Lesson
2
:

Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text

Grade

Grade 3

UNIT

7

Fairness

Last Updated:

June 5, 2025

In Unit 7, Lesson 2, “Learning Fairness from a Nonfiction Text,” students will learn an example of fairness from the life of a real person. By independently reading a nonfiction text, students will develop their reading comprehension skills. Finally, students will create sentences that demonstrate their reading comprehension and share their sentences with a partner.

SUGGESTED TIME:

20 minutes

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Read a nonfiction text independently to develop reading comprehension skills
  • Demonstrate understanding of the main idea of a nonfiction text
  • 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.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2

Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including history/social studies, science, and technical texts, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.C

Decode multisyllable words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.D

Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.D

Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B

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.3.1.C

Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D

Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D

Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3

Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6

Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2

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

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

Moral Character A3

Understand and explain the expression “I have the courage to stand up for what is wrong or unfair”

Moral Character B3

Provide an example of a friend or role model who “stood up” for what he or she thought was wrong or unfair

Civic Character A1

Understand the idea of fairness and the consequences of not being fair, as it relates to breaking rules, playing favorites, or taking advantage of others

Civic Character A4

Explain why it is important for everyone to serve and contribute to their family, school, community, nation, globally

Civic Character B1

Describe how a role model exemplifies fairness

Civic Character B6

Describe how a role model volunteers and contributes to the common good

Social-Awareness A2

Describe how a person will likely feel when being bullied or left out of an activity or group

Social-Awareness A3

Recognize examples of stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice

LESSON PROCEDURE

  1. Play the video Black History for Students | Carter G Woodson Biography | Father of Black History Month by Educational Videos for Students (~3 min)
  2. Have students read the nonfiction text on the worksheet, quietly to themselves. Circle the room to support the students. 
  3. Have students write the answers to the worksheet questions.
  4. Have students share their answers with a partner.

GRADE 3 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: CARTER G. WOODSON’S FAIRNESS

Born in 1875 in Virginia, Carter G. Woodson worked many jobs, including sharecropping and mining, during his childhood to help support his large family. He graduated from high school in only two years. Carter became the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He worked hard and published many books. He also became a professor at Howard University.

Carter saw that the history of African Americans had been left out of the history books. He wanted American history to be fair and include African American history. In February 1926, Woodson sent out a press release about the first Negro History Week. Woodson never viewed the study of Black History as something that could be taught in only one week. In 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the first Negro History Week, there was an official shift to a month-long celebration of Black History that continues today.

Source: Pruitt, Sarah. “Carter G. Woodson: The Man Behind Black History Month.” Updated January 22, 2024. Originally published February 2, 2017.  https://www.history.com/news/the-man-behind-black-history-month

ACTIVITY:

  1. What did Carter G. Woodson do that was special for his time? 

  1. How did Carter G. Woodson show fairness? 

  1. Look at the National Archives website, People in Black History. Choose one person who interests you. Explain one thing they did and explain why you find the person interesting. 

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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