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THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'

Well, that is not exactly how this story goes. This size 22 shoe has done far more than just a little walkin'.

by Dee Steever

"Holy Smokes, I could put both my feet in it!" "That's even bigger than my Dad's foot!" "I can't even believe it's real!" First graders were totally flabbergasted by the sheer size of the size 22 "Shaq Shoe".

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"Holy Smokes, I could put both my feet in it!" "That's even bigger than my Dad's foot!" "I can't even believe it's real!" First graders were totally flabbergasted by the sheer size of the size 22 "Shaq Shoe".

Family friends of Dee Steever shared with her last summer that they had won a drawing where the grand prize was a shoe owned by Shaquille O'Neal...better known as Shaq!

Mrs. Steever wanted to figure out a way to incorporate such a "treasure" in her curriculum and she knew that next spring when her first graders started studying measurement there would be the perfect opportunity to show the "Shaq Shoe" and do some authentic teaching

First graders were awed and amazed at a size 22 shoe that was nearly as long as their leg.

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First graders were awed and amazed at a size 22 shoe that was nearly as long as their leg.

So, sure enough as the first graders started their unit on measurement and hooked it up with a story called, "How Big is a Foot?" by Rolf Myller the learning started flowing.  But her enthusiasm didn't stay in the classroom as it leaked down the hallway, as she shared the shoe with some high school teachers, administrators, high school students and other elementary classes.

Julie Goertzen's class had finished reading the book, "Holes" and it also had a connection to famous shoes so Mrs. Steever did a mini presentation with the huge shoe.  Diane Crouch, a third grade teacher, right away sought a time with Mrs. Steever to share the "Shaq Shoe" with her kids as she had the perfect "teachable moment" that would enrich her teaching beautifully.

Dee Steever was told that Shaq buys a pair of shoes, size 22, for around $300 and she researched further and found out that to buy a single shoe like what her friends had lent her, would cost around $600 on the Internet.

Knowing her limits as far as the school budget goes as well as her personal budget she has opted to just borrow the shoe again next spring when measurement comes around in the first grade classroom.

Shown here is an original Shaquille O'Neal shoe, size 22, won in a drawing and valued at about 0.

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Shown here is an original Shaquille O'Neal shoe, size 22, won in a drawing and valued at about 0.