Conflict is one of the most consequential forces in human affairs — and one of the hardest topics to teach well. This category builds the analytical tools students need to understand why conflicts begin, how they escalate, and what peace actually requires, using real cases drawn from every region of the world with careful, neutral framing throughout.
Peace and Conflict Lesson Plans:
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Ukraine Resists Russian Invasion Lesson Plan
Experts expected Ukraine and its capital, Kyiv, to fall within days. It didn’t. This lesson examines the different explanations for Ukraine’s defense and asks how…
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Russian Invasion of Ukraine Lesson Plan
In February 2022, Russia said it had launched a limited operation while analysts saw a bid to seize Kyiv within days. Students weigh Russia’s stated…
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Mecca Joint Defense Agreement Lesson Plan
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have signed a defence pact stating that an attack on one is an attack on all. A three-level lesson on…
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USA – Canada Trade War Lesson Plan
Hours before a midnight tariff deadline, Canada suspended trade negotiations with the United States and 50% tariffs took effect. Both governments blame the other. This…
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Background to the Ukraine War lesson plan
How did the largest war in Europe since 1945 begin? Students trace Ukraine’s path from independence to invasion, touching on the Budapest Memorandum, NATO expansion,…
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Ukraine’s Military Shakeup Lesson Plan
In one week in July 2026, Ukraine replaced its defence minister, its commander-in-chief and its chief of the General Staff. Ukrainian protesters opposed one of…
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2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey Lesson Plan
A tense NATO summit in Ankara puts one question in sharp focus: what holds a military alliance together when its most powerful member publicly doubts…
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World Cup: USA’s Balogun has Suspension Lifted Lesson Plan
When the US President phoned FIFA to reverse a player’s red card at the 2026 World Cup, sport’s promise of neutral, independent rules collided with…
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Iran War Deal in Jeopardy Lesson Plan
A ceasefire deal was signed, then the two sides sat down to negotiate peace while openly threatening each other with force, and disagreed over whether…
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Iran War Deal – June 2026 Lesson Plan
A classroom-ready lesson on the 2026 US-Iran deal. Students explore why stopping the fighting is easier than building a lasting peace, weighing six issues that…
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World Cup 2026 Lesson Plan
This classroom-ready current events lesson using the 2026 FIFA World Cup asks: to what extent are international sporting events political? Includes differentiated readings for Grades…
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Underwater Drone Development Lesson Plan
Australia, the UK, and the US have agreed to jointly develop underwater drone technology through AUKUS. What drives countries to cooperate on security? …and what…
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Iran War Ceasefire Lesson Plan
A two-week ceasefire in the Iran War. One big question: why is stopping a war so much easier than making peace last? Current events lesson…
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Strait of Hormuz Crisis Lesson Plan
Iran’s declaration that the Strait of Hormuz is closed has triggered an energy crisis felt from the Persian Gulf to Southeast Asia and Europe. This…
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Elbows Up, Canada Lesson Plan
When the U.S. threatened tariffs and annexation in 2025, Canadians responded with rallies, boycotts, and a hockey phrase that went global. Explore nationalism and sovereignty…
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The Capture of Nicolas Maduro Lesson Plan
Included in this lesson: Lesson Sources and Further Reading Council on Foreign Relations – Maduro’s Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent University of Cambridge…