Explore possibilities in science, math, literature, history, and any other topics that you feel are educationally important and related to your theme of autumn. You can easily find connections in the aforementioned subjects, as well as art, music and other learning areas.
Get your autumn unit started with topical history. Autumn has always been an important time in our nation's history. Research and gather information on the early settlers and their efforts toward a fall harvest. A literature connection that can help further the student's understanding would be to read Robert Frost's wonderful poem, "After Apple Picking." From this reading, students can write their own poems or create a painting or sketch that symbolizes the poem. Keep the theme at the center and allow the subjects to flow around it!
Create theme-appropriate math problems. As an example to get you started: "If you save $4 per week beginning the first day of Autumn, how much will you have by the first day of Winter?" These are just examples, and you can find many online worksheet makers to assist you. Be sure you have your answer sheets to go along with your worksheets so that grading will go faster. Another way to improve on math skills and stay with the topic is in cooking. Baking a pumpkin pie is a great way to learn the skills of following directions as well as using math in a practical way. Let your student do the measurements and talk about how those measurements would change if you made two or three pies.
Read about and research the changing of leaves to connect science with your autumn theme. Why do they gradually change into the warm reds, oranges and yellows before dying? Do a leaf collection and assist your student with ironing them between sheets of waxed paper. Use a three-hole punch to preserve them in a binder. Another interesting science connection is animal hibernation. Perhaps a field trip to the zoo would be in order.
Select classic works of literature that easily connect with autumn. Poets and authors have historically loved putting their visions of fall onto paper. Keats' "Ode to Autumn" is a lovely, classic poem that will work beautifully into your unit. For younger children, consider picture books, such as "Autumn is for Apples" or "Clifford's First Autumn." The literature section of your unit is always a wonderful opportunity to introduce art. Words and painting are both done on a canvas of different kinds.
Learn how to can fruits and you will cover science, math, and vocational studies through one project. Consider including music with Vivaldi's Four Seasons "Autumn." Include field trips to a pumpkin farm or an apple orchard. The beauty of unit studies is that you are only limited by your imagination!