Tag Archives: peace education

Peace and Community Service For Children

By: Rebecca Kane


Content: This resource is a lesson plan from the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in their designated “Peace Curricula” section, which has designated lesson plans for Elementary, Middle, and High School Students. The section I have chosen to discuss is from their “Pathways to Peace: Lesson Plans for Elementary School.” This organization is dedicated to being a center of healing, teaching, and learning for families and communities that have been impacted by murder, trauma, grief, and loss. 

Access to their website at: https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/the-peace-curricula/ 

Access to this specific set of lesson plans (Today we will be discussing Lesson 5): https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pathways-to-Peace-Lesson-Plans_Elementary-School.pdf 

Context: This lesson is specifically designed for elementary school-aged students. Those who then benefit from this resource would be elementary school educators, community youth facilitators, or anyone who falls into a category like such. This lesson is designed for formal or informal educational settings. This could be particularly helpful for communities dealing with children who were exposed to violence, whether directly or indirectly, through the media, in order to give them a safe space to process their feelings and emotions. 

Implementation: This lesson plan can be incorporated at any point during the school year that the educator deems necessary, but could be especially useful if the school or community center holds Peace Weeks or even Mother’s Day events, as part of this lesson pertains to these matters.

The Lesson Plan Set-up: 

  • Students will ideally be set up in a circle to facilitate open sharing.

Materials: 

  • Large blank paper/poster paper
  • Makers, crayons, and/or colored pencils
  • Printed copies of the story of Louis D. Brown (the Elementary version) (Provided Below)
  • Printed copies of “How to get involved with the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace.” (Provided Below)
  • Tape or other resource to hang materials

Time: 45-60 minutes

The Lesson Plan: 

(5-10 mins) Introduction: The educator/facilitator will introduce themselves and welcome the students, and if they so choose, they can even allow for short introductions for students to share their names. Following this, the students will be read the Principles of Peace to set the tone for the lessons. The educator/facilitator must also remind the students that the lesson in class today is a set time for them to practice the Principles of Peace that they had read. 

(20 mins) Mother’s Day Walk for Peace and the Story of Louis D. Brown: The educator/facilitator will begin by reading the students the story of Louis D. Brown and how his parents had started the Peace Institute. After reading this story aloud, the students will then be asked some questions to get them thinking. Here are the questions:

  1. What kind of person was Louis? How did he help others?
  2. How does what happened to Louis make you feel? How do you think his family felt when he passed?
  3. What did Louis’ family do to keep his memory alive? How does the Peace Institute help the community?

(Disclaimer: The educator/facilitator has the ability to alter/cut questions that do not fit in the time frame, and also questions they do not feel comfortable asking, per the students’ response to the story itself.)

Following this discussion of Louis’ story, the educator/facilitator will then explain that an important part of the Peace Institute’s work is the yearly Mother’s Day walk for Peace. The walk is a way to bring the people together from all over the city and state to create a community where they can share love, feel unity, and have hope, which are all parts of the Principles of Peace. The students will then be encouraged to let the people within their own communities (friends and family) know about this Mother’s Day Walk for Peace, and will be given sheets of paper with information about it to bring home. Once they have discussed the contents of the sheet and have been given time to ask questions, the educator/facilitator will ask the students these questions about the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace:

  1. Why is walking together and being together important for peace?
  2. What other ways can you think of to work for peace in the community? 

(15 Mins) Vision of a Peaceful Community: 

The purpose of this section is to humanize the community and to stop the blame and shame of violence, especially on the young people who have the potential to become peacemakers of said community. In order to stop the violence and start building peace, the institute wants to share that we must recognize the strengths, assets, and resilience that are present within every community. 

Instructors will ideally put students into groups of 3-4. If not possible, the size of the groups can be adjusted to better fit the group’s needs. Once they have been separated into their groups, they will be given a large piece of blank paper or posterboard. The educator/facilitator will then ask each group to work together to draw what they imagine a peaceful, happy community to look like. In order to help the students start, the educator/facilitator will give these as examples for the students to begin their drawings:

  1. People working together
  2. People sharing
  3. People having jobs, houses, and happy families

Educators/facilitators are also encouraged to make sure students within each group are sharing their ideas and working collaboratively to represent the Unity section of the Principles of Peace. 

(5 mins) Peace Mural:

After the groups of students have finished the drawings, the educator/facilitator will have each of the groups hand their posters and form them as one, making their very own peace mural that shows off everyone’s work together. 

In a circle, the students will then all share one thing that they see happening in these images of a peaceful community that they would then like to see happening around them in their own communities to promote peace. 

Here are the papers needed if you decide to include the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace portion:

Goal: The goal of this resource is to help students create a shared vision of a peaceful community and, by doing so, create a personal commitment to peacemaking in their own communities. This resource combines the arts with storytelling, a similar idea to that of the ones said in “Storytelling For Social Justice: Connecting Narrative and the Arts in Antiracist Teaching,” written by Lee Anne Bell. This resource acts as a counter-storytelling community (Bell, 2020). By allowing students to engage with Louis’ story, students move beyond concealed stories of trauma and begin to develop critical empathy and understanding, social imagination of a more inclusive community, and narrative agency to rewrite their future with new goals and ways to do so, all detailed in Bell’s book, and have the possibility to be shown by the students who complete these activities. 

Relevance: Far too often, the public school system within the US creates lesson plans and guidelines that each school must abide by, neglecting to take into account the differences between states, cities, communities, etc, and how their learning might need to be shaped differently for the students as well. For educators working in communities affected by systemic inequalities or conflicts, students are often only surrounded by “stock stories” (Bell, 2020), which only focus on the violence that happens in their neighborhoods. By reshaping this and using the story of Louis D. Brown’s legacy, they are being provided with a counter-story in order to promote more critical and thoughtful dialogue about real-life issues that these students, although young, could be seeing in their own communities. 

The activity allows for students to reshape and be the architects of their own communities. It allows them to also see the transition from being observers of their community into being active and aware of their surroundings, to the point where they can create their own “peaceful community,” making them finally feel like a member of it. Often we also try to shield children from the realities with which they live, and although I do understand that, in some areas, it is virtually impossible, especially now with so many children having access to social media and the internet. With that idea in mind, I wanted to share a resource that I thought captured more of what we need to be teaching from a young age, and that is peace, and how, no matter how old, we all have the ability to act on it. 

Audience: The audience for this resource is any elementary school teacher working with their students to develop peace education in their classroom. I have shared these measures with my own family member who works in the public school system, teaching Kindergartners in the state of Maryland. 

This resource is also for local community center leaders or coordinators specifically working with youth. This can also include the leaders of after-school care programs, as they also have direct access to the youth of the school. My family member teaching kindergarten has shared these ideas with the people who work directly with her students in the after-school care program. 

References: 

Bell, Lee Anne. Storytelling for Social Justice : Connecting Narrative and the Arts in Antiracist Teaching. Second edition. New York, New York ; Routledge, 2021. Print. 

The Peace Curricula – Louis D. Brown Peace Institute. (n.d.). https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/the-peace-curricula/

Pathways to Peace. (n.d.). Pathways to Peace lesson plans for elementary school. https://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pathways-to-Peace-Lesson-Plans_Elementary-School.pdf 

Case Study Iceberg

By: Kathia López

Hello, Peace Learners!

I would like to share this educational resource you can use when teaching youth about narratives and hate speech. It is called the “Case Study Iceberg”.

Relevance of this Resource

We are living in particular violent times and unfortunately, narratives against certain social, cultural and ethnic groups are being spread out, increasing the spiral of violence. The internet and social media are serving now as an amplifier of the repressive narratives behind hate speeches, and the freedom of expression is being used to justify them. We are witnessing an increase in gender backlash, a surge in antiimmigrant sentiment and more frequent attacks in the name of religion and national security. These trends are intensified by rising online polarization and disinformation, which make harmful narratives travel, unfiltered.

This affects youth in an exceptional way, since they are more avid users of these online platforms, where they can feel shielded and entitled to attack, threat, dehumanize others, and even call for violent acts to be committed. Conversely, the youth who aren’t involved in such acts are also highly exposed to such content and so is their sense of identity, belonging, safety, their self-esteem and their mental health.

Considering this current context, I have come up with the “Case Study Iceberg”, an educational resource based on the “Case Study Activity” and other tools and ideas included in the Youth4Peace Training Toolkit, created by the United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY). In other words, “Case Study Iceberg” is my adaptation of the “Case Study Activity”.

The Youth4Peace Training Toolkit helps beginners and intermediate educators introduce peace and conflict concepts to young people in non-formal settings (I highly encourage you to take a look at it, by clicking on the hyperlink above, since it is a practical and comprehensive peace education resource).

One of their lessons is about “Strategies to (re) act to hate speech narratives” and its purpose is to explain the definition of hate speech as a form of violence and learn the multiple ways youth can deal with it. To explain this, they use the symbolism of the iceberg. The list of strategies to deal with or manage hate speech are: Avoid, Draw a line, Report, Refute, Alternative (transformation) and, Dialogue Transformation (See page 39 of the Toolkit).

About my adaptation

I think the “Case Study Activity” can be very useful if educators just want to convey theory about narrative and tools to respond to forms of harm such as hate speeches. But it is possible to bring a more transformative approach to it by using the iceberg image to promote global agency, critical thinking, empathy and help avoid or reduce conflict. The analysis of such symbol can lead participants from cognitive to experiential learning by reflecting on what’s underneath the visible part of the iceberg. The humanization of the other and the use of strategies that stem from that humanization process are the ultimate learning goals of this resource.

If your educational work aims to transform violence and promote peace, I think my adaptation to the “Case Study Activity”, the “Case Study Iceberg” will fit perfectly with you and your students.

Scenarios

When creating the scenarios think of current realities and themes that affect the youth you work with, for instance: bullying, ethnic identity, sense of belonging, gender. Examples of the scenarios can be:

  1. In a Snapchat school group, someone posts: “Why are people like you in this group? Go back to your country!
  2. On a viral Tik-Tok video a famous influencer showed a group of high school students wearing their religious/cultural garments on a science fair and they claim that “we are in a western and modern society; they should be dressed as normal people”.
  3. On a YouTube video that shows female students in a debate panel about woman’s rights, somebody comments that “woman need to stop thinking they are better than men”.

How much time would it require to use this resource?

60-90 minutes, depending on the number of participants.

Materials

Printed images, markers, flipcharts, projectors, slides, different color sticky notes (whichever is accessible for you).

How to use it

  1. Introduce the hate speech definition by showing the iceberg image and the strategies as well.  
  2. Place several iceberg images (they can be printed or drawn) in different spots of the room.
  3. Show them 3 hate speech scenarios and assign one to the different groups of participants, which will be divided into targets, community members and bystanders.
  4. Ask them to identify what is visible (words, images/memes, actions) and what might be underneath (feelings, needs, history, experiences, insecurities.) Prompt questions to help students analyze beyond what is obvious, such as: why do you think they are saying that? Are they trying to protect something? These questions will depend on the scenarios given.
  5. Ask them to write their answers on sticky notes they will place on the iceberg image.
  6. Invert the iceberg image (you can use a separate iceberg image) and display the list of strategies to re(act) to hate speech (printed or in a projection).
  7. Invite them to think about what would be visible if the needs were met in a positive, healthy way or if the perception of them being unmet changed positively?
  8. Ask them again to write their answers down on (different color) sticky notes and place them on the inverted icebergs.
  9. Now invite them to think, from their role or position, (targets, community members and bystanders). Ask them to answer on the strategies they would apply to deal with the hate speech.
  10. Invite them to share their ideas with the whole group.
  11. Debrief questions. You can use some of the questions included in the Toolkit such as: How did you feel during the activity? Which scenarios did you find most difficult to respond to and why? Has the activity made you look at hate speech in a different way?

Additions

I would even be more ambitious and add a lesson on Nonviolent Communication (See pages 41-42 from the Toolkit), along with the hate speech and strategies theoretical framework, to inspire students to think of more developed strategies to re(act) to hate speech.

If the symbol of the iceberg doesn’t resonate or it is not too familiar to the participants, you can use other images (as long as they represent an object with visible and not visible sides). Examples: a tree, a wall, a mask or the ocean.

Trauma Sensitivity and Emotional Safety

Be trauma sensitive and consider emotional safety when you think of the scenarios and while running this activity. There is a risk of triggering emotions and hurtful lived experiences. Educators should be aware that many young people have experienced bullying, discrimination, xenophobia, misogyny, or online harassment, and even a fictional scenario can echo something deeply personal. To reduce this risk, you can:

  • Allow the participants to step out of the room, pass, or engage in their own way.
  • Avoid showing the scenarios with images and creating very specific scenarios.
  • Remind them they do not need to share personal or familiar experiences; there is no need to share stories if they do not want to or are nor ready for it.

Who is this resource helpful for?

This resource can be very helpful for teachers in school settings, counselors, educators in non-formal educational settings. It can be adapted to any sociocultural context. I would even say it can work with young adults, but it is specially designed for young people from 15-25 years old.

Knowledge, skills, or attitudes developed with this resource

  • Knowledge: about hate speech, repressive narrative, multiple ways (strategies) to deal with hate speech, nonviolent communication.
  • Skills: conflict analysis, critical thinking, understanding of different perspectives, nonviolent communication, responding to harm in a healthy way, humanization.
  • Attitudes: recognition of positive and constructive approaches to conflict, empathy, curiosity, sense of agency.

The resource’s effectiveness for building peace in an educational setting

I believe the “Case Study Iceberg” activity can be effective for building peace in an educational setting. The adaptation I have made deepens the humanization component and therefore goes beyond understanding to promote empathy and critical thinking. This resource also provides tools that can be used in real life situations to re(act) nonviolently to hate speech, which teaches them the ability to create counter narratives and address harm in a positive way, even when they are not the direct targets.

Pedagogies you can use to strength the use of this resource

  • Transformative Pedagogy, which would encourage youth to “critically examine their contexts, beliefs, values, knowledge and attitudes with the goal of developing spaces for self-reflection, appreciation of diversity and critical thinking”[1]
  • At the end of the activity, you’d be asking the participants how they felt while dong it, they just don’t think and discuss. This is Experiential Learning.
  • Critical Feminist Pedagogy can also strength the use of this resource. Think about feminist curiosity, which allows us to position ourselves where the other stands and find what’s behind what we can see.

Types of Peace Education that are most supported by this resource

Comments

Please leave any comments about how useful you think this resource is for peace education. Would you use it? What adaptations or suggestions would you make? Do you have any other particular comments about it?

Audience

I think this resource can be useful for many stakeholders, but I would like to invite two people who can benefit a lot from it (and from the Peace Learners website), considering the type of work they do. These people are:

  1. Isabella Cuevas: She is a student at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution who is about to graduate. She works as a facilitator with young people living in vulnerable conditions, and she is a member of Legacy International Second Story.
  2. Daniel Ortiz: He is a Rover Scouter from a Scout group of Salvador. He works with young people from 18 to 25 years old, on the creation of projects oriented to impact the community and the Scout’s clan promoting dialogue, respect, empathy, tolerance, healthy interpersonal relationships, and global agency to foster conflict resolution and acts of service.

I hope this resource is useful for you!!!

[1] You can learn more about Transformative Pedagogy by reading the “Transformative Pedagogy for Peace-Building: A Guide for Teachers” created by the UNESCO and the International Institute of Capacity Building in Africa. Transformative pedagogy for peace-building: a guide for teachers – UNESCO Digital Library

Teaching and Learning Should Bring Joy

By Lina Bondesson

Content: This resource is a TED talk titled “Every kid needs a champion” by Rita Pierson, available on YouTube. 

Context: Those who could benefit from this resource include current and future youth educators and facilitators. 

Goal: To remind educators that the relationships they build with students not only leave a lasting impact but also encourage students to enjoy learning. Students who have positive relationships with teachers are more likely to be better problem solvers and more resilient (Rimm-Kaufman, 2025) which are traits that increase conflict competency. 

Suggested Implementation: This video could be implemented in a mid-year training of middle school educators. I suggest that Brené Brown’s “Empathy vs. Sympathy” animated short video on YouTube can be used as a supplemental material in the following lesson plan: 

Materials:  

  • Computer and projector or screen that YouTube can be displayed on 
  • Whiteboard/flipchart/blackboard/screen that can be written on and kept up throughout session 
  • Notebooks or paper and writing utensils for each participant to use for reflection 

Time: 65 minutes 

(10 minutes) Facilitator: [Introduce yourself, give a chance for participants to introduce themselves either one at a time, if there are less than 15 participants, or to the colleagues they are sitting with, if there are more than 15 students.] Today’s session will be about 45 minutes long and focuses on the conscious relationships we build with our students. I want to start today’s session by showing you all a short TED talk by Rita Pierson. While watching, please write down any quotes that stand out to you. If nothing stands out, you don’t need to write anything down. 

(8 mins) Facilitator: display video on screen and have participants watch it together:

(5-7 mins) Facilitator: Instruct participants to turn to a colleague and share a quote they wrote down (if they wrote one), and in 30 seconds explain its importance. Then, ask 3 participants: Does anyone want to share the quote they wrote down? If so, what is it and why did you write it down?  

  • Facilitator: Write any quotes on a whiteboard/flipchart/screen that participants can see through the remainder of the session 

(2 mins) Facilitator: I wanted to share this video to remind us all of the basis of education: relationships. The students in our classes can either leave school encouraged to keep learning new things and approaching the world with excitement, or they can walk away with hatred for learning and distrust for the education system. We make that difference. 

(2 mins) Facilitator: Remind participants of the importance of empathy as an educator by stating: “Rita Pierson reminds us that connection is part of being an educator. But connection requires empathy. Let’s think about times when our classrooms/students/workshops/etc. could benefit from consciously showing empathy.” 

(8 mins) Facilitator: Ask participants to turn to the same colleague and think of a student they have struggled to connect with this year. Why do you haven’t been able to connect? What behaviors and emotions have blocked this connection? How might your actions have prohibited you from connecting with that student? (Participants should use pseudonyms for students) 

  • Inform participants when they have 4 minutes left and should swap who is sharing. If someone cannot find a partner, ask “Whoever doesn’t have a partner put your hand in the air” and if there is an odd number of participants, make one group of three. 
  • It may be beneficial to write the above questions on the whiteboard/flipchart/screen so that participants can easily refer to them. 

(30 sec) Facilitator: “Thank you for sharing, everyone! Now, let’s remind ourselves of what empathy means in this animated short video explanation from Brené Brown.” 

(3 mins) Facilitator: play Brené Brown’s “Empathy vs. Sympathy” animated short on YouTube:

(5 mins) Facilitator: lead group discussion using the following question: 

  • According to your experiences, what is the difference between empathy and sympathy? (This question aims to bring participants into their own experiences and think about situations where someone showed them sympathy rather than empathy and how that made them feel.) 

(5 mins) Facilitator: lead independent reflection on the following questions: (Participants should write their answers in their notebooks/on a piece of paper.) 

  • Which response (sympathy or empathy) do you find yourself defaulting to with struggling students, and why? 
  • What might it look like to respond with empathy to the student you thought of earlier in this session? 

(2 mins) Facilitator: I want to highlight tips that other educators have provided for fostering positive relationships with students: (Provide participants with the link to this website to learn more: https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/relationships )

  • “Show your pleasure and enjoyment of students. 
  • Interact with students in a responsive and respectful manner. 
  • Offer students help (e.g., answering questions in timely manner, offering support that matches students’ needs) in achieving academic and social objectives. 
  • Help students reflect on their thinking and learning skills. 
  • Know and demonstrate knowledge about individual students’ backgrounds, interests, emotional strengths and academic levels. 
  • Avoid showing irritability or aggravation toward students. 
  • Acknowledge the importance of peers in schools by encouraging students to be caring and respectful to one another.” (Rimm-Kaufman, 2025) 

(7 mins) Facilitator: Now, think back to the student you had in mind at the start of this training. I want you all to brainstorm one concrete action you will take this week to support that student’s learning and show you believe in them. After you think of your action, talk with the same colleague from the start of this session and ask them to give you constructive criticism. 

(5 mins) Facilitator: Now, as a closing activity, turn to the colleague you have been speaking to throughout this class, exchange emails, and set a calendar reminder in three weeks to send a reflection email on how implementing the action you brainstormed in this session has been going in your classroom. Title this reflection email as “I tried it…” and hold each other accountable for sending those reflections! 

(2 mins) Facilitator closing remarks: Building peace starts in the classroom. Research has repeatedly shown that student-teacher relationships have a lasting impact (Rimm-Kaufman, 2025) which means that fostering a positive and supportive relationship with students is the foundation of forming the next generation of learners and leaders. As educators, we need to focus on the relationships we are building with students and be proactive in the atmospheres we foster in our classrooms. Remember, “teaching and learning should bring joy” (Rita Pierson). 

Suggested Implementation Plan Resources: 

Pierson, R. (2013, May 3). Every Kid Needs a Champion. YouTube. https://youtu.be/SFnMTHhKdkw?si=rtgsv0riux9m2Bm1
Brown, B. (2016, April 1). Brené Brown on Empathy vs Sympathy. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZBTYViDPlQRimm-Kaufman, S. (2025, March 5). Improving students’ relationships with teachers. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/education-career/k12/relationships 

Audience: I have shared this resource with a friend of mine who is a TA and a director of an organization I volunteer for that does ESL lessons for refugees. I hope this will be useful for them!

Implementing the Arts in Educational Curricula: A Guide on Aesthetics and the Arts for Non-Art Educators

AS | CONF 408

The following content and activity were inspired by the book Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, written by Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen. You can access the book for purchase here or visit their website here. 

Brief Synopsis and Words of Encouragement for Educators:
https://youtu.be/1zAypOxMfyg

Content: 
Please watch the video above to see the primary synopsis of this book as well as how educators can work to activate its lessons in their own curriculum. In addition to the concepts presented in this video is the Aesthetic Mindset. The Aesthetic Mindset is the way in which a person is aware of the arts and aesthetics around them and the level of purposefulness to which they apply these ideas in their lives. It analyzes aesthetic responsiveness in a person. The purpose of this analysis is to draw attention to areas that people may not be fully activating their senses in the arts and aesthetics, allowing them to seek out ways that they can purposefully seek more creative opportunities in the world. For non-art educators, especially, an appreciation and recognition of the arts is important in curriculum development because it allows for creative learning development which leads to students being more dedicated to the learning process. 

I discovered this book after speaking with a children’s educational development professional who works on developing media for youth. Her aim is to ensure that kids see themselves as learners who love to learn, and she recommended the book to me as I am interested in youth curriculum development. My focus in particular is on arts-based learning, and this book illuminated many helpful concepts to me that I plan on exploring further. Within the realm of building peace in an educational setting, I believe that the use of arts in peacebuilding practices is essential, as it offers creative solutions to problems. Especially for youth, arts-based approaches can offer them outlets for their ideas and promote embodied practices. 

Context: 
Use of this book and implementation of its ideas are best suited for non-art teachers who teach high school. As stated in the book, “artistic expression and the creative process enhance cognitive abilities, foster greater self-awareness, and help teens regulate their emotions.” Teachers who teach in high school are able to develop new ways of thinking for teenagers that can assist in their social and professional development as well as help activate their students’ senses before they leave the education system. While the ideas presented in the book can, and often should, be implemented at the community level, for the sake of the activities presented below, an educational setting is more appropriate. That being said, for educators who engage in after school programming or sports, these opportunities can be implemented in these contexts as well.

Ways to Use This Resource:
Summary:
For non-art educators, I recommend reading this book and applying some of its key education-related content to your lesson plans. To start, take the aesthetic mindset index quiz that is outlined below. Once you have an understanding of the level of arts and aesthetics appreciation you currently have, look at the following three lesson plan suggestions based on your results. Each plan will have a series of recommendations and examples of ways to improve your curriculum to activate both your arts appreciation and your students. Challenge yourself to spend 30-45 minutes looking at your current curriculum and finding ways to integrate some of these elements into your lessons. 

Time:
Aesthetic Mindset Index Quiz – 5 minutes
Current Curriculum Overview and Changes – 30 – 45 minutes 

Materials:
– Aesthetic Mindset Index
– Computer
– Past or current curriculum 
– Pen and notepad
– A quiet space to contemplate and reflectively think

Learning Objectives:
– To understand your current arts and aesthetics shortcomings and gain recommendations suited to your experience
– To better connect with and understand the application of the arts in non-art courses 
– To develop content and curriculum revisions that will support your students 

Activity Overview:
Aesthetic Mindset Index Activity (5 minutes)
To complete the quiz online, click here. Below is a modified transcription of the quiz. Feel free to print out the table below and fill it in physically or copy it to your computer to complete digitally. Getting a higher or lower number does not make you inherently good or bad, but rather signals areas of strength and growth.

Access the downloadable and printable table here to fill out for the activity. This will allow you to answer the questions as well as score yourself. Once scored, refer to the curriculum overview and changes for suggestions.
Aesthetic Mindset Index Downloadable TableDownload

    Current Curriculum Overview and Changes (30 – 45 minutes):

    For educators who have an Aesthetic Appreciation score that is 3 or lower: 
    A lower aesthetic appreciation score indicates that a person may not be as aware or responsive to the impact of aesthetics in their environment. In the current world we live in where everything is fast paced, it can be difficult to slow down and be intentional in recognizing the beauty in moments or places. Developing a stronger aesthetic appreciation helps strengthen these skills and promotes critical thinking and emotional intelligence in students. 

    Recommendations to adjust the curriculum to address aesthetic appreciation include the following: 
    – Environmental Education: Implementing elements within the curriculum that force students to slow down and experience the beauty of their lived environments. Examples include nature studies or sustainability lessons. 
    – Cultural Exposure: Increasing cultural awareness and exposure to different traditions will widen students’ understanding of what constitutes beauty and art. Examples include World Culture Days. 
    – Mindfulness Exercises: Promoting mind-body awareness in students will allow them to engage more of their senses and focus on the details that surround them. Examples include grounding exercises at the start of class and breathing exercises integrated into more stressful lessons. 

    You can learn more about the importance of aesthetics in education and other recommendations here: https://www.scribd.com/document/968296739/Aesthetic. 

    For educators who have an Intense Aesthetic Experience score that is 3 or lower: 
    A lower intensity aesthetic experience score shows that a person responds to aesthetic experiences on a less powerful scale. As a result, they may not reap the full benefits that the aesthetics offer within the field of education. As it stands, aesthetics are important to promote innovation and emotional well-being alongside personal development. They do so by stimulating the imagination, evoking emotions, and refining perceptions of others. Aesthetic responses are learned reactions that align with societal and cultural beliefs. As a result, teaching aesthetics and increasing students’ aesthetic reactions allow for critical reflection and meaning-making to occur in the classroom. Once students gain familiarity with pulling meaning from sources of aesthetics, they are able to translate these skills into other subjects. 

    Within the scope of education, developing an intense aesthetic experience can manifest in the following ways:
    – Rethinking Examinations: Instead of focusing on timed exams, integrate oral and participatory projects into your curriculum. Examples include oral presentations, case studies, and peer assessments of homework. 
    – Apply Gamification: Several educational platforms have taken on elements of online gaming to incentivize homework and additional work toward students. Examples include Kahoot! and Duolingo.

    You can learn more about the importance of aesthetics in education and other recommendations here: https://www.scribd.com/document/968296739/Aesthetic and https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-aesthetic-pedagogy-can-get-attention-your-gen-z-students. 

    For educators who have a Creative Behavior score that is 3 or lower: 
    The lower creative behavior score displays a lack of art-making on the educator’s end. However, I would like to propose that the very act of curriculum development is considered an art. A way to further activate this process and integrate art-making and creativity into the curriculum can be achieved in a myriad of ways. When creative behaviors are added to lesson plans, students can delve deeper into their interests and gain insights into their readiness and learning profile. 

    Ways that educators can implement creativity in the curriculum are the following: 
    – Doing Differentiated Instruction: This approach means that the educator uses multiple approaches to learning that individually fit with students to support them best. This can extend to both the content and the process of learning. Examples include using embodied movements to explain scientific or mathematical concepts. 
    – Emphasize the Process, Not the Product: In lessons that have clear academic achievement benchmarks that you have to hit, ensure that your students engage deeply in the process of learning rather than attempting to only do well during the end examination. Examples of implementing this include having students lead lessons for the day or teach their concepts to other students. 

    You can learn more about the importance of creativity in education and other recommendations here: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/articles-and-how-tos/articles/collections/arts-integration-resources/arts-integration-and-differentiated-instruction/#:~:text=Through%20arts%20integration%2C%20students%20use,well%20as%20culminating%20summative%20products and https://teachingstrategies.com/blog/educating-the-whole-child-the-arts-in-the-creative-curriculum/#:~:text=Emphasizing%20the%20Process,process%2C%20not%20the%20final%20product.&text=For%20example%2C%20teachers%20can%20best,part%20of%20the%20classroom%20community. 

    Goal:
    The goal of this resource is to expand educators’ understanding of the importance of adding the arts to their curriculum, as well as help them gain clarity on their personal shortcomings in art appreciation. Opening up the possibility to edit curriculum to match the recommendations above offers ways for educators to broaden their lesson plans to embrace the arts despite not belonging to an arts field. Within the realm of peace education, implementing these approaches to curricula opens up strategic arts-based peacebuilding techniques, such as familiarizing youth with embodied practices that allow them to reclaim their body and become more grounded in their perspectives (Shank and Schirch, 2008). In addition, the arts in curricula help transform worldviews and offer alternative approaches to resolving issues.

    Audience:
    The contents of this post will be sent to the aforementioned educational development specialist as well as a curriculum developer.

    References:
    Shank, M. and Schirch, L. (2008), Strategic Arts-Based Peacebuilding. Peace & Change, 33: 217-242. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0130.2008.00490.x
    Laura D’Olimpio, Aesthetica and eudaimonia: Education for flourishing must include the arts, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Volume 56, Issue 2, April 2022, Pages 238–250, https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12661

    Cartooning Political and Social Issues

    By: Leah Tudor

    DISCLAIMER:

    The following blog post details an existing lesson plan that was retrieved from the Kennedy Center Education Program webpage. The resource, originally designed by Rebecca Holden, can be found here: Cartooning Political and Social Issues.

    SUPPORTING MATERIALS:

    INTRODUCTION FOR EDUCATORS

    Political cartoons first emerged in eighteenth-century Europe as a form of visual commentary on political events, public figures, and social issues. The popularization of Enlightenment ideas such as natural rights (life, liberty, property) and consent of the governed, coupled with increasing literacy rates and technological advancements, substantially contributed to the rise of political cartoonists such as Jame Gillray [1]. These cartoons swiftly made their way to the American colonies. In 1754, Bejamin Franklin published what is considered to be the first American political cartoon (i.e., “Join, or, Die”) [2]. Since then, cartoons have been widely used in the U.S. as a means of communicating political critique and shaping public opinion.

    Political cartoons are an exceptionally valuable resource for educators, particularly those who teach Social Studies, English, or Visual Arts classes. They function as primary sources, providing direct insight into the political, social, and cultural dynamics of various historical periods (e.g., American Revolution, Gilded Age, Great Depression, World Wars etc.). Moreover, analyzing political cartoons helps students develop critical thinking skills by teaching them to examine main ideas, interpret visual rhetoric, recognize bias, and consider multiple perspectives. For Visual Arts educators, political cartoons offer a unique opportunity to explore artistic techniques, composition, and the use of symbolism, exaggeration and satire to convey meaning throughout history.

    OVERVIEW

    Context & Audience:

    The lesson plan discussed in this blog post was developed by Rebeca Holden for the Kennedy Center’s education program in 2023. It is designed for the 6-8 grade band and is recommended for social studies or visual arts classes; however, it also has applications for English classes. The guiding question of this lesson plan is: What role do cartoons play in presenting viewpoints about political or social issues?

    The 6-8 grade range is recommended for this lesson plan because it aligns with the developmental stage of students in this age bracket (~11-14). At this stage, children begin to engage in abstract reasoning and perspective-taking. This is also the period where children begin to solidify their own identities [3]. Thus, it is the ideal age to introduce critical thinking activities. Additionally, the creative component of this lesson provides students with the opportunity to express themselves and their new identities by exploring issues meaningful to them. All that said, this lesson plan can be adapted for higher grade levels by increasing the analytical rigor and including more written reflection and debate.

    Learning Goals:

    The lesson plan identifies the following learning objectives, noting that students will:

    • Examine the practice and art of political cartoons.
    • Discuss the U.S. Constitution’s freedom of speech.
    • Discuss the meaning of satire.
    • Examine sources to find those that provide the most relevant and accurate information.
    • Analyze examples of political cartoons, including the way an issue is exaggerated, a caricature of a person, and the use of satire.
    • Use a graphic organizer to explore viewpoints expressed through political cartoons.
    • Design and illustrate a political cartoon.
    • Present work to an audience.

    The lesson plan also outlines its alignment with the following National Core Arts and Common Core State Standards:

    National Core Arts Standards:

    • VA:Cr2.1.6a – Demonstrate openness in trying new ideas, materials, methods, and approaches in making works of art and design. 
    • VA:Cr2.1.7a – Demonstrate persistence in developing skills with various materials, methods, and approaches in creating works of art or design. 
    • VA:Cr2.1.8a – Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of artmaking or designing.

    Common Core State Standards:

    • ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.7 – Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
    • ELA-LITERACY.RI.7.7 – Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech affects the impact of the words).
    • ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.7 – Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

    LESSON MATERIALS

    The lesson plan draws on a diverse set of materials to support student learning. This includes slides and websites with various examples of political cartoons, a graphic organizer for creating one’s own cartoon, articles explaining related concepts (i.e., satire and freedom of speech), and videos highlighting the power of political cartoons to convey meaning and influence public discourse. Instructors will need to either have a projector for displaying the online materials or a printer to print them out. Instructors will also need to provide arts and craft materials (i.e., paper, colored pencils, markers, etc.) for the last stage of this lesson’s activity.  

    Slides

    Websites

     Videos

    Educator Preparation & Consideration:

    Teachers using this lesson plan should have a basic understanding of the U.S. Constitution, particularly the first amendment right to freedom of speech. This principle underpins students’ exploration of political cartoons as a form of expression. Moreover, while this lesson plan is intended for the 6-8 grade band, it can be adapted for higher grade levels. To meet diverse learning needs, educators can further modify how this content is delivered. For instance, static images can be supplemented with animated political cartoons to better engage auditory learners.

    It is important to note that this lesson plan does not provide a set timeline for how it should be carried out. Thus, how much time spent on each step of the instructions is left to the educator’s discretion. Assuming that class periods last approximately 60-90 minutes, a potential timeline could be: Phase 1: Engage (1-2 class periods), Phase 2: Build (2-3 class periods), Phase 3: Apply (2-4 class periods), and Phase 4: Reflect (~1 class period). Depending on the desired rigor, educators can adjust this timeline to be longer or shorter.

    INSTRUCTIONS

    Phase 1: Engage

    1. Present students with the Slideshow: Political and Social Cartoon Examples.

    • Invite them to closely examine the images and captions, then share their interpretations. Following this, identify the images as political cartoons and introduce what they are – a form of editorial art that uses caricature, current events, or public figures to communicate an opinion. 

    Cartoons from Slideshow

    2. Open with a discussion about the U.S. Constitution and the importance of freedom of speech.

    • Utilize the provided source on freedom of speech to guide the class discussion. Emphasize that artistic expression is one way individuals exercise this right.

    3. Create a class list of ways people express their rights through free speech.

    • Brainstorm as a class and visibly record responses on a whiteboard or piece of paper. Explain to the students that they will use this information to evaluate different cartoons.

    4. Extend the conversation around free speech to discuss what it does not include.

    Phase 2: Build

    1. Play The Power of Political Cartoons video.

    • Instruct students to listen as Matt Weurker, a cartoonist, discusses his work.
    • Following the video, guide students in reflecting on the role of political cartoons in society.
    • Consider the following questions:
      • Why are political cartoons an important part of American history and culture? 
      • What are the advantages/disadvantages of expressing opinions in simple, direct ways to represent a specific viewpoint?
      • What other ideas can be illustrated in political cartoons?

    2. Present the Comparing Refugee Cartoons source.

    • Demonstrate for students how to analyze the cartoon.
    • Work together as a class to answer the comparison activity chart.
    • The activity asks students to consider the following questions:
      • What do you notice? – Make note of any details that are symbols or metaphors.
      • What issue/topic is this cartoon about?
      • What point of view/opinion/argument is represented in this cartoon?
      • What is the primary message?
      • What colors, words, and/or illustrative details help convey the cartoonist’s perspective/position on the topic?
      • What is similarabout the two cartoons?W
      • hat is differentabout the two cartoons?
      • If you could speak with the cartoonists, what questions would you ask them?

    Cartoons from the Comparing Refugee Cartoons Source:

    3. Separate students into pairs or small groups for next activity — Comparing Climate Change Cartoons.

    • Instruct students to complete the same comparison chart activity this time with cartoons centering the issue of climate change.

    Cartoons from Comparing Climate Change Source:

    4. Discuss with students what they know about stereotypes.

    • Prompt students to identify examples of stereotypes that they have seen or read.
    • Facilitate a discussion about why and how political cartoons have been used to stereotype political figures and societal problems throughout history.

    5. Assign students to find additional examples of political cartoons.

    6. Divide students into collaborative groups.

    • Instruct each group to select two or three cartoons to analyze from the ones they independently researched.
    • Prompt the groups to weigh the pros and cons of political cartoons while discussing following questions:
      • How are political cartoons effective or ineffective forms of free speec?h
      • How do political cartoons depict stereotypes?
      • How do illustrators use hyperbole and satire to make a point?
      • Do political depictions persuade or encourage people to take a side?
      • Why is art used to convey messages?
      • Why do cartoons remain a part of the way we are provided with news?

    Phase 3: Apply

    1. Introduce an “original cartoon” art project.

    2. Review appropriate topics for the project and review key elements a political cartoon should contain.

    • Refer to planner for definitions of key elements:
      • Symbolism – symbols that represent ideas or qualities
      • Captions – a brief text providing an explanation
      • Labels – a word describing or clarifying objects or people
      • Irony – when you say something different from the way things are expected to be
      • Analogy – a comparison between two different things that share similar qualities or characteristics
      • Exaggeration – a dramatic representation of a physical characteristic, object, or place

    3. Draw the cartoon

    • Distribute arts and craft materials for students to use (e.g., paper, markers, pencils, erasers, etc.).
    • Designate the allotted time for the project.

    4. Display the cartoons around the classroom or school.

    • Encourage students to write an artist statement to go alongside their work.

    Phase 4: Reflect

    1. Conduct a gallery walk so students can view and discuss all the different cartoons.

    • Instruct students to carefully examine each other’s work and critically analyze the issues conveyed.
    • Have students take note of how their cartoon compares to the others.

    2. Conclude with a reflective discussion or written response in which students evaluate the role of political cartoons in shaping public discourse.

    • Propose the following questions:
      • How are political cartoons an effective or ineffective method for creating interest in a political or social issue?
      • How do cartoons create interest or disinterest in a particular political or social issue? 

    RELEVENCE AS A TOOL FOR PEACE EDUCATION

    Connecting Learning Objectives and Pedagogies to Peace Education:

    This lesson plan’s learning objectives and standards directly connect to peace education, as they aim to cultivate the same capacities that underpin peace and conflict resolution such as perspective-taking, empathy, and critical thinking. Through their analysis, students are encouraged to reflect on how media frames sociopolitical issues in ways that often are grounded in bias or perpetuate harmful stereotypes. This process pushes students to question dominant narratives and consider multiple points of view, aligning with the social awareness aspect of the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) pedagogy [4]. This lesson also aligns with Betty Reardon’s education for peace framework, as its objectives focus on, “…[creating] some of the preconditions for the achievement of peace” [5].

    Other pedagogical approaches utilized in this plan that directly align with peace education are collaborative learning, discussion-based inquiry, and arts-based exploration. Each of these approaches aim to foster dialogue and engage students thoughtfully with complex issues. This collective and artistic engagement helps students become more confident in expressing their ideas and working with others while also developing a stronger sense of civic responsibility. Moreover, the types of political cartoons examined can be adapted to address certain topics that foster intercultural understanding. For instance, political cartoons about immigrants or refugees can prompt students to consider the hardships they experience and empathize with their struggles.

    ALTERNATIVE ADAPTATION

    Connecting to Contemporary Contexts

    To further enhance the relevance of this lesson plan, educators can incorporate contemporary political cartoons that reflect current events and public discourse. For instance, given that this lesson plan was retrieved from the Kennedy Center Education page, one possible adaption of this lesson is to include recent cartoons that engage with discussions surrounding the current administration’s decision to rename the institution the Trump-Kennedy Center. 

    Adaptation in Practice:

    This modification can be incorporated into Phase 2 (Build) of the lesson. For example, educators may replace or supplement the provided comparison activities with the political cartoons included below. Students can analyze these cartoons using the same guiding questions outlined in the lesson, focusing on how artists use symbolism, satire, and exaggeration to represent different viewpoints and influence public opinion. 

    Educator Considerations:

    When incorporating contemporary political content, educators should be mindful of maintaining a balanced and inclusive classroom environment. Discussions should remain grounded in critical analysis of visual rhetoric and evidence-based interpretation. Establishing clear expectations for respectful dialogue is essential. Moreover, since cartoons referencing the Kennedy Center’s renaming largely represent the views of one political perspective, it is important that the instructor offset this imbalance by prompting students to critically consider the question: “Whose perspective is missing and why?” In this case, the missing viewpoint is those who are supportive of the Trump administration and its decision to rename the center. To further engage in perspective-taking, the instructor could ask students to consider what a cartoon supporting the decision might look like. The purpose of this prompt is to encourage students to consider both perspectives, even if they strongly support one side over the other. This concept of perspective-taking is a foundational component of effective peace education. 

    Sample Cartoons Referencing the Trump-Kennedy Center:

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

    The following resources provide additional background research and classroom-based examples for effectively integrating political cartoons into teaching practice:

    Differences and Similarities Icebreaker

    This activity was inspired by this resource: https://www.icebreakers.ws/medium-group/categories-or-similarities-game.html

    Summary: Participants are divided into small groups and asked to find similarities and differences between group members.

    Time: 20 minutes

    Materials: None 

    Context: This icebreaker activity works best with new groups where participants do not already know each other well. This activity can be adapted for any age group from elementary school to professional adult groups. 

    Learning Objectives:

    • Participants get to know each other and feel more comfortable with each other.
    • Increase feelings of connection and understanding between participants.
    • Participants gain insight into similarities within the group.
    • Participants gain insight into diversity and difference within the group.

    Activity Instructions:

    • Step 1: Divide participants into groups with between 4 and 6 members in each group.
    • Step 2: Tell the groups to find as many things as they can that every single group member has in common. Ask the groups to keep track of the number of things they have in common and what those things are. Tell the groups they have 5 minutes and set a timer for 5 minutes.
    • Step 3: Ask each group to share how many things they found in common and what those things are. Plan approximately 5 minutes for this step although time will vary based on the number of groups. 
    • Step 4: Tell the groups to find as many things as they can that no one has in common with anyone else in the group. If there are four group members, then there must be four unique facts or experiences for the chosen difference. Ask the groups to keep track of the number of differences and what the differences are. Tell the groups they have 5 minutes and set a timer for 5 minutes.
    • Step 5: Ask each group to share how many things they found that are different for each group member and what those things are. Plan approximately 5 minutes for this step although time will vary based on the number of groups. 

    Variations on the Activity:

    • One variation on this activity is to ask groups to find a specific number of similarities in the first round and a specific number of differences in the second round. 5 similarities for the first 5 minute round and 5 differences for the second 5 minute round may be a reasonable request depending on the context of the group.
    • Another variation on this activity is to make it a game where the group that finds the most similarities wins the first round and the group that finds the most differences wins the second round. Prizes and team names can be added to further competitiveness if appropriate for group context. 

    Debrief: This activity can be used as a quick icebreaker before other activities, but it can also invoke deeper questions. The facilitator can add an additional 10 to 15  minutes to the activity to have a discussion about the activity. Debrief may be especially significant for teenagers and adults in activist groups, highly diverse groups, and educational settings.

    Potential Debrief Questions: Pick a couple questions relevant to group context or prepare different questions.  

    • Was this activity easier or harder than you expected?
    • How did you feel during the similarities round? 
    • How did you feel during the differences round?
    • How, if at all, has this activity changed how you view other group members?
    • How, if at all, did this activity challenge assumptions you had about other group members?
    • Were you surprised by anything you found out? If you were surpirsed, what surprised you?

    Village Game – A Practice in Nonviolence

    Background

    This simulation is originally adapted by Karen Ridd, Training for Change, in Thailand, 1995, from a game led by Pom, Thai student and grassroots environmental activist, 1994. The exercise was sourced from 350.org, a international grassroots movement advocating for dismantling the fossil fuel industry and building a world of community-centered renewable energy for all. 350.org provides trainings and resources for facilitators already involved in the climate change movement or those just starting out.

    Context

    This activity is best suited for high school students, college-age students, and adults. This activity can be conducted in 45 minutes, but more time is recommended to have a more robust discussion and debrief following the activity. This simulation can be delivered as a stand-alone activity, but it is best suited as an activity in supplement to discussion of nonviolent tactics, movements, or specific group goals.

    This activity is best done with at least 2 facilitators, but if the activity is delivered in a shorter timeframe (>45 minutes) there should be one facilitator per group. Groups can be anywhere 3-10 but smaller groups are recommended.

    Goals

    The goal of this training are to provide an opportunity for participants to experience nonviolent action. This can be utilized in a variety of ways included:

    • Experiential learning for students studying nonviolent movements
    • Opportunity for budding activists to experience a situation where their community is threatened and action needs to be taken
    • Team building for existing or new activists groups to practice collective action
    • Scenario planning for real life situations participants may face

    This activity also provides groups an opportunity to build their ideal community and share their experience and values. Please note that this might not be well suited for participant groups who have experience significant community destruction that has not address as it may be triggering.

    Implementation

    The below implementation is the adapted 45 minute delivery of the the village game. Village game run times are typically between 1-2 hours.

    Set Up: Activity should be set up in advance. Set up tables with newspaper and numerous markers. This activity can also be done on the floor if desired. If you attackers will be using markers instead of tearing newspapers exclude red marker for your participants. Attackers will use red markers during their attack. Newspapers can be prepped with landmarks such as rivers, mountains, roads as needed to get the participants started.

    Introduction (3 minutes): Prime the group by establishing that there are no rules besides physical violence/destruction of property in this activity. Expanded ground rules may need to be set given the location and context, but it is imperative to emphasis creativity for this exercise especially with unexperienced groups. Divide participants into groups consisting of at least three individuals and and assign a facilitator to each group (this will be referred to as village facilitator). If participants are known before the delivery time can be saved by making assignments in advance.

    Building Villages (10 minutes): Prompt villagers to begin making their dream village. This can be done in the plenary or by the village facilitator. Encourage creativity and connection to the village by prompting questions as needed. Peaceful music can be turned on to create a more immersive simulation. It is critical during this portion of that participants get ideas onto their newspaper. Inform participants that they will be presenting their village to the other village groups.

    Touring Villages (5 minutes): Have groups hold their newspaper village up and talk about the important features of their village for one minute. Groups can also walk around and “tour” the other villages.

    Revising Villages (2 minutes): Invite participants to return to their village and add any remaining items as desired. Ask participants to remove chairs if tables are being used. Facilitators who who are playing the role of attackers should change their outfit in some way such as adding a tie or clipboard to denote their changed role. If there enough facilitators, attackers should be in addition to village facilitators.

    Village Attack/Defense (10 minutes): Music should be changed to construction, destruction, or other appropriate sound track depending on the antagonist role. Attackers should introduce themselves to the whole group and explain who/what they are. Some antagonist examples are: Oil/Fracking company, Corporation, Government group, or another group with asymmetrical power.

    Attackers will then begin destroying villages by scribbling out or ripping off different sections of the newspaper village. Keep the attacks minimal to avoiding overly-distressing villagers or causing them to give up. Attackers should move away from the village to give them time to plan/recover between attacks. Village facilitators can begin prompting participants that they can be creative in their reactions or asking them questions about the attack.

    Attackers should return to the village as many times as needed to destroy more sections of the village. As time continues and if participants do not take action, village facilitators can prompt the participants with ideas to prevent further attacks. Potential ideas are: negotiating, sitting on the village (if on the floor), covering the village up, blocking the attackers from the village, picking the village up and hiding it from the attackers. Attacks should continue until villagers successful stop attackers or time finishes. If there is more time is available the activity should continue until attack is successful stopped.

    Debrief (10 minutes): Depending on the purpose of the simulation debrief discussion should be adjusted. Below are some example debrief ideas depending on the goal of the simulation. Since debrief time is so short facilitators should provide participants with a resources or additional ideas to explore on their own. If time allows or additional activities are planned alongside this simulation the debrief can be more expansive.

    • Experiential learning for students studying nonviolent movements
      • Ask participants about barriers to action in saving their village. Connect barriers to nonviolence movement participants have studied.
      • Explore conversation about ideas that surfaced versus reading about nonviolence versus participating and nonviolence simulation.
    • Opportunity for budding activists to experience a situation where their community is threatened and action needs to be taken
      • Ask participants about their inital reactions or feelings that surfaced in this activity?
      • Explore how participants felt during the village destruction and what prompted them to act.
      • Provide resources to nonviolent tactics or action steps if participants wish to become involved in activist settings.
    • Team building for existing or new activists groups to practice collective action
      • Ask participant how it felt to collective build their ideal village and what they learned about their fellow participants.
      • Ask participants about the group dynamics while under stress in this activity. Have them explore how group actions effect nonviolent movements.
    • Scenario planning for real life situations participants may face
      • Discuss what worked and what didn’t work and apply to participants’ context. Provide resources or ideas about nonviolent tactics.
      • Explore the differences that might occur in the simulation versus real situation. Additional role playing may be utilized or participants can share learnings from their experiences.

    Resources

    These resources are not expansive, but rather a starting place for facilitators that will depend on context and participants.

    Emotional Intelligence and Social Change: A Conflict skills and Peacemaking Activity

    Designed by Haley Nelson

    Background Information/Content

    Social-emotional intelligence is central to group dynamics and conflict. Yet, the exploration of emotional intelligence has historically been neglected in conflict resolution and peacebuilding conversations. The absence of emotional intelligence in conflicts can hinder the ability of group members to navigate conflict, empathize with others, and manage relationships (Schwarz, 2002). When emotional intelligence is considered at the educational, community, or organizational level, group members can learn to harness emotion as a community and relationship-building tool. 

    This activity explores emotional intelligence in the context of peace education. This resource draws inspiration from psychology surrounding basic emotions, emotional wheels, and the origin of emotion, as well as conflict resolution and peacebuilding research on emotions and conflict. This activity will support groups in building emotional intelligence on the individual and social levels. This activity is best suited for groups with a common goal, such as classrooms, community organizations, and the workplace. 

    Context

    This activity is best suited for high school students, college-age students, and adults. The formality of this activity can be adapted to various education settings but is neutral in its current form. The activity consists of two phases and will take approximately 30 minutes per phase. The length of this activity may vary based on the depth of conversation and volume of participation.

    The recommended group size for this activity is 4-10 people. Increased group size will increase duration, allowing for productive discussion among group members. This activity would be best supported by materials such as sticky notes, note cards, and a whiteboard. However, this exercise can be completed via discussion if these resources are unavailable.  

    Implementation

    Phase 1: (30-45 minutes)

    • Introduction (2-3 minutes):
      • Check-in on how everyone feels and provide context for the activity. The purpose of this introduction is to reveal that the activity will encourage participants to explore and feel daily emotions and tensions. The facilitator should consider establishing a controlled environment where participants can explore emotions safely. An introductory example is below:
        • “We are going to discuss emotional intelligence today. We will create a respective space where real emotions will be felt. We will go through a simulation designed to stimulate emotions in scenarios we feel and experience in our daily lives. If you feel the need to leave the space and take a moment for yourself at any time, please do so.”
      • Describe the importance of emotional intelligence when managing conflict.
    • Description of the simulation (2-3 minutes):
      • Provide a scenario, context, and discussion topic for the audience to navigate. For example, a dinner party discussing travel destinations will generate conversation and allow participants a neutral space to explore group dynamics.Assign behavioral traits to participants randomly: Each participant will be assigned a behavioral trait designed to generate tension, such as disruptive talking, withdrawn behavior, and overconfidence.
        • Remind the audience of the difference between behavior and emotions, acknowledging that the two might contrast during the activity.
      • Open conversation for any questions before beginning.
    • Simulation (5-10 minutes)
      • During the simulation, the participants will navigate conversation based on the context and behavioral traits provided. The group may find conversation challenging to navigate. The goal of the activity is to stimulate emotions based on the role assigned, the conversations at hand, or the simulation process itself.
    • Reflection: (5 minutes)
      • Take a moment to check in with participants. Ask the audience to write down the emotions 1. They experienced during the role play, and 2. Behaviors that might indicate others’ emotions during the role play.
      • After listing these observations on a notecard or sticky note, ask participants to hold on to their observations for later conversation (allowing for further engagement).
    • Individual level emotional intelligence? (10 minutes)
      • Define emotional intelligence and explore this definition with the group. This is an excellent opportunity to explore the meaning behind emotional intelligence and clarify any questions regarding emotional intelligence with the group.
      • After defining emotional intelligence, ask group members to share the emotions they experienced during the activity with the group. Ask the participants to refrain from group observations until later.
        • Explore the dynamic of emotions as they arise:
          • Did members experience multiple emotions? Were those emotions in harmony with one another? Did emotions contrast with each other?
    • Clarifying emotions (5-10 minutes):
      • Explore the six types of basic emotions with the group: happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, and surprise. Then, explore emotions surrounding each category and how they can be clarified. For example: if a group member said they felt anxious during the activity, that emotion is rooted in fear. If a group member said they felt confused during the activity, that emotion is rooted in surprise. Provide examples for the group, then encourage them to clarify their shared emotions.
      • Many people, especially adults, will provide cognitive responses instead of emotions when asked how they feel. When asked what emotions they experienced during the activity, a cognitive response might sound like, “conversations about travel destinations made me want to explore the world more.” Encourage using the emotional wheel to assist participants in shifting from cognitive responses to emotional responses. Ask the participant which emotion is closest to their shared responses and explore the differences between emotion and cognition.

    Phase 2: (20-30 minutes)

    • Social-emotional intelligence (5-10 minutes)
      • Ask the participants to return to their group observational notes from the simulation. Consider what cues clued participants in on how others might have been feeling.Provide an example of clarifying social emotions for the group:
        • “I noticed that you were quiet after being interrupted. Did you feel sad after that interaction?” Remind the group to use core emotion vocabulary (i.e., happiness, sadness, fear, disgust, anger, surprise). 
        Allow group members to share their observations. 
      • Open a conversation to ask how accurate their observations were.
        • Why were my observations accurate/inaccurate? How can I better observe the emotions in groups moving forward? 
    • Further discussion: (15-20 minutes)
      • Allow the group to discuss their experience with the activity in depth. Some guiding questions might include the following:
        • How aware were you in the moment of your emotions? Others? 
        • Did you feel that other people’s emotions influenced yours? How? 
        • What were your reactions to emotions in the space? How/did you respond?
        • How might you manage your reactions to emotions in the future?
        • How difficult was it to clarify your emotions? 

    Ways to further curate this resource:

    • Pedagogies that may strengthen this resource involve increased participant freedom and involvement. The facilitator of this exercise might increase participant freedom by:
      • Encouraging group members to create their own activities to stimulate everyday emotions.
      • Allowing group members to redefine emotional intelligence for themselves based on shared interests.
      • Involving artistic approaches to exploring emotions such as paintings, photographs, and music. This might involve emotional responses to the creation of artwork or the observation of artwork.

    Goal

    This activity focuses on individual and social-emotional intelligence. As an introduction to emotional intelligence, this activity seeks to help group members identify their emotions and clarify the origin of their emotions. At the group level, this activity seeks to increase awareness of group dynamics through observations and clarification of emotion. This activity aims to foster empathy and connection within a group by discussing the relationship between individual and social emotions. 

    After this activity, participants should be able to:

    • Understand the meaning and importance of emotional intelligence.
    • Clarify everyday emotions into the six core emotions.
    • Have increased awareness of the connection between individual and social emotions. 

    Resources

    Further reading on emotions and insight into social-emotional intelligence:

    Cherry, K. (2022, December). The 6 types of basic emotions and their effect on human behavior. Verywell Mind. Retrieved 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-the-types-of-emotions-4163976 

    The Junto Emotion Wheel. The Junto Institute. (2022). Retrieved 2022, from https://www.thejuntoinstitute.com/emotion-wheels/ 

    Schwarz, R. (2002). Ch 12: Dealing With Emotions. In The skilled facilitator: A comprehensive resource for consultants, facilitators, managers, trainers, and coaches. essay, Jossey-Bass. 

    An Art Activity for Reflection and Generalization of Learning

    Designed by Yuriko Noda

    This is an activity designed and can be utilized effectively at the end of a series of training, seminar, course, etc. that is conducted based on the principles of experiential learning which facilitates participants learning through their experiences.

    Based on the experiential learning cycle adapted from Kolb (2015), it is argued that people can learn from experiences, but just experiencing something is not enough to actually learn from it. For the effective experiential learning, the process of “Reflection” and “Generalization” are important in order to be able to “Apply” the learning in the future. Therefore, this activity is designed to be helpful for participants to reflect and generalize their learning from their experiences.


    Outline of the activity:

    • Overview: The participants take time to work on their own to reflect their series of experiences, make a short story about it, and put it into an art piece. After that, the participants present it to the group, and the facilitator lead a short discussion about each presentation with the group, as well as a short reflection about this entire activity.
    • Time: 45-60 minutes
    • Number of participants: Any number more than 3
    • Age group: Any age, depending on the expected depth of the reflections, generalizations, and discussions
    • Settings: In-person or online.
      • For in-person settings, a variety of materials need to be prepared.
      • For online settings, it’s helpful to notify the participants in advance so that they can bring their own materials ready.
    • Goals: By the end of this activity, the participants would be able to
      • Become more aware of their biggest learning from the series of experiences
      • Express and present their biggest learning from the series of experiences
      • Have ideas how to apply their biggest learning from the series of experiences in their future
      • Remember their biggest learning from the series of experiences even after the completion
    • Pre-Work:
      • This 45–60-minutes activity is designed to be conducted after each participant taking time to reflect their series of experiences. So it is recommended to either give them heads-up to reflect the experiences on their own or set time for reflection together before this activity.
      • If it’s conducted online, it is also helpful to tell the participants briefly what we are going to do, and ask them to bring materials they may want to use (paper, pens, musical instruments, etc.).
    • Flow and instructions:
      • Introduction (1 min): Why we are doing this activity (purpose).
        • Presenting the learning cycle of DO – REFLECT – GENERALIZE – APPLY from the experiential learning, explain that this activity will help their reflection and generalization process of their learning and their preparation for application. DO part should have been done during the series of experiences.
        • Motivate them to try to grab the most important learning and express it in the form of art.
      • Instructions (4 min):
        • You will have 10 minutes to work on your piece of art by yourself. You are going to think and express the followings in a form of art, and present with the group after that (how to present, time to present depends on the number of the participants).
        • You can use any form of art. It could be a little one-man sketch or skit, making a song, rewriting lyrics of a famous song, drawing a picture, drawing a poster, making a sculpture using what you have at hand, write a poem, etc. But please try to avoid long sentences or wordy explanations. Using hands like handwriting is encouraged rather than typing or drawing on computer. Be creative!
        • Contents of the art is like a story which should include ALL of the following:
          1. BEFORE: How were you before this experience
          2. DURING: What you have learned the most in this experience (it could be several but the biggest one should be highlighted)
          3. AFTER: How it changed you and how/who you are right now
          4. FUTURE: How you can imagine yourself in the future (specify when) based on this experience
        • Time to work by yourself is 10 minutes. Time for you to present is 2 minutes. The facilitator will give you reminders of time (5 minutes to go, 1 mininute to go).
        • Any questions?
      • Individual crafting time (10-15 min). Playing a nice music is a good option. Set a timer and facilitator will give reminders 5 minutes and 1 minute before the end.
      • Presentation and discussion (20 min):
        • We get together after the crafting time is over.
        • Some or all of the partiicpants present their art pieces.
        • After each person’s presentation, other participants are welcome to make short comments, if any.
        • Facilitator will also acknowledge and make a comment on the presentation.
      • Small reflection of this activity (5 min):
        • Open to the floor to share their reflections and learning (if any) of this activity.
      • Wrap up (5 min):
        • Show appreciation for their works and make a brief comment by the facilitator
        • Put up the learning cycle again to highlight that in the experiential learning, it starts with DO but through the process of REFLECT and GENERALIZE, the learners can bring their learning as transferable or applicable knowledge, skills or attitudes. That’s why we did this activity and hope it will be helpful for you to utilize or apply your learning (not only the biggest one but other small ones, too) in your life in the future in different contexts

    Resource:
    Kolb. (2015). Experiential learning : experience as the source of learning and development (Second edition.). Pearson Education Ltd.

    *This activity was designed by Yuriko Noda, a PhD stuent at from Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University