Sarah Donovan

Morality
Introduction to the Fifth Commandment

March 31, 2016

11th Grade
90 Minutes

OVERVIEW:
Initially, the fifth commandment seems rather straightforward, you shall not kill.
Unfortunately, this isnt the case. What JPII has called our culture of death refers to a
shift in our culture that no longer values human life. The purpose of this lesson plan is
to introduce the students to the fifth commandment and begin discussing its
implications. Thou shall not kill is rooted in Genesis 1:27 and CCC 2319, all human
persons are made in the image and likeness of God. For this unit, the students will
work in groups researching five difficult topics that violate the fifth commandment.
MATERIALS:
! PowerPoint
! Handout // Project Instructions
! Sign Up Sheets for Project with Dates
! Bible

DIOCESAN HS RELIGION CURRICULUM STANDARDS DIOCESE OF DALLAS:

Taken from: Catholic Social Teaching Section
! To recognize life as sacred from conception to natural death
o! state and explain the fifth commandment
o! know that Gods gift of life begins at conception
o! know that people must be respected and valued no matter what their
age or health condition
o! create a TV program or play that celebrates Gods gift of life
o! discuss in light of war, abuse, capital punishment
OBJECTIVES:
1.! Understand human life is sacred.
2.! Comprehend every human person is created in the image and likeness of God.
KEY VOCABULARY:
Genesis 1:27, what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God,
Euthanasia, Abortion, Embryonic Stem Cell Research, IVF, and Human Cloning

PREVIEW: SUGGESTED TIME (10 MINUTES)

1.! Students will put their phones up and we will pray as a class.
2.! Students will read Genesis 4: 1-16. This passage introduces the unit as a whole
and provides a biblical foundation for the Churchs absolute insistence on the
inviolability and sacredness of innocent human life
ACTIVITY: SUGGESTED TIME (50 MINUTES)
1.! Students will discuss Cain and Abel.
2.! Students will actively take notes and participate in discussion while teacher
lectures using PowerPoint.
3.! Teacher will explain what is required of the students for their research
presentation.
4.! Students will pick topics and groups for research presentation.
PROCESSING: SUGGESTED TIME (30 MINUTES)
1.! Students will get in groups and read their primary source document.
2.! Students will task responsibilities among group members.
3.! At the end of class, teacher will ask one member from each group to share
something they learned with the class pertaining towards their specific topic.

!SUPPLEMENTARY MATIERALS:

4/6/16

INTRODUCTION TO THE
FIFTH COMMANDMENT
March 31st and April 1st

Abel

Cain

Shepherd

Farmer

Sacrifice didnt
please God

Grew Crops

Sacrifice
pleased God

Raised sheep

4/6/16

! The

story of Cain and Abel is one of the most

dramatic and instructive in Scripture.

! Along

with the Decalogue, it forms the biblical

foundation for the Churchs absolute
insistence on the inviolability and sacredness
of innocent human life.

YOU SHALL NOT KILL.

Fifth Commandment

4/6/16

! The

dignity of the person, from the moment of

conception, is rooted in being made in the image of
God.

Genesis 1:27
God created mankind in his image;
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Every human life, from the moment of

conception until death, is sacred because
the human person has been willed for its own
sake in the image and likeness of the living
and holy God.

CCC 2319

4/6/16

WHAT IS THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT

ENCOMPASSES A NATURAL HUMAN LIFE?
On earth it begins at conception and
ends at death.

ABORTION
! The

destruction of a child after

conception but before birth.
Direct abortion or cooperation in it
is forbidden by the Fifth
Commandment.

House Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing on

Planned Parenthood // Gianna Jessen

! The

unborn child developing in his

or her mothers womb is the most
innocent and defenseless of all
human persons.

4/6/16

IN VITRO FERTILIZATION
! IVF

is a medical technique which

today is commonly used by
couples who are unable to
conceive children.

The conception of human life in a laboratory

setting is a gravely sinful act.

! The

term in vitro means in glass,

referring to the fertilization of the
egg which takes place in a test
tube or petri dish.

EMBRYONIC STEM-CELL RESEARCH

! Some

scientists believe that stem

cells (cells that have the capacity
to adapt and repair any human
organ) may someday provide a
cure for presently incurable
conditions.

The Catholic Church does not oppose all forms

of stem-cell research, only embryonic because it
kills an innocent person.

! Some

researchers insist they need

stem cells from human embryos in
order to conduct the experiments
and research necessary to find
these cures.

4/6/16

EUTHANAISA
! From Greek meaning

good
death, an action or omission of
an action that, by itself or by
intention, causes a persons death
in order to eliminate suffering.

Brittany Lauren Maynard was an American

woman with terminal brain cancer who
decided that she would end her own life "when
the time seemed right." She was an advocate
for the legalization of aid in dying.

Brittany, your life matters, your story matters, and your

suffering matters.

HUMAN CLONING
! The

process of developing a
person or animal from one
somatic cell of its parent, thus it is
genetically identical to that
parent. Because God created
man in his image an likeness,
human cloning can never be
moral.

Dolly was a female domestic sheep, and the first

mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, using the
process of nuclear transfer.

CHAPTER 7: THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT // YOU SHALL NOT KILL

RESEARCH PRESENTATION
Mission & Purpose of Project
Moral theology deals with the broad questions in life and attempts to define what it means to live
as a Roman Catholic. In recent decades, the sacredness of human life has been called into
question in the political arena, in academic circles, and in popular culture. The dignity of the
person, from the moment of conception, is rooted in being made in the image of God. Abortion, in
vitro fertilization, and embryonic stem-cell research destroy life at its beginning, while euthanasia
attacks life at its end. Human cloning gets rid of Genesis 1:27 altogether. As Catholics, how are we
to respond?

Breakdown & Requirements

Each group will be required to create a PowerPoint Presentation. On the title slide please include
the names of all group members. First, you must read your assigned primary research document(s)
(see below). Please keep in mind that this should only serve as a starting point for your
investigation. In addition, each group will need to include at least four additional sources. Please
cite your sources in the correct MLA format at the end of the PowerPoint.
Your task is to present a coherent synthesis of your research. You are free to approach the topic
however you wish, but you must include what the Catholic Church teaches on the matter.
Presentation must be a minimum of 15 minutes. You will be timed.
When completed, please have one group member email your PowerPoint to:
sarah.donovan@bishoplynch.org
April 7th and 8th

Abortion

April 11th and 12th

IVF

April 11th and 12th

Embryonic Stem Cell

Research

April 13th and 14th

Euthanasia

April 15th and 18th

Human Cloning

Gianna Jessen Asks Congress If abortion

is about womens rights, then what were
mine?
Begotten Not Made: A Catholic View of
Reproductive Technology
On Embryonic Stem Cell Research: A
Statement of the United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops
People Magazine: Terminally Ill 29-YearOld Woman: Why I'm Choosing to Die on
My Own Terms
Kara Tippetts Response
The Science of Human Cloning: How Far
Weve Come and How Far Were Capable
of Going

How You Will Be Graded

Category

Scoring Criteria
The type of presentation is appropriate for the topic and

Organization
(15 points)

Total
Points
5

audience.
Information is presented in a logical sequence.

Presentation appropriately cites requisite number of

references.
Introduction is attention-getting, lays out the problem well,

and establishes a framework for the rest of the presentation.

Technical terms are well-defined in language appropriate for

the target audience.

Content
(45 points)

Presentation contains accurate information.

10

Material included is relevant to the overall message/purpose.

Four additional sources are used.

Appropriate amount of material is prepared, and points

10

made reflect well their relative importance.

There is an obvious conclusion summarizing the

presentation.
Speaker maintains good eye contact with the audience and is

appropriately animated (e.g., gestures, moving around, etc.).

Presentation
(40 points)

Speaker uses a clear, audible voice.

Delivery is poised, controlled, and smooth.

Good language skills and pronunciation are used.

Visual aids are well prepared, informative, effective, and not

distracting.

Score
Comments:

Length of presentation is within the assigned time limits.

Information was well communicated.

10

Total Points

100

Score