Peaceful Problem-Solving Script

1. Mini-Lesson & Visual Introduction (5–10 minutes)

Teacher: "Hello, everyone! Welcome to our lesson on solving problems peacefully. Today we will learn three simple ways to handle conflicts. Say with me: ‘peacefully.’"

Teacher: "Great! Now let’s talk about a word. I’m going to show you a picture. What do you see?" Displays Conflict Visual Poster

Teacher: "Yes, two kids are both pulling the same toy. They both want it. This is called a ‘conflict.’ Can you say ‘conflict’?"
Pause for choral response
Teacher: "Conflict means a problem between people."

Teacher: "How do we feel when there is a conflict? Look at these faces: 😠 😢 😐 Holds up Emoji Emotion Cards. Please point to the ‘angry’ face."
Pause
Teacher: "Now point to the ‘sad’ face."
Pause
Teacher: "And point to the ‘surprised/confused’ face."
Pause
Teacher: "Excellent!"

Teacher: "Let me show you three ways to solve conflicts peacefully."

Teacher: "First: Walk Away." [Shows icon]
Teacher: "Walk away means you leave the situation when you feel upset. Can you all pretend to walk away in place?"
Students pretend walking
Teacher: "Great!"

Teacher: "Second: Talk It Out." [Shows icon]
Teacher: "Talk it out means you use your words. We use this sentence frame: ‘I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.’ Repeat after me: ‘I feel sad when you don’t share. Please share.’"
Choral repetition
Teacher: "Wonderful!"

Teacher: "Third: Ask an Adult." [Shows icon]
Teacher: "Ask an adult means you get help from a teacher or another grown-up. If you feel stuck, you can always ask an adult."

Teacher: "Let’s do a quick check. I will show you a picture, and you tell me which strategy to use."
Displays a pushing image from Conflict Scenario Cards
Teacher: "What can we do? Walk Away, Talk It Out, or Ask an Adult?"
Students point or shout the strategy
Teacher: "Yes, very good!"

2. Four Square Game – “Pick the Peace Plan” (10–15 minutes)

Teacher: "Now it’s time for our Four Square Game: Pick the Peace Plan!"
Teacher: "Look at our grid on the floor."
Points to Four Square Grid Mat
Teacher: "Each square shows one strategy: Walk Away, Talk It Out, Ask an Adult, or Take a Breath. When I read a problem, you will move to the square you think is best."

Teacher: "Let’s practice one together."
Teacher: "Problem: Two friends both want the blue marker first. Which strategy will solve the problem?"
Students move to a square
Teacher: "Maria, you chose Talk It Out. Why?"
Maria responds
Teacher: "That’s a great reason! You can say, ‘I feel upset when we both need the same marker. Please share with me.’"

Teacher: "Now let’s try more scenarios!"
Reads or displays more Conflict Scenario Cards, e.g.:
• "Someone is yelling in line."
• "Your friend takes your seat."
• "Your classmate accidentally bumps you."

Teacher: "Remember, move quickly to the strategy you think is best. I’ll help with words if you need them!"

Variation (optional)

Teacher: "We can play as two teams. Team A moves first, then Team B. One point for each correct peaceful choice!"

3. Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (2–3 minutes)

Teacher: "Excellent job today! To finish, choose one exit ticket:"

1. "Point to your favorite strategy on the poster."
2. "Show how you feel now with an emoji card."
3. "Draw a quick picture of a peaceful solution on your paper."
   
   
   

Teacher: "Time’s up! Thank you for your hard work. You did wonderful solving problems peacefully!"

Pick the Peace Plan

Objective

Students will practice choosing and applying peaceful conflict-resolution strategies by playing an active Four Square game.

Materials

• Four Square Grid Mat (taped or drawn on floor/board)
• Conflict Scenario Cards
• Strategy Choice Cards (one per student)
• Optional: small tokens or stickers for team scoring

Setup

1. Tape or draw a large Four Square grid on the floor or whiteboard:┌────────────┐────────────┐
   │ Walk Away │ Talk It Out│
   ├────────────┼────────────┤
   │ Ask an Adult│ Take a Breath│
   └────────────┴────────────┘
2. Place one icon and label in each square (use the visuals from the lesson).
3. Shuffle the Conflict Scenario Cards and place them face down.
4. Distribute a Strategy Choice Card to each student.
5. (Optional) Divide the class into two teams and give each team a token bowl for scoring.

How to Play

1. Teacher draws or reads aloud the top card from the shuffled Conflict Scenario Cards. Each card has a picture and one simple sentence (e.g., “Two students both want the front seat.”).
2. Students decide which of the four strategies would solve the conflict.
3. On “Go!”, students either:
   • Walk or move to the square on the mat that shows their choice, or
   • Hold up their Strategy Choice Card showing the matching strategy.
4. Teacher confirms the correct strategy and provides a sentence frame if needed (e.g., “I feel upset when… Please…”).
5. Students return to their seats for the next round.

Variation: Team Play

• Teams alternate turns. When a team moves as a group to the correct square, award them 1 point (use a token or sticker).
• First team to 5 points wins.

Sample Conflict Scenarios

• “Someone is yelling in line.”
• “Your friend takes your seat.”
• “A classmate bumps you.”
• “Two kids both want the red crayon.”
• “Someone won’t share the ball.”

Scoring & Feedback

• Immediately praise any peaceful choice.
• In team play, award tokens for each correct strategy.
• For incorrect choices, quickly model the correct response: “Great try, but in that situation we can….”

Teacher Tips

• Circulate to support ESL learners with key words and the sentence frame: “I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.”
• Encourage nonverbal participation (pointing, thumbs-up) for emerging speakers.
• Keep rounds brisk—3–4 cards per game to maintain energy.

Enjoy helping students become “peace plan” experts!

Conflict Role-Play

Objective

Students will practice using the three peaceful strategies—Walk Away, Talk It Out, Ask an Adult—in realistic scenarios and use the sentence frame “I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.” to communicate their feelings.

Materials

• Pairs of students share one set of:
  • Conflict Scenario Cards (choose 3–4 for practice)
  • Strategy Choice Cards
  • Emoji Emotion Cards
• Optional: simple props (toy, book, chair) to act out scenarios

Setup

1. Arrange students in pairs (stronger with emerging English speakers).
2. Give each pair a small stack of 3–4 Conflict Scenario Cards.
3. Display the sentence frame chart: “I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.”
4. Remind students of icons: 🧍‍♀️ Walk Away, 🗣 Talk It Out, 🙋 Ask an Adult.

Instructions

1. Assign Roles (1 minute)
   • Student A reads the scenario (point to the picture + simple sentence).
   • Student B responds by choosing a strategy and using the sentence frame.
2. Model One Round (2 minutes)
   • Teacher demonstrates:
     • Scenario: “Your friend takes your seat.”
     • Student B: “I feel upset when you take my seat. Please give it back.”
   • Show how to act out the strategy (e.g., politely ask, or step away).
3. Student Practice (8–10 minutes)
   • Pairs take turns reading and responding, using a different Conflict Scenario Card each time.
   • After each role-play, partners switch roles.
   • Encourage use of an Emoji Emotion Card to show how they felt before and after resolving the conflict.
4. Teacher Monitoring
   • Circulate to prompt sentence frames: “I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.”
   • Praise effective phrasing and peaceful choices.

Wrap-Up (2 minutes)

• Invite 2–3 volunteers to perform one short role-play for the class.
• Ask the class to identify which strategy was used and how the sentence frame helped.

Extension

• Variation for Small Groups: Assign each group one strategy to practice in three different scenarios.
• Written Exit Ticket: Students complete: “I feel ___ when ___. Please ___.” for a new conflict situation on paper.
  
  

Conflict Visual Poster

Visual: Two children facing each other, each pulling on the same toy in the center.

Conflict = Problem between people

What do you see?

• Two kids both want the same toy.
• They pull and neither will let go.

How do we feel in a conflict?
😠 Angry 😢 Sad 😐 Surprised / Confused

Use this poster to point, name the problem, and talk about your feelings.