Ezra Jack Keats wrote funny, warm, realistic, stories that stand the test of time. Generations still open THE SNOWY DAY every winter and identify with Peter’s day. It is an author like this that makes the a wonderful author study.
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Author studies are a great way to explore books with kids, develop language and literacy skills, and give context and meaning to language arts. They are also a way to build understanding about where books come from and who helps to make them.
The ideas below are to inspire your study of the great Ezra Jack Keats.
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Ezra Jack Keats Author Study
Meet Ezra Jack Keats
Start your author study by introducing the author. Meet Ezra Jack Keats! I think it’s nice to share some tidbits about their life or their childhood. I also love to share a photo.
About Ezra
Ezra Jack Keats was born in 1916 in New York City. He was raised in a Polish Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn.
Keat’s first attempt at writing his own children’s book was MY DOG IS LOST which was published in 1960 and co-authored with Pat Cherr. Three years later he wrote and illustrated THE SNOWY DAY, which won the Caldecott Medal. Peter went on to star in six more books by Keats.
Over the course of his life, Keats illustrated over 85 books and wrote/illustrated 22 children’s books.
His website has a great printable bio to share with kids. –> Ezra Jack Keats Bio for Kids
Find More at the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation Page.
Read a Collection of Books by Keats
The next step is to dive into a stack of books by your author. Ezra Jack Keats is a great author study subject because he is a prolific author and it’s easy to assemble a stack of books he’s created.
A Snowy Day
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Whistle for Willie
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Peter’s Chair
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A Letter to Amy
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If you haven’t already – you should check out this beautiful book about the making of A Snowy Day and Ezra Jack Keats. Fascinating, wonderfully written, and fun for generations of this classic book. Not a great story time read aloud for little kids, and NOT written by Keats, but absolutely worth reading.
Vote for Favorites
If you’re reading a stack of books you’re going to find favorites and probably some you don’t love. Voting is a great activity because you can integrate all kinds of learning into the voting. Depending on the age of your kids you can work on; counting, more/less, pie charts or other graphing, reading and more.
Explore the Author’s Techniques
Whether you’re studying an author or an author/illustrator or an illustrator, exploring their techniques can be fun.
Imitation Ideas for Keats:
- Write a story that takes place in a busy city or apartment building.
- Cut pictures of people out of magazines, everyone pick one picture. Imagine and write a story about that person.
- Make pictures using collage. Use cut pieces of patterned paper, fabric, stamps, and spatterings of India ink with a toothbrush – like Keats did in THE SNOWY DAY.
Look Closely at a Few Books
For Keats, THE SNOWY DAY is an obvious choice because it is so well loved.
However, if another book speaks to your family or group or class, then by all means let it inspire you! A lot of the activities below will work with other books – or will hopefully inspire ideas for your story studies.
Find Activity Ideas on Ezra Jack Keat Foundation’s Page
12 Extension Ideas for THE SNOWY DAY
LITERACY ACTIVITIES
- Journal Prompt – I love (or dislike) this story because….
- Writing Prompt – “When Peter goes outside on the second snowy day, I think he will…”
- Compare / Contrast two characters in Peter’s World – or Compare/Contrast his world with yours.
- Snowy Day Inspired Alphabet Writing Tray from School Time Snippets
- The Snowy Day Book Related Pre-Writing Sensory Tray from Growing Book by Book
STEM ACTIVITIES
- Snowy Day Story Time + STEM Activity – Read Post
- Weighing Snow Sensory Math Activity from Inspiration Laboratories
OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES
- Easy Snowflake Craft from Mama Smiles
- Snowy Day Snack and Coloring Printable from Primary Playground
- Snowy Day Shadow Box from Pink Stripey Socks
- Snowy Day Outside Play / Re-Telling from Crafty Moms Share
- Snowy Day Fine Motor Activities from Babies to Bookworms
Click Here to Get the Preschool Author Study Pack
Culminating projects
Culminating projects give students an opportunity to respond to what they’ve learned about an author. Some ideas include;
- Host a party for the parents and share what you’ve learned.
- If you studied THE SNOWY DAY then have a Snowy Day Party.
- Write and illustrate your own book as a class inspired by the author’s techniques.
