What+is+Peace

What is PeaceClare Morrison, Grade 2 & 3 Lesson 1: What Is Peace? Comprehensive Unit Lessons: Lesson 2: The Peace Book Lesson 3: What does Peace Feel Like? Lesson 4: What does Peace Feel Like? Part II Lesson 5: Peace for MLK Lesson 6: Peace Begins with You
 * Lesson 1: What is Peace?**

Standard(s): 3a, 3b, 3c, 4b Materials: Book: __If Peace Is…__ by Jane Baskwill Time: 45/60 minutes Goals: Students will establish what peace means to them at different levels: What is peace at school, in the classroom, personally, in the family, in the world. Students will demonstrate awareness of other people’s emotions, perspectives and a respect for human dignity and differences through literature and others’ perceptions of peace. Students will consider how to peacefully contribute to their community. Describe Lesson Steps: Lesson 1: What is Peace? Whole group discussion: What is peace? Brainstorm with students what they think peace is. Use a word web or make a list on chart paper. It is important to capture all their individual ideas of peace. I wrote the question, “What is peace?” on chart paper. On the next line I wrote, “Peace is…” I wrote a list of each student’s name and their idea of peace on the chart paper as we went around the Gathering Circle. Read aloud __If Peace Is…__ At the end, brainstorm again “What is Peace?” Read aloud the book a second time with the students repeating each page/sentence after you. You could also have students act out the sentence for added dramatic effect. Also, at the end of each choral reading of the page/sentence, pause before the teacher reads the first clause of the same sentence, for example, “If peace is a candle,..” Then, allow think time for students to volunteer to finish the sentence in their own way (different from the example in the book). To help illicit ideas from the students, have your own example ready, e.g. “If peace is a candle, I’ll give one to every homeless person to light their dark nights.” “If peace is a hand, I’ll tickle it to make you laugh.” And so on. Activity/Assessment(s): At the end of the second reading, partner students to write and illustrate their own “If peace is…” sentence. Students can also develop an action/act out their sentence. Partners share their work in your Closing Circle. Listening students can repeat each sentence. If it is appropriate, students can act out their sentence during their share time and have the class join in. Use their writing for a bulletin board display and/or bind the pages to make a class “__If Peace Is…__” book.