Lesson Overview:

This lesson uses the story The Brothers of the Knight to launch an exploration of materials, shoe design, and advertising. Students are given a problem: The characters in the story dance all night and their sneakers are in a pitiful shape. They need to find shoes that won’t wear out. Students examine a variety of shoes in order to identify the materials needed to make a durable dance shoe. They then create a new shoe design. After looking at print ads, students write persuasive copy and draw bold pictures to sell their shoe design.

Length of Lesson:

Two 45-minute periods

Notes:

This lesson is particularly suitable for grades 3-4.

Instructional Objectives:

Students will:

• identify natural and man-made materials used to make shoes.
• create a unique design for a sturdy shoe.
• write a persuasive shoe advertisement.
• design a print ad for the new shoe.

Supplies:

• A variety of print ads with shoes as the focus
• A variety of real shoe types (ask students to bring samples of different kinds)
• White paper for planning
• White lined paper
• pencils
• 15” x 8” tag board
• Markers, crayons, and colored pencils

Instructional Plan:

Warm Up

Ask each student to take off his/her shoe and examine it carefully. Have students write a detailed description of the shoe on a piece of paper or in a journal. Students should include details as about the shoe’s color(s), size, materials, and condition. Information such as where the shoe has been (in mud, on gum, in the dog’s mouth) or how it has worn (the heel is worn down, the sole is coming off, the tread is new) should be included as well. Give students five minutes to complete this task.

Group the students in fours. Compare shoe observations. Each group should note two common and two uncommon things about the shoes in the group. Give the students five minutes for this discussion.

Have groups share observations about the similarities and differences the found among their shoes. Record observations on the board under the following categories: color, size, materials, wear-and-tear, and miscellaneous.

Introductory Activity

Tell students that in the story and in the play, Brothers of the Knight, the boys have such a great time dancing that they wear out their sneakers. The illustrator of the book depicts the boys in hi-top basketball sneakers. (It may help to have the book, a photo, or the real hi-top sneaker in the room.) Ask students what natural materials are used to make this kind of shoe? (Cotton and rubber) What man-made materials are used to make this kind of shoe? (Glue to hold the shoe together and plastic for the eyelets of the laces)

Discuss the materials in the shoes students are wearing. Which are natural materials? Which are man-made? Which combination of materials would make a sturdy shoe? Display different kinds of shoes. Ask students to identify the materials used to make them. Which materials are natural and man-made?

Distribute several pieces of plain white paper, a pencil, and colored pencils to each student. Have each student design a shoe that he/she believes will hold up through a whole night of dancing. Have students list The materials used to create the shoe. Have them add color to the design. Students should save this design for further work.

Guided Activity

Display advertisements for shoes. Ask students:

• What are the ads trying to get you to do? How are they doing it?
• What elements in the pictures and the copy persuade you to want to buy the product?
• Is one kind of ad more/less effective in selling the product to you? Why?
• Look at the text of the advertisement. Are there a lot of descriptive words or is the language simple and direct?
• What are some effective or persuasive words in the copy? (List responses on the board.)
• Which words are not effective in the copy? (List responses on the board.)
• Which words that would be helpful in describing the shoes that you have designed? (List responses on the board.)

Distribute a copy of the Shoe Ad Prompt and Rubric handout to each student, along with lined paper. Read the prompt and review the rubric. Give students 15 minutes to write a first draft of the copy. Pair students and have them exchange first drafts. The partners should read each other’s copy and suggest revisions. Remind students to be kind and supportive in their suggestions. Use language like, “Have you tried…How about…What if you switched…I need more information about…” Each partner should get a five-minute turn being the critic and then the writer. Allow students 10-15 minutes to revise the copy as needed.

Independent Activity

Give each student a new piece of white paper. Have them plan out the design of their print ad for the sturdy shoe, using pencil. Remind them to leave space for the copy.

When preliminary sketches are complete, distribute a piece of 15” x 8” tag board to each student. Make sure that markers, crayons, and colored pencils are available for their use. Beginning in pencil, have students sketch out the design for the print ad on the tag board. A picture and copy are combined on the tag board. Once students are satisfied with their draft, color should be added. Allow students sufficient time to finish a final copy of the print ad. Go over the rubric to make sure all points are covered.

Closure

Create a museum exhibit of the students’ shoe print ads. Arrange shoes by type, such as male/female, color, or casual/dressy. Allow students to tour the display.

Have students return the rubric paper to you for a final grade.

Assessment:

Evaluate whether students have:

• identified natural and man-made materials used in making shoes;
• designed a unique shoe;
• identified materials and colors for the design;
• written persuasive copy for the new shoe design; and
• designed a print ad to sell their shoe that included copy.

Extensions:

Extension 1:

Have students use only natural or man-made materials in their shoe design.

Extension 2:

Conduct the museum walk-about like an art opening; provide juice and cookies or crackers and cheese as students enjoy each other’s work.

Extension 3:

Have students research and report on shoe manufacturing.

Sources:

Print:

• Allen, Debbie. Brothers of the Knight. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1999.
• Rowland-Warne, L. Costume. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993.
• Sichel, Marion. History of Children’s Costume. London: Batsford Academic and Educational Ltd., 1985.
• Yue, Charlotte and David. Shoes—Their History in Words and Pictures. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997.

Authors:

• Mary Beth Bauernschub, Teacher
  Kingsford Elementary School
  Mitchellville, MD