What Is the Culture of Life Studies Program?

Susan Ciancio describes the educational programs offered by the Culture of Life Studies Program to help children of all ages develop a reverence for life.

American Life League’s Culture of Life Studies Program is a Catholic pro-life educational program for students in preschool through high school. Our lessons cover a wide range of topics—from one-day lessons on saints; to handprint lessons with activities for younger kids; to four-day lessons on euthanasia, the sanctity of marriage, and the preborn baby; to four-week picture book lessons about caring for and protecting others; and more! 

All of our lessons are age appropriate and adhere to Catholic teaching. Many have a nihil obstat  and imprimatur. These lessons are used throughout the country by homeschoolers, in Catholic schools, in religious education programs, and in youth groups. 

Our lessons fit easily into any existing curriculum. You can even do them at home or on the weekend as part of teaching your children or grandchildren to love Catholicism. 

And as we begin a new year, now is the perfect time to incorporate our lessons into your children’s lives. 

Why? 

Take a look at the state of our country. The culture of death has gotten a stranglehold in politics, in schools, on social media, and on TV. Everywhere we turn, we see a rejection of morality, a disdain for faith, and adults sexualizing children or even tempting them to change their gender. 

That’s why—now more than ever—pro-life education is so relevant and so important. 

We want to familiarize you with our program, so we have chosen to highlight seven awesome lessons—for a wide range of ages—that will help you build that necessary foundation of faith in your home, school, or youth group. All are downloadable, so they are easy to order, print, and start learning and talking right away! 

The Beauty of the Developing Human Being:
This four-class lesson for middle schoolers explores the science of the earliest moments of a person’s life and gives students a firm foundation regarding the fact that every human being’s life must be protected from creation until death. 

Embracing a Culture of Life: Blessed Chiara Luce Badano 
This joyful young Italian girl bravely battled a painful bone cancer. Until her death, Blessed Chiara encouraged her friends to trust in God, even in times of great pain and suffering. This lesson teaches teens the value of suffering in bringing us closer to God, especially at the end of a human being’s life. 

Unconditional Love and Respect for Everyone: St. John Bosco
This middle-school lesson teaches students about the life of St. John Bosco. Through stories about his lessons and his life, students will learn to reflect on potential prejudices they have toward certain people based on their appearances, behaviors, or financial status. They will be challenged to think about how their own choices can have a lasting positive impact when they treat all people with respect. 

Without Mercy: An Introduction to Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and Other Threats to the Medically Vulnerable  
Using Church documents, the Catechism, and subject-matter experts, this four-class supplement for teens provides students with a basic understanding of the Catholic Church’s teachings on euthanasia and gives students the tools they need to defend those teachings against current cultural attitudes and pro-euthanasia arguments.  

All Shapes and Sizes
This 16-class lesson for kids in kindergarten and older helps students understand that every human being has value because we are all made in the image and likeness of God. Our value does not depend on our appearance, ability, or background. This four-week unit study examines Down syndrome, autism, the beauty of the elderly, and the fact that it’s okay to be different. 

Marriage and Family
This four-class lesson for middle schoolers teaches students that God created marriage between one man and one woman. Through the lives of saints and saintly couples, students learn how they can stand up and defend marriage and the family in our society. 

Blessed Carlo Acutis: Extraordinary in the Ordinary
This one-class lesson teaches high school students about the short yet impactful life of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a youth who used his exceptional computer skills to create a website cataloging the Catholic Church’s approved Eucharistic miracles. Carlo is a beautiful example of how living an ordinary life can become extraordinary because of faith, love of Jesus in the Eucharist, and generosity toward others.  

Lessons from the Culture of Life Studies Program help build a culture of life in your home or school so that you and your students can build a culture of life in your community. All are easy to teach. And all will engender beautiful discussions about culture-of-life topics.  

Now is the time to sit down with your children and help them understand the sanctity of all life and the importance of standing up for the vulnerable.  

Copyright 2024 Susan Ciancio
Images: Canva