Grade 3 Fully Alive Family Letter

Grade 3
Theme Three Family Letter 

Dear Family,

We are ready to begin Theme Three of Fully Alive, our family life program. Because the partnership of home, church, and school is so important, this letter is written to let you know what we talk about in class, and to offer some ideas for your involvement. For more information for families, please go to www.occb.on.ca. If you have any questions, please contact me.

About Theme Three 
Theme Three of Fully Alive is called “Created Sexual: Male and Female.” God made us male and female, and all of God’s creation is good. In the early grades, this theme is presented through a continuing story. The message of these stories is that we begin life as a result of the love our mothers and fathers shared. No matter what happens later, nothing can change that. It is part of God’s plan that we grow and are sheltered in our mother’s body before birth. After we are born, it is our family that loves and cares for us.

In Theme Three we will: 
• read a story about the Carson family, who have four children, and learn more about life before birth, and how all of a baby’s needs are met in the uterus.
 • discover that life begins at the moment of conception as a single cell.
• explore the amazing growth and development of babies in their first year of life.

 Looking Ahead 

Terms used in Grade 2 (sperm, ovum, cell, sac, umbilical cord) are reviewed in Grade 3, and the term conception is introduced. The students are given a brief explanation of how babies are born. Next year, in Grade 4 the student book introduces the term sexual intercourse, but does not include a physical description. The teacher book has a simple explanation of sexual intercourse that may be presented by the teacher to the students, depending on the readiness of the class. This information is not included in the student book until Grade 5.

 Working together at school and at home
 • Ask your child to tell you about the Carson family. What was your child’s favourite part of the story? What did he or she learn?
 • The children may be taking home information sheets about important events in the life of their parents, their birth, and their first year of life.