Fair vs. Equal: Match the Need – Visual Social Skills Activity

Teach students that fair does not mean the same — it means everyone gets what they need.

This hands-on visual matching activity helps students understand fairness, kindness, and inclusion using real-life situations they recognize from school and everyday life. It is perfect for MLK Day lessons, social-emotional learning, and year-round classroom use.

Students look at a person’s need and match it to the support that helps them succeed. This makes big ideas like equity and fairness concrete, visual, and easy to understand for learners of all abilities.

What’s Included

✔ 12 Match-the-Need cards with text

✔ 12 Match-the-Need cards without text
✔ Support cards
✔ Data collection sheet

Skills This Resource Supports

• Social-emotional learning

• Understanding fairness and inclusion

• Problem solving

• Perspective taking

• Visual discrimination

• Language development

• IEP social skills goals

Perfect For

• Special education classrooms

• Autism support programs

• Life skills rooms

• Inclusion classrooms

• School counseling

• Speech-language therapy

• MLK Day & kindness lessons

How It Works

Students:

1. Look at a picture showing a need

2. Find the matching support

3. Place or glue it together

4. Discuss why it is fair

This activity is ideal for:

• file folders

• task boxes

• small groups

• independent work systems

• SEL centers

Why Teachers Love It

✔ Makes abstract ideas simple
✔ Works for non-readers and AAC users
✔ Builds empathy and kindness
✔ Aligns with MLK Day values
✔ Low prep, high impact

Teacher Tip

Use this activity to introduce:
“Fair is everyone getting what they need.
Equal is everyone getting the same thing.”

This helps students understand differences in a positive, respectful way.

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