to them. 

·        Students will learn about the buddy system.    

Teaching Points

Lesson

God is our Creator.  All that God made is good. He made us in His image and likeness. 
God gave each person a guardian angel, and loving parents, family members, and other adults to watch over and guard us. 
As a child of God, we have amazing dignity because of the love He has for us.  Because we are so important to God and precious in His eyes (cf. Isaiah 43:4), we should love and respect others and ourselves.  One way of showing respect is keeping our bodies safe.
God loves us very much and wants us to feel safe at all times. We feel safe when we are not in danger or afraid.  Some touches like hitting, shoving, grabbing and pushing are not good touches.  It is important to know the rules that are listed below to keep us from harm and danger: 

• No person should ever touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable or  afraid.  Always tell someone, like your mom, dad, teacher, or grandparents right away when you feel scared and not safe.

• When someone hugs or pats you and it makes you feel uncomfortable, tell that person, a child or adult, to STOP. It is O.K. to tell a big person “No”  I don’t like that, when you feel uncomfortable or scared.  It is also ok to run and scream for help.
  
  
• Never get in a car with a stranger.
  

• Scream “I don’t know you,” if someone tries to take you.

• Never go to a friend’s house if their parents are not there.

• If you are going for a bike ride, always go with a buddy, and make sure to tell your parents when you leave, and call when you arrive at your friend’s house.

• If you are at a friend’s house, and a TV program, video or computer program makes you feel uncomfortable, suggest that you would like to watch something different or play a different game.  Otherwise, it is ok to say that your parents do not allow you to watch certain programs and then call your parents.

Activities:

• Discuss  - What safety rules do you know that keep you safe? Look both ways when crossing the street, be alert and attentive in all situations, never go anywhere alone, wearing a seat belt, do not play with matches, wear a helmet when riding a bicycle, etc.
  
  
• Discuss with your parents rules for staying home alone if your parents leave to run an errand.
  
  
• 4^th and 5^th Grade – go through rules for staying home alone and babysitting.
  
  
• What touches are appropriate and inappropriate?

Parent’s hug, a friends’ High –5, shaking hands when meeting someone for the first time, snuggling up with grand mom when reading a book, hugging a friend who is moving away, hugging someone who is going through a difficult time. 

• Practice saying “No” and acting in an assertive way by responding to these situations listed below:

o       You are walking home from school and a car with a young man pulls up and asks you for directions. How can you respond to this situation?

o       You answer the telephone and you do not recognize the voice on the phone.  The person says very unkind words to you. What will you do?

o       A person that you do not know says:  “Your mom told me to come and pick you up and take you home.” 

Conclusion

God is our Creator.  All that God made is good.  God loves you very much and wants you to feel safe and secure. He gave us our parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends to help us be safe and secure when we are at home, school, the playground, and Church. God gave us our guardian angels to love and protect us and keep us from harm.

Remember to follow the rules and tell an adult that you trust if you feel sad, scared and unsafe.

             Excerpts adapted from the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

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