Peace Education Jr. High/ High School Education

"Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war."- Maria Montessori

Ideas:

-Show the 32 minute video highlighting actions across the world.

-Assembly Presentation.

-Paint a Peace Week Banner.

-Make Peace T-shirts.

-Competitions for peace. (see below)

-Wear white ribbons in honor of "Peace Week".

-Plant a Peace Garden.

-Create origami peace cranes.

-Plant a peace pole: www.peacepoles.com    

-Have an assembly discussing peace and "Peace Week".

-Have a "Peace Week" door decoration contest.

-Make future goals for the school about peace.

-Have lessons about peace.

-Have lessons in conflict resolution or highlight heros of peace.

-Bake peace cupcakes in culinary class.

-Make and wear peace stickers.

-Make a Peace Pledge and sign it.

-Invite Charleston Peace One Day to speak. (we can bring CP1D bracelets)

-Put on your school's marquee something about "Peace Week".

-Put a story in your school's newspaper.

-Practice Engaged Listening in the classroom. (see below)

-Make an announcement to honor Peace Day (September 21) or Week. (peace quotes are a great idea!)

-Make a peace sign out of student's bodies...and take a picture

-Partner w/ a non-profit...to collect can goods.

-Art/Music...create around ideas of "What peace means to me?"

-Share ideas around the campaign on "Global Truce 2012."  www.peaceoneday.org

-Create your own idea!

Competitions for Peace:

-peace song writing

-play about peace

-peace poster contest

-make your own!

Practice Engaged Listening and Nonviolent Communication.

-Speak Peace in a World of Conflict (see other resources)

For a sample Peace Education workbooks and classroom activities click here!

For worksheets, writing prompts, and book marks click here!

A GREAT Example in South Carolina:

North Charleston High School

What they did for "Peace Week":

Explanation of Activities:
1.  Kick-off: Listen to the announcements tomorrow.  Show your class this one minute video clip after the announcements. Students will receive a peace bracelet to wear for the seven days or longer.  A staff member will deliver them to you.
2.  Random Acts of Kindness:  Please take pictures throughout the week with your cell phone or camera of students who have demonstrated random acts of kindness. 3.  Students' Writing or Picture:  Have each student in your class write, younger students illustrate, what peace looks like to them.  You may want to use this as your Language Arts and/or Social Studies grade for the week.
4.  Peace Poster:  As a class, complete one poster representing peace.  This will be a healthy competition.One primary, elementary, and middle school class will receive a prize.
5.  Peace Acrostic:  Each student should complete an acrostic using the letters from the word peace.  A class set of the template for this activity will be placed in your boxes prior to the 19th.  Students have two days for this activity.  You may use this for a Language Arts grade for the week.
6.  Peace Pole Dedication:  An actual PEACE Pole, http://www.peacepole.net/resources/images/peacePoleSitesImages/peace-pole-03.jpg, has been donated to our school thanks to Terry Davenport of Justice Academy USA, a non-profit organization through Ms. Reba Parker, a College of Charleston Professor and a member of Charleston Peace One Day, www.bepeaceful.org.  Our pole will be placed in the school’s garden.  We will have a short ceremony Wednesday, September 21st.  The logistics will be given to you prior to this event.
7.  Hispanic Heritage: Cafeteria staff will serve our students a delicious Hispanic culture cuisine Wednesday (an act of kindness).
 
Let’s continue acts of kindness by being role models for our students.  Do something kind for someone.  Share how you will help someone today.  Remember, peace is an action.  It’s DOING something.