Sneaker Nation

Do-Now: Solve a Riddle. (5 minutes)

Post this riddle in your classroom or virtual hangout: My designs have been inspired by various items, from a lawnmower to a black panther. If you hold me up to a blacklight, a secret message might appear. I’m typically released on Saturdays so that kids don’t skip school to buy me. A signed pair of me that was worn by my namesake recently sold at auction for $560,000. What am I? Then reveal the answer: Air Jordans. 

Preview vocabulary. (5 minutes)

Project the Vocabulary Slideshow on your whiteboard, or if you’re remote, share it on your screen. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class or in groups. Optionally, share the slideshow link directly to your LMS and have students preview the words and complete the activity independently. Highlighted words: coveted, endorse, hordes, industry, lucrative, market

“Sneaker Nation”

• Have a volunteer read the As You Read box on page 11 of the magazine or at the top of the digital story page. 
• Read the story once through as a class. Optionally, have students listen to the author read-aloud of the story while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the bottom of the story page in Student View. 
• Divide students into groups to read the story again and respond to the following close-reading questions. Tip: If you’re remote, you can have each group respond in a shared doc or discuss the questions in their own chat room; you can also use the questions as an asynchronous assignment.

Close-Reading Questions (10 minutes)

1. Why did Nike want Michael Jordan to endorse its sneaker line? (inference) Michael Jordan was a superstar athlete—everyone knew his name and couldn’t stop talking about his skills, even after just one year of his playing in the NBA. Nike must have believed that if Jordan wore Nike shoes, all the people who admired and looked up to Jordan would want to wear Nike shoes too. 
2. Mackenzie Carro describes sneakers as a “cultural obsession.” What does she mean? How does she support this idea? (key ideas and details) Carro means that people around the world have come to share an intense passion for sneakers as an important part of their wardrobes and lives. She explains that what was once just a practical item for our feet has become an artform and a hobby, with enthusiasts camping out for sneaker releases and collecting sneakers because of their emotional and monetary value. She also gives examples of how this passion is reflected in various aspects of our culture, such as sports, fashion, and music. 
3. How does the information in the timeline “Sneaker Stories” relate to the rest of the article? (text features) The timeline provides additional details to support a key idea of the article: Over time, sneakers transformed from humble and practical footwear to coveted fashion obsessions.
4. The title of Carro’s article is “Sneaker Nation.” What does this title mean? What factors contributed to the U.S. becoming a “sneaker nation”? (interpreting text, key ideas and details) Carro’s title refers to the power, influence, and status that sneakers have in the United States—in other words, Americans’ love of sneakers. Factors that contributed to Americans’ great love of sneakers include improvements in manufacturing, the development of new kinds of rubber, American workers’ growing time for recreation, new designs, and the sneaker industry’s marketing approach—namely, collaborations with high-profile artists and athletes, especially Michael Jordan. 

“Does He Have the Best Job Ever?”

• Break students into groups again to read and discuss the interview. Ask students to discuss anything in the interview they found interesting or surprising. Invite groups to share their reactions with the class. 
• As a class, discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions, some of which draw on both the article and the interview. 

Close-Reading Questions (3 minutes)

1. Why does Jonathan Guisbert love sneakers? How does this relate to Carro’s article? (synthesis, central ideas) As a kid, Guisbert was inspired by talented basketball players—those in his community and NBA players on TV like Kobe Bryant. Guisbert thought that maybe if he had sneakers like the ones worn by the players he admired, he might be able to play like them. A central idea of Carro’s article is that basketball played a major role in the rise of the sneaker. Another thing Guisbert loves about sneakers is that in his work, he gets to use his imagination and explore completely new and different design ideas every season. Carro’s article explains that sneaker brands are constantly dreaming up new, wide-ranging styles to feed our sneaker obsession. 

Critical-Thinking Questions (5 minutes)

1. Looking at older basketball players, Guisbert wondered, “If I had shoes like them, would I play better?” Do you think shoes can improve someone’s performance? Answers will vary. Students might say that well-designed athletic shoes enhance performance. Students might also say that a shoe can boost your confidence, thereby improving your performance. Other students might say that the shoes you wear can’t actually make you a better player and that too much emphasis—and money—is placed on footwear. 
2. What does what we wear reflect about us as individuals? About our culture? Answers will vary. Students may say that what we wear allows us to express our personalities and communicate ideas—and may project to others where we’re from, how much money we have, and what our values and interests are. 

• Have students complete Preparing to Write: Create a Sneaker (available in your Resources tab). This activity will help them organize their ideas in preparation for the prompt on page 13 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story article. 
• Alternatively, have students choose a culminating task from the Choice Board, which includes a range of ideas and difficulty levels.

Recommended pairings from the Scope archives:

Debate/Scavenger Hunt: “Should Eddie Buy These Sneakers?” (March 2018)

Short Read: “How This Inspired That” (February 2019)