Peaceful Play Conflict Activity

This activity is designed to help 7-year-old students practice conflict resolution through role-play. It provides clear, step-by-step directions and visual cues to support all learners, including those with autism. The goal is to engage students in a fun scenario where they can explore different ways to solve conflicts peacefully.

Activity Instructions

1. Preparation

   • Arrange the classroom in small groups with easily accessible seating, ensuring an inclusive environment.
   • Display visual aids or posters that summarize the steps of conflict resolution. Some helpful visual aids include:
     • Listening Icon: A picture of an ear to remind students to listen.
     • Feeling Faces: Simple emotion charts showing happy, sad, angry, and calm faces so students can express their feelings.
     • Compromise Image: An illustration of two hands shaking to represent reaching an agreement.

2. Scenario Assignment

   • Present each group with a simple conflict scenario. For example, one scenario could be two friends arguing over a toy.
   • Explain that each group will work together to role-play a peaceful resolution.

3. Role-Play Guidelines

   • Encourage students to take turns speaking and listening.
   • Remind students to use polite language, express their feelings using 'I' statements (e.g., "I feel sad when...") and suggest solutions that include compromise.
   • Use the visual aids as references during the role-play. For instance, show the emotion chart when discussing feelings or point to the listening icon when it's time for someone to speak.
   • Provide gentle prompts and questions as needed: "What can you do to help your friend feel better?" or "How can you solve the problem together?"

4. During Role-Play

   • Walk around the room and offer support to any group that might need extra guidance, ensuring that all students, including those with autism, are involved and feel included.
   • Use visual timers or cues to help keep the activity within the 7-minute timeframe suggested by the lesson plan.

5. Debrief and Reflect

   • Once role-playing is complete, gather all students back together.
   • Ask each group to share what happened during their role-play and what strategies they used, referring back to the visual aids to help explain their actions.
   • Facilitate a brief discussion on how these visual supports can help them remember and apply conflict resolution strategies in everyday situations.

Reflection Questions for Students

• What visual aid did you find most helpful in understanding your feelings?
• How did the pictures help you remember what to do during the conflict?

Teacher Notes:

• Prior to the activity, introduce the visual aids by explaining what each symbol means and how it connects to conflict resolution steps.
• Consider creating laminated cards with these images so students can refer to them during the role-play.
• Monitor each group closely and offer extra support when discussing or using the visual aids, ensuring that all students understand their purpose.
• Adjust scenarios as necessary to suit your classroom dynamics and individual needs.