Peaceful Solutions

Teacher Facilitator Guide

60 Minutes

Objective

Students will identify peaceful conflict resolution strategies, demonstrate empathy and active listening skills, and apply these techniques to real-world scenarios.

Audience

Grade 6 Students (Ages 11-12)

Tier 1 Social-Emotional Learning

Materials Needed

Whiteboard & Markers
Peaceful Solutions Slides
Conflict Conversations Guide
Conflict Scenario Cards
Peaceful Solutions Worksheet
Timer or Stopwatch

Lesson Sequence

10'

Introduction & Hook

Gently introduce the concept of conflict. Define it not as a "bad" thing, but as a "disagreement that needs a bridge." Outline the day's goals: understanding empathy and listening.

15'

Group Discussion

Divide students into small groups (3-4). Distribute the Conflict Conversations Guide. Circulate to ensure students are discussing why peace is better than winning.

20'

Role-Playing: Bridge Building

Using the Conflict Scenario Cards, groups act out a "Before and After" scenario. Before: The conflict escalates. After: They use active listening and empathy to find a solution.

10'

Reflection Worksheet

Students work individually on the Peaceful Solutions Worksheet. This allows them to process the role-play concepts personally and apply them to their own lives.

05'

Closure & Takeaways

Gather the class. Ask: "What is one 'bridge' you can build today?" Summarize the key strategies: Take a breath, listen first, and look for the win-win.

Teaching Tips & Strategies

Managing High Emotions

If students get too competitive during role-play, pause and remind them that the goal is the *resolution*, not the argument. Focus on the feelings of the characters.

Active Listening Skill

Teach the "SLANT" technique: Sit up, Listen, Ask questions, Nod, Track the speaker. This gives them a concrete physical behavior to follow.

The Power of "I" Statements

Model using "I feel... when you... because..." instead of "You always...". This reduces defensiveness in conflicts.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence stems for the worksheet (e.g., "I can resolve this by...") and pre-highlight key words on the scenario cards.

Challenge: Ask students to write a short "script" for Scenario 3 that includes a mediator role—someone who helps the two parties find a solution.