Understanding Conflict

Overview

In lesson 5 of the Friendship and Feelings unit, students learn that conflict is a disagreement or problem between people. They explore how misunderstandings, fairness, exclusion, sharing, accidents and intentions can affect friendships, while practising empathy and respectful discussion.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain what conflict is.
• WALT identify common causes of conflict in friendships.
• WALT consider at least two viewpoints in a conflict.
• WALT distinguish between an accident and an intentional action.

Success criteria

• I can describe a conflict in my own words.
• I can identify at least two viewpoints in a situation.
• I can name a possible cause of conflict.
• I can explain whether an action was accidental or intentional and give a reason.

Curriculum links

• Health and PE — Relationships: developing critical thinking, respectful discussion and empathy to understand others and build inclusive, respectful relationships.
• Health and PE — Bodies | Minds / Self-care: recognising that behaviour can vary according to coping strategies, support systems and past experiences.
• Key competencies: relating to others; managing self; thinking; participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and connect. Open with the hook and learning intention slides and ask: “Can a friendship problem happen even when nobody means to cause harm?” Students think quietly, then share a quick example of a disagreement or problem without naming real classmates. Establish the discussion agreements: listen, take turns, use fictional examples and pass if needed.

2. 5–13 min · Define conflict. Display the conflict definition and examples slides. Explain that conflict is a disagreement, problem or clash between people; it can involve different needs, ideas, feelings or interpretations. Contrast conflict with a non-conflict situation, such as two friends choosing the same game and calmly taking turns. Students suggest possible causes, including misunderstandings, unfairness, exclusion and sharing.

3. 13–23 min · Sort scenarios. Give the group the Friendship Skills Scenario Cards and read the cards aloud as needed. Students place each scenario under “conflict”, “not conflict yet” or “needs more information”. For each decision, ask: “What happened?”, “How might each person feel?” and “What caused the problem?” Include discussion of a shared object, someone being left out, a misunderstood comment and an accidental bump. Use structured turns so each student speaks before anyone speaks twice.

4. 23–35 min · Freeze-frames and viewpoints. Choose two or three cards for short freeze-frames. Students work in pairs or trios to show the moment of conflict, then identify the people involved and each person’s viewpoint. Tap one student at a time and ask them to say, “I think…” or “I feel…” in role. Pause the scene and prompt: “What might this person know?” “What might they not know?” “Could there be another explanation?” Remind students that two people can experience the same event differently.

5. 35–41 min · Accident or intention? Show the accident, intention and assumptions slides. Present examples: knocking over a pencil case while reaching, hiding someone’s book on purpose, and saying something that sounds unkind but was misunderstood. Students signal “accident”, “intentional” or “not enough information”, then justify their choice. Emphasise that impact matters even when harm was accidental, and checking before assuming can prevent conflict from growing.

6. 41–45 min · Reflect and exit. Students complete the conflict viewpoints and exit worksheet independently or dictate responses to an adult. They describe one fictional conflict, name its cause and record two viewpoints. Invite two students to share one useful “pause and think” question. Collect the worksheet as the exit check.

Resources

• the complete conflict teaching deck
• the conflict viewpoints and exit worksheet
• the Friendship Skills Scenario Cards
• Board or chart paper
• Markers
• Open floor space for freeze-frames
• Timer
• Optional feelings picture cards or emotion visuals

Assessment

• Listen during the sort for accurate use of “conflict”, “cause”, “accident” and “intentional”; ask students to explain rather than simply label.
• During freeze-frames, check whether students can express two viewpoints respectfully and recognise that people may have different information or feelings.
• Use the worksheet to assess whether each student can describe a conflict, identify a cause and name two viewpoints. Note whether responses distinguish an accident from deliberate behaviour.

Differentiation

• Provide simple scenario cards with pictures, read every scenario aloud and use a dyslexia-friendly worksheet: clear sans-serif font, large spacing, short instructions and one task at a time.
• Offer sentence starters: “Conflict is…”, “The problem started because…”, “Person A might think…”, “Person B might feel…”, and “It may have been an accident because…”.
• Use teacher-aide modelling, paired rehearsal, structured turn-taking and “pause and think” prompts. Allow students to point, draw or dictate ideas instead of writing all responses.
• For students needing reduced demand, use two clearly contrasting scenarios and provide emotion choices. For advanced learners, ask them to explain how assumptions or guessing someone’s intention can make conflict worse, then rewrite one scenario to show a more helpful first response.

Extension

• Students create a brief two-part freeze-frame showing how an assumption makes a conflict worse and how checking the facts could change the outcome.
• Students write or orally explain a respectful question a character could ask before deciding what another person intended.