Grade Level

3rd Grade (Self-Contained Special Education)

Duration

20 minutes per session (5 sessions total for the week)

Overview

This week-long set of activities uses the book Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak to engage students in answering WH questions about simple informational text. Each worksheet includes a short, easy-to-understand paragraph with visuals and a follow-up WH question, alongside a drawing space to encourage creativity and comprehension. The activities follow Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (ELA), targeting foundational reading and comprehension skills ideal for students in self-contained special education settings.

---

Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.2
Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of each session, students will be able to:

• Read or listen to a short informational paragraph about autumn-related topics.
• Answer one WH question (Who, What, Where, When, or Why) with support from the text and visuals.
• Draw a related picture depicting part of the text to express comprehension and creativity.
• Build vocabulary related to seasons and nature.

---

Materials Needed

• Printed worksheets for each day (5 total)
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Optional: book Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn for read-aloud

---

Weekly Breakdown & Activities

Day 1: What is Autumn?

Activity

• Read the short paragraph aloud:
  "Autumn is the season after summer. The leaves change colors and fall from the trees."
• Show visuals of colorful autumn leaves and trees.
• WH question: What happens to the leaves in autumn?
• Students answer verbally or with sentence starters.
• Drawing prompt: Draw leaves falling from a tree.

Time Breakdown

• 5 min: Read & discuss paragraph with visuals
• 8 min: WH question response and group discussion
• 7 min: Drawing the fall leaves on the worksheet

---

Day 2: Who Sees the Leaves?

Activity

• Paragraph:
  "Children like to play outside when the leaves fall. They jump in leaf piles and watch the colors."
• Show pictures of kids playing in leaves.
• WH question: Who likes to play in the leaves?
• Students answer with help and draw a child playing in leaves.

---

Day 3: Where Does Autumn Happen?

Activity

• Paragraph:
  "Autumn happens in many places. Trees in parks and neighborhoods get colorful leaves."
• Show images of parks and neighborhoods with autumn trees.
• WH question: Where do trees change color?
• Drawing prompt: Draw a park or neighborhood with autumn trees.

---

Day 4: When Does Autumn Start?

Activity

• Paragraph:
  "Autumn starts in September and lasts until November. Many animals get ready for winter."
• Visual support: calendar with months highlighted, images of animals like squirrels gathering nuts.
• WH question: When does autumn start?
• Drawing prompt: Draw an animal preparing for winter.

---

Day 5: Why Do Leaves Change Color?

Activity

• Paragraph:
  "Leaves change color in autumn because the trees get ready to rest. The green color goes away, and other colors show."
• Show before-and-after leaf color images.
• WH question: Why do leaves change color?
• Drawing prompt: Draw a green leaf and a colorful autumn leaf side by side.

---

Sample Worksheet Format (Day 1 Example)

---

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

Autumn is the season after summer. The leaves change colors and fall from the trees.

Question: What happens to the leaves in autumn?
[ ] Leaves get bigger
[ ] Leaves fall from the trees
[ ] Leaves grow flowers

Your answer: ________

Draw leaves falling from the tree in the space below:

(Large blank box for drawing)

---

Teaching Tips

• Use simple, clear language and repeat the paragraph several times.
• Pair reading with visuals & gestures to support understanding.
• Encourage students to express answers verbally or with single words or phrases.
• Support drawing instructions and allow creative freedom.
• Reinforce vocabulary each day (season, leaves, colors, animals).
• Praise effort to boost confidence and engagement.

---

This lesson plan balances literacy, visual comprehension, expressive skills, and fine motor work, making it ideal for self-contained special education classes. It helps build foundational reading comprehension aligned to Common Core standards with engaging, age-appropriate thematic content from Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn.