*Peace Education Lesson Plan by Barbara Lake*
Purpose
To instill in students the concept of peace and how we can achieve it.
Early Kindergarten, Special Education, and Kindergarten
Introduction. Hold up your fingers in the V sign for peace and ask children if they know what it means. Clue them if they do not. Then we will define what we mean by peace. For this age group use the term “getting along” as a synonym.
Book to Read: Next read and discuss the book Talk and Work It Out by Cheri J. Meiners. Explain that everyone in the world wishes there would be peace. Together all the students in the school will build a wall of peace in the hallway.
Activity: Pass out a printed “brick” (on 1/2 sheet of 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper) and a 1/2 sheet of 9 by 12 inch red paper. Ask them to draw a picture that shows people getting along (playing and working peacefully). Then they will paste their brick on the red paper.The difference in the paper size will frame their drawing in red.
1st to 3rd Grade
Do everything the same, but have them also write a sentence on their brick starting with Peace means…
Upper Elementary to High School
Do everything the same, but instead of drawing a picture they will write a paragraph about what peace means to them on their brick.
Instead of using a book, tie into Constitution Day: Ask students what they know about the constitution. Discuss how having a constitution and Bill of Rights that guarantee freedom and fairness for all helps create an atmosphere of peace. Ask them to pretend they are a member of the senate or congress and think about what law they would make to help create world peace (possible answers: forbid wars, have people who are angry talk out their problems, don’t judge people by their skin color, religion, or ethnicity. When they have decided on a law, have them write it on their brick.
Sharing and Display
Arrange the bricks on a large bulletin board or wall in a public area. Have students visit the wall and discuss the different ideas. How many are similar? How many mirror what you believe?
Note: This lesson aligns with NYS standards for S.A.V.E. instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education.
