What is Fair Trade? - Lesson 1: Fair and Unfair

Children will find out what fair trade is in contrast to the ways in which traditional trading often traps workers in a cycle of poverty. They will go on to explore ways in which fair trade organisations help not only workers but their local communities too, before thinking about ways in which they can support the fair trade movement.

With lesson plans, slides for the teaching input, differentiated activities and a range of printable resources, this ‘What is Fair Trade?’ scheme will encourage discussion within your class and encourage the children to become more aware of what they buy.

Did you know you can also download this free what is fair trade poster for free?

Children will start this ESR lesson by making some shopping decisions of their own before going on to explore why fair trade is becoming more of an important factor in consumer choice. They will find out what fair trade is and why it is necessary, and what fair trade organisations do to support farmers and workers. In their independent learning, there are a variety of activities to consolidate their understanding of trade, fair trade and the difference between the two.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

What could and couldn’t you eat for breakfast tomorrow if you could only eat foods produced in the UK? This lesson starts by posing this question to your class to help them understand the extent to which we rely on trade for things we consume every day. They will then recap what fair trade is and why fair trade organisations are necessary, before going on to consider the many ways in which they can support fair trade.

This downloadable lesson comes with a lesson plan, a slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.

Children will have the opportunity to plan and carry out a project of their own to help support fair trade products or a fair trade organisation in this final lesson. They will identify that, even though they are children, they have the power to make important changes and that it is their responsibility to make ethical choices if they want to live in a fairer world. After considering different ways in which they can support fair trade, they will then plan and carry out their own project.

This downloadable lesson includes a lesson plan, slideshow presentation and printable teaching resources.