Essential Question: What should be the principles of a just society?

What do people mean when they talk about a “just” society? The term implies fairness—but to whom? The people who rule the society? Those who work to keep it alive and flourishing? These questions have been debated by scholars, philosophers, writers, and politicians for hundreds of years—but that doesn’t make them any less relevant to today’s society. Today, students are exposed to any number of fiction or nonfiction narratives of people striving to create what they see as a just society. As students read or watch these stories, they must constantly analyze their themes (or messages) to determine the motivation behind the struggle to develop and uphold a just society.

In this Grade 7 unit, your students will explore the principles of a fair, or just, society from a variety of literary perspectives-- through folktales, short stories, poetry, and excerpts from contemporary novels--as well as through timely nonfiction texts. The unit begins with an excerpt from the informational text Gladiator, which explains why the tradition of the gladiator in ancient Rome began to decline with the rise of Christianity and the spread of social change. This selection is followed by the chilling Shirley Jackson story, “The Lottery,” which contains the important theme of how blindly following tradition can be dangerous, especially when it leads to injustice. Other selections include a true story about the dictatorship in North Korea, an excerpt from a futuristic novel, and an analysis of the United States Constitution and the real meaning behind the three words: “We the People.” Throughout this unit, students will investigate the principles of a just society by exploring different cultures and eras and diverse points of view.