Teachers, we have students of all socioeconomic backgrounds in our classrooms. I think it is so important to find books that all students can relate to, especially students that might have families struggling financially. Today we are spotlighting the book Those Shoes. It is a great read aloud to help students understand that there are families that cannot afford the same things as everyone else and helps students feel like they are not alone. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team
SUMMARY
Everyone in Jeremy’s class is getting new high-top sneakers, and he really wants a pair. His grandma says the new shoes are a want, not a need. One day at school Jeremy’s shoes fall apart and he must wear an old Velcro pair from the guidance counselor. When he returns to class, everyone except a classmate, Antonio, laughs.
Grandma saved up some money and took Jeremy to the shoe store to see if they had enough money. Unfortunately, they were too expensive so they decide to look at thrift shops. In the window of the third thrift store, Jeremy sees the shoes he wants! When he tries them on, Grandma says they’re too small. Even though they hurt his feet, Jeremy buys them anyway. The shoes are so small they are too uncomfortable to wear. Jeremy notices Antonio’s shoes are falling apart, and smaller than his. He gives Antonio the new pair of shoes he bought that were too small.
USE THIS BOOK TO TEACH:
I try to integrate my read aloud into as many areas as possible. I think this gives students a chance to connect to the text in a variety of ways. Here are some of my ideas for Those Shoes.
- Examine the cause and effect of the characters actions in this story.
- Analyze the characters in this story, how do they feel and how others feel about them.
- Get students writing by having them explain specific events in the story.
- Integrate narrative writing and have students write about their own experiences related to the story.
- Explore different types of sentences and have students practice writing their own.
- Teach students about plural nouns and what they mean.
- Discuss the importance of empathy and why we show it to others.
- Explain what teasing is and the effect it has on our friends.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
NO-PREP PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES:
If you are looking for “ready to go” activities for the first day of school, be sure to check out the book companion. With it you’ll receive all of the following resources to align with this specific book:
- comprehension questions
- 30 writing prompts with themed paper
- vocabulary activities
- word study print & go activities
- ideas for grammar lessons with focus sentence printables
- social emotional learning discussion topics
- graphic organizers to target specific comprehension skills and strategies
We hope these activities make planning and teaching easier for you and engages your students in meaningful read alouds.
GET THE PRINTABLE ACTIVITIES
ADDITIONAL BOOK SUGGESTIONS
You and your students will also love these similar books:
- A Bike Like Sergios by Bob Shea
- A Chair For My Mother by Vera B. Williams
- Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting
- Last Stop On Market Street by Matt de la Pena
TRY OUT A SAMPLE COMPANION
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