Lesson plans for high schoolers
from the U.S. Institute for Peace
Lesson plan summaries. For the complete plans, go to:
https://www.usSip.org/public-education/educators/peacebuilding-toolkit-educators-high-school-edition
Section 1: Conflict is an inherent part of the human condition
Lesson 1.1: Defining conflict
Objectives: Consider definitions and interpretations of conflict; explore the role of conflict in our lives.
Standards:
- Culture
- Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
- Global Connections
- Civic Ideals and Practices
Materials: Included handouts and worksheets, chart paper, markers, newspaper/internet/magazine stories illustrating conflicts
Learning activities: Group exploration to define conflict and its components, group sharing, class discussion of different aspects of conflict, experiential exercise in differing perceptions, discussion of perceptions and conflict, small-group discussion of quotes, research for examples of present-day conflict, small-group analysis of real-life conflict, wrap-up discussion.
Extension possibilities: exploration of metaphors commonly used in describing conflict, artistic expression of student-created metaphors; research into work and life of authors of quotes; discussion of The Blind Men and the Elephant and how it relates to perception and conflict; student-created “unmoving scenes” of conflict and other students moving the “actors” into different positions that may reflect a resolution of conflict.
Lesson 1.2 Perspectives on Peace
Objectives: Reflect on one’s own understanding of peace, begin to form a definition of peace, explore the relationship between conflict and peace.
Standards:
- Culture
- Individual, Groups, and Institutions
- Civic Ideals and Practices
Materials: newspapers and magazines, markers, construction paper, glue, peace/not peace signs, included peace/not peace scenarios
Learning activities: brainstorm and analysis of scenarios of peace or not peace to arrive at peace definitions, scenario writing, discussion of what and who creates peace, multimedia collage, journal writing.
Extension possibilities: Research origins of various peace symbols and design their own peace symbols; research proverbs about peace from around the world and present research to class in a creative way.
Section 2: Violent conflict can be prevented.
Lesson 2.1: Maintaining Trusting Relationships
Objectives: understand the role of relationships in conflict management; understand the role of trust in building relationships.
Standards:
- Culture
- Civic Ideals and Practices
Materials: included handout
Learning activities: sharing in pairs, class discussion, exercise in managing conflict using groups of three (cooperation versus competition).
Extension possibilities: journal writing about conflict; trust-building exercise.
Lesson 2.2: Identifying Conflicts
Objectives: understand the role of conflict analysis in managing conflicts; develop conflict analysis skills.
Standards:
- Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
- Global Connections
Materials: included handout and worksheets
Learning activities: role-play, analysis of scenarios, class discussion
Extension possibilities: Student-created scenarios of international conflicts, student analysis of these scenarios.
Lesson 2.3: Identifying Elements of Conflict
Objectives: Understand how conflict analysis can benefit conflict management, develop skills in analyzing conflicts.
Standards:
- Individuals, Groups and Institutions
- Global Connections
Materials: included handout and worksheet; teacher research and collection of background materials on conflict in Uganda.
Learning activities: review, scenario analysis of interpersonal conflict, small-group application of analysis skills to interstate and intrastate conflict, class discussion.
Extension opportunities: Watch video on Ugandan peacebuilder Betty Bigombe (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip_pHMWrEKw&t=4s) and do conflict analysis; research conflict in Northern Ireland, watch video on mediator George Mitchell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfOVRZZdcWM), and do analysis.
Lesson 2.4: Identifying Your Conflict Style
Objectives: identify various conflict styles and their advantages and limitations, identify students’ own conflict styles and those of opponents.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
Materials: chart paper and markers, included handout and worksheets
Learning activities: reflection on responses to conflict scenarios (individually and in small groups); discussion of conflict styles; reflection on which style most applies to students; small-group intensive analysis of uses and limitations of specific styles, and styles appropriate for different situations; class discussion.
Extension opportunities: Improvisation of student-suggested conflicts and imagination/improvisation of different reactions to the situation that could lead to different outcomes.
Lesson 2.5: Nonverbal Communication
Objectives: Identify various types of nonverbal communication and understand the importance of nonverbal communication.
Standards:
- Culture
Materials: included handouts and information on the meanings of different gestures in different countries. (This is a good source: https://onedio.co/content/the-ultimate-guide-to-different-gestures-around-the-world-10801)
Learning activities: Group exercise in nonverbal communication, class discussion, sharing of various gestures, discussion of how gestures have different meanings in different countries, practice in pairs in nonverbal communication, story of nonverbal miscommunication.
Extension opportunities: Acting as “anthropologists,” students go through the day observing how people communicate nonverbally and taking field notes on three examples.
Lesson 2.6: Active Listening
Objectives: Identify characteristics and understand the importance of active listening skills.
Standards:
- Culture
- People, Places, and Environment
- Individual Development and Identity
Materials: included handouts
Learning activities: sharing in pairs; role-playing and observation of speaking and listening; review and reflect on active listening techniques; practice active listening skills in pairs; class discussion.
Extension opportunities: Reading and discussion of a folk tale about listening.
Lesson 2.7: The Process of Negotiation
Objectives: Define negotiation, identify differences between positions and interests, identify characteristics of a successful negotiator.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Power, Authority, and Governance
Materials: included worksheets and handout, information on conflict previously discussed (Uganda or Northern Ireland)
Learning activities: Sharing in pairs; group definition of negotiation; use of scenario to understand positions vs. interests; worksheets on scenario and a personal conflict; application of skills to international conflict; class discussion.
Extension opportunities: view video on Betty Bigombe if not shown earlier and discuss negotiating strategies (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip_pHMWrEKw&t=7s); research current ongoing international conflicts and identify positions and interests of various parties; identify positions and interests of parties in historical conflicts you have studied.
Lesson 2.8: Negotiation Role-Play
Objectives: practice and improve negotiating skills in a realistic setting.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Power, Authority, and Governance
Materials: included worksheets and handouts; background on conflict in Kosovo or conflict of choice.
Learning activities: preparing for negotiation, negotiating in pairs, class discussion.
Extension opportunities: Research international conflicts and describe negotiation processes.
Lesson 2.9: Mediating Conflict
Objectives: understand the role of a mediator, identify skills and processes used by mediators, develop basic mediation skills.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Power, Authority, and Governance
Materials: included handouts and worksheets, large index cards, markers, chart paper or white board
Learning activities: Identification of strategies and skills students have used in resolving conflicts; defining mediation and strategies and skills used; role-play practice in mediating; group and class discussion.
Extension possibilities: Show video of George Mitchell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfOVRZZdcWM) and identify elements of mediation processes and skills.
Lesson 2.10: Advanced Mediation Practice
Objectives: Understand the use of the same skills in different levels of conflict; apply conflict management skills in a mediation setting.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Power, Authority, and Governance
Materials: included handouts and worksheet
Learning activities: Complex mediation role-play involving the whole class; small-group preparation; class discussion.
Section 3: There are many ways to be a peacebuilder
Lesson 3.1: What Does It Take to Be a Peacebuilder?
Objectives: Identify characteristics and actions of effective peacebuilders; recognize each human being possesses many of the characteristics needed for everyday peacebuilding.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Global Connections
- Civic Ideals and Practices
Materials: Poster board or manila paper, markers, crayons, index cards; included worksheets; access to Internet, library, or teacher-printed information for research.
Learning activities: brainstorming; quiz; debrief; small-group research; poster creation; “gallery walk”; identification of personal peacebuilding characteristics; class discussion.
Lesson 3.2: Organizations Working for Peace
Objectives: identify peace organizations and their work; identify strategies, goals, and impacts of organizations; identify ways to support organizations; understand the value of people working in groups for peace.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Global Connections
- Individuals, Groups and Institutions
Materials: included workshop; access to library/computer lab/books/information sheets for researching peacebuilding organizations.
Learning activities: discussion questions; small-group research; creation of nightly news story; debrief.
Extension opportunities: small-group formation of a peacebuilding organization, advertisement of the organization; creation of timeline of major events and organizations that were formed in response to those events.
Lesson 3.3: Becoming a Peacebuilder
Objectives: develop empathy; think critically about being a peacebuilder and taking action.
Standards:
- Individual Development and Identity
- Global Connections
- Civic Ideals and Practices
Materials: included worksheets; access to Internet for research and videos.
Learning activities: response to quote through dialogue, writing, poetry, drawing, etc.; interviews about past peacebuilders; sharing results of interviews; discussion about present conflicts; speech-writing and speaking; creation of Action Projects using the SMART framework; class discussion.
Extension opportunities: Implement Action Project as small groups or class; develop a creative presentation about the project to share with younger students.