What pupils understand by the term ‘fair’ and how developed their understanding of justice is. Do they think injustice is inevitable?
What do I need?
An opinion scale:
very unfair
unfair
neither
fair
very fair
Cards with a selection of the following statements, one statement per card:
Prizes are given to the children who work hardest
The teachers spends an equal amount of time with each child
Rich people have bigger carbon footprints
Many children work on cocoa plantations as slaves
Prizes are given to the children who run fastest
All the money in the world is shared out equally
Rich people can pay for better health care
Children working on cocoa plantations have never tasted chocolate
Prizes are given to the children who are cleverest
Children bring all their toys to school. These are then shared out equally
The Chief Executive of Nestle earns £8 million per year
In Britain we eat on average 11 kg of chocolate each year.
All children get the same grade for their work
Some people are luckier than others
Life expectancy in Ghana is 64 years and 80 years in the UK
Many cocoa plantation workers earn less than 6p per hour
Some poor people work harder than some rich people
What do I do?
Timing: 10 minutes plus discussion
With pupils in groups, ask them to place the statements you have chosen on the opinion scale.
Listen carefully to their discussion and justification for their choices.
Take photos to record where they have placed each statement.
How do I analyse the results?
Looking at the photos, use the following to give each statement a score: very unfair (1), quite unfair (2), nether fair nor unfair (3), quite fair (4), very fair (5).
Do pupils’ discussions and justifications correspond to where they agree to place the statements?
To what extent is there a difference between how pupils respond to more and less familiar situations? Which statements have the highest and lowest scores? Do any patterns emerge?
How do I measure the change?
Repeat the activity using a different selection of statements. Compare the Do pupils’ responses suggest they think ‘fair’ means the same as ‘equal’?
Look for evidence that pupils are more comfortable with the concepts and language of “rights” and “justice”.
Are pupils now more prepared to express ideas about how unfairness can be reduced?
To what extent do they show a willingness to take action, or do their responses suggest they believe injustice to be inevitable?
What pupils think and know about actions they can take to make the world a more just and sustainable place
What do I need?
Blank sheets of A3 paper, one for each group
A pen for each pupil
What do I do?
Timing: 5 minutes
With the pupils in groups, ask them to respond to the question: How can I make the world a better place? by writing their ideas on the blank A3 sheet
Younger pupils may need support with writing down responses; if so record responses yourself or ask colleagues or volunteers to be note takers
How do I analyse the results?
Classify the comments into the appropriate section of the table as shown below e.g. these comments would be classified as follows:
stop dropping litter in the playground = sustainability + local
stop climate change = sustainability + global
give money to a local homeless shelter = social justice + local
buy fair trade = social justice + global
Some comments, such as: Say no to plastic bags could be classified as local or global, so if you are supervising the activity ask the pupil to explain. If you are analysing written responses, decide how to classify and make a note so that you can be consistent when you repeat the activity
Look for pupils’ ability to recognise the impact of their lives on people and the planet
Determine the extent to which pupils show an understanding of appropriate actions relating to both social justice and sustainability, and between local and global actions
Are pupils aware that they can work together to achieve change, or that they can join wider campaigns?
Sustainability
Social justice
Local
Global
How do I measure the change?
Repeat the activity in exactly the same way and compare the initial and follow-up responses
Look for increased understanding of the impact of individual and collective actions
Look for a greater balance between responses relating to social justice and sustainability, and between local and global actions
What do I want to find out? To what extent pupils understand their potential power as consumers and as agents for change – individually or as part of a bigger group; whether they consider the consequences of their actions and whether they are motivated enough by injustice to take action.
A photo of the producer of a product that the pupils consume e.g. Jean Baptiste harvesting cocoa pods, or the Indonesian eyelash workers.
Cards with choices for action – one set for each group.
A sheet of sticky dots.
Nine year old Jean Baptiste carrying sacks of cocoa pods weighing approx 30 kg on his father’s plantation on the outskirts of the village Sinikosson, Cote d’Ivoire. He doesn’t attend school; work begins at 8.00am and involves cutting fruit off the trees with a machete and removing the beans. The family has no other source of income. Jean Baptiste has no idea what happens to the beans.
Choices for action cards: Cocoa
Sponsor a child
Nothing I can do will make a difference
Ask my local shop to stock more Fair Trade chocolate
Buy Fair Trade chocolate more often
Participate in the Send My Friend to School campaign for free primary education for all children
Write to a chocolate company saying I want them to use only Fair Trade cocoa and sugar
Join an organisation campaigning against slavery
Persuade my school to become a Fair Trade school, or your town to become a Fair Trade town
These women in Indonesia make false eyelashes for the European and US markets. Some women work in factories where they can earn about 4p per pair, others like Friti aged 20, are homeworkers, juggling child care and work, and earning about 1p per pair.
Child entertainers
Caption
This 3 year old girl, is the sole earner in her family, entertaining tourists at a beach café in Goa. Her younger sister is being trained up to take over when she is ‘too old’; at around 5-6years she won’t be appealing enough to earn money.
It raises questions about responses to child labour – children working in family businesses, child entertainers (e.g. Shirley Temple), the right to play and to education, at what age should children be permitted to work, the responsibility of the tourists she entertains, the trade union of child labourers campaigning for the right to work (in Bolivia).
With pupils in groups of four or five, show the chosen photograph and caption
Firstly ask each group to rank the choices for action in response to the question “What would make most difference?”
Secondly ask the pupils to respond to the question “Which am I most likely to do?” by putting stickers on the cards showing actions they would take (prompts could be: Which can you do on your own? Which can you do with others?) Don’t restrict the number of stickers per pupil and if possible ask a note taker to capture the discussion.
How do I analyse the results?
Collate the ranking for each choice for action, tally the number of stickers on each. Review any discussion notes.
Is there evidence from this and from discussions that pupils consider the consequences of their choices for action? For example putting low-paid workers out of a job is unlikely to be the best option for them, whereas sustained lobbying of retailers for better working conditions can have an impact.
Examine the number of stickers on each action card. Are pupils more likely to take some actions than others? If so discuss with them why this might be and explore possible actions through your teaching.
Look for evidence that pupils have been motivated to take action already.
Pupils can research appropriate responses to injustices in the supply chain for a wide range of products, and discover how historical campaigns have made a difference to living and working conditions around the world.
How do I measure the change?
Repeat the ranking activity using an alternative image and action cards and compare the results.
As the follow up ask pupils to respond with stickers to the question “What have I done?” (On your own? With others?)
Look for increased awareness of the consequences of their choices for action on the producer.
Look for increased willingness to take action in support of social justice.
What pupils know and think about the causes and consequences of hunger around the world and what can be done about it.
What do I need?
Nine opaque pots with lids, each with a hole big enough for a bean to pass through.
A bowl of beans.
A sheet to record the number of beans placed in each pot.
Nine cards showing possible reasons why people may be hungry. Choose from the following cards or create your own. You may prefer to use the terminology Majority World/poor countries, or Minority World/rich countries.
There are too many people
People can’t grow enough food because of wars
People in rich countries don’t give enough in aid or charity
The international trading system is unfair to poor countries
Food grown on the best farmland in poor countries is sold to rich countries
Climate change means floods or drought in poor countries
Corruption and bad government in poor countries
People are too poor to buy enough food
People in poor countries are not paid enough for what they grow
People in rich countries want to pay less for the things they buy, so wages in poor countries stay low
Many big companies don’t pay the taxes they should in poor countries
Farmers in poor countries don’t use new ways of growing more food
None of these
I don’t know
What do I do?
Timing: 10 minutes
Arrange the nine cards beside the nine pots.
With the pupils in groups, give each of them three beans to vote for their preferred answers. Ask them why they think people are hungry.
Explain they can vote for three different reasons, putting one bean in each of three pots, or two and one, or put all three beans in one pot.
Read each label out and clarify what it means, this allows pupils time to consider how they want to vote.
When they have each decided pupils should vote, putting their beans into the pots at the same time, to minimise influencing each other.
Pupils count the beans in each pot and record the numbers.
Keep a record of the scores and any explanations or comments.
How do I analyse the results?
Collate the results: add up the scores from the whole class and work out the percentage of votes for each reason.
Consider the explanations and comments. Is there a prevailing view?
To what extent are overpopulation, poverty and fall in charitable giving blamed as causes of hunger?
Is it assumed that hunger only exists in the Majority World? Is hunger in the UK and Europe viewed differently from hunger in Africa for example?
How do I measure the change?
When you repeat the activity in exactly the same way at least a year later, pupils can compare the two sets of responses, look for change and think about what influenced that change.
Look for a decrease in responses blaming overpopulation, corruption and lack of aid.
Look for a corresponding increased awareness of interdependence e.g. the extent to which we depend on imported food and eat food grown in countries in the Majority World where people are malnourished.
To what extent do pupils show an understanding of the barriers to international trade in food, and appreciate that some Minority World countries subsidise their food exports, which makes it harder for Majority World countries to compete.
What do I want to find out?
Pupils’ attitudes towards poverty, its causes and consequences, and whether it is inevitable.
What do I need?
Seven opaque pots with lids, each with a hole big enough for a bean to pass through.
A bowl of beans.
A sheet to record the number of beans placed in each pot.
The seven labels below, stating possible reasons for poverty.
not very clever
unlucky
not fair
don’t know
it’s just like that
none of these
lazy
These labels are based on terms used in the British and European Social Attitudes Surveys, but have been adapted for age suitability where necessary:
ignorance = not very clever
injustice = not fair
inevitable = it’s just like that
You might choose to use the original terms for older pupils.
What do I do?
Timing: 10 minutes
Arrange the seven cards beside the seven pots.
With the pupils in groups, give each of them three beans to vote for their preferred answers. Ask them why they think people are poor.
Explain they can vote for three different reasons, putting one bean in each of three pots, or two and one, or put all three beans in one pot.
Read each label out and clarify what it means, this allows pupils time to consider how they want to vote.
When they have each decided pupils should vote, putting their beans into the pots at the same time, to minimise influencing each other.
Pupils count the beans in each pot and recorded the numbers.
Keep a record of the scores and any explanations or comments.
The most popular responses are identified and comments noted e.g. what do we mean by not fair? If there are votes for ‘None of these’ ask what alternative answers could have been available.
Explore how pupils’ responses compare to those from the adult national survey, and think about why there are similarities or differences.
How do I analyse the results?
Collate the results: add up the scores from the whole class and work out the percentage of votes for each reason. Does a pattern emerge?
Consider the explanations and comments, is there a prevailing view?
Do words and phrases currently used in the media appear? (e.g. skivers, scroungers).
Is it assumed that poverty only exists in the Majority World? Or is poverty in the UK and Europe viewed differently from poverty in Africa for example.
Are there deserving and undeserving poor?
During the teaching that follows, discuss with pupils the appropriate responses to poverty – is it the responsibility of governments, faith groups or charities to take action against poverty? Do we as individuals or school communities have a role in causing or contributing to poverty, through low wages or climate change?
How do I measure the change?
When you repeat the activity, at least a year later, pupils can compare the two sets of responses, look for change and think about what brought about that change.
Look for an increasing awareness of what we can do to make a difference in preventing and responding to poverty e.g. through food banks, Fair Trade, reducing carbon emissions, lobbying and campaigning.
Look for evidence of a decrease in the belief that poverty is inevitable, or the fault of the individual, or responses that they don’t know why people are poor.
Discover pupils’ attitudes and understanding in relation to charitable activities. Are they able to critically evaluate charitable activities, in which they themselves may have made a significant investment?
What do I need?
Six examples of promotional materials for charitable activities used in schools, six of each.
Ensure you have a range from across these sorts of categories:
Donating money to a charity of choice
Donating new or used items to an overseas charity
Sponsoring a child
A letter writing campaign for human rights (for example, Amnesty International)
Donating money for an item that a community needs (for example, ‘give a goat’)
A global campaign on the causes of poverty (for example Send My Friend to School
Raise money to reduce carbon emissions (for example to install solar panels in the school)
Donating time to a local charity
Raise money for a link community (for example to install water pumps or build a new classroom)
A microfinance or microcredit scheme
A global debt campaign
A modern day slavery campaign
A social media campaign, gathering ‘likes’ to raise awareness
A set of numbered cards from 0 to 10
What do I do?
Timing: 30 minutes
With pupils in small groups, ask them to rank the appeals on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst charity appeal and 10 is the best charity appeal.
Ask them to write down all the reasons that the group give for their choices, even if they don’t all agree with one another.
Ask them to keep negotiating until they do reach a consensus.
Record the scores and gather up their justifications.
How do I analyse the results?
Look at the pupils’ criteria for deciding which is best and which is worst.
Note whether they are considering impact on poverty, how engaging or enjoyable the appeal or activity is, or are they considering its educational benefit?
Note whether pupils are able and willing to critically evaluate their own engagement with charitable activities. Do they recognise that the charitable activities they engage with may not be the most impactful?
It is important to acknowledge that there may be a conflict between pupils’ personal experience of appeals, how much they enjoyed it, how good it made them feel, particularly where they have invested heavily in time and effort, and the extent of benefit to recipients, or the extent to which it challenges or reinforces existing power relationships.
Pay particular attention to the extent to which pupils are able to make the link between their own lifestyles eg carbon emissions, and victims of extreme weather events, or buying low cost fast fashion here and harsh working conditions in producer communities.
How do I measure the change?
After your teaching intervention, repeat the activity giving the pupils two criteria for considering the charitable appeals. Ask them to re-evaluate them in terms of a) impact on poverty, which will make the most difference to the most people? b) educational benefit, does the activity teach you anything new about the situation you are raising money for?
Ask pupils to compare the scores and reflect on any differences. Has an appeal that scored highly before now moved further down, or vice versa?
Ask pupils to review the scores and reasons they gave and consider whether they now feel differently about them in the light of your teaching.
Look for a change in pupils’ ability to critically evaluate the charitable activities. Are they more able to discuss pros and cons of each, are they aware of wider implications of some charitable appeals, for example religious affiliations of some organisations? Do pupils talk about the impact of the Minority World in causing or perpetuating poverty?
Look for a shift of charitable activities that are focussed on social justice, solving the causes of poverty and on global action taking have become more popular as a result of your teaching. Are pupils moving from a sense of pity for others and distance from the problem, to a sense of connection with others and awareness of complicity with the problem, and a stronger awareness of campaigns for justice?
Note whether pupils are more likely to join a campaign for justice, and whether they can name any others that are not part of the activity.
Explore what pupils think about charity locally and globally, and their attitudes towards different approaches to poverty alleviation. Find out whether pupils feel they have a responsibility to participate and to what extent they are able to critically evaluate options for charitable giving.
What do I need?
Four opaque ‘ballot’ boxes labelled local, national, international, not sure.
One piece of paper per pupil.
What do I do?
Ask the pupils the following questions: “Which are you more likely to donate to – a local charity, a national charity or international charity, or are you not sure?”
Ask the pupils to write their answer on a piece of paper with the reason for their choice and why they did not choose the other options. They should drop it into the appropriate box.
How do I analyse the results?
Count the number of votes for each selection.
Notice what the balance is between local, national and international. Are pupils more likely to favour local charities?
Examine their reasons for their choices, are there stereotyped ideas expressed? Do they have negative or positive feelings about charity?
To what extent do pupils feel a responsibility to act to prevent deeper problems or conflict, or to prevent abuses of human rights?
In the ‘not sure’ category, look for examples of critical thinking. Are there any comments that ask for more information before making a choice?
Note what examples of critical thinking pupils express through their reasons.
How do I measure the change?
Depending on the time between each audit, you can repeat the activity exactly, or use the following alternative activity which explores the same issues.
Show pupils contrasting images of charity appeals. Choose your contrast from:
Local (specific to your community) vs global (universal issue),
Minority World vs Majority World,
Social issue (hunger) vs environmental issue (species extinction),
Natural disaster (hurricane) vs human impact disaster (homelessness).
Ask pupils to write down five words that the appeals make them think of.
Ask pupils which of the pair of contrasting appeals they would choose to donate to and to give reasons to justify their choice.
Record their responses and reasons given.
Note which arguments the pupils give to support their answers. Both positive and negative attitudes towards collections should be recorded. Are pupils able to justify the extent to which they are willing to donate? Are pupils identifying real barriers to donating, or are they expressing apathy or disengagement?
For example “I would not donate because there is nothing in it for me. I have my own problems.” is not the same as “No, I would not donate because I have no money of my own.” or “No, I would not donate because I don´t want to just be a passive donor. I want to help actively.”
Note whether they explain their attitude from a personal perspective (why I can or cannot do certain things), or whether they take a wider perspective (it is necessary to contribute to the solution of other people’s problems by other means than collections)
Observe whether pupils show an increased understanding in the relationship between human behaviour and natural disasters, and the interconnectivity between local and global.
Look for a shift of pupils´ opinions from giving money as a solution to all problems, towards an awareness of campaigns for social justice and the root causes of poverty.
How do I analyse the results?
Analyse if the pupils think about the collections in a positive way, if they trust them (or consider them to be fraudulent), which beneficiary they relate to the collections most often (sick and disabled people, homeless people, help to disaster areas, victims of war).
Where pupils discuss the arguments in favour or against these charity collections, it is important to analyse the justifications from these perspectives:
Activity of the pupil (degree of proactivity in dealing with their own problems and the problems at local and global levels)
they explain their attitude from a personal perspective (why I can or cannot do certain things, why I can or cannot contribute to the solution)
They take a wider perspective (it is necessary to contribute to the solution of other people problems by other means than collections, for example these pupils will realise that there is a relationship between their behaviour and the climate change that results in devastating floodsor what should the state provide out of taxation and what should be the voluntary contribution of concerned individuals?).
To what extent pupils hold stereotypical ideas about gender and how they relate that to behaviour and activities for children.
What do I need?
A set of cards with names or pictures of the following toys: Alternatively you can use real toys.
baby doll, ball, computer game, construction set, cuddly toy, dinosaurs, Doctor’s kit, dressing up clothes, face paint, play kitchen, play people, tool set, toy sword, tractor
A large piece of paper with a Venn diagram drawn on it, or two hoops.
A recording template.
What do I do?
Timing: 10 minutes
Arrange the cards or toys where everyone can see them. This activity can be done with a group or as a whole class.
Ask: Which toys are for girls, which toys are for boys and which are for both?
Ask pupils to place the toys into the Venn diagram according to whether they decide that the toy is only for girls, only for boys, or for both girls and boys. This can be done on an interactive whiteboard if working with the whole class at once.
For each choice, ask does everyone agree? Why is this toy only for girls? Could a boy play with this toy?
Record all responses. Where pupils are unable to reach a consensus, record on the sheet the number of pupils that place the toy in the column for girls, in the column for boys, or in the shared column.
How do I analyse the results?
Look at the balance of responses for each toy. Do pupils conform to gendered toy choices, or are there responses evenly spread?
Note down any comments that pupils make in criticism of the activity, for example, do they refuse to choose and respond by saying that any child can play with any toy?
Note whether pupils are questioning, whether they change their mind freely or whether they are very certain about their choices.
Record whether pupils assign any qualities or characteristics to children who might play with the toys, (pupils may even use pejorative terms). Is there greater acceptance of girls playing with “boys toys” than of boys playing with “girls toys”?
How do I measure the change?
Depending on the time between each audit, you can repeat the activity exactly, or use an alternative set of toys based on the same criteria.
Alternatively, you can repeat the method using different objects, such as lunch boxes, styles of clothing or footwear or types of story book.
Review the results and compare them to the previous set of data. Positive change will be indicated by an increase in responses in the column for both boys and girls.
Look for changes in certainty, as well as an increase in awareness of freedom of choice.
Look to see if pupils identify stereotypes, or are willing to challenge the views of others.
Explore which characteristics and skills pupils define as typically feminine or typically masculine. What do pupils think are prerequisites for different jobs and do they relate to gender characteristics or skills?
What do I need?
Eight blank A3 sheets of paper with the names of jobs at the top. Choose from:
Blank cards or pieces of paper size A6 and a marker for each pupil.
A recording template for the teacher and for option A you will need eight extra copies for each group of pupils.
A worksheet with overlapping circles (Venn diagrams) for the pupils.
What do I do?
Timing: 30 minutes
This activity has two possible starting points:
Option A:
Divide the pupils into eight groups and give each group one of the A3 sheets and one of the recording templates.
Ask: Who is better predisposed for this job? A man or a woman?
Ask pupils to discuss and record their answers in the first column of the recording sheet.
Option B:
Divide the pupils into eight groups and give each group one of the A3 sheets.
Ask the pupils to make a drawing of a person that has this job.
Ask the pupils for the reasons they drew what they drew. Discuss the details of their drawings with them – what they mean. And finally also why it represents a woman or a man.
With the pupils in pairs or groups of three, hand out four empty cards to each pair/group.
Assign each pair/group one job from the flip chart. The goal is to have two pairs/groups working on the same job.
Ask each pair/group to write down on four cards in big letters two characteristics and two skills that they feel to be necessary for the job. For younger pupils ask What should this person be like? What should this person be able to do? What education or training should this person have?
Ask each pair/group, one by one, to stick their cards on the A3 sheets with the relevant job.
Create a list of all the characteristics and skills that pupils mentioned as important for each job.
Ask pupils to record in Venn diagrams if the characteristics/skills from the list are typical for men, women, or both genders. Pupils should also justify their decisions
Use the recording templates from the website to collect the pupils’ responses. The pupils should write down the skills and characteristics of the people that have the jobs on the A3 paper. Afterwards collate all the responses on a single recording sheet. This will give you an overview of the class as a whole.
How do I analyse the results?
Examine and record what pupils think about jobs that are typically performed by women and those typically performed by men.
Record which characteristics and skills pupils see as typically masculine or typically feminine.
Note what reasons pupils give for attributing characteristics and skills to a particular gender.
How do I measure the change?
Depending on the time between each audit, you can repeat the activity exactly, or use an alternative set of jobs based on the same criteria.
Look for the extent of change in gender stereotyping shown between the two activities.
To what extent do pupils question the activity itself or challenge any stereotyped views expressed by their peers?
