Speak Peace: Poetry, Conflict, and Connection

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to analyze identity, perspective, voice, tone, and character development in The Poet X and spoken-word poetry to explain how they shape responses to conflict.

Students will be able to synthesize evidence from credible sources about interpersonal, historical, and current global conflicts to identify user needs and explain how context affects conflict resolution.

Students will be able to apply active listening, I-statements, nonviolent communication, and restorative dialogue strategies to de-escalate realistic conflicts involving teens and adults.

Students will be able to design contrasting conflict scenarios for school, home, and community settings to demonstrate how language, tone, identity, and perspective can produce escalating or de-escalating outcomes.

Students will be able to collaborate in restorative discussions and scenario development to build on diverse perspectives, make shared decisions, and communicate ideas clearly and empathetically.

Students will be able to refine de-escalation language and conflict-response tools using user feedback, self-reflection, and evidence from testing to better meet the needs of teens and parents.

Products

individual

Conflict Analysis Portfolio and De-escalation Cheat Sheet

Each student will assemble literary analysis, source synthesis, discussion and scenario reflections, a before-and-after self-assessment, and a tested cheat sheet containing 4–5 I-statements, NVC sentence starters, active-listening prompts, and examples for teens and parents. The student will document how feedback from peers and community partners informed revisions.

team

Turn-Down-to-Talk Scenario Performance and Conflict-Resolution Handout Series

Teams will use individual research and prototypes to create and publicly perform contrasting escalating and de-escalating scenes set in school, home, and community contexts, then distribute a collaboratively revised handout series at Turn-Down-to-Talk Night. The presentation will explain how evidence, literary insights, user feedback, identity, perspective, language, and tone shaped the team’s design decisions.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can participate in a group by sharing my ideas about the text or conflict scenario and listening when others speak, with teacher prompts to help me stay on topic and take turns I can contribute to a shared task by completing my role when it is assigned and using basic respectful language.	I can work with peers to discuss ideas from The Poet X, spoken-word poetry, or a conflict scenario, building on at least one classmate’s idea and explaining my own thinking clearly I can help my group make decisions and stay focused on the task with some support, and I can use feedback to improve how I communicate.	I can collaborate consistently by listening actively, responding to others’ ideas with empathy, and helping my group solve problems in school, home, or community conflict scenarios I can share responsibility, use discussion skills to move the project forward, and adjust my role when our group needs it.	I can lead and sustain collaborative work by helping my group co-design realistic conflict scenarios, reach shared decisions, and revise our ideas based on peer, teacher, and community-partner feedback I can build on others’ perspectives with clear, persuasive communication and help my group resolve disagreements so our De-escalation Cheat Sheet is thoughtful, effective, and ready for exhibition.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can share my ideas and reactions to poetry, discussions, and role-plays using simple, respectful language, and I can listen when others speak, even if I need reminders to stay on topic or build on their ideas.	I can communicate my thoughts clearly in partner and group discussions by using active-listening behaviors, responding to others’ ideas, and explaining how a poem, conflict scenario, or source shaped my response.	I can communicate with empathy and purpose by adjusting my words, tone, and body language for different audiences, using evidence from The Poet X, spoken-word poetry, and research to support my ideas and de-escalate conflict in discussion and performance.	I can lead and collaborate in challenging discussions by building on others’ ideas, synthesizing feedback from peers and community partners, and communicating confidently and persuasively in my reflections, revised scenarios, and Turn-Down-to-Talk performance.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can identify a conflict problem in The Poet X, a spoken-word poem, or a teen scenario and suggest one simple response that could help de-escalate it with some teacher support I can use a few relevant details from a text or discussion to explain why a response might work or not work.	I can compare two or more possible responses to a conflict and explain how each one might change the outcome in a school, home, or community situation I can use evidence from The Poet X, spoken-word poetry, or research to support a practical solution and contribute ideas during group discussion.	I can analyze how identity, perspective, voice, and character motivations shape a conflict and use that understanding to design realistic de-escalation options for different audiences I can synthesize ideas from multiple sources and feedback to revise scenarios so they more clearly solve the problem and fit the situation.	I can independently and collaboratively evaluate complex conflict situations across interpersonal, historical, and global contexts, then create and justify effective, audience-appropriate de-escalation strategies I can combine evidence from texts, research, and partner feedback to propose creative solutions that show deep understanding of the problem and clearly improve the outcome.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	I can identify basic ideas from The Poet X, spoken word poetry, and simple conflict examples by naming a character’s feelings, a tone or voice choice, and one way a conflict could go differently With support, I can use class notes or partner ideas to begin a short scenario or research response that shows what the text or source is about.	I can explain how identity, perspective, voice, or tone affects a character’s response to conflict in The Poet X and in one other source or discussion I can use relevant evidence to contribute to a group discussion, draft a clearer conflict scenario, and connect at least one researched idea to a teen, school, home, or community situation.	I can analyze how complex characters in The Poet X develop and how their choices shape conflict, theme, and relationships I can synthesize information from multiple sources to compare interpersonal, historical, and global conflict responses, and I can revise my scenario language so it includes specific I-statements, active listening, and nonviolent communication.	I can independently and clearly analyze how identity, perspective, and character development influence responses to conflict across The Poet X, spoken word poetry, and researched real-world examples I can lead or meaningfully extend collaborative discussion, synthesize multiple sources into realistic before-and-after scenarios, and create a polished De-escalation Cheat Sheet that shows thoughtful, effective de-escalation strategies for teens and adults.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Self Directed Learning	I can use teacher and peer feedback to make a simple reflection about how my responses to The Poet X, spoken-word poetry, or conflict role-plays changed my thinking I can name one strategy, question, or revision I will try next to improve my de-escalation language or participation in the project.	I can use feedback and reflection to revise parts of my conflict scenarios or De-escalation Cheat Sheet so my language is clearer and less likely to escalate tension I can explain how my choices, emotions, or perspective changed after reading, listening, or discussing with peers and adults.	I can independently monitor my progress by using feedback from peers, the teacher, and community partners to strengthen my reflections, revise my scenarios, and improve my de-escalation strategies I can explain how changes in my language, tone, and responses show growth in my understanding of identity, perspective, and conflict.	I can consistently use self-reflection, feedback, and revision to improve complex work across the project, including my before-and-after reflection, scenario outcomes, and De-escalation Cheat Sheet I can set goals, adjust my approach on my own, and clearly explain how my learning has changed my responses to conflict in school, home, and community situations.