Author Study Lesson Plan: Introduction to Ezra Jack Keats
Submitted by: Nicole Calderbank
Grade Levels: K-3
In this lesson plan, which is adaptable for grades K-3, students use BrainPOP Jr. resources to explore the purpose of writing for an audience through a study of author Ezra Jack Keats. Students will become familiar with the parts of a story and compare and contrast books by the same author.
Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments
Grade: 01
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.6
Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
Grade: 01
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.9
Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Grade: 02
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.6
Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.
Grade: 02
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.9
Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.
Grade: 03
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.6
Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Grade: 03
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.9
Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters (e.g., in books from a series)
Grade: 04
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.6
Compare and contrast the point of view from which different stories are narrated, including the difference between first- and third-person narrations.
Grade: 04
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.9
Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.6
Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.9
Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.
Grade: K
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.
Grade: K
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.K.9
With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories.
Grade: 01
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.3
Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
Grade: 02
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.
Grade: 03
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Grade: 04
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Grade: 05
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
Grade: K
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.K.3
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to narrate a single event or several loosely linked events, tell about the events in the order in which they occurred, and provide a reaction to what happened.
Students will:
- Discuss the purpose of writing for an audience by studying author Ezra Jack Keats.
- Become familiar with the parts of a story.
- Compare and contrast books by the same author.
Materials:
- Ezra Jack Keats books: Pet Show, The Snowy Day, Goggles!, Whistle for Willie, Peter's Chair
- Printed image of Ezra Jack Keats on a KWL chart
- Photocopies of the Write About It paper for each student
Vocabulary:
author, illustrator, character, setting
Preparation:
Have a KWL chart ready made with a photograph of Ezra Jack Keats, and a computer set up for viewing BrainPOP Jr.Lesson Procedure:
- Introduce new author study on Ezra Jack Keats.
- Ask if anyone knows anything about Ezra Jack Keats already, and begin to fill in KWL chart.
- Read The Snowy Day with students. Discuss what you learned about the author just from reading this book. As you read, part out different parts of the story (beginning, middle, end).
- Go to the Ezra Jack Keats topic page on BrainPOP Jr.
- Start the movie, and prepare to pause at the first notebook question (Who was Ezra Jack Keats?). Tell students to pay close attention, play the next section, then pause.
- Invite students to turn and talk about what they just learned about EJK. Then have students share as you add notes to KWL chart.
- Continue watching the movie, pausing at the notebook questions to discuss and add notes to the KWL.
- After the movie, review the vocabulary words using the Word Wall.
- Use the Talk About It feature to brainstorm ideas for writing with the class. Model your own story on the board (interactive whiteboards work great!)
- Give each student a piece of BrainPOP Jr. Write About It paper to start writing/drawing their own stories.
