Fair vs. Unfair with Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. day is a wonderful time for counselors to talk with their classes about many important topics such as fairness, equality, peace, and justice. I found these wonderful lesson ideas from Pinterest for my 4th and 5th grade classes! First, I showed this Youtube video clip, "MLK - The King and his Dream." It is only 3 mins and 22 seconds long, and it is a wonderful summary of Martin Luther King Jr. and his valuable work.

Then, I used this wonderful (FREE) activity from Elementary Matters on Teachers Pay Teachers. I divided my room into 3 sections: Fair, Neutral, and Unfair. Then, I read each scenario out and the students moved to the section of the room that best matched their opinion of the statment. Some examples include, "Children who get their work done on time get to play games," "Drivers who drive too fast get speeding tickets," or "Children who raise their hand get called on to answer questions." The students have to think is that fair? unfair? or they aren't sure. Then, I allow 2 people from each group to peacefully debate their opinions, and we discuss the importance of seeking first to understand, then be understand (Habit 4).

This lesson is a fun and interactive way to teach the 7 habits, as well as, to discuss the monumental work of Martin Luther King Jr. Does anyone else have an idea for teaching about Martin Luther King Jr. or fairness? If so, please comment!