Activity 01
Role Play: The Conflict Corner
Pairs of students receive a scenario card with a simple disagreement (both want the same book, someone took a seat at the art table). They work through the resolution steps posted on an anchor chart, then share with the class how they solved it and which steps they used.
What are some good ways to solve a disagreement with a friend?
Facilitation TipIn Role Play: The Conflict Corner, assign roles on the spot so students practice adapting to new partners rather than rehearsing a script.
What to look forProvide students with a simple conflict scenario, such as two friends wanting to play with the same toy. Ask them to write or draw one step they would take to solve the problem peacefully and one possible compromise.
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Activity 02
Fishbowl Discussion: Watch and Learn
Two students model the conflict resolution steps in front of the class while others observe with a simple checklist (Did they take turns? Did they find a solution both agreed on?). The whole class debriefs what worked and what could have gone better.
How does listening carefully to someone else help you work out a problem together?
Facilitation TipDuring Fishbowl Discussion: Watch and Learn, freeze the action after two minutes to ask observers what they noticed about the listening step.
What to look forPresent a short role-play of a conflict. Ask students: 'What did the friends do well to solve their problem? What could they have done differently? How did listening help them?'
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Activity 03
Think-Pair-Share: What Would You Do?
Read a short scenario from a picture book involving conflict. Students think about how they would resolve it, share with a partner, then compare strategies as a class. Emphasize that there are often multiple good solutions, not one single right answer.
What steps could you follow to solve a conflict in a fair and peaceful way?
Facilitation TipIn Think-Pair-Share: What Would You Do?, set a timer so the sharing phase stays snappy and prevents side conversations.
What to look forDuring a class activity, observe students who are experiencing minor disagreements. Note if they attempt to use the taught conflict resolution steps. Ask follow-up questions like, 'What problem are you trying to solve?' and 'What is one idea you have for a solution?'
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Activity 04
Inquiry Circle: Solution Brainstorm
In small groups, students receive one conflict scenario and the task of generating at least three different solutions. They rate each solution as 'fair to both people' or 'fair to only one person' and choose the best one, practicing the compromise mindset in a structured way.
What are some good ways to solve a disagreement with a friend?
Facilitation TipFor Collaborative Investigation: Solution Brainstorm, post the steps on the wall so groups can point to the one they’re using during the discussion.
What to look forProvide students with a simple conflict scenario, such as two friends wanting to play with the same toy. Ask them to write or draw one step they would take to solve the problem peacefully and one possible compromise.
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Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Teach the five steps all year long and name them the same way every time. Research shows children need 8–12 repetitions of a social skill before it starts to feel automatic. Avoid long lectures; instead, narrate what you see students doing correctly in the moment. If a student skips a step, quietly prompt with the first word of the missing step so they can self-correct without shame.
Children will name the five steps out loud, use them in role plays without prompting, and explain why a compromise feels better than a single win. You will hear them say, ‘First we calm down, then we listen,’ before they even reach a solution.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During Role Play: The Conflict Corner, students may assume the loudest voice wins.
After the role play ends, ask each group to point to the step where the compromise happened. If no compromise is visible, pause and ask, ‘What could you both agree on?’ to redirect their thinking.
During Fishbowl Discussion: Watch and Learn, students may think walking away ends the conflict.
While observing, freeze the action and ask, ‘Did the person who walked away come back to try a solution?’ If not, ask the class to suggest where in the sequence walking away fits and where it does not.
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