Conflict Resolution Facilitator Guide Resolving Conflicts Creatively
Empowering students to build bridges, not walls.
Audience
6th Grade
Duration
60 Minutes
Learning Objective
Students will develop and practice effective conflict resolution skills, including active listening, expressing empathy, and negotiating win-win solutions through collaborative role-play scenarios.
Why This Matters
Equipping students with constructive conflict handling skills is essential for their social and emotional development. It promotes empathy, understanding, and cooperation, which are foundational for a positive school climate and healthy lifelong relationships.
Materials Needed
Role-playing scenario cards
Peace Makers Slide Deck
Discussion Guide
Conflict Resolution Worksheet
Pens and paper
Instructional Sequence
10 mins
Introduction: Defining Conflict
Open with a brief discussion: What is conflict? Is conflict always a bad thing?
Define conflict as a disagreement or difference in needs/values.
Invite students to share a time they had a conflict and how it felt (not the specific details, but the feelings involved).
Introduce the goal: Turning "me vs. you" into "us vs. the problem."
20 mins
Role-Playing: The Win-Win Search
Divide the class into small groups (2-3 students).
Distribute one Scenario Card to each group.
Task: Act out the scenario twice.Circulate to support students in identifying underlying needs (e.g., "I need to feel heard" vs "I want the computer").
15 mins
Guided Discussion: Strategy Reflection
Reconvene as a class. Select a few groups to perform their "Win-Win" version.
Use the Discussion Guide to debrief:
What strategies worked? (I-messages, listening, compromise)
How did it feel when the resolution was reached?
What was the hardest part of finding a win-win?
10 mins
Individual Reflection
Hand out the Conflict Resolution Worksheet .
Students reflect on a personal experience and apply a new strategy they learned today.
5 mins
Closure: Peace Maker Pledge
Summarize: Conflict is natural; how we handle it is a choice.
Challenge students to try one "Active Listening" technique before the end of the school day.
Peace Maker Slides Resolving Conflicts Creatively
Building Bridges & Finding Win-Win Solutions
What is Conflict?
Conflict happens when two or more people have different needs, ideas, or goals.
"Conflict is natural. It’s not necessarily bad—it’s how we handle it that matters."
Disagreement Different Views Arguments Opportunity
Winning Together
Win-Lose
One person gets their way, and the other person feels left out or ignored.
Result: Hurt feelings, lingering anger.
Win-Win
Both people work together to find a solution that meets everyone's needs.
Result: Stronger friendship, satisfaction.
Tool #1: Active Listening
1
Eye contact & facing the person.
2
Don't interrupt. Let them finish.
3
Repeat back what you heard: "So you're saying..."
4
Ask questions to understand better.
Tool #2: Empathy
Putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
Ask yourself:
"Step out of your perspective and into theirs."
Your Mission: The Win-Win Search
01
Get Your Scenario
Each group gets a card with a common conflict.
02
Act it Out
First, show the conflict. Then, find a Win-Win solution!
03
Use the Tools
Practice Active Listening and Empathy in your scene.
Let's Talk About It
What strategies did you use to resolve the conflict in your role-play?
How did it feel to find a win-win solution?
What challenges did you face during the role-play?
Ready to Build Bridges?
Every conflict is a chance to learn more about someone else and grow stronger together.
Today's Goal
Practice Active Listening at least once!
Peace Maker Scenario Cards Role-Play Scenario Cards
Cut along the dotted lines. Distribute one card per group for the "Win-Win Search" activity.
Scenario 01
Recess Tug-of-War
Two friends want to play different games during recess. One wants to play soccer, while the other wants to play tag. They only have 20 minutes left.
Goal: Find a way for both friends to enjoy their recess time.
Scenario 02
The Group Slacker
A group project is due tomorrow. One member has done most of the work, while another member hasn't contributed anything yet.
Goal: Talk about expectations without being mean or giving up.
Scenario 03
Screen Time Squabble
Siblings are arguing over who gets to use the computer first. Both have important tasks—one has homework, and the other has a scheduled game with friends.
Goal: Use empathy to understand why both tasks are important.
Scenario 04
Team Trouble
There is a disagreement over team roles in a sports game. Two people both want to be the captain/lead, and neither wants to back down.
Goal: Find a way to lead together or share the responsibility.
Scenario 05
Art Supplies Shortage
Two students are working on a poster and there is only one gold marker left. Both students need it for their specific section of the poster.
Goal: Practice compromise and turn-taking.
Scenario 06
The Last Snack
A group of friends is sharing a bag of chips. There is only one chip left, and two friends both claim they haven't had as many as the others.
Goal: Resolve a small conflict before it becomes a big one.
Peace Maker Discussion Guide Discussion Facilitator Guide
Guiding students through the reflection of their role-playing experience.
1
What strategies did you use to resolve the conflict in your role-play?
Teacher Prompts & Tips
Look for: Mention of active listening, "I" messages, taking turns, or asking clarifying questions.Deepen the thought: "How did you know when the other person was actually listening to you?"Strategy Focus: Highlight the difference between compromise (both give something up) and win-win (both get their needs met in a new way).
2
How did it feel to find a win-win solution?
Teacher Prompts & Tips
Emotional Impact: Ask students to name the feelings associated with a resolution vs. the feelings during the conflict.Friendship Focus: "Does finding a win-win solution make you feel closer to the other person? Why or why not?"Look for: Words like relief, satisfied, proud, or respected.
3
What challenges did you face during the role-play?
Teacher Prompts & Tips
Barriers: Discuss common barriers like being too angry to listen, interrupting, or focusing only on what you want.Real-World Connection: "Why is it harder to do this in real life than in a role-play? What can we do when we're too upset to think clearly?" (Introduce the idea of taking a "cool-down" break).Complexity: Acknowledge that not all conflicts have an easy win-win, but the effort to find one is what counts.
Key Takeaway
"Conflict is an opportunity to learn about someone else's perspective."
Conflict Resolution Worksheet Conflict Resolution Worksheet
Building Bridges, One Conversation at a Time
Name:
Date:
Active Listening
Empathy
Win-Win Solution
1 Describe a conflict you have experienced and how you resolved it.
Think about a recent disagreement with a friend, sibling, or classmate.
2 What is one new strategy you learned today for resolving conflicts?
Consider the role-playing activity or the class discussion.
3 Why is it important to find win-win solutions in conflicts?
Reflect on the benefits for yourself and the people around you.
"Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it."
