Philosophy EthicsTelling Fair from Unfair When We Share
Philo the guide sits cross-legged on a sunny playground, holding a basket of apples and smiling at three children sitting in a circle around them, ready to hand out one apple to each child.
- Identify what it means for something to be fair.
- Explain why equal shares and taking turns make things fair.
- Compare a fair situation and an unfair situation and name the difference.
- Predict how someone might feel when a situation is unfair.
Key terms
- fairness
- Giving everyone the same chance or the same amount so no one is left out.
- equal shares
- When each person gets the same amount of something, like one cookie each.
- taking turns
- Letting each person have a chance one at a time when only one can go.
- unfair
- When one person gets much more or much less than everyone else.
- left out
- The sad feeling you get when others are included but you are not.
Two Ways To Be Fair
Fairness usually shows up in two everyday ways. The first is equal shares: when we split something, each person gets the same amount. The second is taking turns: when only one person can use something at a time, everyone gets a turn one after another. Both ways make sure nobody is left with much more or much less than the others.
The 'How Would I Feel' Test
A simple way to check if something is fair is to imagine you were the other person. Picture yourself getting zero apples while a friend gets five. Would that feel good or bad? If swapping places would feel bad to you, the situation is probably unfair. This test works because fairness is really about treating others the way you would want to be treated.
Feelings Are Clues
When a situation is unfair, people often feel sad, upset, or left out. Those feelings are like little alarm bells telling us that fairness might be missing. If you notice a friend looking left out during a game, that is a clue to stop and check whether everyone is really getting an equal chance, then help make it fair again.
Worked examples
Three friends share 9 stickers. Is it fair?
- First, count the stickers and the friends: 9 stickers and 3 friends.
- Next, check if they can be split equally: 9 divided by 3 is 3 each.
- Then ask the fairness test: would I be happy getting 3 like everyone else?
Answer: It is fair, because each friend gets the same amount — 3 stickers each — and nobody is left out.
One child rides the scooter all recess. Fair?
- Notice that only one scooter exists, so the friends need to take turns.
- See that one child used it the whole time and the others never got a turn.
- Use the test: I would feel sad and left out if I never got a turn.
Answer: It is unfair, because taking turns means everyone should get a chance, and the other children never got one.
Activity
Sort each picture into the Fair pile or the Unfair pile.
Practice
Think of a time at home when you took turns. Why did that feel fair?
Two friends have 10 grapes to share. Describe a fair way to split them.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Fair means I get the mostFair does not mean you win or get the most; it means everyone gets an equal chance or amount.
- A small share is always unfairA small amount can still be fair if everyone gets the same small amount — it is the matching that matters.
Check your understanding
There are 6 grapes and 3 friends. Each friend gets 2 grapes. Is this fair?
Maya always goes first in every game and never lets anyone else go first. Is this fair?
Two children share a box of 8 crayons. One child takes 7 crayons and gives the other child 1. How does the second child probably feel?
Recap
Fairness means everyone gets an equal chance or an equal amount, and it shows up as equal shares and taking turns. When fairness is missing, people feel sad or left out, and we can help by making things equal again.
Reflect
When was a time something felt unfair to you, and what would have made it fair?