Peace and Conflict Lesson Plans

Conflict is one of the most consequential forces in the world, 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 current conflicts drawn from every region of the world with careful, neutral framing throughout.

20 lessons

  • New
    Peace & Conflict

    How Have Nuclear Weapons Shaped the War in Ukraine?

    No nuclear weapon has been fired in the war in Ukraine, yet nuclear weapons have shaped it throughout. Students explore deterrence, Russian and US nuclear policy, the Budapest…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 7
  • New
    Media & Technology

    Ukraine Data Centre Strikes

    Ukraine's strikes on Russian data centres in October 2026 disrupted Yandex services and coincided with a sharp drop in bot traffic from Yandex's network. In this current events…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 6
  • Peace & Conflict

    What Does the UN General Assembly Accomplish?

    The UN General Assembly's high-level week produces declarations, speeches and private diplomacy, but what does it actually accomplish? In this current events lesson for Grades 6-12, students weigh…

  • Peace & Conflict

    USA and Denmark Agree to Greenland Deal

    Greenland has a population of only 57,000 but has been at the centre of a major security debate for the last few years. This lesson uses the US-Denmark-Greenland…

  • Free lesson
    Peace & Conflict

    Ukraine Resists Russian Invasion

    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 much of Ukraine's…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 3
  • Peace & Conflict

    Russian Invasion of Ukraine

    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 aims against its…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 2
  • Peace & Conflict

    Mecca Joint Defense Agreement

    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 why states pool…

  • Economics & Development

    USA – Canada Trade War

    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 lesson uses the…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Background to the Ukraine War

    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, Euromaidan, Crimea, and…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 1
  • Peace & Conflict

    Ukraine’s Military Shakeup

    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 those decisions and…

    Mini-unit: Ukraine War · Lesson 5
  • Peace & Conflict

    2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey

    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 its value? Students…

  • Peace & Conflict

    World Cup: USA’s Balogun has Suspension Lifted

    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 political power. A…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Deal in Jeopardy

    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 a core promise…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Deal – June 2026

    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 could make or…

  • Peace & Conflict

    World Cup 2026

    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 6-12, discussion questions,…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Underwater Drone Development

    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 are the trade-offs?

  • Free lesson
    Peace & Conflict

    Iran War Ceasefire

    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 in three grade…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Strait of Hormuz Crisis

    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 three-level lesson (Grades…

  • Peace & Conflict

    Elbows Up, Canada

    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 through three differentiated…

  • Peace & Conflict

    The Capture of Nicolas Maduro

    Council on Foreign Relations – Maduro's Capture and International Law: The Noriega Precedent

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