Lesson Plan : Conflict and Win Win Solutions

Teacher Name:
 Teachable Moment
Grade:
 Grade 4
Subject:
 Other

Topic:
 Conflict Management
Content:
 Definition of conflict
Goals:
 The first part of the lesson introduces students to the concept of conflict, helps them consider that conflict is a normal part of life and does not have to lead to violence, and asks them to consider examples of conflict in their own lives. In the second half of the lesson, students practice coming up with "win-win solutions" to conflict.
Objectives:
 1.Students will be able to give an accurate definition of conflict. 2. Students will recall and describe conflicts they have experienced. 3. Students will practice thinking up win-win solutions for conflict situations.
Materials:
 Chalkboard or flipchart.
Introduction:
 Write the word "conflict" on the board and draw a circle around it. Ask the students what words or phrases come up when they hear the word, and record their responses as a web: Write their contributions on the board, using lines to connect each word to the word "conflict" or related words. Continue for about three to five minutes (or longer if interest remains high). 1. Using their responses, help them come to a definition of "conflict" as an argument, a disagreement, or a fight. 2. Some questions to ask: What do you notice about the web? Why are most of our associations negative? 3. Write CONFLICT = VIOLENCE on the board to make the point that many people equate the two concepts. Ask, Does conflict equal violence? What is the difference between conflict and violence? 4. Make the point that conflict is a natural and normal part of life, that we all experience conflicts at home, at work, in school, on the street, and that countries also have conflicts with each other.
Development:
 Tell a story about a conflict you have had recently with another person. Include concrete details of where the conflict happened, who was involved, what happened, how it ended, and how you felt about it in the end. Divide the class into pairs. Ask students to take turns telling their partners a story about a conflict they have had including who was involved, how it started, how it ended, and how they felt when it ended. Write the words "where," "who," "what," "end," and "feel," on the board as a reminder of what the story is to include. Time them for two or three minutes each.
Practice:
 1. Divide the class into pairs. Ask students to take turns telling their partners a story about a conflict they have had including who was involved, how it started, how it ended, and how they felt when it ended. Write the words "where," "who," "what," "end," and "feel," on the board as a reminder of what the story is to include. Time them for two or three minutes each. 2.Ask some volunteers to tell their stories to the class. Ask, What happened? Who was involved? How did it turn out? How did you feel? 3. Role-play the following situation with student or with puppets. Freeze the action where the argument is heating up. Claire is in high school, has a big test coming up, and has just settled down to study. Amy, her younger sister, comes home from school, turns on the stereo, and starts dancing. Claire gets up and orders Amy to turn off the stereo. Amy protests, saying she never gets to have fun, and turns the stereo up. Ask the class to describe what's going on. What does Claire need? What does Amy need? If Claire won, what would she get? How would she feel? If Amy won, what would she get? How would she feel? 1. Show students the diagram of ways the conflict could come out. Ask for ideas about how this conflict might come out. Have two students role-play one of the endings that is suggested. Discuss where the ending is located on the chart. Does Amy get what she wants? Does Claire? Then what kind of an ending is that? Continue with other endings. Role-play at least one ending for each category. When the students have arrived at a win-win ending to role-play, spend some time drawing out as many win-win solutions as they can come up with. Go for quantity. Point out that most conflicts have many win-win solutions depending on what is acceptable to both parties. 2.Ask the class, "If you were going to help some of the kids in this class find win-win solutions to a conflict, what would you need to know before you could help?" List all the suggestions on the board. When the class is done giving their suggestions, discuss which ones are similar. Combine similar ones until you have a list of about five. Arrange in order of importance. Label it Conflict Analysis Checklist. Explain that the list shows the kind of information you need in order to help resolve conflicts in a win-win manner. Your checklist might look something like this: 1. Who's involved? 2. What did they do? 3. How did they do it? 4. How is "A" feeling? How is "B" feeling? 5. What does "A" say she/he wants? What does "B" say she/he wants? Etc. 6. What does "A" need in order to feel happy with the solution to the conflict? What does "B" need? Etc. Discuss How would this information be helpful? What would you do with the information once you had it? Why might it be helpful to be able to analyze a conflict in this way?
Accommodations:
 
Checking For Understanding:
 Ask a few volunteers, What are some feelings you had about today's lesson? What are some reasons why you feel that way?
Closure:
 Go-round. Who is someone you'd like to work out a win-win solution with?
Evaluation:
 
Teacher Reflections:
 

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