LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Kindergarten Students Learn About Ezra Jack Keats

Students will learn about Ezra Jack Keats using a variety of resources in the media center.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts and Information Skills

By Brittany Basinger, Jenni Conine, and Vickie Mcmillan

About the authors

All 3 authors of this lesson plan teach at Northview Elementary School in Statesville, NC. Jenni & Brittany teach Kindergarten and Vickie is the Librarian.

Learn more

Related pages

  • African Masks (Pre-Visit): This lesson will observe and describe several masks from different parts of Africa housed in the Smithsonian Institute (National Museum of African Art) Washington, D.C. Students will use the internet to view the Smithsonian's virtual exhibits. There are two lessons to follow this pre-visit. In the first, the students will explore African masks at the Ackland Art museum in Chapel Hill. In a culminating activity the students will make their own masks with some personal materials brought from home. (Post-visit activity)

Related topics

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

The students will be able to identify and use various information sources in the media center. (As stated to student: Today we will learn about Ezra Jack Keats using many different resources in the media center.)

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5-8 days

Materials/resources

This lesson is designed to be taught in the media center. The stations were set up in various areas of the library.
Some of the materials needed for the stations are:

  • TV/VCR and an Ezra Jack Keats video
  • construction paper, glue and other art supplies for the winter collage
  • writing paper and pencils
  • various books by Ezra Jack Keats
  • cassette player with 5-6 headphones and an Ezra Jack Keats cassette with several books
  • 5-6 computers with internet access

Technology resources

5 computers with internet access

Pre-activities

Students will have been introduced to Ezra Jack Keats in previous lessons and will be aware that he is an author and illustrator. The classroom teacher and/or media coordinator will have already read and discussed several Keats’ books with the students.

Activities

The Media Coordinator will introduce the following stations and explain what the students will do at each station. The teacher, assistant, media coordinator and any volunteers will circulate to make sure students stay on track. One adult will stay at the computer station.

Stations:

  1. Computer Station: Computers will be open to this web address: http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/. The students will navigate around this official Ezra Jack Keats web site to view his books and illustrations as well as play a matching game.
  2. Video Station:Students will watch an Ezra Jack Keats video at this station. This video dicusses Keats’ methods of illustrations.
  3. Illustration Station:Students will construct a winter collage using “The Snowy Day” as inspiration.
  4. Writing Station:Students will write or dictate a story to go with their winter collage. These pictures will be shared with the entire class later.
  5. Browsing Station:This station will consist of beanbag chairs, pillows and a variety of Ezra Jack Keats’ books. The students will get comfortable and read the book(s) of their choice.
  6. Listening Station:Students will listen to an Ezra Jack Keats’ book on tape using ear phones at this station.

Assessment

The students will demonstrate mastery of the objective by completing the task assigned at each station. The classroom teacher will evaluate work products completed at the stations.

Supplemental information

None

Related websites

The Official Ezra Jack Keats Website
http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/

EZRA JACK KEATS: A Virtual Exhibit
http://www.lib.usm.edu/~degrum/keats/main.html

Ezra Jack Keats Biography
http://www.lib.usm.edu/~degrum/keats/biography.html

Ezra Jack Keats Slideshow created by a first grade class
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/isa/ga_gallery/keats.html

Story about Keats by Amy
http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dcorley/authors/Keats.htm

Comments

The user can add or change stations as needed.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will EXPLORE sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes.
    • Objective 1.01: Participate in read-aloud, storytelling, booktalking, silent and voluntary reading experiences.
    • Objective 1.07: Follow acceptable use policy (AUP/IUP) for electronic resources.
    • Objective 1.09: Demonstrate awareness that resources convey meaning and exist in a variety of formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia).
  • Goal 4: The learner will EXPLORE and USE research processes to meet information needs.

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
    • Objective 4.03: Use words that describe color, size, and location in a variety of texts: e.g., oral retelling, written stories, lists, journal entries of personal experiences.
    • Objective 4.04: Maintain conversation and discussions:
      • attending to oral presentations
      • taking turns expressing ideas and asking questions.
    • Objective 4.06: Write and/or participate in writing behaviors by using authors' models of language.