Title of Lesson: Ive Got Options!

Effective Strategies to Use During Conflict

Grade Level: 9th-12th
Duration: 45 minute class
ASCA/NYSSCA National Standards and Competencies:
Academic Standard A; Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that
contribute to effective learning in school and across the life span.
Competencies:
A:A2 Acquire Skills for Improving Learning:
A:A2.3 Use communication skills to know when and how to ask for help when needed
A:A3 Achieve School Success
A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions
A:A3.4 Demonstrate dependability, productivity, and initiative
Academic Standard C; Students will understand the relationship of academics to the
world of work and to life at home and in the community.
Competencies:
A:C1 Relate School to Life Experiences
A:C1.5 Understand that school success is the preparation to make the transition from
student to community member
Career Development Standard A; Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world
of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.
Competencies:
C:C2 Apply Skills to Achieve Career Goals
C:C2.2 Learn how to use conflict management skills with peers and adults
C:C2.3 Learn to work cooperatively with others as a team member
Personal/Social Development Standard A; Students will acquire the skills to investigate
the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.
Competencies:
PS:A1 Acquire Self-knowledge
PS.A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
PS.A1.8 Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills
PS.A2.1 Recognize that everyone has rights and responsibilities
PS.A2.3 Recognize, accept, and appreciate individual differences
Personal/Social Development Standard B; Students will acquire the skills to investigate
the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.
Competencies:
PS:B1 Self-knowledge Application
PS.B1.1 Use a decision making and problem-solving model
PS.B1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and choices
PS.B1.3 Identify alternative solutions to a problem
New York State Learning Standards:
Career Development and Occupational Studies
Standard 3a: Universal Foundation Skills

Students will demonstrate mastery of the foundation skills and competencies essential for
success in the workplace.
Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Science
Standard 2: A Safe and Healthy Environment
Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe
and healthy environment.
Learning Objective: After the role-plays, group discussion, and counselor facilitation of
activity 80% of the students will be able to understand productive and effective strategies
to use when dealing with conflict as well as how their own actions impact their school
community and future career endeavors.
Co-Leaders: High school Teacher
Materials:
1. Pencils
2. Scenarios on half sheets of paper
3. Worksheet of Strategies to use when dealing with conflict
4. Informal Checklist
5. Homework
6. Chart Paper and Markers
7. Smartboard/ Overhead Projector
Accommodation: Student with visual impairment: In order to properly accommodate a
student with a visual impairment a school counselor must consider the following:
1. Student would need preferential seating. This should be towards the front of the
class and should be done discretely.
2. Additional handouts will be provided of any content shown on the Smartboard in
extra large print. Student would also receive scenarios in extra large print.
3. Counselor/teacher will be more explicit with all directions, help repeat relevant
information given by students, and will be sure to check for understanding
frequently.

Developmental Learning Activity:

Introduction: (5 minutes)
Students will watch the clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlPRgegf7Zo be posed
with the thinking job, How would you describe the behavior you see? How might these
behaviors effect all parties long term? The purpose of the above video is to engage
student in thinking about how our actions towards respecting others affect not only them
long-term, but also ourselves. I would then like to have a discussion about how respect
drives the way we treat others. For example, What makes you upset? Why does that
make you upset? What are some effective ways to handle a situation where someone is
directly disrespecting you? Are their consequences in the way you choose to react? The

purpose of all this questioning is to engage students in the idea that they always have a
choice and a way out in difficult situations at school.
Setting up Activity: (2 minutes)
At this time the teacher will split up the class of less than 30 students into 4 equal groups.
Each group will be given a different scenario, an action plan, and a list of strategies to use
when dealing with the conflict. Each group will be responsible for filling out their action
plan (1 per group). All groups will have to demonstrate the strategy they are using for
conflict resolution through a skit.
Group Work Time: (15 minutes)
Each group will have 15 minutes to complete the action plan and decide on their method
of presentation. Each group will do a brief skit of their scenario and 1st strategy (students
are allowed and encouraged to make-up their own conflict resolution strategy). Then
students will explain the further action the student should take based on the action plan
they made with their group. While different groups are working the counselor and teacher
will circulate and observe with the checklist. The checklist will be used as part of the
assessment for each student during this lesson. The school counselor and teacher are there
to help students by asking them questions and monitoring behavior so all students are on
task.
Group Presentations: (16 minutes, 4 minutes per group)
Each group will present their scenario and conflict resolution strategy that they came up
with by presenting a skit. As the different groups are presenting one teacher will chart the
Effective Strategies to Use During Conflict and one teacher will be the lead facilitator.
Each group will have 3 minutes to present and then there will be 1 minute after each
group presents where students and teachers can ask questions.
Conclusion: (7 minutes)
The professional school counselor will lead a discussion around what new strategies
students have learned around conflict resolution. Students will be asked to reflect on one
new strategy they will try to use moving forward when in a confrontational situation. The
2nd part of the conclusion will be, How do the decisions we make in these situations of
conflict effect us long term? (Encourage Students to think about college, their career,
and even family)

Assessment/Evaluation:
1. The first item that will be used for assessment is the informal checklist. The
checklist will inform both the teacher and the student if each individual student
met the teaching objective or not. The checklist will also give great information in
regards to the effectiveness of each student working within a group.
2. The second item that will be used for assessment is the group action plan that
each group fills out. The counselor will determine how well the group as a whole
developed an action plan and the effectiveness of group members presentation to
the larger class.

3. Lastly students will be given a piece of homework that must be completed in

order to receive credit.. The homework will be a 5 paragraph essay that targets all
skills that were focused on in the core curriculum plan.
4. The above data will be analyzed in order to consider the overall effectiveness of
the core curriculum plan. The data will be shared with all relevant stakeholders
within the school setting. The largest measure of success will be whether or not
the total number of offenses against students and staff has decrease by 25% over
the year. This was the main reason the core curriculum plan was created in the
first place.
Follow Up
The previous lesson of this unit was on students respecting themselves, others, and their
community. This lesson on conflict resolution will require students to not only to use
knowledge from the previous lesson, but the previous three lessons. The other topics on
community building and self-awareness will be needed in order to master the content of
this lesson on conflict resolution. By performing the above role-plays student will be able
to put the skills they have learned into action. There is also an end of unit essay
assignment, which requires students to synthesize all of the material they have learned
throughout the unit.

List of Conflict Resolution Strategies

1. Confront the Person
2. Ignore the Persons Behavior
3. Write the person that is bothering you a letter
4. Talk to a friend of the person that is bothering you
5. Problem solve with: a teacher, coach, principal, school
counselor, parent
6. Assume the Best
7. Disagree Without Animosity
8. Listen First, speak second
9. Have Empathy (Try to see where the other person is coming
from).
10. Be Honest without being Hostile

Scenarios
Scenario 1

You are standing in the hallway next to your friends in-between classes. Someone
bumps into you and calls you a spic. You realize that this is not the first time that
this person has bumped into you and said something negative. You have never
confronted them about it. You are very upset by this persons action. What do you
do?

Scenario 2

You are in the cafeteria eating your lunch and realize that a group of people keeps
laughing at you. You are not sure why. Then your friend points out that you have
a sign taped to your back that says call 555-555-5555 for a good time. You know
that Denise was behind this. She is laughing and has been targeting you ever since
her boyfriend broke up with her to be with you. What do you do?

Scenario 3

As a precaution the security officials at your school randomly search students

after they go through the security system. You have noticed that the guard has
searched you multiple times, but never your white friend. This makes you feel
like they are targeting you. Last time you said something to the guard you were
given detention. What do you do?

Scenario 4

You are walking to class and feel something hit the back of your head. As it hits
the floor you realize that Dante threw an apple at you and is laughing with his
buddies. You have gotten in multiple fights with Dante and are not going to
tolerate this disrespect. However, if you get into one more fight the coach has told
you that you would be benched for the rest of the season. How do you handle this
situation?

Action Plan

Name____________________________

Date__________________________

What is the problem in your scenario?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Action Steps
st

1 Action Step
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2

nd

Action Step (if the first doesnt work)

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

rd

3 Action Step (if you are still having problems)

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What could be the possible consequences if the victim in your scenario reacts inappropriately?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
How does choosing an effective strategy during conflict resolution empower you as an individual
and set you up for success in the future?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Informal Assessment Checklist *To be used during students group work before
presentations.
Place a X if student does not meet an objective and a check mark if they do.
Name

Works Cooperatively Is Open to trying a

With Group
new solution to
Members
conflict

Other Noticings

End of Unit Homework (One half sheet to be handed out to every student)
Please handwrite or type a five paragraph essay with an introduction, body,
and conclusion answering the following questions:
1. How do your actions and the actions of individuals as your school
impact your school community?
2. How can your school community support you in reaching your goals
beyond high school?

3. Name one new conflict resolution strategy you learned about and
why you think it could be effective?