Fairness

Some traits of fairness include: sharing and taking turns, keeping an open mind about opinions that differ from yours, not blaming others, playing by the rules, and respecting the rights of others.

Challenge Activity

Watch and listen to "I am Jackie Robinson" by Brad Meltzer with your buddy class.  To facilitate a discussion, pause the video at the indicated times to TURN & TALK with the suggested questions. Please adapt the lesson to meet the needs of your students. 

Use this Online Read Aloud, "I am Jackie Robison" to show your students. Click here to print out the suggested questions below. 

• (2:11) How was Jackie treated unfairly by his neighbor and her father when he was 8 years old?

• (3:28) What was special about Jackie’s childhood games that he played?

• (4:26) What was unfair about the rules at the community pool?

• (5:53) How did Jackie’s mom teach him how to treat others fairly?

• (6:58) What lesson did Mr. Anderson teach Jackie?

• (7:48) What 4 sports did Jackie play at UCLA?  What lessons can sports teach about fairness and/or unfairness?

• (8:36) Why did Jackie’s football teammate try to hurt him?

• (9:15) Why wasn’t Jackie allowed to play on a major league baseball team even though he was an amazing and talented player?

• (10:55) How was Mr. Ricky trying to help Jackie?  What lesson did he teach others about fairness?

• (13:26) When Jackie started playing baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers, how was he treated unfairly by people on other teams?

• (14:36)  How did Jackie Robinson change the game of baseball and sports?

• (15:52)  What does “leading by example” mean? (grades 3-5)  

• (15:58) How did things change years later at the community pool where Jackie was not allowed to swim when he was a kid?

• (16:10)  What is special about Number 42?

• What did Jackie’s life and accomplishments teach people about fairness?

Optional Extension Activity (after watching the video): 

1. (K-2) Print out the COLORING PAGE for your students to color.

2. (3-5)  Journal Entry: Have students reflect on Jackie’s story and write about about what inspires them to make a difference and/or reflect on what fairness means to them.

Strictly No Elephants

by Lisa Mantchev

(Inclusion)

 

---

For the Right to Learn

by Rebecca Langston-George

(Human Rights, Education)

---

OTHER BOOKS:

• Fairness Counts, by Mary Elizabeth Salzmann
• Do Unto Otters, by Laurie Keller. 
• It’s Not Fair, by Amy Rosenthal. 
• A Taste of Colored Water, by Matt Faulkner, 4/5 grade
• Scholastic's 100 Books That Build Character

Learning to Play Fair: Is it the same for kids around the world?  

(Grades 4-5)

• “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• ---

  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” – U.S. Declaration of Independence

• ---

  “When you’ve…walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” – Michelle Obama

• ---

  “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”  -Martin Luther King, Jr.

• ---

  “Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just.” – Victor Hugo

• ---

  "Teach all men to fish, but first teach all men to be fair. Take less, give more"

Basketball team gets unlikely support (grades 4/5)

 

A Second Honeymoon! (grade 5) 

 

Kid President "How to Change the World" 

 

Elmo and Cookie Monster learn about sharing (primary grades) 

 

MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech (grades 4/5)

Check out other stories and quotes by kids doing the fair thing! 

 

Fairness Inspiration