Fairness and Discrimination
Fairness and Discrimination
ACTIVITIES
Fist to five vote
Explain that Discrimination is when a person, or a group of people, is treated unfairly because of their gender, religion, disability, nationality, appearance, or any other factor when compared to other people.
How anxious are you about being discriminated against at school?
1 finger = not at all 5 fingers = very
Left Out Lollipops
Students sit in a circle. Teacher asks students with a specific trait (freckles, black hair, wearing green) to stand up. Teacher gives those students lollipop and gives them permission to eat them if they choose. Those students then return to sitting with their classmates. Start a discussion about how it feels to be left out. Why is this discrimination? How can we handle discrimination when we see it? What can we do to ensure this kind of thing doesn’t happen at our school? When the discussion is over, distribute lollipops to the rest of the students.
QUESTIONS
What does the word “fairness” mean to you? Describe a time when you experienced something that you believed to be fair.
Share a time when you had an experience that felt unfair. How did you know it was unfair? How did it feel?
“Discrimination is when a person, or a group of people, is treated unfairly because of their gender, religion, disability, nationality, appearance, or any other factor when compared to other people.” Share about a time when you noticed any of these kinds of discrimination happening. How did it feel to see? How did you react?
Do you notice discrimination more at home or at school? Share your experience.
Share a time when you felt judged by others. How did it feel? How did you react?
It is important to have at least a handful of people in your support network. Share the names of five adults that you could talk to if you ever felt discriminated against.
Diverse simply means different. Think about the diversity we have in our classroom. Share one thing that makes you unique.
When we’re curious about someone’s uniqueness, share a way that we can get more information.
Discrimination could be saying mean things to someone, leaving someone out of games, blaming or accusing, making fun of someone because of their customs or traditions, language or accent. What are some things you can do to eliminate discrimination?