»Apple Arguments« (IMS-M3-02-EN)

• To learn about the different kinds of conflicts and how they originate, particularly resource conflicts and value conflicts
• To learn the most effective ways to solve conflicts

• First-liners

1. This activity is done together in one big group. The students should sit in one circle.
2. Each student receives a card with a statement about a simple topic (in the example, this topic is apples, but teachers can adapt it to a topic they prefer). The students should receive the statement secret from their peers at the beginning of the game.
3. Once all students have had some time to read their given statements, the teacher calls to the center two students randomly. The two students each read aloud their statement / their position towards apples to the group. Next, the following questions have to be discussed within the group:

- Is there a conflict between the two conflicts? Is it a value conflict or a resource conflict?

- What are the needs of both sides of the conflict?

- How can this conflict best be solved?

4. An example of a situation might be: one student says they want the apple but they only eat the peel because they don’t like the inside. The other student wants the apple to make apple sauce. Here, the conflict is that both want the apple (resource based). But it can be solved in a win-win fashion because one student can have the peel and the other can use the inside for apple sauce.
5. The game is finished when all participants have had at least one turn in the game.

• Statement cards (provided in the handouts)

• Game

• Discussion

Start the activity by providing an explanation to the students about conflicts, how they originate and why they happen. For this exercise, it is particularly relevant to focus on resource conflicts (contention over a limited commodity, generally relatively simple to resolve) and value conflicts (clashes between personal beliefs that usually center around what’s right, good or just. Usually more difficult to resolve). 

University of Oregon (2015). Conflict Resolution Activities for

Middle School Skill-Building (CRAMMS). https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.uoregon.edu/dist/8/11350/files/2015/05/Compiled-Activities-1-r5x71c.pdf

Yes, please download it from here.