Peacemaking Through Literature

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, six second-grade students explore how characters respond to conflict. Through read-aloud, puppets, discussion, and role-play, students identify a character’s problem, feelings, choices, and consequences, then suggest a peaceful solution using respectful “I” language.

Learning intentions

Students will be able to:

• Identify a character’s problem and support their thinking with two story details.
• Name a character’s feeling and explain how it affects a choice.
• Compare possible choices and describe a likely consequence.
• Propose and act out a peaceful solution using “I” language.
• Connect peacemaking with Matthew 5:9 or Colossians 3:12–14.

Success criteria

• I can name the character’s problem and cite two details from the story.
• I can name a character’s feeling and explain what the character chose.
• I can suggest a respectful action using “I feel…” and “I need…” language.
• I can listen to others and identify a peaceful choice.

Curriculum links

• Reading literature: ask and answer questions about key details, character responses, and events.
• Reading literature: describe characters’ feelings, actions, and motivations.
• Speaking and listening: participate in collaborative conversations by listening, taking turns, and responding to others.
• Speaking and listening: recount or describe ideas clearly, using relevant details and appropriate voice.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Calm strategy warm-up

Welcome students and explain that peacemakers pause before acting. Display the three-step routine in the calm-strategy slide: Stop, breathe, speak kindly. Practice together: freeze hands, take one slow breath, and say, “I can use kind words.” Invite students to practice with a partner.

2. 5–15 minutes – Read-aloud and explicit teaching

Introduce the conflict-and-resolution story. Offer the printed read-aloud, an audiobook, or teacher reading with pauses for processing. Use the story-thinking slides to model a character chart: problem, feeling, choice, consequence, reconciliation.

Think aloud: “The character’s problem is __ because the story says __. The character may feel __. The choice was __, and the consequence was __.” Read or display Matthew 5:9 or selected words from Colossians 3:12–14. Explain that peacemaking includes kindness, patience, forgiveness, and helping people move toward reconciliation.

3. 15–30 minutes – Guided puppet practice

Give students pairs of puppets and feeling cards. Retell the conflict briefly, then ask: “What could the character do next?” Model one unhelpful choice and one peaceful choice. Students use the puppets to try both solutions.

Pause after each version and use the puppet-discussion slides to ask: “What was the problem? How did each character feel? What happened because of the choice? Which action helped make peace?” Encourage complete responses and respectful disagreement.

4. 30–50 minutes – Partner creation and response

Pair students, with three pairs working in the group of six. Each pair chooses or receives a simple conflict, such as a disagreement over a toy, an interrupted turn, or exclusion from play. Students create a 30–60 second scene with a problem, a feeling, an unhelpful choice, and a peaceful resolution.

Distribute the character conflict-and-resolution response sheet. Students draw or write the problem, record two story or scene details, name a feeling, and complete an “I” statement such as, “I feel ___ when ___. I need ___.” Partners rehearse using puppets. Students may present from their seats or privately to the teacher.

5. 50–55 minutes – Performances and audience assessment

Pairs perform their scenes. After each performance, the audience uses the performance response slide to identify the problem and peaceful choice. Ask one follow-up question: “What detail showed that this solution helped?” Affirm calm voices, listening, and respectful language.

6. 55–60 minutes – Individual reflection and support

Students complete the final prompt on the character conflict-and-resolution response sheet: “One peaceful choice I can make is ___.” Invite volunteers to share, or allow students to tell the teacher privately. Review the calm strategy and close with a brief prayer or a reading of the selected Bible verse.

Resources

• the peacemaking read-aloud and activity deck
• the character conflict-and-resolution response sheet
• Conflict-and-resolution picture book or teacher-created read-aloud
• Audiobook or recorded read-aloud option
• Six puppets or simple paper-bag puppets
• Feeling cards with words and facial expressions
• Bible or printed excerpt from Matthew 5:9 or Colossians 3:12–14
• Pencils, crayons, and optional clipboards
• Quiet presentation space or headphones for audio access

Assessment

• Listen for students identifying the problem, feeling, choice, and consequence during puppet discussions.
• Review the response sheet for two supporting details, one feeling, and a respectful “I” statement.
• During performances, assess whether students propose a peaceful action and whether audience members can identify the problem and solution.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence frames: “The problem is ___,” “The character feels ___ because ___,” and “I feel ___ when ___. I need ___.”
• Use feeling cards, puppets, gestures, repeated read-aloud sections, and oral responses for students who need language or writing support.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly access through an audiobook, teacher read-aloud, large clear print, short sections, and extra rehearsal time. Do not require public performance; offer a private presentation.
• Invite ready students to explain why one solution has a better consequence and connect the character’s action to kindness, patience, forgiveness, or reconciliation.