These two fall lesson plans for special education and beginning learners are an effective way to celebrate the season. They feature two nonfiction read alouds – All About Autumn and All About Halloween – these plans are designed to help your students build real-life connections to the text through the use of real photographs.
Additionally, the read-alouds have built-in questions and probes, to help your students stay engaged and excited throughout the lessons. The lessons also include differentiated comprehension worksheets. This will make it easier for you to be able to assess your student’s understanding and provide extension activities that meet each student’s unique needs.
In addition, these worksheets make data collection easier because the comprehension questions have been specifically designed to simplify the process of plotting and graphing ELA data. This is especially true if you work in a self-contained classroom. For instance, the differentiated comprehension worksheets contain just 5 questions with 3 answer choices each, all of which focus on explicit questions about the text. This makes it easy for you to complete your 4/5 trials or sessions while aiming for an 80% accuracy target.
Also, included in each multidisciplinary lesson plan are many scaffolded, reading, writing, cut and paste worksheets in ELA and math that have been specially designed to support language development and knowledge building for students with special needs.
All About Autumn Fall Lesson Plan
This science nonfiction reader is perfect for primary learners with its real pictures and captivating text. The 37 pages of fall facts read like a storybook, making it easy for students to stay interested and engaged throughout the lesson. The real photos help build a connection to the story, bringing the information to life in a way that feels tangible and exciting.
Additionally, the reader includes questions woven throughout to help you assess your students’ understanding and keep them engaged. For example, the trees change colors, the temperature gets cooler, and what else do you see? These are just some of the fun facts they will learn and begin to observe in their environment as the seasons change.
What Educators Are Saying
This resource was great for teaching the students about non-fiction books.
— Melissa R. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All About Halloween Lesson Plan
Halloween is one of America’s most favorite fall holidays and kids love the celebration. Reflecting on this day, as teachers we would ready our classrooms with lots of Halloween decor and prepare fun activities for them. In my case, we had a great advantage— the entire school participated in the celebration.
For instance, we were able to give our students the full holiday experience, right down to trick or treating to all the classrooms and offices in the building. As a result, the day was dedicated to fun educational activities and parties in the units. Students came in their favorite costumes and parents were also invited to join in and celebrate with their children.
This Halloween read-aloud with real photos and bold text depicts Halloween day at school and after school. If you have students in your classrooms who do not celebrate the day, they will learn all about this holiday. For example, they will learn some of the elements and symbols associated with the event and customs.
This Halloween lesson plan includes two differentiated circle maps that can be used three ways. For example, you can have your writers fill in the circle map, your not-yet writers can cut and paste the words into the circle map and your non readers or emergent readers can use the picture/word version to complete the same task. The circle map is interchangeable as well. You can ask the student to identify the main idea or the key details.
Tips For Read-Aloud Use and Standards Aligned With
These are fun lessons and your students will enjoy the fall lesson plans as they delve into the season and all of its’ characteristics.
Tips for Use:
- In Classroom– You can place the reader in sheet protectors and place in a binder. Alternatively, you can laminate and bind the pages and place in your classroom library for students to access throughout the year.
- Use Online– Share the screen with students, select “present” while viewing PDF. Click through and read the fall book aloud.
- Easel by TPT– Assign the reader and full activities on the TPT Easel platform and give your student timely feedback as they work and/or submit their work to you.
You can laminate and velcro many of the differentiated worksheets for durability and longevity. You can reuse, year in and out. Plus, students on the spectrum as well as your young kindergartners love the interacte materials. All the comprehension worksheets are available in digital format as well on the TPT Easel platform. You will have many options on how to use and deliver these lessons.
Standards Addressed:
The complete ELA fall lesson lesson plans for special education aligns with the Common Core ELA and math standards as well as the DLM Essential Elements for students with disabilities. Additionally, the lessons include other subject areas—science (All About Autumn) and social studies (All About Halloween).
1.MD.A.1,K.MD.A.2, K.MD.B.3, 1.MD.A.1, RI.K.1, RI.K.2, RI.1.1, RI.1.2, RI.2.1, RI.3.1, RI.3.2,CCRA.R.1
What Educators Are Saying
This was a great resource for my classroom. I have grades k-6th with moderate to severe autism and varied levels of learning disabilities. Thank you.
— Monique V. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love this resource! It has been great to use with my students!
— Amanda S. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Additional Resources and Materials
I will continue to make more activities covering the seasons and holidays so be on the lookout for them. In the meantime, if you are looking for reading comprehension worksheets for supporting your students with vocabulary and comprehension, check out my TeachersPayTeachers store. All of my activities are available in PDF and digital formats on the Easel by TPT platform. You can assign the work to your students and they can access it from any device. You will also be able to monitor their progress and give them timely feedback. Additionally, there are many self-checking activities so your students can have immediate feedback on their learning.
Lastly, I’d like to invite you to join the vortex 2 learning club and have exclusive access to the freebie library resources. You will find a growing collection of educational lessons, activities, printables, worksheets, workbooks and so much more. You will be given a password that will allow you access at any time.
