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How Do We Fix It?

Deborah Luddy

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Restorative Roadmap

Students will learn to identify conflicts, practice restorative conversation techniques, and reflect on resolutions to foster a supportive classroom community.

Teaching conflict resolution and restorative practices empowers students to address disagreements constructively, building empathy, communication skills, and a positive learning environment.

Audience

4th Grade Class

Time

50 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussions and guided role-plays.

Materials

  • Conflict to Connection Slides, - Role-Play Restorations Activity, - Circle Talk Guidelines, - Restoration Reflection Sheet, - Sticky Notes, and - Chart Paper and Markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Open and review the Conflict to Connection Slides
  • Print copies of the Circle Talk Guidelines and Restoration Reflection Sheet
  • Organize space for role-play activity and group discussion
  • Gather sticky notes, chart paper, and markers

Step 1

Introduction and Conflict Brainstorm

10 minutes

  • Prompt students: “Think of a time you had a disagreement in class.”
  • Students share brief examples verbally or on sticky notes
  • Post sticky notes on chart paper under “Conflicts”
  • Teacher summarizes common themes and transitions to restorative methods

Step 2

Explore Restorative Questions

10 minutes

  • Present the Conflict to Connection Slides
  • Discuss the four key restorative questions as a class
  • Model how each question guides understanding and empathy
  • Students practice asking questions in pairs with sample scenarios

Step 3

Role-Play Restorations

15 minutes

  • Explain the Role-Play Restorations Activity
  • Divide students into small groups and assign scenarios
  • Students take turns role-playing and using restorative questions
  • Groups provide feedback focused on feelings and solutions

Step 4

Circle Talk Discussion

10 minutes

  • Arrange students in a circle
  • Distribute the Circle Talk Guidelines
  • Facilitate a circle where students discuss what they learned
  • Emphasize respectful listening and speaking from the heart

Step 5

Reflection and Cool-Down

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Restoration Reflection Sheet
  • Students reflect individually on a past conflict and how they would apply restorative practice
  • Collect sheets for teacher review and optionally share a few reflections
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Slide Deck

From Conflict to Connection

Today, we’ll learn how to turn disagreements into opportunities to understand and support each other!

Welcome students! Introduce today’s goal: turning conflicts into opportunities to build understanding and connections.

What is Conflict?

  • A disagreement or misunderstanding
  • A natural part of relationships
  • Can help us grow if handled well

Define conflict in student-friendly terms and normalize that it happens to everyone.

Introducing Restorative Practices

  • Focus on repairing harm
  • Encourage empathy and accountability
  • Strengthen classroom community

Explain restorative practices as a gentle, community-focused approach rather than punitive discipline.

Why Restorative Practices?

  • Builds empathy
  • Improves communication
  • Resolves issues constructively

Highlight the main benefits so students see why we use these methods.

The Four Restorative Questions

  1. What happened?
  2. What were you thinking at the time?
  3. Who has been affected and how?
  4. What needs to happen to make things right?

Present all four questions at once so students get the big picture.

1. What Happened?

Invite each person to share their perspective without interruption.

Explain that Step 1 is simply sharing each person’s version of events without interruptions.

2. What Were You Thinking?

Encourage reflection on thoughts and motivations during the incident.

Guide students to consider their own thoughts and feelings during the incident.

3. Who Was Affected?

Identify everyone who was hurt or impacted by the conflict.

Stress that everyone impacted deserves recognition—sometimes people beyond those directly involved.

4. What Can We Do?

Brainstorm actions to repair harm and prevent future issues.

Encourage concrete, actionable ideas students can take to repair harm and prevent repeat incidents.

Let’s Practice!

In pairs, use these questions to work through a sample scenario.

Explain the upcoming paired role-play using these questions. Encourage respectful listening and thoughtful responses.

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Activity

Role-Play Restorations Activity

In this activity, students practice using the four restorative questions to resolve everyday classroom conflicts.

Objective

Students will work in small groups to role-play realistic scenarios, guiding each other through restorative questions and reflecting on solutions.

Materials

  • Role-Play Scenario Cards (one per group)
  • Chart of the Four Restorative Questions
  • Notepaper and pencils for observers

Setup (5 minutes)

  1. Arrange desks or chairs into groups of three.
  2. Place one Scenario Card at each group.
  3. Post the Four Restorative Questions chart where everyone can see it.

Group Roles

  • Person A: Student who experienced or caused the harm.
  • Person B: The other student in the incident.
  • Observer: Takes notes on how questions are asked and how the pair responds.

Instructions (15 minutes)

  1. Assign Roles & Read Scenario
    • In each group, decide who will play A, B, and Observer.
    • A and B read their Scenario Card.
  2. Role-Play Using Restorative Questions
    • A and B take turns asking and answering each question:
    1. What happened?
    2. What were you thinking at the time?
    3. Who has been affected and how?
    4. What needs to happen to make things right?
      • Observer notes examples of good question-asking and suggestions for improvement.
  3. Group Reflection
    • After 5–7 minutes of role-play, pause.
    • Observer shares one strength and one suggestion.
    • A and B describe how the questions helped them understand each other.
  4. Rotate Roles & Repeat
    • Swap roles so each student practices as A, B, and Observer if time allows.

Sample Scenarios

  1. Sharing Supplies
    • A needed a pencil right before a test. B was using A’s pencil without asking.
  2. Accidental Spill
    • A accidentally spilled juice on B’s homework folder.
  3. Group Project Frustration
    • A felt B wasn’t pulling their weight on a science poster.
  4. Hurtful Words
    • B said something unkind about A during recess, and A felt hurt.

Debrief (5 minutes)

  • Bring the class together in a “circle talk.”
  • Ask volunteers: “Which question was hardest to ask?
    Which question helped the most?”
  • Reinforce that restorative conversations are about understanding and repairing harm.



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Discussion

Circle Talk Guidelines

Use this protocol to facilitate a respectful, inclusive circle discussion after role-play and to reflect on restorative practices.

Purpose

  • Give every student a chance to speak and be heard
  • Build empathy by listening from the heart
  • Share insights and learnings from the role-play activity

Setup

  1. Arrange chairs in a circle so everyone can see each other.
  2. Place a small object (e.g., a talking piece) in the center.
  3. Remind students of the time limit (10 minutes).

Roles

  • Speaker: Holds the talking piece and shares.
  • Listener: Listens actively without interrupting.
  • Facilitator (Teacher): Keeps time, encourages quieter voices, and gently redirects off-topic talk.

Norms and Guidelines

  • Respect the Talking Piece: Only the person holding it may speak.
  • Speak from the Heart: Use “I” statements (e.g., “I felt…”).
  • Listen with Empathy: Look at the speaker, nod, and refrain from interrupting.
  • Be Brief and Focused: Keep comments to 1–2 minutes so everyone gets a turn.
  • Confidentiality: What’s shared in the circle stays in the circle.

Discussion Questions

  1. What did you learn about asking restorative questions?
  2. Which question was hardest to ask? Why?
  3. How did using the questions help you understand someone else’s feelings?
  4. What might you do differently next time you have a conflict?

Wrap-Up

  • Thank everyone for sharing.
  • Highlight one key insight from the circle.
  • Link back to Conflict to Connection Slides and remind students to use these practices in real situations.



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Cool Down

Restoration Reflection Sheet

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________

Think of a recent conflict you experienced in class. Use the space below to apply the four restorative questions.

  1. What happened?






  1. What were you thinking and feeling at the time?






  1. Who was affected by this conflict and how?






  1. What can you do to make things right or repair the relationship?






Reflection

• One thing I learned about resolving conflicts today:







• One goal I have for handling a conflict differently next time:







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