Activity 5
| Title | What's fair ? ( adapted from Human Rights) |
| Outcomes | To encourage students to reflect on notions of fairness and equality - and the difference between "needs" and "wants". |
| Level | Grades 4 - 6 |
| Curriculum Connections | Language Arts - The student will: - communicate information and ideas effectively and clearly and respond critically and clearly |
| Health The student will: - demonstrate behaviours which contribute to emotional and social growth and development. |
|
| Mathematics The student will: - understand the basic concepts associated with data handling and be able to construct and interpret tables, and bar, picto, and broken-line graphs |
|
| Time | 30 - 45 minutes ( May be extended if students generate their own lists) |
| Resources | - Poster size summary chart (one per class) - Individual survey sheets (one per student) |
What's Fair
(adapted from Human Rights)
"It's not fair ..."
"Why not?"
Fairness is something we each think we can judge well. We recognize at once what is not fair and can usually give a quick answer to the question 'why not?'.
Fair means honest and just, giving the same chances and treatment to everyone, according to the rules if there are any. A simple example is running a race; a race is only fair if the rules are the same for everyone. If we all start at the same time and run the same distance, this is fair.
But what seems fair in simple terms may not really be fair if you look at it more closely. You may think that a race is only fair if those who are younger or smaller are given a start or a helping hand or do not have to run so far. Everyone would have the same chance of arriving at the finishing line at the same time.
Needs and Wants
" I need a new bike. My old one is stupid. All the kids on the street have new bikes."
" I'm hungry - there was no food for breakfast. I need something to eat."
" I need my own T.V. - everyone gets to watch what they want except me."
" I'm thirsty - I need a drink. The water in our well is polluted."
" I am lonely - I need a friend."
" That kid hit me - I need protection."
" I'm bored - I need to rent a video game."
When are "needs" really "needs" ? When are they really "wants"?
Strategies and Procedures
Step 1. Students (independently or in groups) make a list of examples of fairness and unfairness. The teacher encourages the students to think of instances from their own lives such as rules about what time to go to bed or how much television to watch. Students may wish to think more broadly and consider examples from the wider community such as how old one has to be to drive a car. Once students have completed their lists they discuss their choices with the whole class. At the end of their discussion the students make a class list of 5 to 10 examples of both fair and unfair behaviours. The teacher may wish to consider conducting a discussion on how things that are unfair could be made fair by changing or imposing certain conditions.
Step 2 With the help of the teacher, each student or group of students makes a list of approximately 10 things "they need" to be able to live . The teacher then asks students to list another 10 things that "they want" but do not really need in order to live. The teacher asks students to consider if there are any "needs" that might really be "wants". The students are given an opportunity to reconsider their lists and make their final choices. The teacher records all the "needs" on chart paper (or similar) and indicates how many students have selected each particular "need". The same procedure is followed for the "wants". Students are asked to record these results using a bar graph. Teachers may select a key word as the label for each "need" or " want" . Students discuss the results of their work for the graph. ( Students may want to use a pictogramme such as a house for shelter or a coat for clothing to generate a different type of graph).
Implications for Teaching/Learning:
1. Students find out about and prepare a report on a country where the real needs of people are not met. Information may be available through organizations such as Amnesty International or Oxfam, or the Organization for New Canadians.