Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 1 of 8
Empowering God’s Children©
Safety Program
Preparation: Review complete lesson before beginning instruction.
Preview the video, this might take more than one viewing and will support discussion on the main points in this
lesson plan.
Materials: Copies of Student Worksheets and Take-Home Activity, Five Body Safety Rules Poster (2).
Activities and Timeline:
Activity #1: Warm-Up Review Activity Optional
(5 minutes)
Activity #2: VIRTUS® “Empowering God’s Children” Introductory Video / Discussion
(10 minutes)
Activity #3: Student Worksheet #1 “Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet.” (10 minutes)
Activity #4: Small Discussion Group
(10 minutes)
Activity #5: Student Worksheet #2 “Personal Boundaries Circle Worksheet”
(10 minutes)
Activity #6: Large group discussion / “Personal Boundaries Circle Worksheet”
(10 minutes)
Closing Prayer / Distribute Take Home Activity
(5 minutes)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying Grades 6 - 8
Principle: Help children respect their bodies by identifying and understanding personal boundaries. Give children
information to protect their boundaries if someone crosses their boundaries making them feel
uncomfortable, scared or confused.
Catechism: #2319 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 God.
#2252 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children in the faith, prayer, and all
the virtues. They have the duty to provide as far as possible for the physical and spiritual needs of their
children.
Goal: To assist parents / guardians in teaching their children to identify, establish, and protect their personal
boundaries. To teach children to respect their boundaries and the boundaries of others. Furthermore,
to empower children to protect themselves from any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable,
scared or confused.
Objectives:
Define personal boundary
Identify and protect their personal boundary
Recall the Safety Rules for protecting personal boundaries
Define bullying and determine appropriate responses to bullying.
Technology Component: Discuss how and why cyber-bullying violates personal boundaries.
Recognize that cyber-bullying is harmful and should be reported to a parent/guardian, or
other safe adult.
Communicate what they have learned in the lesson with their parents/guardians.
Overview of Lesson Plan:
Personal Boundaries and Safety Rules
Word Search
ACTIVITY #1: Warm-Up Review Activity Optional (5 minutes)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying Grades 6-8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 2 of 8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 3 of 8
ACTIVITY #5: Large group discussion / Personal Boundaries Circle
Black: Teacher Information / Green: Classroom Discussion
The “Empowering God’s Children” video introduces the topic of personal boundaries and boundary safety. The video defines
personal boundaries, explains: why boundaries are important; and teaches the students’ the need to respect their own boundaries
and the boundaries of others. The video also empowers the children to know what to do and who to tell if someone makes them
feel uncomfortable, scared, or confused.
Teacher: Below are the vocabulary terms from the video. Review with the class the definitions and discuss examples for
clarity.
Personal Boundaries - are the rules, or limits that we create to identify reasonable, safe and permissible ways
for people to behave towards us, and others. Personal boundaries include physical, emotional, mental and
material limits we set for what we will accept from another person in either words or actions. Describe a
physical boundary that you have set for yourself.
Bullying – when someone intentionally and repeatedly does or says something that hurts, harms or humiliates
you either physically or emotionally, this can happen in person, in a chatroom, a text and online. How does
bullying violate personal boundaries?
Trusted Adult – is an adult you feel confident and comfortable approaching about personal problems,
uncomfortable questions, and sensitive situations and issues. Who are some of the adults you trust? Why do
you trust them?
Cyber-bullying - is using any digital device to send, post, or share negative, harmful, false, or mean content
about someone else. This includes sharing personal or private information about someone else causing
embarrassment or humiliation. Is cyber-bullying dangerous? Give an example.
Safety Rules – in the video the personal safety rules reminded you to “Say No!” “Get Way!” “Immediately
Tell a Parent or Safe Adult!” and remember, “It’s Never Your Fault!” These rules will give you the power to
keep yourself safe if you remember to always follow them. How does following the Safety Rules keep you
safe?
ACTIVITY #2: VIRTUS® Introductory Video “Empowering God’s Children” / Discussion (10 minutes)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying Grades 6 - 8
Introduce the worksheet by reminding students that understanding, establishing, and keeping personal boundaries gives them
power to be in control of situations that might threaten their safety.
Distribute Student Worksheet #1.
Student Worksheet #1
“Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet.”
Personal boundaries are the rules, or limits that we create to identify reasonable, safe and permissible ways for people to
behave towards us, and others. Personal boundaries include physical, emotional, mental and material limits we set for what
we will accept from another person in either words or actions.
In the chart below read, the specific “Behavior” listed in the first column. In the second column, write your response to how
you would protect your personal boundaries and those of others against that behavior.
ACTIVITY #3: Student Worksheet #1 “Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet.” (10 minutes)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying
Grades 6 - 8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 4 of 8
Teacher Information: Review and select a “behavior scenario” from the “Personal Boundary Behavior
Worksheet you want to use to engage students in an open-ended role-playing and class discussion.
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into appropriate pairs/groups to reflect the number of students required by the
selected scenarios.
2. Stress to the students the importance of taking this activity seriously because these scenarios reflect
personal boundary violations that could have significant safety consequences for them.
3. Have pairs/groups read through their assigned scenario completely and determine how they want
to “Act Out” the scenario to present to the class.
4. Tell the students:
They will present only the “behavior scenario” not their solution.
Then they will be told by you to “Freeze” the scene before acting out the conclusion.
5. Ask the class to reflect on the scene that is frozen in front of them and say what they think should
happen next to protect their personal boundaries and/or the boundaries of others.
6. When the discussion is finished, ask the students in the scene to unfreeze and conclude scenario
with their solution.
Example Behavior #2: “You are at the mall with your friends when a stranger starts following you around
and trying to talk to you.”
Have the students act out the scene of three friends walking around a mall when a stranger begins following
them and trying to talk to one of them. (Freeze it!)
Class Discussion: Some possible student solutions: find a security guard, confront the person and tell
him/her to stop following them, yell and say, “Go away, stop following us!” run into a store and ask a clerk
for help, call you parent or guardian and let them know what has happened.
“Unfreeze” and ask the presenting students to act-out their solution.
Additional Option: Create your own “Behavior Scenarios” with your students that reflect situation and
circumstances they have experienced.
ACTIVITY #3 (Optional): “Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet (20 minutes) (6-8)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying
Grades 6 - 8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 5 of 8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 6 of 8
ACTIVITY #5: Large group discussion / Personal Boundaries Circle
Teacher: Once all students have completed the “Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet,” divide
the class into small discussion groups of no less than 3 nor more than 5 students per group. Students
should now share their responses with the group. Once all the group members have shared, ask the
students to discuss the responses. The teacher should circulate among the groups to monitor and
motivate participation.
Directions: Place the number of the behavior scenarios from your “Personal Boundary Behavior / Response
Worksheet,” in the colored ring of the circle that corresponds with that behavior. Example, for the first scenario put #1 in
the green “Boundary Violation” ring, because someone getting in your face is a boundary violation.
ACTIVITY #4: Small Group Discussions (10 minutes)
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying
Grades 6 - 8
Activity #5: Student Worksheet #2 “Personal Boundaries Circle Worksheet” (10 minutes)
Teacher: Ask students volunteers to share where they placed the different numbered scenarios in the circle. Then ask
the class:
Raise your hand if you also placed number ____ in the “green” circle. Why?
Who placed number ____ in a different circle? Why ?
Continue the discussion until students give responses for each of the scenarios.
Teacher: Distribute a copy of the Take Home Parent Resource to each student. Ask the students to read the article with their parent/guardian and
have a family discussion on the contents.
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying Grades 6 - 8
ACTIVITY #6: Large Group Discussion / Personal Boundaries Circle Worksheet (10 minutes)
Closing Prayer / Take Home Activity
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 7 of 8
Copyright © 2018, Joan Vienna, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Page 8 of 8
Lesson 3 & 4 for Grades K - 3
Boundaries and Bullying (cont.)
ACTIVITY #5: Large group discussion / Personal Boundaries Circle
Year 2: Boundaries and Bullying Grades 6 - 8
End the lesson with a prayer
“God wants us to be safe, healthy and happy. God has given us the power to be watchful, to protect ourselves and to
help others who might need our help. He has endowed us with “good-sense.” So now let us ask Him, to help us to
always use the gifts He has given us gives for our good and the good of others. Let us pray together the prayer of St.
Francis of Assisi.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Amen.
Personal Boundaries and Safety Rules
Word Search
S
A
Y
N
O
A
N
D
G
E
T
A
W
A
Y
U
W
Y
Q
D
M
L
I
R
E
O
S
P
J
P
P
E
X
Q
S
E
I
R
A
D
N
U
O
B
R
H
Q
T
N
Q
S
N
P
Q
P
P
N
P
P
O
N
O
B
U
L
L
Y
I
N
G
B
V
Q
U
T
Y
D
O
B
Y
M
S
T
I
X
N
I
U
D
E
D
O
A
R
A
Z
C
W
S
F
H
S
B
T
C
Q
H
T
R
Z
C
Z
C
J
C
V
N
R
Q
T
T
L
U
A
F
Y
M
R
E
V
E
N
S
T
I
X
M
O
X
G
O
D
L
O
V
E
S
M
E
N
T
E
L
L
A
S
A
F
E
A
D
U
L
T
O
O
K
Y
R
K
I
D
E
N
T
I
F
Y
W
W
R
E
S
P
E
C
T
G
U
G
D
I
G
E
V
E
E
I
O
O
K
N
W
L
Q
N
C
J
M
P
I
N
O
Y
T
A
W
P
C
I
M
N
I
W
J
BOUNDARIES
GOD LOVES ME
IDENTIFY
ITS MY BODY
ITS NEVER MY FAULT
NO BULLYING
PROTECT
RESPECT
SAY NO AND GET AWAY
TELL A SAFE ADULT
Student Worksheet #1
“Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet.”
Personal boundaries are the rules, or limits that we create to identify reasonable, safe and permissible ways for people to behave
towards us, and others. Personal boundaries include physical, emotional, mental and material limits we set for what we will
accept from another person in either words or actions.
In the chart below read the specific “Behavior” listed in the first column. In the second column, write your response to how you
would protect your personal boundaries and those of others against that behavior.
BEHAVIOR How you would respond to protect your personal boundaries
or the boundaries of others
1
A classmate continuously gets “in
your face” and it makes you very
uncomfortable.
2
You are at the local Mall with your
friends when a stranger starts
following you around and trying to
talk to you.
3
You see an older student bullying a
younger student and making him/her
cry. You want to say something but
if you do, the bully might turn on
you.
4
A friend wants you to play a video
game you know your parents don’t
approve of. When you try to say no,
your friend tells you “Don’t be a
baby!”
5
You want to stay longer at your
friend’s house to finish watching a
movie but if you do, you will get
home after your curfew.
6
A classmate you do not know too
well keeps asking you for your cell
phone number.
7
You suspect that a friend is being
abused, it is only a suspicion, but
you are worried for your friend.
8
You are doing research for a
homework assignment online and
suddenly a website pops-up
showing nudity.
9
One of your teachers always puts
their arm around your shoulder and
pat you on the back, you wish they
would stop.
10
You are at a school dance. A boy
you kind of like ask you to go out
into the parking lot with him and
you do. But then he begins to make
suggestive “moves” towards you and
you don’t like it!
ACTIVITY #5: Large group discussion / Personal Boundaries Circle
Student Worksheet #2 “Personal Boundaries Circle Worksheet”
Directions: Place the number of the behavior scenarios from your Personal Boundary Behavior / Response Worksheet, in the
appropriate colored ring of the circle that corresponds with that behavior. Example, for the first scenario put #1 in the green
“Boundary Violation” ring, because someone getting in your face is a boundary violation.
Talking with Your Teen about Safe and Healthy Personal Boundaries
Establishing safe and healthy personal boundaries is important for your teen’s life. Knowing
what to do when the “unexpected” happens can save your teens from difficult situations or
hurtful experiences.
This article will help you as a parent / guardian to facilitate discussion with your teen about
personal boundaries, which will empower them to protect themselves from abuse, harassment,
and manipulation. The following are suggested topics for discuss with your teen:
Family Rules:
curfews, dating, staying in contact with you, and any changes in their plans.
where they are going, who they are going with and when they will return.
why it is important to have their cell phone (on and charged) when they are away from home.
always having a concrete “plan” in case of an emergency situation such as a flat tire on the road at night, running out of
gas, etc.
Safe and Healthy Personal Boundaries:
the importance of trusting his/her own feelings instincts
when it comes to unhealthy peer pressure.
that he or she always has the right to say “NO” if they feel threaten or uncomfortable in any way.
that possessiveness in a relationship has nothing to do with love or respect. Verbal, emotional or physical abuse should
never be tolerated, when it comes to sex, “NO” ALWAYS MEANS “NO.”
that it is never okay to break the law —anyone who suggests you do so is not a true friend.
o this applies to drinking alcohol, and taking any type of illegal or recreational drugs, etc.
o this also applies to what teens may think of as a “prank” such as: inappropriate or explicit social media posts,
accepting dangerous dares in person or online, “dine and dash,” shoplifting, or using graffiti to vandalize
property are all crimes!
Communicating with your teen helps to build a trusting relationship and lets him/her know they can talk to you about anything
and that you will always be there for them!
