-         Unit 9: Peaceful Communities

o       Training to be peer mediators

o       Roles within the community

o       How kids can get involved

o       Identifying problems in community

o       Non-violence in the community

o       Non-violent community leaders from history

o       Other kids who are leaders: look in kids’ magazines: Owl, 17, Us, books of projects (for every lesson)

GOALS

-         Importance of mediation

-         Give idea of how to be mediators

-         Go over steps of mediation

-         Practice mediation

-         Mediation may be best way for 3rd party to handle situation they may not be involved with (i.e., friend discussion).

 

I.                    Opener: Read present-day article (Conti)  & MLK article (everyone should have a copy, with mediation steps on back) (10 min)

a.       To show how this is happening in the present, & connects to past

b.      Define mediation (relate to articles): emphasize not taking sides (p.87 CM)

                                                               i.      Discuss when to be a mediator; discuss that as a mediator you might have an opinion about who is right, but you still should not take sides because that’s not helpful

                                                             ii.      Discuss what it’s like when 2 of your friends are in a fight

                                                            iii.      Go over rules:

1.      Show how steps of negotiation & mediation are parallel

Both sides need to agree to mediation

2.      Reminder: when to use mediation

3.      What not to do (i.e., don’t take sides, don’t get involved unless asked—don’t force it)

II.                 Martin Luther King Role Play (extra game in PXP curriculum) (20 min. max)

a.       Change so the kids actually get to be MLK

b.      Begin with review of steps of negotiation

c.       Steps/rules of mediation

d.      Use board-game style diagram simulataneously with role-play

                                                               i.      2 stick figures move closer to center point every time

                                                             ii.      o _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ o

                                                            iii.      there is one line for each step of mediation, they move closer for following rules, move back a step when mediator breaks a rule – class decides if the people move forward or back with each sentence

e.       Discussion

                                                               i.      What challenges did you face?  How did you overcome them?

III.               Mediation on larger scale (15 min.)

a.       Tell kids they’ll be doing the same thing as small-scale mediation, only in real world/large scale

b.      Give them an issue, or let them choose, depending on the class.

                                                               i.      Note: Check with classroom teacher to approve this topic, decide what issue you want the week before.  Also can ask teachers for ideas.

c.       Review what is non-negotiable

d.      Model after Hubba Bubba chewing gum (session 10)

                                                               i.      1/3 of kids are kids & parents, others mediators, other side (town, government)

                                                             ii.      Discuss the topic & do successful mediation, come up with conclusion.

IV.              Closing (5 min max): Discussion from large-scale mediation