Fair Or Foul?

Today I'm thinking about the difference between equity and equality, because equal doesn't always mean fair! I think my favorite description of fair has to do with leveling the playing field. Fairness is all about meeting people where they are, giving them what they need when they need it. 

That's why we differentiate instruction in education. 

To meet individual needs. 

To give everyone a fair chance.

Some of my favorite books to 

help students understand fairness include:

It's Not Fair by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Rotten And Rascal by Paul Geraghty

Mine! by Kevin Luthardt

Squirrel's New Year's Resolution by Pat Miller

Share With Brother by Steven Layne

Read these books, then follow up by comparing and contrasting them on a double bubble map or H-map graphic organizer. 

Or play a game of Fair Or Foul? 

Ask kids to identify whether or not the following scenarios would hit a fair ball or a foul ball in the game of life. If foul, have students explain 

how they would make the situation fair.

1. You use your mom's educator discount card 

at a book store to buy a book that's not for school.

2. You let your friend cut in front of you in a long line 

to buy tickets for a concert you're both eager to see.

3. You only share with kids who live on your street.

4. You take the last cookie from the cookie jar and 

you don't share it with your sister.

5. You take a soccer ball out to recess so that 

you get to decide who gets to play with it.

6. You don't like the center that you're assigned to today, 

so you trade clips with your friend when nobody's looking.

7. The boy with emotional difficulties in your class 

always gets to be the line leader. 

8. You see your friend take something 

that doesn't belong to her and you don't say anything.

9. You save a seat for the new kid at lunch.

10. You don't know the answer to a question on your homework, 

so your friend gives you her paper to copy.

What other scenarios might you use for this riveting game?