peace wall lesson

TeachPeaceNow

Lesson: The Peace Wall

Lesson Plan by Barbara Lake

Purpose: To instill in my students the concept of peace and how we can achieve it.

Early Kindergarten, 8:1:1 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 and 2nd Grade

Do everything the same, but have them also write a sentence on their brick starting with Peace means...

3rd to 5th grade

Do everything the same, but instead of drawing a picture they will write a paragraph about what peace means to them.

Instead of 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.

The lesson aligns with NYS standards for S.A.V.E. instruction in civility, citizenship, and character education.

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