Lesson Plan
Start Strong: What's a Conflict and How Do I React?
Students will define conflict, identify at least two personal anger triggers, and label three body cues that signal escalating anger, and begin to brainstorm healthy coping strategies, as measured by a pre-assessment and completion of an Anger Thermometer.
Understanding conflict and managing anger are vital life skills. This lesson empowers students to recognize their emotions, identify triggers, and develop healthy responses, leading to better relationships and a more positive learning environment.
Audience
5th Grade
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive activities, explicit teaching, guided practice, and self-reflection.
Prep
Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Start Strong: What's a Conflict and How Do I React? Lesson Plan and all associated materials: Conflict and Feelings Visual Slideshow, Picture Sort: Calm or Conflict Warm-Up, My Anger Thermometer Worksheet, Group Norms Card Set, Pre-Assessment Likert Survey, and Likert Scoring Guide and Data Tracker Rubric.
- Print and cut out the Picture Sort: Calm or Conflict Warm-Up cards.
- Prepare the Conflict and Feelings Visual Slideshow for projection.
- Make copies of the My Anger Thermometer Worksheet for each student.
- Print and cut out the Group Norms Card Set.
- Make copies of the Pre-Assessment Likert Survey for each student.
- Have writing instruments available for students.
Step 1
Hook: Picture Sort (5 minutes)
5 minutes
- Display the first slide of the Conflict and Feelings Visual Slideshow to introduce the lesson.
- Distribute the Picture Sort: Calm or Conflict Warm-Up cards to small groups of students.
- Instruct students to sort the images into two categories: "Calm" or "Conflict" and discuss their reasoning.
- Bring the class back together and ask a few groups to share how they sorted their pictures. Facilitate a brief discussion on the difference between disagreement, minor issues, and true conflict. Encourage students to think about the impact of the situation.
Step 2
Explicit Teach: Feelings, Triggers, and Body Cues (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Present slides 2-5 of the Conflict and Feelings Visual Slideshow to define conflict and introduce the concept of feelings, emphasizing that all feelings are valid.
- Use slides 6-8 to explain anger triggers, providing more nuanced and complex examples relevant to 5th graders (e.g., misunderstandings, feeling left out, unfair group work).
- Transition to slides 9-11 to discuss body cues associated with escalating anger, prompting students to think about how these cues are unique to them.
- Model how to identify personal anger triggers and body cues. For example, "When I feel a misunderstanding brewing, I might notice my shoulders tensing up and a frown on my face. This is my body's signal that I'm starting to get angry."
- Introduce the My Anger Thermometer Worksheet and explain its purpose as a self-awareness tool.
Step 3
Guided Practice: My Anger Thermometer (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Guide students through completing the My Anger Thermometer Worksheet.
- Encourage students to identify at least two personal anger triggers and three body cues, and to think about different levels of anger. Provide support and more complex examples as needed.
- Ask students to share one trigger and one body cue with a partner or in a small group, fostering a supportive environment for self-disclosure. Circulate and provide feedback, encouraging deeper reflection.
Step 4
Set Group Norms and Pre-Assessment (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Distribute the Group Norms Card Set to small groups.
- Guide students to collaboratively establish 3-5 group norms for respectful discussion and learning, emphasizing active listening and constructive feedback. Have each group share their norms with the class and create a class-wide norm poster, ensuring students understand the rationale behind each norm.
- Introduce the Pre-Assessment Likert Survey and explain that it will help the teacher understand what they already know, and to set personal learning goals.
- Administer the Pre-Assessment Likert Survey to each student. Reassure students that this is not a test and to answer honestly and thoughtfully.
- Collect the surveys for review using the Likert Scoring Guide and Data Tracker Rubric.
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Slide Deck
Welcome: What's a Conflict?
Today, we're going to learn about:
- What is conflict?
- How do our bodies feel when our emotions get strong?
- How can we react safely and thoughtfully?
Welcome 5th-grade students and introduce the lesson topic. Explain that today we'll be exploring what conflict is, how our emotions escalate, and how we can respond constructively. Emphasize that understanding our feelings is a sign of maturity.
Calm or Conflict?
Look at the pictures. Do they show a:
- Calm situation?
- Conflict situation?
Discuss with your group and explain why you sorted them that way!
Introduce the picture sort activity. Explain that students will be looking at different pictures and deciding if they show a 'calm' situation or a 'conflict' situation. Encourage them to look for clues in body language and facial expressions.
What Is Conflict?
Conflict is when people have strong disagreements, or when their wants, needs, or opinions clash, causing tension or problems. It's often about different perspectives, not just not agreeing on something small.
After the picture sort, review the concept of 'conflict'. For 5th graders, emphasize that conflict is often about differing perspectives or unmet needs, and it goes beyond simple disagreements. It's when these differences lead to tension or problems.
All Feelings Are Okay!
Everyone has feelings – happy, sad, excited, frustrated, and even angry!
It's important to understand all our feelings, as they give us important information.
Explain that everyone has a range of emotions – happiness, sadness, excitement, frustration, and anger. For 5th graders, stress that feelings are natural and provide information. The key is how we acknowledge and manage them.
What Sparks Your Feelings? (Triggers)
A trigger is something that makes you feel a strong emotion, like anger or frustration.
What are some things that might make people feel angry or upset?
Introduce the idea of 'triggers' as things that set off strong emotions, particularly anger. Ask students for some general examples relevant to their lives (e.g., someone breaking a promise, feeling misunderstood, unfairness in a game).
Common Triggers
Some common anger triggers can be:
- Being treated unfairly
- Feeling left out by friends
- Having your ideas ignored in a group
- Someone breaking your trust
- Being accused of something you didn't do
Provide more concrete examples of triggers that 5th graders might experience. Encourage them to think about specific situations from their own experiences without requiring them to share publicly yet.
Body Cues: How Does Anger Show Up?
Our bodies tell us when our anger is starting to build.
These are called body cues – they're like our body's warning signals!
Explain that our bodies send us signals when our emotions are starting to build. These are called body cues. Emphasize that these cues are like a personal warning system.
What Are Some Body Cues?
When you start to feel angry, you might notice:
- Your heart beats faster or you feel hot
- Your muscles tense (jaw, shoulders, fists)
- Your voice gets louder or you want to yell
- Your stomach feels upset
- You want to walk away or lash out
Give examples of body cues, encouraging students to consider what their own unique cues might be. Prompt them to think beyond just physical sensations to include thoughts or urges (e.g., wanting to shut down, wanting to argue).
My Anger Thermometer: Your Personal Gauge
We're going to use an Anger Thermometer to help us understand our anger.
This will help you:
- Identify your personal triggers
- Recognize your unique body cues
- Think about how to respond at different levels of anger
Introduce the Anger Thermometer worksheet as a personal tool for self-awareness and emotional regulation. Explain its benefit in helping them identify and understand their emotional responses.
Working Together: Group Norms for Success
When we work in groups, it's important to have group norms.
Group norms are like a set of agreements that help us work together fairly, respectfully, and productively.
Explain the concept of group norms. For 5th graders, discuss why they are crucial for effective teamwork and respectful communication, leading to a more positive learning environment.
Pre-Assessment: Show What You Know!
Now, we're going to take a short Pre-Assessment.
This helps me understand what you already know about conflict and feelings, and helps you think about what you want to learn.
Answer honestly and thoughtfully!
Transition to the pre-assessment. Explain that it helps the teacher understand what they already know and will also help students set personal learning goals for managing conflict and emotions.
Warm Up
Picture Sort: Calm or Conflict
Instructions: Look at the descriptions of the situations below. Think about what is happening in each scenario. Decide if it represents a Calm situation or a Conflict situation. Be ready to explain your choices and why it's important to know the difference!
Situations to Consider:
Situation 1: Two students collaborating happily on a science project, discussing ideas respectfully.
Situation 2: A student feels frustrated because their partner is not doing their share of work on a group assignment, leading to a heated discussion.
Situation 3: A group of friends planning a weekend outing, listening to everyone's suggestions and compromising.
Situation 4: Two classmates are arguing over whose turn it is to use the shared art supplies, raising their voices and pointing fingers.
Situation 5: A student quietly reading a book during independent reading time, feeling peaceful and focused.
Situation 6: A team losing a game, and some players are blaming each other and showing clear signs of frustration and anger.
Worksheet
My Anger Thermometer
Name: _________________________ Date: ______________
Think about what makes you feel angry and how your body reacts when your anger starts to build. Fill in your Anger Thermometer below, and consider what you might do at each level.
Level 5: Exploding! (Peak Anger - Out of Control)
What does your body feel like when you are at your angriest, possibly feeling out of control? What might be happening?
Level 4: Boiling! (Very Angry - Losing Control)
What does your body feel like when you are very angry, and it's hard to think clearly? What actions might you feel like taking?
Level 3: Heating Up! (Frustrated/Annoyed - Warning Signs)
What does your body feel like when you are starting to feel frustrated or annoyed? What are your first warning signs that anger is building?
Level 2: Warm (Irritated/Uncomfortable - Mild Discomfort)
What does your body feel like when you are a bit irritated or uncomfortable, but not really angry yet? What might you notice in your thoughts or feelings?
Level 1: Cool (Calm and In Control)
What does your body feel like when you are calm, happy, or feeling good? How do you know you're in a good place?
My Anger Triggers (Specific things that make me feel angry or upset):
My Body Cues (What my body tells me when I start to get angry):
Discussion
Group Norms Card Set
Instructions: In your small groups, discuss each card. Choose 3-5 of the most important rules for working together and write them down to share with the class. You can also create your own norms!
Group Norm Cards:
Card 1: Listen to Understand
- What does it mean to truly listen to someone?
- Why is it important to listen when others are speaking?
Card 2: Respect Each Other's Ideas
- How can we show respect even if we don't agree?
- Why is it good to have different ideas in a group?
Card 3: Take Turns Speaking
- Why is it important for everyone to have a chance to speak?
- What can you do if someone is talking too much or not enough?
Card 4: Use Kind Words
- What kind of words make people feel good in a group?
- What kind of words should we try to avoid?
Card 5: Encourage Everyone to Participate
- How can you help a quiet friend share their ideas?
- Why is it important for everyone to join in?
Card 6: Focus on the Task
- What does it mean to stay focused?
- How can we help each other stay on track?
Our Group's Top 3-5 Norms:
Quiz
Pre-Assessment Likert Survey
Rubric
Likert Scoring Guide and Data Tracker
Purpose: This rubric provides a scoring guide for the "Pre-Assessment Likert Survey" and a simple data tracker to monitor student understanding before the lesson.
Scoring Guide for Likert Scale:
- Strongly Disagree (1 point): Student demonstrates little to no understanding of the concept.
- Disagree (2 points): Student has limited understanding of the concept.
- Neutral (3 points): Student has some understanding, but it is not clearly defined or consistent.
- Agree (4 points): Student demonstrates a good understanding of the concept.
- Strongly Agree (5 points): Student demonstrates a strong and confident understanding of the concept.
Data Tracker
Instructions: For each student, record their score (1-5) for each question on the Pre-Assessment Likert Survey. This will help you identify areas where students may need more support.
| Student Name | Q1: Conflict Meaning | Q2: Others' Anger | Q3: My Triggers | Q4: My Body Cues | Q5: Safe Reactions | Total Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Target for Mastery: A total score of 20 or higher (an average of 4 out of 5 per question) indicates a strong baseline understanding of the lesson objectives. Lower scores may suggest areas for focused instruction during the lesson.