Activities will help students:
- Explore issues related to fairness
- Identify several fair and unfair situations
- Brainstorm ways they can show fairness toward others
Objectives
Activities will help students:
- Explore issues related to fairness
- Identify several fair and unfair situations
- Brainstorm ways they can show fairness toward others
Essential Questions
- What does it mean to be fair?
- Have you ever been in a situation where you didn’t feel like you were being treated fairly?
- Why is it important to be fair?
- What would you do if you saw someone being treated unfairly?
- Is it ever too late to apologize?
Glossary
bias [bahy-uhs]
(noun) prejudiced, or favoring one person or point of view more than others
fair [fair]
(adjective) free from bias, dishonesty or injustice
unfair [uhn-fair]
(adjective) not fair, not conforming to approved standards as of justice, honesty or ethics
Materials
- Bag of candy (or new pencils)
- Craft sticks (two for each student)
- Paper cut into small circles (two for each student)
- Art materials (paper, crayons, glue sticks)
- Handout: Fair or Unfair (PDF) (reproduce and cut out cards)
Activities
- Before students enter the room, divide them into two groups by the month they were born (e.g., Jan.-June and July-Dec.). Then do the following:
- Divide students into two groups without telling them why they are being separated.
- Direct the students in each group to sit in different areas of the room.
- Choose one of the groups to favor. Without explaining why, give everyone in your favored group a few pieces of candy (or new pencils). Explain to the class that only one group will get the candy. That same group will be the only ones to get other special privileges (such as extra recess time, no homework, being first in line, etc.) Students in the other group likely will protest.
- After a few minutes (or until someone in the other group says, “that’s not fair!”), stop the exercise.
- Ask students if they know what determined whether they were in the favored group or the non-favored group. Encourage all guesses and share the answer.
- How did you feel during the exercise? Do you think you would have felt differently if you had been the one getting the candy and special treats than if you had been the one not getting the candy and special treats?
- (Note: Write the word, “fair” on the board.) Think about the following question: What does the word, “fair” mean to you? Pair up with another student and share your ideas about the definition of fair. Try to come up with answers you both like and share them with the rest of the class.
- Do you think that it was “fair” or “unfair” that some kids got candy and other special privileges? Why or why not? If not fair, what would have made it fair? Would it be fair to give the candy to students who earned it? Would it be fair if all students got the candy? Would it be fair if you picked 10 students names out of a hat to get the candy?
- Take two craft sticks, two small circles, a crayon and a glue stick. Draw a happy face on one circle and a sad face on the other. Glue a “face” at the top of each stick. (Note: distribute cards with situations written on them.) Read the card. If you think the situation is “fair,” hold up your happy face. If you think the situation is “unfair,” hold up your sad face (Note: An alternative is to have students do thumbs up or down).
- Hold up the cards with the situations that are “unfair.” Why are they unfair? Which do you think is the most unfair? Why?
- Choose one of the unfair situations and talk with your classmates about how you could turn it into a fair situation? Share answers with the class.
- Discuss the following: Do you think the rules in your classroom are usually fair? Share examples.
- Why do you think it is important that the rules in the classroom are fair?
- How would you feel if only certain kids got candy or special privileges based on what they looked like or whether they were a boy or girl?
- What does treating people fairly mean?
- Have you ever seen anyone being treated unfairly or treating someone unfairly yourself? What can you do if you think someone is being treated unfairly?
- Get out a piece of paper and art materials. Divide the paper in half by drawing a line down the middle. On the left side of the paper, draw a picture of something you think would be unfair. It can be something that is unfair in class, in your family, on a team or in your community. Then on the right side of the paper, draw a picture of how that same situation could change to become fair. Write a sentence under each picture that describes what is “unfair” and what is “fair.”
Extension Activity
Create a class book with your fairness illustrations to be placed in the class library or the school library. Read your book to other students to encourage everyone in the school to be fair.
