ELA  /  Kindergarten  /  Unit 3: Celebrating Fall

Celebrating Fall

Students begin a year-long exploration of the seasons and how weather, plants, and animals are different depending on the season by reading about the beauties of fall and fall harvests.

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ELA

Unit 3

Kindergarten

Unit Summary

In this unit, students begin a year-long exploration of the seasons and how weather, plants, and animals are different depending on the season by studying the beauties of fall and fall harvests. This unit is a chance for students to stop and think about the changes that are happening in the natural world around them and what causes said changes. By the end of the year, after studying winter and spring in subsequent units, students will have a deeper understanding of the unique features of each season.

This is students' first introduction to informational texts and reading to learn information. Students are challenged to brainstorm original research questions and then use their research to answer questions. Students also begin to identify the main topic and key details of a text. Additionally, students begin to think about how details are connected. 

When discussing the text, students continue to work on clarifying and sharing their thoughts by asking and answering questions orally. Students begin to learn strategies for continuing conversations through multiple exchanges.

Students continue to build their writing fluency by responding to the Target Task question in writing. Students learn strategies for how to write words to tell their reader more about their responses. Students also begin to write informational texts about the topics they research including leaves, pumpkins, and apples. 

Please Note: The text Autumn Leaves by Ken Robbins used in Lesson 6 is out print. Consider sourcing a read-aloud video to teach this lesson. If you can't access the text, this lesson can also be skipped.

Please Note: In July 2026, revised Unit 3 assessments were released across Kindergarten–5th Grade ELA. The lessons identified for progress monitoring and the accompanying rubric have also been updated. Learn more about updates for the 2026–27 school year.

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Texts and Materials

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Core Texts

Supporting Texts

Rubrics

Resources for Lessons and Projects

Text Selection Rationale
All Course Materials

Assessment

The following assessments accompany Unit 3. For more guidance, see the Summative Assessments and Assessments Accommodations & Modifications Teacher Tools.

Content Assessment

The Content Assessment measures students' understanding of the unit's content knowledge and vocabulary. It should serve as the primary assessment for the unit.

Warm Read Assessment

The Warm Read Assessment measures students' ability to apply the Reading Focus Areas of the unit to comprehend a new text, topically or thematically related to the content of the unit. It may be administered in addition to the Content Assessment.

Unit Prep

Intellectual Prep

Unit Launch

Before you teach this unit, unpack the texts, themes, and core standards through our guided intellectual preparation process. Each Unit Launch includes a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning to ensure you're prepared to support every student.

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Essential Questions

  • What makes fall special?
  • What is the weather like in the fall? How does the weather impact different living things?

Reading Focus Areas

  • Readers ask and answer questions about key details in a text to learn more about a specific topic.

  • The main topic is what a text is mostly about. Key details tell more about the main topic.

  • To understand details in an informational text, readers think about how details are connected.

Writing Focus Areas

Informational Writing

  • Writers name the topic at the beginning of each page.

  • Writers write 2–3 facts about their topic.

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

  • Follow agreed-upon rules for discussion.

  • Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

  • Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally by asking and answering questions about key details.

  • Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

Emergent Writing

Use the Emergent Writing Teacher Tool to regularly study students' Target Task responses. During independent writing, prompt students using the supports relevant to their individual Emergent Writing phase. By the end of Unit 3, students should demonstrate mastery of the majority of skills within Phase 2 and several of the skills within Phase 3: Transitional Writing. 

Vocabulary

Text-based

chlorophyllconfusedfall/autumnfadeharvestjaggednarrowobserveoverrootseasonsmoothstemtemperaturevineweatherwide

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 3, view our Kindergarten Vocabulary Glossary.

Content Knowledge and Connections

  • Identify autumn/fall and characteristics of local weather patterns during fall (chilly, windy, frost, cloudy, rain).
  • Explain why leaves change colors and describe the different types of leaves they may see.
  • Identify apples and pumpkins as fall harvests.
  • Identify the basic parts of a pumpkin plant (seed, root, stem, branch, leaf).
  • Identify facts about apples and how they grow.

Lesson Map

Common Core Standards

Core Standards

RI.K.1
RI.K.2
RI.K.3
RI.K.4
RL.K.1
RL.K.2
RL.K.3
RL.K.5
W.K.2
W.K.8
L.K.1
L.K.1.b
L.K.1.c
L.K.1.d
L.K.1.e
L.K.1.f
L.K.2
L.K.2.b
L.K.2.c
L.K.2.d
L.K.6
SL.K.1
SL.K.2
SL.K.3
SL.K.6

Supporting Standards

RI.K.5
RI.K.6
RI.K.10
RL.K.4
RL.K.9
RL.K.10
L.K.1.a
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