Fairness and Justice

Classroom Guidance
Grades: 7th and 8th

Time required: 50-60 minutes

Purpose: This lesson will help students identify what is fair and just in todays society.
VSCA Personal/Social Development Standards:
Grades 6-8 Students will:
MP2. Understand the consequences of decisions and choices
MP4. Use appropriate decision making and problem solving skills
Objectives:

Approximately 80% of students will be able to define fairness

Approximately 80% of students will be able to define justice
Students will be able to distinguish the difference between the concepts of justice and
fairness
Students will participate in an activity in order to visualize what is fair and what is unfair
Students will identify examples of fairness and justice within their own lives

Materials:
Pencil
Notebook Paper
Kahoot.it (students go to Kahoot.it, enter 960319 and their First and Last Name)
Student Laptops
Projector Screen
Fairness Walk Directions and Statements
Candy
Procedure
Stimulus
Begin lesson by summarizing things we discussed in the Superhero Citizen lesson during the
previous week. Have students take out their laptops and log on to Kahoot.it. Have them type in
the code 960319 and then type in their FIRST AND LAST NAME. *Do not allow them to type
in a nickname.* The students will then take the 4 question survey and results should be saved.
(Kahoot.it name and password: sydneyellis813/pink14)
Fairness and Justice will now be discussed as a class.
1. What is Fairness?
2. What is Justice?
Fairness definition: the condition of being just or impartial
Examples: Giving all students the same exact tests and homework assignments

Justice definition: the administering of deserved punishment or reward

Examples: Breaking the rules and/or laws- therefore, having to suffer from the
consequences
Guided Practice
Divide students into two groups (half of room). Read the Justice Speeding Scenario. Assign
one group the Just group and the other group Unjust.
Scenario: Youre driving down a city street where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour, but
youre doing 50. Youre stopped by the police and given a speeding ticket.
First group: Why is this just?
Second group: Why is this unjust?
Allow 5 minutes to discuss in groups.
Processing Questions:
What were some reasons that you said it was just?
What were some reasons that you said it was unjust?
What if there was an emergency and that was the reason you were going too fast? Would
it be just or unjust? Why or why not?
Who typically enforces justice?
Activity
Take students outside on the blacktop for the Fairness Walk. Everyone will stand side-by-side
in a straight line. The counselor/teacher will stand about ten feet away, facing the students.
Explain that each time a statement is read, if the statement applies to you, take a step forward; if
the statement does not apply to you, take a step back. Please be honest and follow directions
carefully so we can all learn from this game. Explain that the first student(s) that reach the
counselor/teacher will get a prize. Call out the statements, the first student(s) that reaches you
gets candy. Allow students to call out thats not fair or sit out if they dont want to continue.
Return to the classroom before discussion.
Discussion questions:

How did the game make you feel?

What was it like to have special privileges? What was it like to not have those privileges?
Does it make a difference if the rules of the game are fair to everyone? Why or why not?
What would happen if the rules of the game were always unfair?

*Make sure all students get candy after discussion*

Evaluation
Have the students log back on to Kahoot.it and type in 960319 and FIRST AND LAST NAME
again. Take the survey again and save the results.

Follow-up Activity
Have the students pair up and discuss what examples are fair and unfair in todays society. Ask
the students to create a list of these examples and share in class.
Lesson Source:
Lewis, B. (2005). Justice. In P. Espeland (Ed.), What do you stand for?: For teens : A guide to
building character (pp. 142-143). Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Pub.
Teaching Guide: Fairness and Justice for Grades 7-12. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2015,
from http://www.goodcharacter.com/ISOC/FairnessandJustice.html

Fairness Walk

1. If you are wearing black shoes, take a step forward

2. If you are wearing a blue shirt, take a step forward
3. If you are wearing jeans, take a step forward
4. If you carry a backpack, take a step forward
5. If you are in the 7th grade, take a step forward
6. If you play a sport, take a step forward
7. If you have Spanish as a class right now, take a step forward
8. If you are in the 6th grade, take a step forward
9. If your birthday was in the summer, take a step forward
10. If you are going to Hermitage next year, take a step forward
11. If you are wearing glasses, take a step forward
12. If you are in the 8th grade, take a step forward
13. If you like to wear hats, take a step forward
14. If you are wearing a white shirt, take a step forward
15. If you have long hair, take a step forward
16. If you are left handed, take a step forward
*Keep adding to it if no one is close enough