1 of 33

LISTEN:

Conflict

Resolution Scenarios

CIVICS IN SEVEN STEPS

2 of 33

Today’s Lesson

Plan:

Ice Breaker: Ways to Disagree

Discussion: Five Responses to Conflict

Activity: Scenarios

Objectives:

Students will learn about civility, conflict resolution and differing viewpoints in a democracy.

Students will practice skills to listen actively, debate constructively, and peacefully resolve different kinds of conflicts.

3 of 33

Ice Breaker

Are arguing and conflict always bad?

What are some ways we can disagree without starting a fight?

4 of 33

Starter Questions about Conflict

Does conflict have to happen?

What does conflict have to do with democracy?

Can we make all conflict go away?

Think of a recent conflict that you experienced. Did the conflict end well? What did you learn from the conflict?

5 of 33

Today’s Focus

What happens in a conflict

depends on how we react to the conflict.

Let’s talk about five ways to resolve conflict.

6 of 33

Five Strategies for Dealing with Conflict

Compete - try to win, get loud
Avoid - walk or run away, withdraw, go silent
Accommodate - help someone else
Compromise - negotiate, make a deal
Collaborate - work together

Which strategies work best in which situations?

7 of 33

1 - Compete

When does it make sense to compete?

When does competing not work or make sense?

8 of 33

2 - Avoid

When does it make sense to avoid, or walk away?

When does it not make sense to avoid?

9 of 33

2 - Example of Avoid

SCENARIO:

My sister is arguing with your parent about when she can use her cell phone. I don’t have a cell phone, so I stay out of it.

What do you think of using Avoid in this situation?

10 of 33

3 - Accommodate (Lose / Win)

When does it make sense to accommodate, or let the other person decide?

When does it not work to accommodate?

11 of 33

3 - Example of Accommodate

SCENARIO:

What’s for dinner? My brother really wants tacos.

I like pizza better, but I also like tacos.

What do you think of using Accommodate in this situation?

12 of 33

4 - Compromise (Win / Win)

Compromise

To make a deal between different groups

Each group might give up part of their demand

To find agreement through communication

13 of 33

4 - Compromise (Win / Win)

What does it mean to compromise?

When does it work to compromise?

When does compromising not work?

14 of 33

4 - Example of Compromise

SCENARIO:

Your parent says, “If you make your bed and clean your room, then you can watch TV after dinner on a school night.”

What do you think of using compromise in this situation?

15 of 33

5 - Collaborate

What does it mean to collaborate?

When does it work to collaborate?

When does it not work to collaborate?

16 of 33

Activity: Let’s Resolve Some Conflict!

17 of 33

Scenario 1: Recess

We need two volunteers for this scenario.

Student A - You are playing a two-person game at recess with someone. Your friend asks to join. You don’t want them to join because you can’t play the game with three people.

Student B - You see your friend playing with someone at recess and want to play with them. When you ask to play, they say they have enough people already.

18 of 33

Red Light

Student A and Student B freeze!

Who can resolve this conflict?

Which strategies would you use?

19 of 33

Green Light

Let’s have a third student tap out one of the first students, and work to solve this conflict.

Try to use one of the strategies:

Compete -
Avoid -
Accommodate -
Compromise -
Collaborate -

20 of 33

Discussion

Which strategy worked?

compete - accommodate -collaborate
avoid - compromise

Are there other strategies that could have worked?

What are your thoughts about how we resolved conflict today?

21 of 33

Scenario 2: T-Shirt Trouble

We need 2 volunteers for the next scenario

We will repeat the process

Students A and B act out the conflict.
Red Light - Students A and B freeze.
Student C “taps out” Student A or B.
Green Light - Student C resolves the conflict using a strategy.

22 of 33

Scenario 2: T-Shirt Trouble

Student A - Your sibling wants to borrow your favorite shirt. The last time they borrowed your shirt, they got a stain on it. You don’t want them to borrow your shirt because you don’t want them to ruin it.

Student B - You want to borrow your sibling’s shirt. Your sibling never lets you borrow their clothes anymore because you got a stain on their shirt. That only happened one time.

Student C - “Tap out” and try strategy to resolve conflict.

23 of 33

Scenario 2: Discussion

Which strategy worked?

compete - accommodate -collaborate
avoid - compromise

Are there other strategies that could have worked?

What are your thoughts about how we resolved conflict today?

24 of 33

Scenario 3: Babysitting or Birthday!

Student A - Your parents want you to babysit your younger sibling this Saturday, but you already told your friend you could come to their birthday party on Saturday. You really want to go.

Student B - You are the parent. You need your older child to babysit on Saturday night so you can help your sister move. Your sister helped your own family move, and it is important for you to help her.

Student C - Resolve the conflict using one of the strategies. (Compete, etc.)

25 of 33

Scenario 4: Discussion

Which strategy worked?

compete - accommodate -collaborate
avoid - compromise

Are there other strategies that could have worked?

What are your thoughts about how we resolved conflict today?

26 of 33

Scenario 5: Friendship Frustration

Student A - Your best friend made a new friend at school, but don’t like the new friend. Your best friend keeps trying to get all 3 of you to play, but you don’t like being around the new friend. Your best friend is trying to get you to all play together at recess right now.

Student B - You made a new friend at school, but your best friend doesn’t like your new friend. You really want them to be friends, but your best friend refuses to talk to your new friend. Your best friend is refusing to play with you and the new friend at recess right now.

Student C - “Tap out” and resolve conflict using a strategy.

27 of 33

Scenario 5: Discussion

Which strategy worked?

compete - accommodate -collaborate
avoid - compromise

Are there other strategies that could have worked?

What are your thoughts about how we resolved conflict today?

28 of 33

Scenario 6: Phone Feelings

Student A - Your older sibling gets to use their phone any time at home, but you have to put your phone away after dinner. You say it’s not fair want to be able to use your phone after dinner like your sibling.

Student B - You are the parent. Your younger child wants to keep using their phone after dinner, but you know they will have trouble falling asleep if they don’t put their phone away in the evening.

Student C - “Tap out” and resolve conflict using a strategy.

29 of 33

Scenario 6: Discussion

Which strategy worked?

compete - accommodate -collaborate
avoid - compromise

Are there other strategies that could have worked?

What are your thoughts about how we resolved conflict today?

30 of 33

Lesson Wrap-Up

What was your most interesting scenario or strategy?

Did the strategies help? Which was the most useful?

What did you learn about resolving conflicts?

What do you still want to learn about resolving conflicts?

31 of 33

APPENDIX

CIVICS IN SEVEN STEPS

32 of 33

More to Explore

CIVIC NOTEBOOK	Invite a student to read aloud a selection from the Quotations handout. Students write or draw reaction in their Civic Notebooks and share out. Each student gets a peace sign sticker.
POETRY	Use the Poetry handout to invite students to take turns reading lines from the poems. Discuss each poem after the whole poem is read.
DEBATE CLUB	Invite a teen or college-age guest speaker to discuss Debate Club.
SONGWRITING	Invite a teaching artist to lead song- or poetry-writing about peace.

33 of 33

Additional Resources

The Better Arguments Project:

The U.S. Institute for Peace: Peacebuilding Toolkit

Facing History & Ourselves: Save the Last Word for Me

News Literacy Project: How to Speak Up Without Starting a Showdown

Further Reading: