Bibliotherapy Assignment by
David Burden
Objective: The student will understand how
confidence and effort influences achievement.
Issues: Michael, the main character, has to show the
determination, work-ethic, and will to become
the best that he wants to be.
Other Issues: Michael also experiences underachieving, bullying, patience, confidence and
disappointment.
This lesson is intended for:
 4th grade students
 General classroom, with AIG (6 students)
 All races, but can focus on African-American
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8 White boys, 2 Black boys, 3 Hispanic boys = 13 boys
6 White girls, 3 Black girls, 5 Hispanic girls = 14 girls
Focus on boys (sports theme), but appropriate for
both genders
Religion is suggested, but not a part of the theme.
Salt in His Shoes introduces the reader to a young Michael Jordan
who is subject to bullying and underachievement in basketball.
Michael is determined that to be better, he must be taller. His mother
convinces him that patience, prayer, and salt with help him grow.
Michael is proactive as he is patient by practicing.
After a couple of months without an inch of growth, Michael
becomes discouraged that he has not gotten better, because he is not
taller. His father shares words of encouragement that helps Michael
realize his true potential.
Hardcover - Amazon.com: $12.23 + shipping; 32 pages; Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Children's Publishing; 3rd Edition (November 1, 2000);
ISBN-10: 9780689833717; ISBN-13: 978-0689833717
Paperback – Amazon.com: $7.99 + shipping; 32 pages; Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Children's Publishing (November 1, 2003);
ISBN-10: 0689834195; ISBN-13: 978-0689834196
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When Michael does not achieve what he wants at first,
what does he do to change his results?
When you do not do as well as you hope to in school, what
are some things you do or can do to change your results?
Michael shared his frustration of not achieving with his
mother, someone whom he could trust. Who is a person in
your life that you trust and can share your frustrations in
school?
Michael hoped that growing taller would make him a better
basketball player, but what actually did help him become a
better player?
The road to becoming a better player took patience as
Michael continued practicing. What experiences have you
had when you are trying to be better in an area?
Michael experienced a bully that influenced his confidence
in himself at first, but in the end, Michael did not let the
bully affect his confidence. What are some of the influences
that affect your confidence?
Confidence Circle
Provide each child with a sheet of computer paper
for them to either draw or have a picture of
themselves in the middle. They are to then draw a
large circle around themselves. Inside, with their
picture, they are to draw/write influences that
positively affect their confidence. Outside the
circle, they are to draw/write influences that
negatively affect their confidence. Share
Confidence Circle with class about the influences
they want to listen to and those that they can
ignore in order to achieve.
Black History Biographies
Provide biographies (you can find great ones
on edhelper.com) for students to read and
begin to research. In groups of 4, 2 or even
individually, have the student(s) design a miniposter highlighting the achievement of the
individual along with influences both positive
and negative that affected the person on their
road to achievement. Finish by writing a
conclusion or lesson learned that the group can
apply to their lives.
Jordan, D. (2000). Salt in His Shoes. New York, NY.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.