The Case of the Missing Markers

Leo loved to draw. He had a brand new set of rainbow markers, and he kept them carefully organized in his pencil case. Today, he was excited to draw a superhero comic he'd been planning.

He opened his pencil case, but his favorite blue marker was gone! His eyes narrowed. "Maya!" he exclaimed, turning to his friend who was sketching quietly at the table next to him. "Did you take my blue marker?"

Maya looked up, startled. "What? No, Leo. I have my own markers right here," she said, gesturing to a small box of crayons. She looked a little hurt. "Why would you think I took your marker?"

"Because you always borrow things without asking!" Leo shot back, his voice getting louder. He remembered a time last week when Maya had borrowed his eraser, even though she'd returned it later.

Maya's face flushed. "I don't always! And I didn't take your marker! You're being unfair!"

The two friends glared at each other, their drawing plans forgotten. A tense silence filled the air. Neither of them wanted to draw anymore.

Just then, their teacher, Ms. Lily, walked by. She noticed the quiet tension. "Everything okay over here?" she asked gently.

Leo burst out, "Maya took my blue marker!"

Maya quickly added, "No, I didn't! And he's being mean!"

Ms. Lily knelt down. "Hmm," she said. "It sounds like there's a misunderstanding. Leo, I know you're upset about your marker. And Maya, it sounds like you're upset about being accused. Before we jump to conclusions, let's take a deep breath. Can you both tell me what happened, calmly?"

Leo took a shaky breath. "My blue marker is gone from my new set. I thought Maya took it because... well, sometimes she borrows things."

Maya added, "I didn't take it. I was just drawing with my own crayons."

Ms. Lily looked at the table. "Leo, did you check everywhere? Sometimes things roll or get pushed under books." She pointed to a corner of his desk. "What's that?"

Leo looked. Tucked under his superhero comic book was his bright blue marker. He felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. "Oh... it was here all along. I'm so sorry, Maya."

Maya still looked a little sad. "It's okay, Leo. But it hurt my feelings when you accused me without asking first."

"You're right," said Leo, looking down. "I should have asked you calmly instead of just assuming. Can we still draw our comics?"

Maya smiled. "Yes! I have an idea for a superhero team-up!"

And with that, the two friends began to draw again, the tension gone, replaced by the happy sound of crayons and markers on paper.

Conflict Resolution Worksheet: Peace Patrol!

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Mission 1: What Happened?

Think about the story of Leo and Maya. Answer the questions below:

1. What was the main problem (the conflict) between Leo and Maya?
   
   
   
   

2. How do you think Leo felt when he couldn't find his markers?
   
   
   
   

3. How do you think Maya felt when Leo accused her?
   
   
   
   

Mission 2: Your Conflict Commander Tools

Look at the "Conflict Commander Tools" slide or remember the strategies we discussed. For each situation below, write down which tool(s) you would use and how.

Situation 1: Your friend borrowed your favorite toy without asking and broke it.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  
  
  
  
• What would you say or do?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Situation 2: You and your friend both want to play with the same ball at recess, but there's only one.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  
  
  
  
• What would you say or do?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Situation 3: Someone in your group project isn't doing their share of the work, and you're feeling frustrated.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  
  
  
  
• What would you say or do?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Mission 3: Personal Peace Tip

What is one new thing you learned today about solving conflicts peacefully that you want to remember?

Conflict Resolution Worksheet Answer Key: Peace Patrol!

Mission 1: What Happened?

1. What was the main problem (the conflict) between Leo and Maya?

   • Leo accused Maya of taking his blue marker without asking, making Maya feel upset and unfairly blamed.

2. How do you think Leo felt when he couldn't find his markers?

   • Leo likely felt frustrated, angry, and perhaps a little accusatory because he immediately thought Maya had taken it.

3. How do you think Maya felt when Leo accused her?

   • Maya probably felt surprised, hurt, defensive, and misunderstood because she hadn't taken the marker.

Mission 2: Your Conflict Commander Tools

Situation 1: Your friend borrowed your favorite toy without asking and broke it.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  • Cool Down, Use "I" Statements, Listen Actively, Brainstorm Solutions, Compromise.
• What would you say or do?
  • "I feel sad and a little angry when you break my toy because I lent it to you and it's important to me. Can we talk about how to fix this?"

Situation 2: You and your friend both want to play with the same ball at recess, but there's only one.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  • Listen Actively, Find Common Ground, Brainstorm Solutions, Compromise.
• What would you say or do?
  • "I really want to play with the ball. What if we share it? We could take turns, or play a game where we both use it for different things."

Situation 3: Someone in your group project isn't doing their share of the work, and you're feeling frustrated.

• Which tool(s) would you use?
  • Cool Down, Use "I" Statements, Listen Actively, Brainstorm Solutions.
• What would you say or do?
  • "I feel worried and frustrated when I see that some parts of our project aren't getting done, because I want us to get a good grade. Is there anything I can do to help, or can we divide the work differently?"

Mission 3: Personal Peace Tip

Answers will vary based on student learning. Examples include:

• "I learned to take a deep breath before I get upset."
• "I will try to use 'I' statements to tell people how I feel."
• "It's important to listen to the other person."
• "Always check for the facts before accusing someone."