Fun with Character: Fair Does Not Mean Equal

Discuss the difference between being fair and being equal. Bring 3 students to the front of the room. Give the first student 25 pennies (or 2 dimes and a nickel), give the second student 5 nickels, and give the third student a quarter. Instruct the students to hold the coins in their hands so that the rest of the class can see them. Instruct each student to tell how much their coins are worth. Discuss the fact that each student has a different-looking handful, but that they all have the same value. This is the same with people. We may look different, but we all have the same value. When we treat each other with fairness, we are acting with justice.

To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:

• Did an activity with money sound fun?

• Did you immediately understand that the coins had the same value?

• If we treated people who had quarters differently from those who had pennies, would that be fair?

• Do everyone deserve to be treated fairly?

• When you see someone being treated unfairly, will you remember the coins and do the right thing?