Aim
The students explore the topic of peace and discuss how it is possible to gain inner peace by being at peace with yourself and with God through self-acceptance.
Learning Outcomes
- The students understand that before you love others you must love and accept yourself.
- The students understand that we are beautiful in God’s eyes because we are created in His image and He sacrificed His Son Jesus to save us.
Time
30 minutes
Resources
PowerPoint presentation, interactive whiteboard
Introduction
(Slide 1-2) The animator starts by asking the students what they hope for at the beginning of the scholastic year. He says that we all hope for a year that is more successful and peaceful than the last. But is peace possible in this world full of conflict and trouble? Can I be at peace with myself and with others?
Lesson development
Step 1
(Slide 3) The animator invites the students to watch a short video clip. He tells the students to observe the physical appearance of the participants and what they are feeling, doing, and saying.
- Show footage from 00:00 – 1:47 only
Step 2
(Slide 4)The animator can use the questions below to elicit answers, observations, reactions, and discussion from the students:
- What is the video about?
- Did you notice anything about the physical appearance of the participants?
- What do you observe about the tone in which the participants speak to each other?
- How do the participants react to each other?
- Do you agree with the way they speak to each other?
- Did anyone ever speak to you like this?
- Do you ever speak like this to yourself or to others?
Step 3
(slide 5) The animator says that the video shows us how sometimes we are harsh and over-critical of ourselves and of others.
The animator says that the video shows us how sometimes we are harsh and over-critical of ourselves and of others. Ask the students:
Discuss with the students.
Do you think body imaging influences the way we see ourselves and others?
How does body imaging change our perception of people who are different?
Notes for the animator on how to develop these arguments
- It could also be the influence of body imaging stereotypes on social media. These images influence the way we see, think and accept ourselves and others.
- Stereotypes are mistaken ideas that pressure many youths and even adults to meet strict, unrealistic, and harmful ideas about beauty, body weight, and shape.
- Stereotypes make us think that people who are not ‘perfect’ in the way we expect them to be, lack dignity (e.g. disabled, elderly, people of different races or sexuality).
- This is a lack of peace that comes from within us and affects our relationship with others as well. How can we accept others if we do not accept ourselves?
Step 5
(Slide 6-7) The animator uses quotations from the Bible to explain that we are God’s creation, we are created in God’s image and likeness and this means that I become aware and accept that we are precious to God as His child.
Prayer
(Slide 8)
Dear God,
Help me to look at myself in the same way you do.
Give me the insight to realize that I am so precious in your eyes that you chose me and carved me in the palm of your hand. You sacrificed your Beloved Son Jesus to save me from sin. Help me to love myself, you, and others as you love me. Amen.