ClassX Video Lessons Grade Grade 1 What Is Justice? | Conversations with Children About Being Fair | Circle Time with Khan Academy Kids
Hey there, friends! I’m Caroline from the Khan Academy Kids Team, and I’m so happy to see you at Circle Time. Today, we have some special guests, and we’re going to read a book and do some Show and Tell. If you want to know when the next Circle Time is, make sure to subscribe to our channel, Khan Academy Kids.
Today, I’m here with my friend Sophie. Hi, Sophie!
“Hi Caroline, hi friends! It’s great to be here at Circle Time. How are you all doing? Some of our friends are feeling happy and excited about learning, doing lots of counting and reading. But one of our friends is feeling a little tired, so maybe they need to go to bed early tonight. It’s great to be here with Caroline and Khan Academy Kids.”
Today, we have visitors, Teacher Naomi and Noah, who are here to talk about the word ‘justice’ and being fair. Let’s say hi to Teacher Naomi and Noah!
“Hi Caroline, hi Sophie,” said Naomi and Noah.
Teacher Naomi asked Noah if he had heard the word ‘justice’ before. Noah hadn’t, so Naomi explained that justice is about making the world a better place by being fair. She gave an example: if she had cookies and gave one to Jonah, Noah’s little brother, but not to Noah, that wouldn’t be fair. Justice would mean giving both of them a cookie.
Noah agreed that it wouldn’t be fair if only one person got a cookie. Justice is about everyone getting what they need and being fair to everyone, not just thinking about ourselves.
Naomi explained that understanding justice is important because, as we grow up, we make bigger decisions about fairness. It’s important to care about making the world fair and just for everyone. Even grown-ups sometimes have to say, “Hey, that’s not fair.”
Noah agreed that it’s important to think about what’s fair for everyone, not just ourselves. When everyone gets what they need, everyone can feel happy instead of mad or sad.
Caroline asked friends to share examples of fairness. One friend said it’s fair when everyone shares toys or gets a cookie if they eat all their lunch. Another friend mentioned taking turns doing special jobs at school or home.
Caroline and Sophie also talked about how fairness doesn’t always mean getting the same thing. Sometimes, different people need different things to be fair. For example, if Sophie is cold and Caroline is hot, it wouldn’t be fair to give them both jackets. Instead, Sophie could get a jacket to warm up, and Caroline could get a fan to cool down.
Now, it’s time for a story! The story is called “I’ll Go First” by Cynthia Platt. It’s about Goat, Dog, and Chicken, who live on a farm. Goat always wants to go first in games, which makes Dog and Chicken feel sad. But when Goat learns to take turns, everyone feels happier.
Finally, it’s time for Show and Tell! We have some amazing drawings from our friends Anna Dare, Owen, Jeremy, Carissa, and Nitya. They’ve drawn characters like Cody the bear and Reya. Thank you for sharing your wonderful art with us!
It’s time to say goodbye for now. We’ll see you next time at Circle Time. Thanks for joining us, and remember to be fair and practice justice in your life. Bye from Caroline, Sophie, and the Khan Academy Kids team!
Fairness in Action: Gather a few small items like toys, crayons, or snacks. Ask the children to distribute these items among themselves in a way that feels fair to everyone. Discuss how they decided what was fair and if everyone agreed. Encourage them to think about how they can apply fairness in other situations, like sharing playground equipment or taking turns in games.
Justice Role Play: Create simple scenarios where fairness and justice can be practiced. For example, pretend one child is feeling left out during a game. Ask the children how they can make the situation fair for everyone. Let them act out their solutions and discuss how it felt to make things fair. This helps them understand and practice justice in a fun and engaging way.
Fairness Journal: Encourage the children to keep a “Fairness Journal” for a week. Each day, they can draw or write about a time when they saw or practiced fairness. At the end of the week, have a sharing session where they can talk about their experiences and what they learned about justice and fairness.
