Conflict Resolution Lesson Plans
Rossello/Nap
Motivation: If we want the world to be a more peaceful place, we need to start with
ourselves.
Objectives: Students will:
-identify conflict in books, film, and real life and list multiple ways to resolve it
-write scripts and act out conflict and various resolutions
-write a class guideline for conflict resolution
-write weekly reflections
-act out skits for younger grades
-become conflict resolution experts
Standards: ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary
response and expression.
Materials:
Various age appropriate film clips of conflict
An age appropriate read aloud book with conflict (example: People of Sparks by
Jeanne DuPrau)
Duration: Approx 1-2 months. With extension, could go all year.
Procedure:
1) Begin with a class discussion of conflict. Do a word web on the board. Take
all answers from kids. After students have completed the word web, come up with a
class definition of conflict.
2) Show film clips and have kids list conflicts they see. Discuss.
3) Begin read aloud such as People of Sparks. At points that have conflict,
stop. Put kids in groups and have them write a script that resolves the conflict.
Groups will then act out the conflict and resolution. Students in audience should
watch for resolution. After all groups have presented, discuss the different
resolutions presented. Which are realistic? Which would work best? Each week,
continue reading and have kids again work to act out different resolutions. Continue
until the book is finished. At end of book, discuss how the issues escalated and how
everything could have been stopped so much earlier. Discuss what Lina learns about
how war happens because one person does something bad and the other person
does something worse to get revenge. Discuss how Lina learns that in order to stop
it, one must do something good or at least stop themselves from doing something
bad. Remind students that it is much harder to be good than bad.
4) Have kids now look at their own lives. Ask children to write about a
conflict they are dealing with now. Share. Have students write scripts to resolve
their conflict. Kids can work in groups to act out their conflict and resolution for
younger grades.
5) Students should now write a reflection of unit. How do they handle
conflicts differently? How have they identified multiple ways to resolve conflicts?
Assessment:
Informal: Did students identify conflicts in film/book/life?
Did students identify multiple ways of resolving conflicts?
Did student handle conflict during group work well?
Did student present their skit using self-expression and artistic creation?
Formal: Did students hand in their scripts?
Did students present their skit in a timely manner?
Did students hand in unit reflection?
Does reflection show growth and learning?
Extensions:
-Have students come up with a class guildeline for conflict resolution.
-Have students hand in a weekly reflection of how they resolved conflicts or helped
others.
-Come up with vocabulary/translations for better conflict resolution. (Example: You
are annoying becomes What you are doing is annoying me because…..)
-Become conflict resolution experts and teach methods to younger grades.