Fairness: Make a Difference Monthly

(2024 update): In 2012 I joined Maria Dismondy for “Make a Difference Monthly”. This monthly linky no longer exists, but I’ve kept these posts because I still feel they’re valuable.

You can also read about:

Citizenship

Respect

Caring

This Month’s Focus is FAIRNESS

On the first Monday of each month, Maria is collecting a variety of ideas for teaching children about character traits. May was all about Respect, and this month is Fairness.

To be honest, I’ve never actually taught a lesson on fairness.  Obviously it comes up a lot in the classroom, but nothing specific popped into mind when I started thinking about how I teach this important trait.

But I did some research and here’s what I came up with.

6 DIFFERENT WAYS TO TEACH FAIRNESS:

1. Books

Fair Shares by Pippa Goodhart is recommended by the Mental Health Center for Kids.

Book Blurb:

Bear and Hare try to reach some juicy pears, but they need some help. Hare finds three chairs, but is it fair that Hare has two chairs and Bear only one? When they have the same, Hare still can’t reach the pears! So a little friend teaches them that fair isn’t always everyone getting the same thing … with hilarious results! A beautifully simple picture book that considers, what is fair? The answer is not always as simple as you’d think.

Another book that comes highly recommended is Fair is Fair by Sonny Varela.

Book Blurb:

“It’s not fair!” This is the lament of countless children when they perceive that a sibling or classmate is receiving more. Do special needs for one mean less love for another? This is the question explored in this short children’s story of three zoo animals. They learn that being equally loved doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re treated the exact same. Rather, true love is expressed when each animal gets what they need.

2. Play Without Rules

Allow students to play a board game or something as simple as tic-tac-toe with a partner. Ask the students to play the game without following any of the rules. For instance, they can take more than one turn at a time or lie about how many spaces they jumped. When the game is over (or before frustrations levels become too high) have the students stop and discuss whether it’s possible or fun to play without fairness.

Read more: Children’s Activities on Fairness

3. Activities and Discussions to Demonstrate Fairness from the American Heart Association

This wonderful resource is geared towards teachers.

4. A song about fairness:

It’s sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”.

Sharing, sharing, we can share,
While at school and everywhere.
Taking turns and listening, too.
Being fair in all we do,
Sharing, sharing, we can share,
While at school and everywhere.

Source: Developing Character When It Counts, Grade K-1 1999.

5. Practice Turn-Taking:

Play board games, or play with building blocks to reinforce turn-taking. This is just one idea of 15 from the Mental Health Center for Kids.

6. Model Fairness:

This is probably one of the most important things you can do — MODEL being fair, and then point it out to your kids when you’re doing that.

If they see YOU acting fairly enough times hopefully they will internalize the trait.

Thanks for reading!