Lesson
2
:

Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text

Grade

Grade 2

UNIT

7

Fairness

Last Updated:

June 4, 2025

Unit 7, Lesson 2, “Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text,” reinforces the vocabulary word fairness. Students will learn an example of fairness from a nonfiction text. Additionally, students will practice their reading comprehension skills by reading independently and hearing a reading from the teacher. Finally, students will create their own sentences that demonstrate their reading comprehension.

SUGGESTED TIME:

20 minutes

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Practice reading aloud to a partner to support reading comprehension 
  • Compose sentences that demonstrate comprehension of the word fairness 
  • Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar  
  • Practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

VOCABULARY:

  • Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in.

ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1

Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.2

Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs within the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.6

Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.B

Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.A

Distinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one-syllable words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.C

Decode regularly spelled two-syllable words with long vowels.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.D

Decode words with common prefixes and suffixes.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.E

Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling-sound correspondences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.3.F

Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.A

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.B

Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.2.4.C

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1

Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.A

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1.B

Build on others' talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2

Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.A

Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

Moral Character A5

Understand why caring and being concerned for the well-being of others is a character strength

Civic Character A

Know, understand, and practice the character strengths of fairness, respect, volunteering and contributing to the common good

Civic Character A4

Describe what it means to be a volunteer (at home, school, in the community)

Civic Character B

Apply and demonstrate the character strengths of fairness, respect, volunteering and contributing to the common good

Civic Character B1

Demonstrate the ability to share, take turns and follow rules (of a game, at home or school)

Civic Character B2

Demonstrate the ability to be respectful, courteous and polite

Self-Management A3

Explain the different ways people respond to problems and challenges (e.g., ask for help, try harder, learn from mistakes)

Social-Awareness A

Demonstrate the ability to empathize and take the perspective of others, including demonstrating awareness of cultural differences and respect for human dignity

Social-Awareness A3

Demonstrate the ability to listen carefully and intentionally to others

Social-Awareness A6

Be able to tell stories and listen to stories told by others

Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills 1

Initiate and engage in conversation and social interactions with classmates, peers, and adults

Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills 7

Play games and appropriately participate in small group classroom activities

Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making 1

Describe a rule or principle that everyone should strive to live by (e.g., be kind, be honest, try your best)

LESSON PROCEDURE

  1. Tell the students that we will have a class scavenger hunt to learn about fairness. 
  2. Tell them that there are (give them the number) of prizes hidden throughout our classroom. Give them 10 minutes to find the prizes and put them on their desks once they find them.
  3. When the 10 minutes have passed, ask the students if how the prizes are distributed now is fair. 
  4. Tell them that we need to find a way to divide the prizes fairly. Does anyone have any ideas? Give the students some time to figure out how to divide them evenly.
  5. Let’s continue to learn about fairness. 
  6. Play the video: Gail Johnson Honors Adopted Son Nkosi by ABC News (~3 min)
  7. Have students read the nonfiction text on their worksheets independently, quietly to themselves. Circle the room to support the students.
  8. After giving the students 10 minutes to practice reading, then read the text aloud to the whole class.
  9. Have students answer the questions on the worksheet. 
  10. Have students take turns sharing their sentences with a partner.

GRADE 2 UNIT 7 WORKSHEET 2: LEARNING FAIRNESS FROM A NONFICTION TEXT

Fairness: I treat everyone the same. If someone has been left out, I bring them in.

NONFICTION TEXT: NKOSI’S FAIRNESS

Nkosi Johnson was born in 1989 in South Africa. His mother had a virus called HIV and passed that virus to him when he was still in the womb. HIV is a virus that weakens your immune system. The final stage of HIV is called AIDS. At that time, many people in South Africa had HIV and AIDS. People were afraid of HIV and AIDS, even though you cannot catch it from being around another person. 

In 1997, Nkosi’s mother tried to enroll him in school. When the boy’s HIV status was discovered, many teachers and parents did not want him to attend. Half of them said he should be able to attend and the other half said that he should not. His mother fought to get a new law passed to allow children with HIV to go to school. 

Nkosi helped children with HIV and AIDS to be treated with fairness. His big moment came in July 2000, when he spoke at the 13th International AIDS Conference. A tiny figure in a suit and sneakers, 11-year-old Nkosi spoke to 10,000 people.

“Care for us and accept us – we are all human beings,” he said. “We are normal. We have hands. We have feet. We can walk, we can talk, we have needs just like everyone else. Don’t be afraid of us – we are all the same.”

Nkosi passed away in 2001. Part of him lives on through Nkosi’s Haven, which houses and supports HIV-positive mothers and children.

Source: https://nkosishaven.org/nkosi-johnsons-history/ 

ACTIVITY: 

Write 1 sentence that explains how Nkosi showed fairness:

How do you think Nkosi’s fairness made a difference for other kids? 

Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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