Fair or Unfair? Let’s Talk About Justice

Grade Level: 3-5

Duration of video 1: 1 minute, 58 seconds

Duration of video 2: 3 minutes, 19 seconds

Duration of video 3: 2 minutes, 27 seconds

Themes: Media literacy • Bystander‑to‑upstander skills • Practical sense of justice as fair action that raises dignity for everyone

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Description:

Students watch three short, familiar movie clips that show examples of fair and unfair behavior. Using a child-friendly Justice Checklist, they decide what makes something fair and discuss how people can act in ways that are kind, safe, and fair for everyone.

• Video 1: Zootopia: Judy & Gideon Fight. HD (1:58)

• Video 2: A Bug’s Life (1998): Flik confronts Hopper (3:19)

• Video 3: Wonder (2017) - My First Friend Scene (3/9) | Movieclips (2:27)

Lesson Plan:

🎯 OBJECTIVES (SWBAT):

• Discuss the difference between fair vs. unfair.

• Read and discuss 10 child-friendly criteria to analyze if a behavior is fair or unfair.

• Analyze the behavior of characters in video clips using these 10 criteria; propose a rewrite that makes a scene fair.

• Suggest fair, kind, and inclusive ways to solve problems.

🧰 MATERIALS:

• Video 1: Zootopia: Judy & Gideon Fight. HD (1:58)

• Video 2: A Bug’s Life (1998): Flik confronts Hopper (3:19)

• Video 3: Wonder (2017) - My First Friend Scene (3/9) | Movieclips (2:27)

• Chart paper/markers (to make 3 3-columned t-chart)

• Student Worksheet 1: Justice Checklist (Printed for each student or digital copy)

• Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair (Printed for each student or digital copy)

📋 LESSON FLOW

1. Hook:

   • Write the words “Fair” and “Not Fair” on the board.

   • Ask students to define what is ‘fair’ and ‘not fair.’

   • Ask: What is a fancy word for ‘fair’ that starts with a letter 'j'? [Answer: Justice.]

   • Write the word “Justice” near the word “Fair” on the board.  Discuss that justice means being fair, kind, safe, and truthful, so life gets better for everyone.  

2. Connection:

   • Say: Today, we are going to learn about what makes something fair or not fair - just or unjust.

   • Hand out Student Worksheet 1: Justice Checklist (Print for each student or digital copy) 

   • Read and Discuss: Student Worksheet 1: Justice Checklist with students. Explain that these are tools to determine if a situation is fair or unfair in stories and in real life.
     

3. Procedure

   Teacher says:

   “Keep your Justice Checklist on your desk while you watch the videos I will show you. Please look for fair and unfair behaviors. We’ll use the checklist to help us decide what we see.”

   
   

4. Watch Video 1: Zootopia: Judy & Gideon Fight. HD (1:58)

   • Ask students:

     • “Which fair or just behaviors did you see in this video?”

     • “Did you see any unfair behaviors? What were they?”

   • Hand out Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair  (Print for each student or digital copy).

   • Teacher models how to answer the questions about Video 1: Zootopia: Judy & Gideon Fight. HD on the Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair.

   • Discuss:

     • “What did Gideon do that was unfair?” (Show students where to write this.)

     • “What did Judy do that shows how important it is to be fair?” (Show students where to write this.)
       

5. Watch Video 2: A Bug’s Life (1998): Flik confronts Hopper (3:19)

   • Tell students:

     Refer to Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair and ask students to check off the Justice Checkpoints (fair behavior) they saw in the video.

   • Tell students to turn-and-talk with a partner and continue to fill out Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair for the questions that have to do with Video 2: A Bug’s Life (1998): Flik confronts Hopper.

     • Reunite class and briefly discuss answers. 
       

6. Watch Video 3: Wonder (2017) - My First Friend Scene (3/9) | Movieclips (2:27)

   • Refer to Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair, and ask students to check off the Justice Checkpoints (fair behavior) they saw in the video.

   • Ask: 

     • “What was the unfair moment?”

     • “What was the fair choice here?"

     • “What would change if more kids acted like this?”

   • Tell students: 

     Turn and talk with a partner and continue to complete Video 3 Wonder (2017) - My First Friend Scene (3/9) | Movieclips section of Student Worksheet 2: Make It Fair with their partner.
     

7. Whole-Class Share:

   • After finishing all three videos, reunite as a class.

   • Ask:

     • “What does standing up look like without put-downs or harm?”

     • “In each movie, did the fair choice make life better for everyone (not just one side)?”

     • “How can you practice what you learned today at recess, lunch, or online?”

   • Encourage students to share at least one example from their worksheet aloud.
     

8. Exit Ticket / Assessment:

   • Ask students to complete this final reflection on an index card to hand in:

     • “Think of one unfair thing you’ve seen at school. Then, describe one fair action you can take to make the situation kind, safe, and fair for everyone.”

     • Extension: Ask students to draw themselves doing a fair action with a peer or family member. Hang up students’ art in the classroom.
       

9. Classroom Signage to Remember and Apply Lesson:

   • Teacher can make a poster of the “Justice Checklist” from Student Worksheet 1: Justice Checklist, have students sign and/or decorate it, and hang it up in the classroom.

   
   

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