Demographic: Children age 7-11
History: We teach the 7-8 year old kids in primary. We have one child who we were told was a "troubled" or always in trouble child, but we kind of like him, he just needs a little extra structure, and he really takes you for your word. We'll call him Eddie.
Lesson: Our Body is a Temple
Question: What are some bad things some people choose to do/put into their bodies?
Answers: Alcohol, Coffee, Tattoos, Drugs (picture of a needle), etc...
Question: What are some good things we can put into or do for our bodies?
Answers: Eat nutritious foods, drink lots of water, don't stay up late, exercise...
Lesson Excerpt 1:
Teacher: I feel very strongly that you should never never drink alcohol, I have a friend who is my age (35-ish?) he wasn't drinking, but he was hit by a drunk driver, and now he can't do anything for himself. I worked at the nursing home where he lives and he can't feed himself and he wears a diaper. I had to change his diaper, and he is my age! And all because of alcohol.
Kids: Um, really not sure what to do with that.
Lesson Excerpt 2:
Eddie: Um, excuse me, why do you have a picture of a needle?
Teacher: That is our picture representing "drugs". People who do drugs sometimes inject them with needles and the get track marks and awful scars on their arms. These things give you a high (8 year old brain: 'they say "Hi"?') for a moment, but they don't make you truly happy. ('What does "Hi" have do do with being happy?)
Eddie: Um, excuse me, what about when I go to the doctor? Are his shots drugs?
Teacher: Yes, doctor's give you drugs, but that is not like the drugs we are talking about.
Eddie: Um, excuse me, do doctor's ever give you shots that aren't drugs?
Teacher: I don't think so.
Lesson Excerpt 3:
Teacher: It's important to get a good night sleep. Most of your parent's probably have you go to bed at a certain time because you need your rest.
Eddie: Um, excuse me, what about New Years Eve?
Teacher: Well, there are exceptions like that. It's okay then to stay up and eat and make toasts and play games with your family.
Eddie: Um, excuse me, what if you have to study for a test, can I stay up late then?
Teacher: I would say that would be a bad choice, because you should have managed your time more wisely (I just barely learned to manage my time and I am 27!) and done your homework when you got home from school.
Eddie: Um, excuse me, what if your teacher only gave you one day to study?
Teacher: Teachers don't do that, they always give you at least a week.
Eddie: Um, my school isn't like that.
Everything I never needed to know I learned in Primary.
4 years ago