Lesson Idea | Creative Problem-Solving With Ezra Jack Keats

This Problem and Solution Reading & Writing Unit is designed for students in grades K-2 and focuses on the literacy skills of reading comprehension, story structure, and narrative writing. Across eight sessions, students explore picture books by Ezra Jack Keats to identify characters, problems, and solutions. Through read-alouds, story mapping, and group discussions, students compare and contrast how different characters approach challenges. An interactive Problem-Solution Bulletin Board encourages students to connect literature with their own problem-solving experiences by brainstorming and posting solutions to everyday challenges. The unit culminates with students planning and writing their own illustrated problem-solution stories, drawing on Keats’ style and themes. This unit is intended for elementary teachers who want to deepen students’ comprehension skills while also fostering creativity, critical thinking, and social problem-solving.