Day 46: Types of Conflict Lesson Plan — Helping Students Track Story Tension
Identify the friction that drives the narrative. In Day 46 of the Grade 9 English course, students dive into a Types of Conflict Lesson Plan designed for literature circles. After a brief mini-lesson on internal and external tensions, students work in groups to map emerging conflicts on chart paper, classifying them by type (e.g., Character vs. Self, Character vs. Society) and predicting how these obstacles will shape the story’s climax.
75 Minutes | Key Concepts: Narrative Tension, Internal vs. External Conflict, Evidence-Based Prediction, Oral Communication
Learning Goals and Standards
Students will:
- Identify different types of conflict in fiction
- Distinguish between internal and external conflict
- Analyze how conflict drives plot and character development
- Apply conflict terminology to texts and examples
- Communicate their understanding of conflict through a short presentation or shared explanation
- Recognize that stories can contain multiple conflicts, including a central conflict
Ontario Curriculum Connections (ENL1W)
- B1.2 Reading Comprehension — interpret ideas and elements of fiction using evidence
- B2.1 Language Conventions — use literary terminology accurately (e.g., types of conflict)
- A3.2 Critical Thinking — analyze how elements of fiction contribute to meaning
- C2.1 Text Forms — understand narrative structure, including conflict
- D2.4 Oral Presentation Skills — communicate ideas clearly for an audience
Common Core (Grades 9–10)
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3 — analyze how conflict develops characters and plot
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2 — determine theme through conflict and resolution
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4 — present information clearly and logically
IB Language & Literature (ATL Skills)
- Analytical thinking through identifying conflict types
- Communication skills through discussion and presentation
- Transfer of knowledge across texts and contexts
Cambridge IGCSE English Literature
- Analyze how conflict shapes meaning in texts
- Communicate informed responses clearly to an audience
OECD Global Competence Framework
- Interpret perspectives and tensions within texts
- Communicate ideas effectively in collaborative settings
Resources
- Large chart paper
Bell Ringer for Types of Conflict
Ask students:
Think of a movie, show, or book you enjoy—what is the main problem or conflict?
Then follow with:
Is that conflict happening inside the character, or outside of them?
Optional quick activity:
Write these on the board:
- Character vs. Character
- Character vs. Self
- Character vs. Nature
Ask students to match their example to one of these categories.
Lesson Flow
1. Silent Reading
2. Mini-Lesson: A Quick Refresher on Types of Conflict
This part should be brief and high-impact, more a reminder than a full lesson.
Here’s the language I use:
Types of Conflict Refresher
Character vs. Character:
When two characters’ goals clash. This can be mild tension or a full-on rivalry.Character vs. Self:
Internal conflict—when a character wrestles with decisions, guilt, fear, identity, or emotions.Character vs. Society:
A character pushes back against rules, expectations, norms, or systemic forces.Character vs. Nature:
Weather, illness, animals, natural disasters—anything in the physical world creating obstacles.Character vs. Technology
Technology creates the central problem or acts against the character.Character vs. Supernatural
Forces beyond the natural world are involved.
3. Group Activity: Track Conflicts on Chart Paper
Students meet with their reading groups and complete the following:
Task Instructions
List all conflicts currently emerging in the story—even ones that feel small or uncertain.
Label each conflict with its type (e.g., Character vs. Self).
Provide a short explanation of how the conflict developed.
Make predictions:
How might these conflicts grow?
Who might be affected?
What might make the conflict worse?
How could it lead to a major turning point?
Each group records their ideas on chart paper.
Use quotes where possible—this strengthens evidence-based analysis without adding too much complexity.
4. Student Presentations
Each reading group shares their chart paper with the class. Their presentation should include:
The main conflicts they identified
Why they classified each conflict as they did
Their predictions about where the story is headed
Any disagreements within the group (these make great discussion points!)
As the teacher, you can use this time to:
Highlight emerging themes
Reframe any conflicts students misidentified
Make connections across different books
Note key predictions students will revisit later
First-Hand Suggestions
Students usually understand conflict at a surface level, but they struggle to categorize it clearly. I’ve found it helps to anchor each type of conflict to simple, relatable examples (movies work especially well) before moving into texts. Once students see that conflict is what drives the story—not just something that happens—they begin to analyze it much more effectively.
Differentiation
Support Strategies
- Provide a visual anchor chart of conflict types
- Use clear examples for each type (real-life or familiar media)
- Allow students to work in pairs when identifying conflict
- Offer a simple organizer:
- Who is involved?
- What is the problem?
- What type of conflict is it?
Support for English Language Learners
Pre-teach key vocabulary:
- conflict
- internal
- external
- character
- struggle
Helpful sentence starters:
- “The conflict is between ___ and ___.”
- “This is an internal conflict because…”
- “This is an external conflict because…”
Alternative Demonstration Options
Students may:
- draw a conflict scenario
- act out a type of conflict
- match examples to categories instead of writing explanations
- explain verbally to the teacher
Extension Opportunities
Students ready for enrichment can:
- identify multiple conflicts in a single text
- determine the central conflict vs. smaller conflicts
- analyze how conflict connects to theme
- explain how different conflicts interact within a story
Types of Conflict FAQ
What are the most common types of conflict in literature? The four primary types are Character vs. Self (internal), and Character vs. Character, Character vs. Nature, and Character vs. Society (external). More modern classifications also include Character vs. Technology and Character vs. Supernatural.
How do you teach conflict to Grade 9 students? The most effective way is to use a ‘Conflict Tracker.’ Have students identify a problem in their book, label it with one of the conflict types, and provide evidence (a quote or event) that supports their classification.
Can a story have more than one type of conflict? Yes. Most complex stories feature overlapping conflicts. For example, a character fighting a corrupt government (Character vs. Society) will often experience an internal struggle with their own doubts (Character vs. Self).
