name of lesson: affective lesson 7: fairness · fairness prompts for values ladder tomorrow there...

CCSD Final November 15, 2013

Name of Lesson: Affective Lesson 7: Fairness Topic: Fairness: Explore, Investigate and Discover

Gifted Standard and element(s):

G5: Evaluative Thinking: Students will evaluate and solve a variety of authentic problems.

b. Apply and adapt a variety of strategies to resolve problems and dilemmas, and evaluate

their effectiveness.

G7: Communication: Students will interact and exchange ideas, feelings, information,

thoughts, and knowledge with others.

a. Effectively communicate both verbally and nonverbally using a variety of modalities.

e. Use knowledge of language and appropriate conventions when writing, speaking,

reading, and listening.

G9: Self-Reflection: Students will reflect upon their own abilities.

a. Recognize and develop areas of strength in self.

b. Recognize areas of weakness in self and develop strategies for improvement.

G10: Respect For Others: Students will be respectful members of their communities.

b. Recognize the value of individual differences.

c. Recognize the strengths of others.

d. Actively listen to others in various situations.

G11: Self-directed Learners: Students will be self-directed learners.

f. Seek opportunities for self-growth through risk-taking, curiosity and the use of

complexity and imagination.

Unit Essential Question(s):

How do character strengths and virtues help us and others to be our best selves?

How can I recognize the use of character strengths and virtues in others?

How can I choose which character strengths to use in differing situations to achieve both

academically and personally?

How can I use character strengths and virtues to be a positive and productive community

member?

Lesson Questions:

What is a good definition of the character strength of fairness, and what does it look like in

my life? Why is it difficult to determine if something is fair or not? How can the character strength of fairness be used in my life to help me? What role does fairness play in relationships and life success?

Lesson Summary: In this lesson, students will explore, investigate and discover the character

strength of fairness through comparing and contrasting several definitions of fairness. They will also

discuss issues of fairness in different situations and make decisions about what they deem to be fair

or not. Finally, they will write about what fairness means to them.


Assessment Description/Performance Task:

Constructed response Informal assessment

Performance task Selected response

Brief Description of Assessment: After a structured class discussion, students will write their own

definition of fairness.

Instructional Methods:

Teacher Note: This lesson is based on ideas from the following website:

http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit516/lesson2.html

Lesson Overview:

Hook: Discussion prompts to introduce the concept of fairness.

Students explore various definitions of fairness, and then make personal decisions about

what is fair or unfair in various situations.

Students write about what fairness means to them.

Hook/Activator: Give a token reward (sticker, or piece of candy) to a very select set of

students for an arbitrary reason (for example, those who greet you in the morning). Use any

arbitrary reason that might elicit a reaction of “that is unfair!” from the students. Lead a

discussion by asking some of the following questions:

“Think of a time in school when your teachers gave rewards (such as candy, stickers,

or privileges) for good work or behavior. Do you think it was fair to give some

students and not others a reward for good work? How did you feel about not getting

a privilege when someone else got one? Do you think it is fair to reward good

behavior or good work in school with candy, privileges, or grades?”

“Do you think fair treatment changes for different ages and in different settings? How

do you think fairness might mean different things to different people?”

Ask the students to think about what fairness means to them. Allow them a minute of thinking

time.

Teaching Strategy:

1. Tell students that you have some possible definitions of the concept of fairness. Display

different definitions of fairness on the walls around the room (attached). Tell them to read

all the definitions and then to choose the definition that makes the most sense to them by

standing next to it. (Teacher Note: If a student ends up alone in a group, ask him or her to

choose a second favorite definition. He or she may bring the first choice definition along

when moving to a different group. The two definitions may be combined.)

2. When they have chosen their favorite definitions, tell them to discuss in their groups why

they chose the definition and why they like it better than the others. They may like other

definitions, but they should focus on the positive (or differentiating) aspects of the chosen

definition.

3. After five minutes of discussion, the groups choose a representative who reads aloud the

definition and tells the rest of the class why they like their definition.

4. Debrief by asking the students to tell what they heard about fairness, reflecting on ideas

from all of the definitions that resonated with them, or made the most sense to them.

5. Ask the following discussion questions:

Did you find yourself agreeing with some people and disagreeing with others about

fairness? Why do you think different people have different ideas about fairness?

Is it possible to solve a conflict in which everyone thinks the resolution is fair?

http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit516/lesson2.html


When we talked about the definitions, did you recall times when you thought

something wasn't fair?

How do you feel when something seems unfair to you? How can you act on those

feelings?

6. Tell the students that you are going to read them a series of statements (below and

attached), and that you want them to take a stand to show how they feel about each one. To

accomplish this task, you will utilize the “Values Ladder” technique. (The “Values Ladder”

technique offers a great opportunity to practice active listening and other communication ELA

skills.) Ask students to imagine a line from one wall of the classroom to the other that

represents a continuum of “fair” to “not fair.” Tell students to take a stand somewhere on

the continuum that represents how they feel about that statement (without talking). They

can choose anywhere on the “ladder,” even in the middle if they are conflicted about the

issue. But they must be prepared when called upon to explain their position. Once the

students have settled on their places, ask for volunteers (one at a time) to explain their

reasoning. Alternatively, you may deliberately choose students to speak. Once the discussion

is complete about each statement, invite students to change their position if they have

reconsidered their beliefs. As the activity progresses, ask students to consider what all of

these statements have in common (they describe seemingly unfair practices). Try to

highlight student reasoning that considers why some of these issues exist in the world today,

even when they seem unfair. Help the students recognize that unfair practices continue

because they benefit someone. Identifying who is benefited, and why, may be the first step

toward changing unfair practices. For example: “How does it benefit others to have children

forced into labor to make goods and products?”

Tomorrow there is an essay due that is worth one-fourth of your grade. Boys must write

ten pages, but girls only need to write one page.

Students wearing running shoes today get an extra five minutes recess.

If you have blond hair, you may sit down today. There are no desks for the rest of the

class.

You are allowed to use the computer only if your last name begins with S.

Many girls in Pakistan cannot go to school because they must help their mothers,

but boys may attend the local school.

Often the U.S. schools with the poorest students have the fewest learning resources.

Many children in our own state go to sleep hungry, and some do not have a bed to sleep

in.

In the US in 1776, only white men that owned land had the right to vote. In 1870, the

15th Amendment granted men of color the right to vote, but many were still kept from

voting. In 1920, the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today, many of them are children

who are in forced labor, and we may be using some of the products they make.

(Teacher Note: Attached to this lesson is an extension for this lesson if time or opportunity

allows.)

Summary by the Learner: Give each student an index card and ask them to answer the

question “What does fairness mean to you?”

Differentiation:

Students who have difficulty expressing their positions in the Values Ladder may need further

questioning to lead them communicate effectively about their feelings or beliefs.


For more thoughtful students, ask them to generate their own “Fairness” prompts for the

“Values Ladder” activity.

In classes where students have more developed discussion skills, allow them to question each

other during the “Values Ladder” activity.

If students try to dominate discussion, you may want to set a rule that each student may only

volunteer twice during the “Values Ladder” activity.

Materials for this Lesson:

Token student rewards (stickers or candy for instance) for the hook activity

Definitions of Fairness (attached)

“Values Ladder” fairness prompts (in lesson and attached)

Index card for each student for use in the summary of learning.

Vocabulary for this Lesson:

Fairness: Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting personal feelings bias decisions about others; giving everyone a fair chance


Fairness is treating everybody the same.


Fairness is responding to people with

what they need and deserve,

even if it means different

treatment.


Fairness is using the same rules for everyone.


Fairness is using

an open mind to make

decisions.


Fairness is being free from

prejudice or favoritism.


Fairness is

following the rules.


Fairness is listening to

others to make sure you

understand their thoughts and feelings.


Fairness is considering all the facts before

making a decision.


Fairness Prompts for Values Ladder

Tomorrow there is an essay due that is worth one-fourth of your grade. Boys must write

ten pages, but girls only need to write one page.

Students wearing running shoes today get out of class five minutes of extra recess.

If you have blond hair, you may sit down today. There are no desks for the rest of the

class.

You are allowed to use the computer only if your last name begins with S.

Many girls in Pakistan cannot go to school because they must help their mothers,

but boys may attend the local school.

Often the U.S. schools with the poorest students have the fewest learning resources.

Many children in our own state go to sleep hungry, and some do not have a bed to sleep

in.

In the US in 1776, only white men that owned land had the right to vote. In 1870, the

15th Amendment granted men of color the right to vote, but many were still kept from

voting. In 1920, the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote.

There are an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today, many of them are children

who are in forced labor, and we may be using some of the products they make.


LESSON EXTENSION

1. Brainstorm with the students a list of things they believe are not fair today. This "Not

Fair" list may include ideas from personal issues, or world issues, or issues within your

own school. For instance, the primary playground is nicer than the 3rd-5th grade

playground. This may raise some emotions as students will likely have opposite ideas on

some issues; remind them that a brainstorm does not include judgment [an opinion].

Continue to take down all their topics, but don't engage in discussion. They will recognize

that not everyone has the same ideas of what is fair. Allow five minutes for the

brainstorm.

2. Ask the students to write (in a journal) the top three to five issues from the "Not Fair"

brainstorm that they feel most strongly about. They do not have to share this list.

3. Ask the students to choose one of these issues to analyze from the opposite perspective

[point of view]. For example, if they feel it isn't fair that they have a 9:00 bedtime, they

should compare and contrast the perspectives of their parents and themselves. Or if they

think women are treated unfairly in Afghanistan, they can list the reasons that the

practice is not fair, and the existing barriers that prevent equal rights. In their journals,

they make a chart that shows both sides of their selected issue(s). If time allows,

encourage them to reflect on one personal issue and one global issue.

4. After students write and reflect for about five minutes, bring the group back together as a

whole. If there is time, ask the students what they noticed about their thinking when they

tried to see the other side. Lead the students to recognize that even on an issue that

seems so clearly unfair, there may be an opposite point of view that prevents the easy

resolution of the issue. Discuss the difference between feeling something is unfair and

knowing something is unfair. Ask the students whether there is anything they can do

when they think something is unfair. Discuss action they can take when they KNOW

something is unfair.

name of lesson: affective lesson 7: fairness · fairness prompts for values ladder tomorrow there...

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