Self & Community · Kindergarten

Active learning ideas

Fairness & Sharing

Active learning is crucial for teaching fairness and sharing, as young children learn best by doing and experiencing social interactions firsthand. These activities move beyond abstract concepts, allowing students to practice and internalize these vital skills through concrete, engaging experiences.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Civ.8.K-2

• 15–25 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 20 min · Small Groups

Scenario Sorting: Fair or Unfair?

Present picture cards depicting various classroom scenarios, such as one child having all the crayons or everyone getting one turn. Students sort the cards into 'Fair' and 'Unfair' piles, discussing their reasoning for each placement.

Analyze situations to determine if they are fair or unfair.

Facilitation Tip

During the Role Play activity, prompt students to consider how different characters might feel about the fairness of a situation, encouraging them to step into another's shoes.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 15 min · Whole Class

Sharing Circle: Turn-Taking Game

Use a simple object, like a stuffed animal or a special block, to facilitate turn-taking during a discussion. Each child holds the object while speaking, then passes it to the next, reinforcing the idea of sharing the 'talking stick'.

Differentiate between giving everyone the same thing and giving everyone what they need.

Facilitation Tip

When facilitating Think-Pair-Share, give students sufficient quiet time to reflect individually before turning to their partner, ensuring everyone has a chance to formulate their thoughts.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 25 min · Small Groups

Resource Allocation Challenge

Provide a limited number of building blocks or art supplies for a small group. Students must collaboratively decide how to share the materials to complete a group task, encouraging negotiation and compromise.

Justify the importance of sharing resources in a group.

Facilitation Tip

As students rotate through Stations, observe their interactions and offer targeted guidance at each station, scaffolding their understanding of fairness and sharing in varied contexts.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Experienced teachers approach fairness and sharing by creating a safe space for exploration and error. They focus on providing concrete examples and opportunities for practice, rather than simply stating rules. It's important to acknowledge that children's initial understanding of fairness is often egocentric and based on equality, and to gently guide them toward more nuanced concepts of equity and need.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of fairness by participating thoughtfully in discussions and activities, showing empathy towards peers, and attempting to share resources equitably or based on need. They will begin to articulate their reasoning when faced with fairness dilemmas.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Scenario Sorting activity, watch for students who consistently label scenarios as 'unfair' simply because they don't receive the most items, indicating a focus on equality over equity.

  Redirect by asking students to consider if everyone in the scenario has what they *need* to participate, not just the same amount, using the picture cards as a visual aid.

• During the Sharing Circle, observe if students hoard the 'talking stick' or resist passing it, showing a fear of losing access or control.

  Reinforce that sharing the object is temporary and helps everyone have a turn to speak; model quick, positive turn-taking and praise students who share readily.

• In the Resource Allocation Challenge, notice if students grab all the materials or refuse to share, demonstrating a belief that sharing leads to personal loss.

  Guide students to negotiate sharing strategies, emphasizing that by collaborating and sharing, the group can build something bigger or better than any one person could alone.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play