Theology of the Body for Middle Grades | Spring

This semester long course will introduce students to the Theology of the Body at a very basic level. Theology of the Body is rooted in St. John Paul’s writings which help us understand God’s plan for humanity and the body from the beginning to the end of time. His writings were a response to the cultural chaos he saw happening in the 20th Century. While there are many books to help us understand his rich, philosophical writings, this course will use three books written specifically for a middle school audience.

The five main goals of this course are for students to:

• Know God’s big plan for humanity: Original man (Genesis), Historical Man (Fallen and Redeemed), Eschatological Man (Heaven)
• Understand the importance and gift of the three “original” experiences in Genesis: Original Solitude (God created humans different than animals), Original Unity (God created humans male & female to complement one another), Original Nakedness (God created humans to know and love each other; not use or hurt each other)
• Recognize that the laws God and the Church give us lead to freedom and joy.
• Recognize the gifts of Theology of the Body in all vocations.
• Foster a prayer life and an inner dialogue with the Lord.

Class Activities include Lectio Divinia, reading aloud the text, short lectures and activities, individual reflection through writing and journaling, and class discussion both in large and small groups.

• Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
• High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
• Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
• Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
• Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. To download Zoom:
  1. Visit zoom.us/download.
  2. Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
  3. Open and run the installer on your computer.
  4. In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
• Scanner: In this class, students frequently submit homework assignments by scanning pages from their workbooks. Students and/or their parents should have easy access to a scanner and the ability to use it.