Understanding Conflict- SEL Lesson | Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6

Easily impart Social Emotional Learning with this ready-to-use lesson on Constructive vs. Deconstructive Conflict! Aimed at students in grades 3 to 6, this lesson showcases how conflicts can positively impact their lives. Engage them with an interactive session using Google Slides, a Social Situation Sort, and a Creative Writing Activity.

Included in the package:

• Teacher's Lesson Outline with step-by-step instructions

• 13 Google Slides for interactive learning

• Constructive vs. Deconstructive Conflict Social Situations Sort with 2 Title Cards and 6 Situation Cards

• Answer Key for the Social Situations Sort

• Creative Writing Task: Students transform a deconstructive conflict narrative into a constructive one.

• Additional Optional Activities for extended learning.

1 HOUR of Activities

Grades- 3,4,5 and 6

Lesson Outline--

• Define Constructive Conflict vs. Deconstructive Conflict - Slides (15 Minutes)

  • Put slides on the board

    • Google Slide Deck or PDF versions available!

      • See below

  • Complete the "Fist of Five" Activity

  • Introduce Definition of Conflict

    • TIP: Have student readers read these aloud

  • Discuss the difference between Constructive Conflict and Deconstructive Conflict

    • TIP: Discuss what similarities and differences between Constructive and Deconstructive Conflict

• Constructive vs. Deconstructive Conflict Sort (10 Minutes)

  • Pass out Constructive vs Deconstructive Conflict Cards to students

  • Read the directions with students

  • Tell students that these are not in any specific order right now!

  • Have them cut on the dotted line

  • Give students time to sort these into two piles-- Constructive Conflict & Deconstructive Conflict

• Constructive vs Deconstructive Conflict Sort Answers (10 minutes)

  • See Answer Key below!

  • Go over answers with students

    • Reminder-- These are SUGGESTED ANSWERS! If students come up with different ways to sort these, that is okay as long as they can justify why they have it sorted the way they do. Invite students to have a discussion about this if they disagree!

• Constructive & Deconstructive Conflict - Turn it Around Writing Activity (25 Minutes)

  • See page below

  • Pass this out to students

  • Have them pick one of the Deconstructive Conflict Cards and write the number in Step 1

  • Have students rewrite the Deconstructive Conflict Situation to make it a Constructive Conflict Card

    • Tell students to use the same characters and situation but change the details to make the conflict constructive!

• Possible EXTENSION ACTIVITIES

  • Group students into small groups based on the card they chose to write about and have them read their stories aloud

  • Have students read their stories aloud to the whole class.

  • Have students draw a picture to go with their Constructive Conflict Story

  • Have students rewrite all three stories

  • Have students write their own Deconstructive Conflict Story, trade with a classmate, then rewrite their classmates Deconstructive Conflict story to be a Constructive Conflict Story