VIDEO COMING SOON!
Lesson Plan: "Creating Peace Spaces and Drafting a Peace Treaty: Lessons from Fort Laramie"
Objective: To learn about the historical significance of Fort Laramie National Historic Site and its role in diplomacy and peace-building, and to apply the lessons learned to create a "peace space" within the community and draft a "Peace Treaty."
Grade Level: Middle School (Grade 6-8)
Materials Needed:
Duration: 3 Days (3 hours per day)
Day 1: Exploration and Learning
Activity 1: Introduction to Fort Laramie (1 hour)
Day 2: Creating Peace SpacesActivity 1: Ideation Session (1 hour)
Day 3: Drafting a Peace TreatyActivity 1: Introduction to Treaty-Making (30 mins)
Final Note: Remind students that the aim is to understand the principles of cooperation, dialogue, and peace, as embodied by Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and to apply these principles in creating more inclusive and harmonious communities.
Objective: To learn about the historical significance of Fort Laramie National Historic Site and its role in diplomacy and peace-building, and to apply the lessons learned to create a "peace space" within the community and draft a "Peace Treaty."
Grade Level: Middle School (Grade 6-8)
Materials Needed:
- Computers/Internet Access for Research
- Paper and Pens
- Large Whiteboard/Flip Chart and Markers
- Art Supplies (optional for peace space creation)
Duration: 3 Days (3 hours per day)
Day 1: Exploration and Learning
Activity 1: Introduction to Fort Laramie (1 hour)
- Begin with a brief lecture about Fort Laramie National Historic Site, its history, and its significance in promoting dialogue and understanding between Native American tribes and the U.S. government.
- Show a short documentary or visual presentation about Fort Laramie.
- Divide students into small groups and assign each group a topic related to Fort Laramie, such as the treaties signed there, the tribes involved, or the consequences of the agreements.
- Have each group present their findings to the class.
- Facilitate a class discussion about the importance of dialogue and understanding in preventing conflicts.
- Discuss the UN Global Goal 16: Social Justice and how it can be applied in contemporary society.
Day 2: Creating Peace SpacesActivity 1: Ideation Session (1 hour)
- Students will brainstorm ideas for creating a "peace space" within their home, classroom, school, or community.
- Encourage creativity and variety in the proposed peace spaces.
- Students will choose one idea from the brainstorming session and plan how to implement it.
- Students can create a rough sketch or design of their chosen peace space.
- Students will begin to create their peace spaces using the available resources.
- Encourage collaboration and teamwork among students.
Day 3: Drafting a Peace TreatyActivity 1: Introduction to Treaty-Making (30 mins)
- Briefly explain the concept of treaties and their role in maintaining peace and fostering cooperation.
- Discuss some examples of treaties from history.
- Divide students into small groups and have them draft a five-point "Peace Treaty" for their chosen environment.
- The treaty should include principles and commitments promoting social justice, harmony, and cooperation.
- Each group will present their drafted Peace Treaty to the class.
- After each presentation, there will be a consolidation phase where common points from all group treaties will be merged into a class Peace Treaty.
- Students will reflect on the process of creating peace spaces and drafting a peace treaty.
- A class discussion will be held to discuss the implementation of the principles outlined in the class Peace Treaty within the school and the community.
- Participation in Discussions and Activities (20%)
- Quality of Group Research Presentation (20%)
- Creativity and Feasibility of Peace Space (20%)
- Clarity and Relevance of the Drafted Peace Treaty (20%)
- Reflection and Contribution to Class Discussion (20%)
- Students can work on improving and refining their peace spaces and finding ways to implement them in their homes or communities.
- Students can research more about other historic peace treaties and compare them with the ones drafted in class.
Final Note: Remind students that the aim is to understand the principles of cooperation, dialogue, and peace, as embodied by Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and to apply these principles in creating more inclusive and harmonious communities.
