This is my third year using the Daily 5 framework, and this is one of my favorite beginning of the year lessons. After I get all of their initial assessments done (and man, are there a TON!), we sit in a large circle and we talk about our shoes. It seems super funny to them that this is the reason I have called a group meeting, but they roll with it.
We talk about how well our shoes fit us, how we go to the store and measure our foot to be sure it fits just right. Then, once we have our shoes, we are able to do so many great things! Run, jump, hop skip, etc. We also talk about how there are different shoes for different types of performance: running, tennis, basketball, baseball, and all the other sports.
We demonstrate how my shoes do not fit a child's foot, how their shoes do not fit my foot, how my husband's hunting boots are way too big for me and are not a good fit for running around playing soccer, and even our principal's work shoes are not a good fit for me or the kids! Unless we had our own shoes chosen specifically for us, it was hard to do what we needed and wanted to do. To get the job done right, we needed our own shoes!
This leads into a great conversation about how we just completed running records and now we know everyone's individual level and that when we look for books at school we will choose books for various purposes: interest, topic/research, and readability for independent reading practice. Like shoes, books also come in a variety of sizes. Some are thick, some are thin, some have no words, some have lots of words. Some books have big words, some books have smaller, easier to read words.
I convey to the class that when we focus on choosing books that will help us become better readers, it is important that we find a good fit for each child (reading level). What is good for one person is not necessarily a good fit for someone else - and that's okay! We are all here to grow and learn together, but at our own pace. This really sets a positive tone for acceptance and tolerance for a wide range of reading abilities. We reference the shoe lesson throughout the year - especially when some readers get anxious for chapter books and they've got a bit of growing to do. I monitor my students' reading levels monthly so that they can continue to see their growth and be sure to move up levels if they are ready.
If you haven't checked out the Daily 5 & CAFE books, you should give them a try! At the very least, a lesson like this will fit any classroom and your students will definitely be giggling!!
Happy Reading!
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