Text Only Cases: Wise Practice Database
(items to be linked by IU in blue)
Case Lesson
Topic: Concept Discovery - Fairness
Persistent Issue: What should society do to promote fairness and justice for people who live within its
jurisdiction?
Central Question: Which of the four river valley civilizations best promoted fairness?
Grade Level: 8th
Case Type: Text Only
Physical Location (URL) of Folder containing Lesson Files:
http://dp.crlt.indiana.edu/textonly/conceptdiscovery-fairness
Existing Location on PIH Network:
General Public Folder - Fairness Concept Lesson
Lesson Summary and Narrative: (extract from materials on PIH Network; use blue for
items IU needs to link)
Lesson Context:
The concept lesson below would follow an introductory grabber lesson framing the
persistent issue. Following the concept lesson, students would examine four ancient
civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China. The unit concludes with a museum
exhibit culminating activity in which students take and defend a position on which
civilization best promoted fairness and justice.
Objectives:
Students will
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define fairness by listing its characteristics.
categorize fairness characteristics into fair/unfair spectrum.
classify modern and historical case studies as more or less fair.
compile class's characteristics of fairness into a single definition.
assess and criticize fairness definition for accuracy and thoroughness.
create an artistic or literary composition that captures all characteristics of
fairness.
Lesson Summary:
This lesson is the second lesson of the unit. It follows the introductory grabber and does
not include any foreshadowing of the culminating activity other than a brief review of the
unit map. Students begin developing a definition of fairness through discussion of
Michael Fay. Fay, an American teenager convicted of vandalism while living in
Singapore, received four lashings with a cane as part of a guilty plea. Discussion focuses
on student perceptions of caning and on the views of participants in the controversy.
After developing an initial definition, students work in pairs to further delineate their
definitions by analyzing non-examples and examples of fairness. Students conclude the
lesson by writing a textual document that concretely captures all aspects of the agreed
upon definition.
Lesson Narrative:
Establishing Purpose (5 minutes)
Teacher reminds students of the unit’s central question: “Which of the four river valley
civilizations best promoted fairness?” If necessary, review the Unit Map. Inform students
that the purpose of the lesson is to help them develop a thorough understanding of the
concept “fairness” so that they can develop a metric by which to judge the actions of
ancient civilizations.
Introducing the Lesson (55 minutes)
Teacher provides students with the excerpted article, “Rough Justice,” discussing
Michael Fay, an American teenager convicted of vandalism while living in Singapore.
The article highlights Fay’s illegal actions and his subsequent sentencing to four lashings
by cane. [Option: For classes with poor reading skills, you may choose to summarize the
story orally being sure to cover the salient points.] After reading the article, lead students
in an initial discussion of the following question: “Was Michael Fay’s punishment fair?”
Ask students to state their thoughts but to also provide clear reasons to support their
decision. As students respond, write their reasons under the headings “Fair” and “Unfair”
as appropriate. Leave room on the board between these lists. A few potential student
responses are listed below with key phrases italicized. In writing students’ responses on
the board, probe students so that arguments are clearly but briefly summarized.
Fair:
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Michael Fay committed a crime and admitted the he did it. He should be punished
so that Singapore maintains a safe society.
Michael Fay received the same punishment that a Singaporean student would
have. It’s only fair that Singapore doesn’t play favorites.
Unfair:
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Michael Fay made a mistake and admitted his guilt. He had to stay in jail for a
little while and he had to pay a fine. That seems like enough punishment.
Michael Fay didn’t even hurt anyone. Sure he damaged some property but that
doesn’t mean that he should get such a harsh punishment.
Inform students that they will extend their understanding of “fairness” by examining the
thoughts of people at the time of the controversy. Quickly divide the class into two
halves. Provide all students with a copy of “Singaporean Perspectives on Michael Fay's
Caning” and “American Perspectives on Michael Fay's Caning” but assign each side of
the room to carefully read only one set of sources. [A coded teacher version of these
perspectives is available by clicking here.] After reading the documents, pose the
question again - “Was Michael Fay’s punishment fair?” Allow one student from the
Singapore side to respond but this time, require them to cite a document source. For
example a student should say, “Look at Source 1. This guy’s the in charge of education.
That means he’s an official in the government. He says that Singapore’s judicial system
is fair because everyone is treated the same.” Allow a student from the American side to
respond. Repeat this process several times until all sources have been cited. Write new
student responses on the board under “Fair” and “Unfair.”
Once all documents have been discussed, review the Fair and Unfair lists on the board.
Clarify any questions students might have. Ask students to write a definition for
“fairness.” Allow 5 to 10 minutes for students to complete this task. Their definition
should consider what it means to be fair and to act fairly. The definition should not be a
re-listing of items on the board, however, but should include the major definitional ideas
related to fairness.
Developing a Fairness Spectrum (10 minutes)
Teacher draws a spectrum on the board with one end connecting the Fair list and one end
connecting the Unfair list. Ask students why a spectrum might prove useful when
comparing the fairness of various actions. [Some actions are more fair than others; a
spectrum let’s you compare them as being more fair or less fair.] Inform them that a
Fairness Spectrum will be used throughout the unit to judge the actions of the ancient
civilizations. Emphasize to students that the definition of fairness produced through the
present lesson will capture the ideal version of fairness but that in real life, actions are not
always clearly fair or clearly unfair. A spectrum can be used to argue whether actions are
more or less fair.
Clarifying the Concept through Examples and Non-examples (50 minutes)
Teacher divides students into mixed ability pairs. Provide pairs with Example #1 which
can be found on the scaffold entitled “Clarifying the Concept - Student Version.” [A
coded teacher version is available by clicking here.] You will want to cut these out prior
to class. Ask students to read through the example and to discuss the accompanying
question. As they discuss, ask students to list reasons on a piece of paper to support their
decision.
After each pair discusses Example #1, hold a class discussion in which students defend
their answers to the question prompt. Probe students’ reasoning so that all aspects of the
concept emerge.
Ask students to apply their emerging definition of Fairness by considering where they
would place Example #1 on the Fairness Spectrum. As a class, have students defend the
position they choose. Be sure to model use of the spectrum and to answer any questions
students might have about it.
Repeat the above process for the remaining three examples found on the scaffold but
direct students to place the example on the Fairness Spectrum prior to discussing each
example as a class. Therefore, in addition to listing reasons for their response to the
question prompt, students should also list reasons for where they placed the example on
the Fairness Spectrum. Make modifications to the Fairness Spectrum and to the class
definition of Fairness as needed.
Closure and Assessment (60 minutes)
Teacher leads students in final discussion of Fairness. To the greatest extent possible,
consensus should be reached on the class’s final definition. Once a final definition
emerges, have students copy it in their notebooks.
An acceptable definition of fairness would include the following principles, although not
necessarily exactly as specified:
1. Fairness requires actions to be free from favor toward only one side.
2. Fairness requires an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper.
3. Fairness requires decision making to be free from dishonesty or self-interest.
o Fairness requires proportionate responses.
4. Fairness requires consideration of the public good, NOT what’s best for the self.
o Fairness requires acceptance of responsibility when a public standard is
unmet.
o Fairness requires consideration of human dignity.
Provide students with the assessment scaffold entitled “Assessing Fairness.” Following
the directions on the handout, assess student understanding of fairness by asking them to
write a narrative story, brief skit, song, poem or other literary creation whose action
concretely captures all aspects of the constructed definition. Review the associated rubric
with students.
Lesson Materials: (list items in order of use here; title clearly; provide electronic copy)
1. Ancient Civilizations Unit Map (.doc)
2. Michael Fay Excerpted Article – “Rough Justice” (.doc)
3. Singaporean Perspectives on Michael Fay (.doc)
4. American Perspectives on Michael Fay (.doc)
5. Coded Perspectives on Michael Fay – Teacher Version (.doc)
6. Clarifying the Concept – Student Version (.doc)
7. Clarifying the Concept – Teacher Version (.doc)
8. Assessing Fairness (.doc)
Student Work Samples: (list items if available; provide electronic version or photo)
N/A
Case Background
Teacher Biography: (cases in which one teacher was main creator: write or extract from
PIH Network)
Jay Howell has been a member of the PIH staff since June 2006. His primary obligations
include assisting in various aspects of the Persistent Issues in History (PIH) summer
seminar, coordinating PIH Lesson Study activities, editing PIH video cases, and various
other curriculum development activities.
Jay graduated from Auburn University with a B.S. degree in Secondary Social Science
Education in 2001 and a Masters in Education in 2008. He is currently completing his
doctoral work at Auburn.
Prior to returning to Auburn, Jay was employed at Eagles Landing High School in
McDonough, Georgia where he taught World History and World Geography for 5 years.
Additional Materials: (link to unit related materials)