You will learn
- Define conflict.
- Describe peaceful steps.
- Practise solutions.
- Explain why peace matters.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Conflict happens when people disagree.
- Calm, listening and sharing solve problems.
- A mediator can help.
- Peace takes everyone’s effort.
Words to know
a disagreement or clash between people
a fair person who helps others solve a problem
saying sorry and meaning it
living safely and calmly with others
1. Discover: Two friends and one ball
Two friends, Abu and Kofi, both want the ball. Voices rise. Mei says, “Let us stop and breathe.” Each tells how they feel using “I” words: “I feel left out when I do not get a turn.” They agree to take turns, five minutes each. “That is peaceful problem-solving,” says Ms Smith.
Think: What do you do when you disagree with a friend?
2. Understand: Peaceful solutions
Idea 1: Conflict
A conflict is a disagreement or clash between people. It can happen over things, turns, feelings or ideas. Conflict is normal, but how we handle it matters.
Idea 2: Steps
Peaceful steps: stop and calm down; take turns to speak and listen; say how you feel with “I” statements; think of solutions that work for both; agree and, if needed, make an apology. A mediator, such as a teacher or elder, can help.
Idea 3: Peace
Peace means living safely and calmly with others. After a long conflict in the past, Sierra Leone has worked for peace through listening, forgiveness, community talks and respect. Every child can help build peace at school and at home.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Calm
First step.
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Stop and breathe.
Example 2 (We do it together): Say
An I-statement.
- Think.
- Write.
- Check.
Answer: I feel sad when I am left out.
Example 3 (You try): Solve
Offer a solution.
Show the steps and answer
- Think.
- Say.
- Check.
Answer: Take turns.
Did you know?
Many West African communities use elders or respected mediators to help families and neighbours settle disagreements peacefully.
Why this matters
Peaceful skills protect friendships and communities.
4. Explore: Peace role play
Act out a conflict (fictional) and use the peaceful steps. Switch roles. Discuss what worked and how it felt.
- Act.
- Use steps.
- Switch.
- Reflect.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Calm and listening helped.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A conflict is ___.
- A mediator is ___.
- An apology is ___.
- Peace is ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What is conflict?
Disagreement.
Question 2. What is a mediator?
Helps solve problems.
Question 3. What is an apology?
Saying sorry.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What is conflict?
- What is a mediator?
- What is an apology?
- What is peace?
- Name a first step.
Level 2: Grow
- Why listen?
- Why mediator?
- Why peace?
Level 3: Stretch
- Role-play.
- Write I-statements.
- Reflect.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Social Studies in everyday life
Give two peaceful steps.
Show a sample answer
Calm down; listen.
Another one. Teach a family member the peaceful steps.
Show a sample answer
Share.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Listening does.
Fix: Calm can be wise.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can define conflict.
- I can describe peaceful steps.
- I can practise solutions.
- I can explain why peace matters.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Conflict happens when people disagree.
- Calm, listening and sharing solve problems.
- A mediator can help.
- Peace takes everyone’s effort.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Community improvement proposal. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Define conflict and give an example. [3 marks]
- Give three peaceful steps. [3 marks]
- Say what a mediator does. [2 marks]
- Say why peace matters. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Definition [1]; example [2]
- Three [3]
- Helps [1]; fair [1]
- Safety [1]; friendship [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- What is conflict?
- What is a mediator?
- What is an apology?
- What is peace?
- Name a first step.
- Why listen?
- Why mediator?
- Why peace?
- Role-play.
- Write I-statements.
Homework
Draw two friends solving a problem.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. What is conflict? | Disagreement. | 1 |
| 2. What is a mediator? | Helps solve problems. | 1 |
| 3. What is an apology? | Saying sorry. | 1 |
| 4. What is peace? | Calm living together. | 1 |
| 5. Name a first step. | Calm down. | 1 |
| 6. Why listen? | Understand. | 1 |
| 7. Why mediator? | Fair help. | 1 |
| 8. Why peace? | Safety. | 1 |
| 9. Role-play. | Role-play. | 1 |
| 10. Write I-statements. | I-statements. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Disagreement.; 2 Helps solve problems.; 3 Saying sorry.; 4 Calm living together.; 5 Calm down.. Level 2: 1 Understand.; 2 Fair help.; 3 Safety.. Level 3: 1 Role-play.; 2 I-statements.; 3 Reflect..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Define conflict | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Describe peaceful steps | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Practise solutions | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain why peace matters | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Shouting solves problems.” Listening does.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Make a peace steps poster.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child practises peaceful problem-solving. Please model calm, kind talk at home. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Model calm.
- Listen.
- Seek help when unsafe.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: define conflict; describe peaceful steps; practise solutions; explain why peace matters.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 3 ideas: communities, rules at school and home, and who helps us.
Materials. Paper, pens. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare role-play cards.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Tell the two friends and one ball story.
Explanation (10 min). Teach conflict resolution.
Guided activity (10 min). Peace role play.
Independent activity (10 min). Discuss.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. How can we solve conflicts peacefully?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with a picture, story, map or local example. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always ask “how do you know?” and invite more than one view. Treat every family, culture and community with respect, and never ask learners to share private information.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use pictures, maps, real objects and short sentences, and let learners work with a partner. Let learners point, show, act or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example from their own community and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Shouting solves problems.” Listening does.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Make a peace steps poster. Enrichment. Find one new example near your home or school, draw or write about it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: NCSS standards and C3 Framework, Cambridge Primary Humanities and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Social Studies curriculum, Grade 3 Unit 6, topic 9; NCSS C3 Framework, civics; Cambridge Primary Humanities, citizenship; IB Primary Years Programme, how we organise ourselves. These sources informed the lesson.