CCE · Primary 1

Active learning ideas

The Concept of Justice

Active learning helps Primary 1 students grasp the concept of justice because concrete, playful situations let them experience fairness firsthand. When children act out scenarios or create games, they connect abstract ideas to real moments in their own classrooms, making values like equality and responsibility memorable and meaningful.

• MOE Syllabus Outcomes
• MOE: Values and Ethics - P1
• MOE: Rights and Responsibilities - P1

• 25–40 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Pairs

Role-Play: Just vs Unjust Scenarios

Prepare scenario cards with school situations, such as sharing art supplies. In pairs, students act out an unjust version first, then a just one using rules. Follow with whole-class sharing of what made each fair or unfair.

Explain what it means for a situation to be 'just' or 'unjust'.

Facilitation Tip

During Role-Play: Just vs Unjust Scenarios, assign roles clearly and pause after each scenario to ask students what felt fair or unfair before moving on.

What to look for

Present students with two scenarios: one where toys are shared equally, and one where one child takes all the toys. Ask students to point to the 'just' scenario and explain why it is fair.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 40 min · Small Groups

Fair Game Design Workshop

In small groups, students choose a simple game like tag and brainstorm three rules for fairness, such as equal turns. Groups draw posters of their rules, present to class, and vote on the best ideas.

Analyze how rules help ensure fairness for everyone.

Facilitation Tip

In the Fair Game Design Workshop, circulate with questions like, 'How will this rule help everyone play?' to guide students toward equity-focused thinking.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine we are playing a game, but only some friends know the rules. How can we make sure everyone can play and have fun fairly?' Guide them to suggest rules about explaining the game or taking turns.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Whole Class

Justice Story Circle

Read a picture book about fairness, like one on sharing. As a whole class, pause to discuss just and unjust parts, then students draw their own fair ending.

Design a simple system to ensure fair play in a game.

Facilitation Tip

For Justice Story Circle, model attentive listening by repeating a child’s idea before adding your own, showing that fairness includes valuing each voice.

What to look for

Give each student a drawing of a simple game (e.g., a race). Ask them to write or draw one rule that would make the game fair for everyone playing.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 35 min · Small Groups

Class Rule Court

Simulate a playground dispute: appoint judge and lawyers from volunteers. Small groups prepare arguments for fair resolution, then vote on the just outcome.

Explain what it means for a situation to be 'just' or 'unjust'.

Facilitation Tip

During Class Rule Court, sit as a judge would, but allow students to present their cases using ‘I felt’ statements to connect feelings to fairness.

What to look for

Present students with two scenarios: one where toys are shared equally, and one where one child takes all the toys. Ask students to point to the 'just' scenario and explain why it is fair.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach justice as rooted in everyday moments students already know, like sharing or taking turns. Avoid abstract lectures by using their shared experiences to anchor discussions. Research suggests that when students co-create rules or reflect on shared moments, they internalize values more deeply than when rules are imposed. Model fairness yourself by giving equal wait time and attention to every student’s contribution.

By the end of these activities, students will recognize just actions as those that give everyone fair chances to participate and feel respected. They will practice explaining why an action is fair or unfair and contribute to creating rules that protect everyone’s rights in play and learning.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Role-Play: Just vs Unjust Scenarios, watch for students who say justice means getting their favorite toy. Redirect by asking, 'Who else wanted to play with that toy? How can we make sure everyone gets a turn?'

  During Fair Game Design Workshop, hand a student a ‘rule card’ that reads, ‘Take one turn at a time,’ and ask them to place it in their game. Then prompt, ‘Does this rule help everyone play, or only some friends?’

• During Class Rule Court, watch for students who say rules are only for punishment. Redirect by asking, ‘How does the rule ‘Wait your turn’ help us have fun together?’

  During Justice Story Circle, pause after a story where a rule protected someone’s turn, and ask, ‘What happened because of the rule? Did it keep the game fair or stop someone from playing?’

• During Fair Game Design Workshop, watch for students who create rules giving everyone identical items, like two identical pencils. Redirect by saying, ‘If Liam needs a thicker pencil for easier grip, how can we make sure he gets one without taking the others away?’

  During Role-Play: Just vs Unjust Scenarios, after acting out a scene where a child with glasses is left out of a drawing game, ask the group, ‘What could we do to include everyone, even if their needs are different?’

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session