Part One: Crafting as in Ezra’s Books
I: Discovering Small Moments, As Ezra Might
Teaching Point- Writers discover small moments in their lives by living
wide awake and recording topics in notepads.
Text Used- A Letter to Amy
Materials- Zoomed in topic sort
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Connection- I was at the library and found this book- A Letter to Amy. I read it and I
thought ‘This is just like the books you kids write!’ When I find a book that’s a lot like
books I’m trying to write, I sometimes say, ‘Wait a minute! Maybe this author could be a
teacher, a mentor for me. I could see how she does this kind of writing because I’m
trying to do exactly the same thing!’ I suggest that for the next few weeks we take Ezra
Jack Keats as our mentor, our teacher, and we try to learn from him. I’m going to reread
A Letter to Amy and this time when you listen, notice that it’s a Small Moment story just
like the stories you’ve been writing. Read A Letter to Amy aloud.
Teaching- I’m pretty sure that when Ezra sits down to write, he probably has a few big,
huge topics in his mind. I think of them as watermelon topics. He probably thinks ‘I
could write ALL about my friend Amy or ALL about my birthday party…’ Ezra could write
about anything! But instead he took just one seed, one tiny topic. He wrote just about
when the letter blew away in the wind.
Active Engagement- I’m going to give each partnership some slips of paper. Each one
has a writing idea. Sort them into groups to show which are WATERMELON ideas and
which are tiny seeds. Provide time and quickly discuss. Right now, think of a big
watermelon idea and tell that topic to your partner. Now think of a tiny, tiny seed idea,
one detailed story inside that big watermelon idea. Ezra’s watermelon idea was his
friend Amy, but he actually wrote about the tiny, tiny seed topic of when his letter to
Amy blew away in the wind. Turn and tell your partner about your seed topic.
Link- Today we’ll all start new, and today and every day when you begin a new story,
grow it out of a tiny seed topic.
 After the Workshop Share- Teacher shares aloud some of the tiny seed topics that the
authors in the room wrote about today.
II: Stretching Small Moments, as Ezra Might
Teaching Point- Writers take a tiny topic and stretch it out with
details.
Text Used- A Letter to Amy
Materials- My own story to tell aloud, A group story idea written in
my Tiny Topics notepad
 Connection- Earlier we were reading A Letter to Amy, and I was thinking
that Ezra probably jotted down “letter in the wind” in his Tiny Topics
notepad. Today I’ll show you how to go from a tiny topic to a whole story.
I want to remind you that writers don’t just think up a topic and then
suddenly write a story. Writers plan.
 Teaching- When Ezra wrote A Letter to Amy, he might have gotten the idea
from a note he’d written in a Tiny Topics notepad- “letter in the wind”.
Researchers, watch how I plan. Sometimes I tells it across my fingers, or
turn and touch each page in the book. Sometimes I sketch out the story.
Watch me. Tell story aloud.
 Active Engagement- Let’s try one together. Remember when we…? I wrote
___ in my Tiny Topics notepad. Pretend you wrote that and have now
decided to make a story out of it. Tell it across your fingers to your partner,
just as Ezra would.
 Link- Today and every day you’ll find tiny topics in your lives, just like Ezra.
When you go from a tiny topic to a story, remember to give your story time
to grow!
 After the Workshop Share- Compare a student’s writing process to Ezra’staking a note from a Tiny Topics notepad and growing it into a story or
telling it out loud/thinking to let the story grow.
 Post-Workshop Teaching Point- Read aloud the excerpt from Byrd Baylor’s
The Other Way to Listen, emphasizing living the writerly life, as we can take
lessons from the details in Ezra’s writing.
III: Studying Ezra’s Writing: ALL CAPS
Texts Used: Goggles, A Letter to Amy
Materials: Mentor Author chart
 Connection- Have you ever watched a great sports player or
musician, then tried to do the same as the pro? That’s what we’ll
continue to do, but our pro will be a writer- Ezra Jack Keats.
 Teaching and Active Engagement- Today, let’s study the way Ezra
Jack Keats writes his book, Goggles! I have a copy for each of you.
Look carefully at the text and talk to your partner about what you
notice Ezra does as a writer. Provide time. What are some of the
things you noticed? One of the things you noticed is how Ezra
puts some words IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. To help us keep track
of what we notice as we study Ezra Jack Keat’s writing, I’ve made
a special chart. Explain each section. Let’s try filling it out
together.
 Link- Today, some of you might want to look at A Letter to Amy
and see if Ezra does any of those same things there. Maybe you
might even want to use Ezra’s techniques in your writing.
 After the Workshop Share- I noticed many of you were trying out
using all capitals in your writing. Some kids used it to emphasize
certain words. Share with your partner what you did today- what
you tried to do as a writer. Then, Teacher reads aloud an example
of dialogue in a student’s writing. Compare to Ezra!
IV: Learning from Ezra’s Writing: ALL CAPS
Texts Used: Goggles, A Letter to Amy
Materials: My written piece (one in which I can add ALL CAPS
somewhere), Group experience written piece (in which we can add
ALL CAPS somewhere)
 Connection- Yesterday we looked closely at how Ezra Jack Keats
writes and we noticed he uses all capitals to emphasize certain
words- to show their importance or that someone is yelling them.
Whenever you see an author doing something you admire, you
can say to yourself, “I’m going to try that in my writing!” Today
I’m going to show you how you can use capitals effectively in your
writing.
 Teaching- As I read my story, I am going to think about if there are
any places where I might try the all capitals strategy Ezra uses.
Read piece aloud slowly, pausing where I decide to make a word
IN ALL CAPS and think aloud about why.
 Active Engagement- You can do this too! Let’s read the story
about ___ and decide where we might change or add a word in all
caps like Ezra does.
 Link- Who is ready to try all caps in their writing? Great! When
you try it, let me know. Meanwhile, it’d be really wonderful if
some of you noticed other things that Ezra Jack Keats has done
that you can try.
 After the Workshop Share- You guys are just like Ezra! Give some
examples of all caps you saw used. Hold up your stories to show
how you are just like Ezra! But I wanted to remind you that we
don’t use all caps in every single sentence, and sometimes not
even in every single story. Only when it makes our stories better.
Guide students in recognizing a balance. Just like we wouldn’t
ONLY write the inside or ONLY the outside of the story!
V: Studying Ezra’s Writing: Dialogue
Teaching Point- We can study Ezra’s work to learn about special
choices he makes as a writer.
Texts Used- Primarily Goggles, but all
Materials Connection- Have you ever watched a great sports player or
musician, then tried to do the same as the pro? That’s what we’ll
continue to do, but our pro will be a writer- Ezra Jack Keats.
 Teaching and Active Engagement- Today, let’s study the way Ezra
Jack Keats writes his book, Goggles! I have a copy for each of you.
Look carefully at the text and talk to your partner about what you
notice Ezra does as a writer. Provide time. What are some of the
things you noticed? One of the things you noticed is how Ezra had
lots of people talking- he used dialogue. To help us keep track of
what we notice as we study Ezra Jack Keat’s writing, I’ve made a
special chart. Explain each section. Let’s try filling it out
together.
 Link- Today, some of you might want to look at A Letter to Amy
and see if Ezra does any of those same things there. Maybe you
might even want to use Ezra’s techniques in your writing.
 After the Workshop Share- I noticed many of you were trying out
dialogue in your writing. Some kids used it to help their reader
hear the sounds and voices in their story. Share with your partner
what you did today- what you tried to do as a writer. Then,
Teacher reads aloud an example of dialogue in a student’s writing.
Compare to Ezra!
VI: Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Dialogue
Teaching Point- We can use dialogue effectively just like Ezra.
Texts Used- Primarily Goggles, but all
Materials- My written piece (one in which I can add dialogue
somewhere), Group experience written piece (in which we can add
dialogue somewhere)
 Connection- Yesterday we looked closely at how Ezra Jack Keats
writes and we noticed he uses dialogue to help us hear the voices
in his story. Whenever you see an author doing something you
admire, you can say to yourself, “I’m going to try that in my
writing!” Today I’m going to show you how you can use dialogue
effectively in your writing.
 Teaching- As I read my story, I am going to think about if there are
any places where I might try the adding dialogue strategy Ezra
uses. Read piece aloud slowly, pausing where I decide to add
dialogue and think aloud about why.
 Active Engagement- You can do this too! Let’s read the story
about ___ and decide where we might add some dialogue like
Ezra does.
 Link- Who is ready to try adding dialogue in their writing? Great!
When you try it, let me know. Meanwhile, it’d be really
wonderful if some of you noticed other things that Ezra Jack Keats
has done that you can try.
 After the Workshop Share- You guys are just like Ezra! Give some
examples of dialogue you saw used. Hold up your stories to show
how you are just like Ezra! But I wanted to remind you that we
don’t use dialogue in every single sentence. Only when it makes
our stories better. Guide students in recognizing a balance of
dialogue. Just like we wouldn’t ONLY write the inside or ONLY the
outside of the story!
Studying and Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Specific word choice
-Teaching Point- Ezra uses very specific words to help the reader paint a picture in
his/her mind and we can too.
-Texts Used- Pet Show, Peter’s Chair, A Letter to Amy, Goggles, Pet Show
Studying and Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Dramatic tension
-Teaching Point- Ezra creates dramatic tension by writing about a problem, the
use of multiple attempts to solve the problem, and ellipses to get their reader
excited to find out what happens next and we can too.
-Texts Used- Whistle for Willie, A Letter to Amy, Goggles
Studying and Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Simile/metaphor
-Teaching Point- Ezra uses similes and metaphors to compare one thing to
another, helping the reader to better understand the object/person/action being
described and we can too.
-Texts Used- Whistle for Willie, A Letter to Amy
Studying and Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Sound words
-Teaching Point- Ezra uses sound words to help the reader hear what the
characters hear and we can too.
-Texts Used- Peter’s Chair, The Snowy Day
Studying and Learning from Ezra’s Writing: Dash
-Teaching Point- Ezra uses dashes to tell the reader to pause and we can too.
-Texts Used- Pet Show, Goggles, The Snowy Day, A Letter to Amy, Whistle
for Willie
Part Two: Working with a New Structure
Noticing a New Text Structure: A Problem/Solution Story
Teaching Point- Sometimes an author decides to make a piece that
has a problem and a solution.
Texts Used- Goggles, Peter’s Chair, Pet Show, Whistle for Willie
Materials- Pet Show,
 Connection- Writers, you have gotten very skilled at taking a
Small Moment and writing it as a story. Today I want us to read
an Ezra Jack Keats book and think about whether it is a story of
one small moment or whether it is another kind of story. In this
book, Ezra writes about friends who are going to enter their pets
into a pet show. Read the book aloud. What do you think? Is
this is Small Moment story? Turn and talk to your partner. What I
want you to realize is that sometimes an author decides to make a
piece that has a problem that has to be solved. As a writer, you
get to choose. I could write a story of the moment when I _____.
Or I could write about ___. Pet Show is a Problem-Solution story.
For the next few days, let’s study how to write a Problem-Solution
piece.
 Teaching- I want you to listen again to Pet Show, just the part
when ___. Listen and tell me what you notice Ezra doing. Kids
share. I wonder if any writers in this room might decide to write
in this way!
 Active Engagement- So writers, I’m going to read you a little bit of
a book and would you think, ‘Is this a Small Moments story or a
Problem-Solution story?’ After I read a bit, I’m going to ask you to
tell your partner what it is, and how you know. Listen. Read
aloud ____. What kind of piece is it? Turn and tell your partner.
 Link- You have lots of choices as writers today. You can write a
new piece or revise ones you’ve already written. If you are
revising, you may want to use any strategy you see Ezra using.
Turn and tell your partner your plan for writing today. Kids turn
and talk. I know that some people said that they were going to
keep on revising. Others said that they were going to try writing a
Problem-Solution story like Ezra Jack Keats did in Pet Show. Be
ready at the end of writing to share what you worked on.
 After the Workshop Share- Have several authors share. Kids
think about which technique they used (not just story structure,
but other techniques too). Now look at your own writing from
today. Which techniques did you try? What could you try
tomorrow?
Trying a New Text Structure: Writing a Problem/Solution Story with
beginning (problem), middle (attempts to solve), end (solution)
Teaching Point- Authors can write stories that have a problem,
attempts to solve the problem, and finally a solution.
Texts Used- Goggles, Peter’s Chair, Pet Show, Whistle for Willie
Materials- Whistle for Willie
 Connection- Yesterday we looked at Ezra Jack Keat’s book Pet
Show and you noticed things about it. I took some notes. You
guys said it was like a something was broken then got fixed by the
end. Last night I thought about what you said and want us to
think today about how Ezra managed to write a story that has a
problem that is solved in an interesting way- because I think that’s
the real trick in this kind of writing.
 Teaching- Let’s look at Pet Show and notice what the problem is
and how it is solved. On the board, I’ve made some boxes. Let’s
write the problem in this box here. Now I want to reread the part
after the problem is introduced. What do you notice? The
character finds a way to solve the problem in an interesting way.
The problem does not get solved right away. What you’re saying
is so smart. Ezra wrote not only the problem, but also the
solution.
 Active Engagement- I want to read you another Problem-Solution
book and I’m going to ask you and your partner to think about
how you’d fill in the same chart for this book. So here is a blank
chart.
 Link- Today, if you are starting a new story, you might decide to
write a Problem-Solution piece. If you do, remember that your
big idea should come through to the reader. Even though there
are multiple events, they are still tied into the same special idea.
 After the Workshop Share- Writers, listen to the pieces some of
your classmates have been writing. As I read the next piece, let’s
try to fill in our chart. Let’s listen for the problem, the attempts to
solve the problem, and the final solution.
Trying a New Text Structure: Writing a Problem/Solution Story with
transition words to aid organization
Teaching PointTexts Used- Pet Show, Whistle for Willie
Materials-
Part Three: Finding Writing Mentors in All Authors
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Children can find their own authors to love and to emulate. Study new authors, paying
attention to author’s craft and text structure.
Message- “I notice…so I’m going to try…”
Possibly use personal anchor chart (like the one on page 22) to record your noticings
Part Four: Preparing for Publication
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Editing for publication
About the Author blurbs
Dedication page- dedicated to our mentor authors
Celebration!
Have other mentors come to the celebration (buddies, parents, teachers)? Each
child displays their piece, their mentor author, and how they emulated their
writing?