Curriculum Ideas

 

What PXP at Yale Needs (Based on mid-year evaluations)

n     Revise lessons 2-4: Less discussion, add game to lesson 4

n     More suggestions for how to introduce topics/games & lead discussions (See Toronto and Baltimore)

n     More historical examples of successful non-violent leaders (building a peaceful community: Toronto)

n     Emphasizing that non-violent actions deserve respect (Toronto’s Inner-Power unit)

n     More activities/discussions in SMALL groups (See Toronto & Baltimore’s instructions for when/how to divide up class for various activities, how to use smaller groups to do role-play-like activities)

n     More role-playing/applying things to real life (

n     LESS DISCUSSION!

n     More about getting the kids to respect themselves (inner power, leadership opportunities offered by the building a peaceful community concept)

n     More activities that involve the kids sharing/writing about their own experiences/ideas, so we can understand them better (homework, bringing in something to share about their cultural background (name activity), more writing activities, more discussion focused on the kids’ personal experience)

n     Should be more addressed to kids who always like to fight (bullying lesson)

n     Repetition of same ideas in various activities good, but there should be more logical progression of activities (see Toronto & Baltimore)

n     Record comments on each lesson at dinner meetings & add them to curriculum before each section!!!! (See Toronto’s evaluation questionnaire at end of each lesson)

n     Have each lesson establish certain concepts you want the kids to understand & apply to their own lives at end of each lesson, & a way of assessing what they’ve learned.  Emphasize more having several different activities (some more structured, some less structured) so teachers can choose based on level of their class (Toronto often offers 2 or more alternate games to choose from; take alternate games from other schools’ curricula)

n     More clearly set-out instructions for each game (see Toronto & Baltimore, especially boxed major themes, detailed leading questions for discussions, and time & classroom space-allotments for each game)

n     Have less superficial issues in activities like stereotyping game (see understanding cultural differences/points of view lessons from Baltimore & Toronto)

n     More activities centered around why violence is bad in society (i.e., more Quentin Carter or Jonesboro, Media lesson, Peaceful Communities)

n     Maybe (and this could be in “making the games” session) an activity involving the study of MLK or even more recent non-violence actions, or even recent activities by other kids their ages in schools in different parts of the country (do research on this!!)

 

Core

n     Breaks up into clearer units that flow more smoothly: defining conflict (tree, etc.), escalation (staircase), de-escalation, making games.

n     When doing conflict staircase, break into clear STEPS of conflict?

n     Do “worth fighting for” activity BEFORE de-escalation, plus psychology of anger, also role-plays of escalation as possible activity.

n     Conflict does not mean “fight.”  à GOOD QUESTION: “What is the difference between a conflict & a fight?”  A fight is a conflict that has not been de-escalated.

n     Game where people imitate each-other’s movements: understanding each other by recognizing body language/emotions.

n     Balloon activity to show de-escalation: how do you avoid “pop?”

n     Use specific measures, like “I-statements,” to show how they can better tell each other what they want in a conflict.

 

 

PXP Toronto:

n     General

·        Have everyone sign “community code” of following rules they come up with

·        VERY GOOD paragraphs in here about the MEANING of each activity & what to discuss with the kids.

·        Have a HANDBOOK (sort of like fun pack?) with weekly activities that keep kids involved with PXP throughout the week, and have teachers make the HW mandatory, so they take program more seriously (as Ms. Green suggested).

·        Definite wrap-up and closing ritual for each week (p. 10):

·        - Gathering in circle

·        REVIEW of the day’s lessons/activities

·        Put sample review questions in each lesson

·        Preview of next week

End with poem, action, word, etc. to calm the class down.

·        “Reflections” sheet for each lesson with DEFINITE questions: can be collected each week

·        Toronto’s lessons are about twice as long as Yale’s, though.

·        “About me sheets”: good way to get to know the kids in class as individuals.

·        In general, this curriculum contains more step-by-step instructions for making each game work logistically, in terms of how kids are seated, etc.

·        EXACT AMOUNT OF TIME allotted to each activity!!!

·        Really important messages every teacher should be giving the kids are boxed & set by themselves.

n      Unit 1: Peace by PEACE Foundations

·        “choice” & “consequence” activity p. 7: seems like very important vocabulary.

·        Bother-o-meter (p. 7) right at beginning: this seems like the most logical time to discuss which conflicts are worth fighting over.

·        Introducing the kids to concept of a “Peace Game” right away (“Shake Your Buns”)

·        Breaking down mock-conflict of volunteers into definite stages (volume, tone of voice, body language, name-calling, baggage, climax, freezing) (14).

n      Unit 2: Defining Conflict: Escalation & Anger

·        Have a “bug board” on one side of blackboard and separate “cool-off” bored on the other (p. 15)  Cool-off board used as way for kids to brainstorm ways of dealing with uncontrollable aspects of psychology of anger.  Also break down into “helpful” and “harmful” ways to manage anger.

·        Definite, concrete activities (relaxation, etc.) to manage anger: pp. 16-17.  These could be added to the dead time in Lesson 4.

n      Unit 3: Communication & Good Listening Skills

·        Body language/tone of voice activities: not just talking about it, but playing definite games. (20-21).  These might be a little young for our kids though.

·        Good alternative to having them role-play de-escalation: “I/You-statement” activity with getting CD back.  More structure, addresses specific way of speaking to someone (21-22).

·        Poor/Good listener activity (23): repeating same actions but modifying style of listening.

n      UNIT 4: Empathy & Respecting Cultural Differences

·       Everyone discusses the cultural origin of their names (26): sounds like fun…

·       Defining empathy, & game involving putting yourself in other people’s shoes: this could be done with the “What happened in Room 619?” activity (27).

·       Stereotyping activity could also be done here

·       Suuls & Ichthalonians here as well: Associate it more with idea of overcoming cultural stereotypes        

n     Unit 5: Inner Power

·        Large emphasis on the SELF-RESPECT/appreciate their own uniqueness that is essential in resolving conflicts!  Missing from Yale’s curriculum

·        p. 33 “All Round” activity where they say what’s good about themselves/what they do well: maybe would work best if they did it in writing?

·        pp 35-36: Activity where they write out “negative self-talk” & change it to positive

·        Inner power activity: maybe could also be done in writing?

·        Brainstorming ways to build up their inner power/writing complements about each other

·        Maybe this unit could be extended into building up leadership experience in kids/helping them be conflict-resolution leaders in their own classrooms/communities?

·        Maybe Jonesboro shooting could fit in here: if the boys involved didn’t have inner power?

n      Unit 6: Problem Solving & Mediation

·        “Swamp boards” icebreaker activity (41)

·        Win-win vs. Win-lose situations: how to focus cooperatively, not competitively (42)

·        Teaching the steps of “negotiation” (43)

·        State problem

·        Think of possible solutions together

·        Choose a solution and do it

·        Introduce idea of MEDIATOR (44) for when negotiation between 2 people becomes too difficult: define what makes mediator effective & do simple role-playing

·        Practicing negotiation (45): Divide class into pairs & give each pair a conflict to negotiate

·        HAND OUT BULLYING SURVEY THAT THEY FILL OUT!!!

n      Unit 7: Dealing With Bullying

·        How to interact with bullies without giving up their inner power!!!

·        Explaining how bullies do what they do because they don’t have any inner power (48)

·        Define bullying, what bullies do, and WHY they bully (50).

·        How will this apply to their daily activities?

·        Distinguishing between teasing & bullying (51): when do you go too far?  Determine whether certain situations are teasing or bullying: Kind of like “worth fighting for” activity: maybe even have the kids move to different sides of room?

·        Main activity: coming up with a CLASS PROCEDURE for dealing with bullying!!  Also techniques for assisting other people who are being bullied (52-53).  Use of role-playing/discussing certain scenarios, freeze game, outline of specific strategies for dealing with bullying outlined on pp. 55-56.  Suggestions for both people who bully/targets of bullying, and helpers in bullying.

·        Could Quentin Carter activity fit in here?  What happens when bullying goes too far??

n      Unit 8: Inner Power Part 2 & Building Peaceful Communities

·        Goal of having students create shared version of a peaceful community

·        Shark attack opening game (58)

·        Showing your inner power by drawing pictures (59)

·        Have students think about what the world would look like if everyone’s inner power were as strong as it could be (59) à Can we make this apply well to New Haven & New Haven issues?  Put letter to the mayor in this lesson?

·        Why isn’t the world like this?  How can we, as a team, create a better world?

·        “Trip to moon” activity (60): How can 4 people decide together what to pack in just ONE suitcase?

·        Coming up with visions of what makes a peaceful community, and what WE can do to build one (61): Asking prompter questions, dividing class into 4 groups representing “individuals,” “schools,” “communities,” “countries.”

·        Designing symbol (“crest”) for the class as a whole!

·        Discussing what it means to be part of a community

·        Maybe we could incorporate lesson about Jonesboro Shootings here?

n      Unit 9: Thinking Critically About Media

·        Having students uncover the value messages in their favorite shows, & think more critically about the media!

·        Seems like good way to reconcile media violence with messages we give them!

·        Defining how to think critically about media, defining what media is, & how prevalent a role it plays in our lives, how it affects people, also link to how it creates stereotypes? (65)

·        Find out what shows most kids like & ask critical questions about them, find hidden messages, etc. (65)

·        Comparing consequences of violence in video games/tv with consequences in real life: this might be the best place to do the Jonesboro talk show activity!!!

·         Activity about how to use the media to give more PEACEFUL messages (67-69), maybe also combine this with discussion of what examples they can give of how the media in the past has been used to give positive messages.  Bring in examples of positive & negative ads, stereotypes, etc. from newspapers/magazines??

·        Discussion of Sept. 11 could play a prevalent role in this unit

·        This unit could also incorporate discussion of peaceful leaders of the past: MLK, Gandhi, etc.

n      Unit 10: Skill Review & Creating Peace Games

·        Emphasizing CHOOSING vs. Not choosing to use all the conflict-resolution skills they’ve learned in PXP, encouraging thinking ahead in tough decisions

·        Choice & consequence in conflict activity (71): “dealing with conflicts using PXP skills” on one side of the board, “dealing with conflicts without using Peace by PEACE skills” on other side.  Ask students which choice they prefer & why.

·        Emphasize that PXP teachers will NOT be with them watching them at all times solve their conflicts; it is up to THEM to do it for themselves! (72).

·        For making games, brainstorm what makes a good peace game, divide into GROUPS to come up with ideas, volunteers help guide each group.

·        Choose THEME, FORMAT, and how game will incorporate cooperation/everyone winning (73).

·        Keep kids focused by assigning specific tasks (decorating board, writing rules, making game pieces, etc.), decide when each thing needs to get done, suggest that classroom teacher give kids class time to complete games.

n      Lesson 11: Finishing Peace Games

·        Everyone plays each other’s games IN CLASS

·        Give specifics about festival in orderly fashion to whole class

·        Have students reflect on the program à maybe they should all write one thing they’ve learned?? (76-77)

n      Ideas from Appendix:

·        Specific relaxation activities/meditations as alternatives to anger

·        Students as teachers: come up with presentation on non-violence for another class.

·        Opening & closing rituals

 

Baltimore

n     General

·        also lots of specific instructions for volunteers

·        Discussion questions & “notes” on each activity, lots of detail

·        Good step-by-step instructions

·        Seems to be organized pretty similarly to Toronto’s

·        For FOURTH graders

·        Also uses Peace box for questions

·        Use of closing rituals that the class creates

·        specific time demarcations

·        Some HW activities

n     Unit 1: Introduction & Defining Conflict

·        Also starts off with volunteers having a demonstration conflict

·        Conflict Web (suggested to do in small groups) & prompter questions

n      Unit 2: Escalation

·        Aims: understanding that a conflict has beginning, progression, climax

·        Students have element of CHOICE

·        Fight Skit activity: Use of basketball game instead of someone taking seat in cafeteria: more relevant to these kids’ actual lives?

·        Concept of “emotional baggage” introduced, including encouraging the kids to discuss baggage from their own lives: what happens when personal histories are brought into conflicts.  THIS COULD BE AN ESSENTIAL TOPIC TO INCLUDE IN ALL CURRICULA.

·        Conflict escalator

·        Brings up issue of “what’s worth fighting for”

·        Bridge into explaining goal of Peace by PEACE

·        Storytelling about a conflict: passing it on around a circle.

n      Unit 3: What’s Worth Fighting Over

·        Evaluating what’s worth fighting over

·        Bother-o-meter activity, including idea that fighting means different things to different people!

·        Differentiate between things that make people angry, and things that are actually worth starting a fight over.

·        Butter Battle Book (also included in Toronto’s): might be too young for 6th graders?  But maybe Yale could use something else, like the story of Quentin Carter, or a different news article?

·        Discussion of how a conflict escalates linking it to histories of groups, can link to larger world conflicts here (i.e., Arab-Isreali)

·        Relaxation techniques: in general, it seems like a good idea to TEACH kids SPECIFIC ways to control their anger!

n      Unit 4: Intro to Choice and Consequence

·        Exploring variety of choices involved in a conflict

·        NOTE: this lesson & its concepts might be too elementary for older children (i.e., 6th graders)

·        Activity introducing kids to vocab, examples of choices & their consequences

·        Conflict Tree: linked to ways kids can CHOOSE to react, and the specific CONSEQUENCES of each CHOICE they make!!  This could be a very good way to present conflict tree.

·        Discussing how to think ahead about choices

·        Trip to Mars activity: way to insert a more interactive game into the more discussion-based tree lesson

n       Unit 5: Choice and Consequence and Bullies

·        Choice & consequence, rather than inner power, seems to be the emphasis here

·        Thinking about possible CHOICES when faced with a bullying situation

·        Icebreaker: have kids write down names they have been called

·        Defining bullying discussion (similar to Toronto)

·        Come up as a class with strategies for dealing with bullying: stress importance of coming up with several WELL-DEFINED & DEVELOPED ways

·        Have kids come up with realistic bully situations & apply them

·        Role-play bully skit

·        Apply bullying strategies to CONFLICT TREE: break up into groups, assign each group a different solution, role-play situations applying them., draw models of the conflict trees

n      Unit 6: Understanding Point of View

·        Illustrating how people view things differently based on culture/background

·        How different points of view shape how people deal with conflict

·        Stand up/sit down

·        Putting yourself in other people’s shoes activity: role-play a story, ask what each actor’s point of view is.

·        Suuls vs. Ichthalonians: might make more sense to have this as an example of understanding point of view, or respecting differences, than in the communication lesson.

·        Drawing activity: expressing yourself clearly to others

·        HW activity: finding out origin of your name: encourages kids to respect their cultural origins & appreciate difference

n      Unit 7: Respecting Differences

·        Show how different points of view shape how different individuals deal with conflict

·        Challenge notion of diversity: visible AND invisible differences

·        Show similarities among diverse individuals

·        Origin of names discussion icebreaker, discussion of what names mean & how associations form based on names, allows each kid to present on him/herself

à maybe this activity could be modified for older kids, having them bring in

 other types of info on their backgrounds

·        Respect activity (probably too young for older kids)

·        Class crest: kids draw symbols of themselves as individuals & then put them together as class crest.  Maybe for older kids class could come up with symbol for itself as a whole.  This could also be a festival activity.

n       Unit 8: Review

·        To get kids back into Peace by PEACE mindset after semester break

·        Peace by PEACE charades or pictionary (could be a festival workshop?): helps to review specific vocab terms

·        Shake your buns

n      Unit 9: Communication

·        Understanding both verbal & non-verbal

·        Birthday Line opener

·        Acting out skit in gibberish: having to show meaning only through body language or tone of voice: escalating/de-escalating conflicts this way.

·        CD role-play: I & You statements: Maybe also good idea to have kids write the same idea as an I & You statement?

·        I & You statements also written out in curriculum

·        Emotion flashcards: dealing with when people don’t say what they’re really feeling, & how to tell.  Avoiding saying things you don’t mean

·        Journal Activity: Think of ways miscommunication escalated conflict in your lives

n      Unit 10: Self Esteem and Pride

·        Identifying positive & negative aspects of pride & self-esteem, & understanding the role they take in conflict.

·        Once All ‘Round activity: thinking of things that make you feel good about yourself

·        Discuss when pride is positive, & when negative

·        Take another little piece of my heart: What makes you feel good/bad about yourself, story about Jane, pausing & evaluating

n       Unit 11: Win-Win

·        Think about win-win & its benefits, explore community issues relevant to students

·        Not-Kisses & Triangle: Showing choices & consequences can be mutually profitable for both parties: Arm-wresting so that both people win

·        What’s in a game? Questions

·        Building Peaceful Communities: Think of what makes a peaceful community, what issues should be addressed in THEIR community, & come up with suggestions over the course of a week & bring them next time.

n      Unit 12: Peace Games

·        Have handbooks & worksheet to help

·        Choose a type of format

·        Issue

·        How to cooperate

·        Directions/rules

·        Supplies needed: volunteers can bring them in

n      Unit 13: Finishing the Games

·        Finish the games

·        Play them

·        Go over festival with specifics

·        (Same as Toronto)

n      Unit 14: Closure

·        Have kids fill out SURVEYS to show what they’ve learned!!  Important!!!!

·        Hands of peace, or another such activity where they can record a number of different things they’ve learned & keep it with them

n      No appendix

 

Columbia

n     General

·        “Important Information” on 1st page: write name, number, etc. of teaching partner, driving directions to school, etc: extremely helpful/important

·        Emcee?

·        Good idea: has each lesson clearly outlined/summarized before lesson plan, including time alotment & name of volunteer who will lead each thing!!

·        GOAL OF THE DAY

·        Very structured: each lesson has specific components, agenda & goal of the day written on the board!

·        Icebreakers all very specific to goal of each day’s activities

·        Introduction: always review last week!

·        Discuss specific rules pertaining to each type of activity before doing it (i.e., discussions, role-plays, etc.).  These types of teacher-expectations & structure should be written into curriculum, not just mentioned in training sessions.

·        JOURNAL WRITING activities for every class: good way to get kids to reflect on what they’ve learned & bring in personal experience

·        Each individual game broken into clear goal & setup

n      Unit 1: Peace by PEACE at a Glance

·        Also starts with volunteers’ skit, incorporating specific components

·        Conflict Web

·        Specific “community rules” that should be included

·        Specific ways to get kids quiet

·        GREAT WAY TO REMEMBER NAMES: “Journal Portraits” (or another such way of making name tags to leave on desks)

·        Box

n      Unit 2: Current Events

·        Goal: talk about racial discrimination & conflicts happening now

·        Article & discussion: Article VERY current (pertains to Sept. 11), includes ways to keep discussion going!

·        FEMA suggestions about talking to kids about terrorism

n      Unit 3: Conflict in Our Lives

·        Goals: show conflict part of everyone’s daily lives, & can be both positive AND negative

·        Look up what everyone’s name means (opener)

·        Discussion of what community conflict means, kids say of what communities they are members

·        Big bug/little bug: KIDS come up with what “bugs” them, not us!

·        Helpful/hurtful: good way to emphasize that conflicts can be good, & figuring out when they help

·        Shake in place: like shake your buns, but sit in circle, not running around to different chairs.

·        Write bugs down in journals

n      Unit 4: Conflict Breakdown

·        Goal: look at conflicts as series of steps

·        Name & claim to fame: inner-power building?

·        Skit & conflict breakdown (steps of conflict based on a skit)

·        Slippery steps/vines model: includes idea of baggage again (how people’s personal issues are brought into conflicts)

·        Emphasis on  WHY people keep heading down stairs if lead to “pit of problems”, why easy to lose control of situation

·        How avoid slipping down by grabbing onto “vines.”

·        Act out alternate skit, where people use “vines.”

·        Talk about RESULTS of the resolution

·        SMALL groups for discussion of activity

n      Unit 5: The climb of courage

·        Goal: Use conflict breakdown to better control where steps take us

·        Icebreaker: get comfortable with saying “I feel…”: Emphasis on I/You statements again!

·        CD skit activity with I/You

·        What’s your story? Brainstorming ways to “climb,” creating stories from them with the illustrations in small groups

n      Unit 6: Anger Management & Power

·        Goal: Use “climb of courage” to illustrate the choices in conflict

·        Icebreaker: brainstorming relaxation techniques: emphasize instead of just meditation, pleasurable ways kids spend free time, what everyone’s PERSONAL method is

·        Emphasize self-control & taking responsibility for own feelings

·        CLIMB acronym of ways to act to resolve conflict: good STRUCTURED step-by-step method

·        Use pictures/stories kids make to illustrate how to resolve a scenario, have kids share them to show how many different possible ways there are (possible festival activity?)

n      Unit 7: Non-Verbal Communication

·        Goal: Show how body language and motions influence interactions positively & negatively

·        Notecards w/ tones & emotions icebreaker

·        Body language: walk around demonstrating emotions without talking

·        Going through the motions: small group activity where act out & discuss emotions

·        Line-up

n      Appendices

·        Icebreaker games: Many to choose from: why not incorporated into specific lessons?  Possible festival workshops

·        Sample skit suggestions: good thing to have in every curriculum’s appendix, especially if kids not mature enough to come up with their own skits

·        Stats of school violence research findings

 

 

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