What a fairness enquiry is for
Children talk about fairness constantly: who got the bigger piece, whose turn it is, why the rules seem to favour someone. A fairness enquiry turns these everyday complaints into careful thinking about what fairness actually means.
The aim is not to settle on one definition but to help children notice that fairness can mean equal shares, taking turns, meeting needs or rewarding effort, and that these ideas sometimes pull in different directions.
Free activities to download
Ready-to-run EduTrend Contents philosophy enquiry workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each free download includes a step-by-step session plan, facilitator notes, three student worksheets and an assessment checklist. Full 20-week programmes are available in EduStore.
The Last Slice
Primary · Ages 5–7
Foundation · 30 min
Young children solve a sharing problem with real or paper “cake”, then enquire into whether fair always means the same for everyone.
Equal or Fair?
Primary · Ages 8–11
Developing · 45 min
Pupils compare equal shares with shares based on need, using invented scenarios, and enquire into when fairness means treating people differently.
Who Deserves the Prize?
Middle School · Ages 11–13
Intermediate · 50 min
Students rank different ways to award a class prize and enquire into desert, merit and luck.
Punish or Repair?
Middle School · Ages 12–14
Intermediate · 50 min
Students compare punishment and repair responses to an invented school incident and enquire into the purpose of justice.
Behind the Veil
High School · Ages 15–18
Advanced · 60 min
Students use John Rawls’s veil of ignorance to design rules for sharing school resources, then critique the method.
Liked the free activities? Go further with a 20-week programme.
Each free activity comes from a full EduTrend Contents programme: a Family Guide or Teacher's Guide with one-page session plans for 20 weeks, plus an Assessment Toolkit with rubrics, trackers and certificates. Choose the one for your child's age or your class below. Instant PDF download after checkout.
P4C-121 · 20 WEEKS · $29
Fair Play Talks at Home
Family · Ages 5–11 with a grown-up
Fairness, sharing and deserving at home.
P4C-122 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Fairness Enquiries Classroom
Primary · Ages 5–11
Class enquiries on equal, fair and deserved.
P4C-123 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Justice Enquiry Lab
Middle school · Ages 11–14
Desert, luck, punishment and repair.
P4C-124 · 20 WEEKS · $45
Justice Enquiry Leaders
High school · Ages 14–18
Lead justice enquiries for younger children.
Photos: Chayene Rafaela, MI PHAM, TopSphere Media, Thomas Delacrétaz, Chidera Faustina Okeke / Unsplash
Fairness and Justice
Explore fairness and justice with five free printable philosophy activities, from sharing the last slice and equal versus fair to deserving a prize, punishment or repair, and the veil of ignorance. For longer learning, choose a 20-week programme for families, primary, middle or high school.
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Fairness and Justice
