Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.1F Grade 4 CPI 3

 

Standard: 2.1 - Wellness

 

Strand: F -  Social and Emotional Health 

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 3 - The student will distinguish among conflict, violence, vandalism, harassment, and bullying and discuss factors that contribute to each.

 

Grade: 4

 

Sample Activities:

 

·        SAFETY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - For this activity, you need a video camera or a camera that develops instant photographs. Accompany students on a “walk” to an intersection near the school. Videotape the activities at the intersection, noting the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Note obstacles that may interfere with safe crossing or driving, such as buildings, signs, or trees. Students view the tape to detect as many safety hazards as possible and suggest possible solutions. Students write a letter to community officials outlining their suggestions for increased safety.

Variation: Students develop a safety checklist and monitor a school or community play area for potential safety problems. The class develops a report for community or school officials.

 

·        SKILLS FOR HANDLING DISAGREEMENTS - Brainstorm synonyms for the word conflict and write them on the board (e.g., disagreement, fight, clash). Explain that a conflict can arise over ideas as well as material things. Provide a number of examples, and solicit ideas from the class. Brainstorm options or behaviors that can be used to peacefully resolve conflicts and list on the board. The list should include the following strategies:

 

 

      Divide the class into small groups. Each group develops a mural, booklet, or comic strip that illustrates the strategies. Students share their creations and discuss the use of the conflict management strategies.

Variation: Give each group a situation that illustrates conflict. Groups develop role-plays showing effective management of the situation. Classmates use a teacher-developed criteria checklist to evaluate each role-play for the effective use of the skills.

SAMPLE SITUATIONS
-       Every day on the playground, two fourth-grade students pick a younger student to harass.
-        Your friend wants to go the park but you’d rather stay at home and watch TV.
-        An older student threatens to hurt you if you don’t let him use your bike.
-        You aren’t tired and your mom is making you go to bed at 9 p.m.

 

·        WHO ARE YOU? - Use puppets or stuffed animals to introduce three characters that represent the ways people handle conflicts:

Mouse: Meek, weak, doesn’t stick up for his/her own ideas
Monster: Bully, pushes ideas on others
Me: A balance between a monster and a mouse

Model how each character might handle the same conflict situation. Allow student volunteers to participate in the demonstration. Then divide the class into small groups, and give each group a situation. Students determine if the character in the situation is responding as a mouse, monster, or “me”. If the mouse or monster is in control, the group rewrites the situation to handle the conflict more appropriately. Groups present the original role-play and then the rewrite. As the students present their skits, they discuss the skills needed to manage conflict in a healthy way.