Sherlock Homeschooling, Harvest Unit Study. Family Literature and Activity Guide. Sherlock Homeschooling provides secular homeschool curriculum for free - enjoy this community supported Harvest Unit Study.
Reading and learning together is one of the best things you can do as a family. Family reading helps with academic growth and supports mental well-being. Enjoying books with my kids is my favorite part of the day, and I hope you love it just as much as we do!
At Sherlock Homeschooling, our mission is to provide literacy building resources to any family, regardless of their financial situation. We believe that family learning is too important for anyone to miss out on.
As a community-supported curriculum, we rely on members like you to help spread the word about the benefits of family literacy. If you find this resource helpful, please consider telling others about it or leaving a review so that other families can learn about these resources too.Â
I love hearing your thoughts, ideas for future units, and stories about how reading together has impacted your family. Feel free to reach out to me at:Â
I look forward to hearing from you!
Happy learning,Â
Hannah Ward Sherlock Homeschooling Educational Designer
This is the free online version of the Cozy Autumn Unit Study.
You can download and print the PDF version at this link. It's available on a give-what-you-can basis. You can purchase a color printed coil-bound workbook of this unit study at this link.
You can also support the curriculum financially by buying me a coffee! Thank you. 😊
Click these links to jump to a section in the unit study: Introduction County Fair How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World Johnny Appleseed The Vegetable Alphabet Book Corn The Turnip Sophie's Squash The Apple Cake Apples for Everyone Strega Nona's Harvest Apple Picking Time
What is a unit study?
A homeschool unit study is a focused way to learn about a specific topic. Unit studies combine different subjects like reading, science, math, and art into one learning experience.Â
Instead of studying each subject separately, a unit study ties them all together around one theme. Unit studies are flexible, so you can adjust them to fit your family’s interests and learning styles.Â
Unit studies can include hands-on activities, projects, and field trips. Including a variety of experiences makes learning fun and memorable. This approach helps students see how different subjects connect and makes learning stick in a memorable way.
What are Sherlock Homeschooling Family Literacy Guides?
Sherlock Homeschooling Family Literacy Guides help your family learn together in fun and meaningful ways. Research shows that when families learn together, everyone benefits—kids, teens, and even adults.
These guides are for everyone in your family. Whether you have little ones, teens, or even grandparents, these guides will get everyone involved. You'll all work together on activities that make learning fun. Explore books, talk about what you read, and try hands-on projects.
The best time to use these guides is during holidays and seasonal changes throughout the year. Pair books and activities with holidays and what’s happening in your community. You can enjoy these activities at home and extend the fun by exploring your local community together.
Getting started is easy. Begin with a great book and the provided literature guide. Then, choose an activity that brings the story to life for your family.
What does the research say about learning together as a family?
Family literacy is more than just a fun activity; it’s a powerful tool for future success. Research shows that reading with young children helps their brain develop and strengthens the bond between parent and child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises parents to start reading aloud to their children from infancy. This early reading builds language, literacy, and social skills that last a lifetime and sets the stage for lifelong learning.
The benefits of family literacy extend well beyond childhood. According to Life Literacy Canada, when families learn together, they build important skills like phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and writing. These skills are valuable for everyone in the family, from the youngest child to the oldest grandparent, and they create a culture of lifelong learning in the home.
Children who grow up in families that prioritize literacy tend to do better in school. They score higher on reading tests and are more likely to continue their education.Â
The National Institute of Health found that a mother’s reading ability has a greater impact on her children’s academic success than factors like income or neighborhood.
Books and literacy also play a significant role in mental health. Research from Scholastic and the Yale Child Study Center shows that a love of reading can boost self-esteem, increase empathy, and reduce anxiety and depression. The Kids & Family Reading Report highlights how important it is to foster a love of reading, especially during times of stress and uncertainty. Reading can be a key factor in supporting children’s mental health and well-being.
Family literacy also strengthens family relationships. When families read together, tell stories, cook, talk, and enjoy activities together, they create emotional bonds and a supportive home environment. These shared experiences help families connect, laugh, and feel a sense of belonging and security. Family literacy also deepens connections to family history, values, and culture while offering a way to explore the customs and cultures of others around the world.
Where can I find the research?
Works Cited
ABC Life Literacy Canada. (n.d.). The 3 biggest impacts of family literacy. ABC Life Literacy Canada. https://abclifeliteracy.ca/news/the-3-biggest-impacts-of-family-literacy/
High, P. C., Klass, P., Donoghue, E., Glassy, D., DelConte, B., Earls, M., Lieser, D., McFadden, T., Mendelsohn, A., Scholer, S., Schulte, E. E., Takagishi, J., Vanderbilt, D., & Williams, P. G. (2014). Literacy promotion: An essential component of primary care pediatric practice. Pediatrics, 134(2), 404-409. https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/134/2/404/32944/Literacy-Promotion-An-Essential-Component-of?autologincheck=redirected
National Institute of Health. (2011). The role of parents in children’s academic achievement. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3083977/
Scholastic. (n.d.). Kids & family reading report. Scholastic. https://www.scholastic.com/content/corp-home/kids-and-family-reading-report.html
How do I use this guide?
Step 1: Planning Together
Start by getting everyone in the family excited about learning together. Sit down as a group and pick 3-5 picture books from this guide. These books are chosen to interest family members of all ages and will be the foundation of your learning time.
Next, choose activities from the guide that your family will enjoy. These could include cooking, crafts, games, discussions, research, movie nights, or even field trips. These activities will bring your seasonal learning to life, both at home and in your community.
Look for local events or places that connect with what you’re reading. This could mean planning a field trip or attending a special event that ties into your books and activities.Â
Make sure everyone helps with planning. This keeps everyone excited and involved. The experience is totally customizable, so make it as long or as short as you want. Every family’s experience will be unique.
Step 2: Reading Together
Before you read a book to the kids, read it yourself first. This will help you get ready and think about what to discuss.
Pick out vocabulary words from the list in the guide and talk about them before you read. This will make the story easier to understand. Connect the story to things your family already knows to help make it relatable.
When it’s time to read, gather in a quiet and comfortable spot. Turn off screens and silence phones so everyone can focus.Â
Encourage everyone to listen quietly, but also pause during the story to discuss and point out interesting details.
After you finish reading, have a discussion. Use the questions in the guide to spark conversation. Plan to read the book several times over a few days. Each time, you’ll notice new details. Let different family members read aloud, and use different questions to keep the experience fresh.
Step 3: Learning Together
Now it’s time to bring what you’ve read to life with fun and meaningful activities. You might be surprised how much your family can learn and remember by doing things like reciting poems or singing songs together. These activities will help make information stick and deepen your learning.
The activities in this guide are designed to build important skills like teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. As you do these activities, connect them back to the books you’ve read. You’ll see how everything ties together and reinforces what you’re learning.
Include activities that involve unique opportunities in your community and reflect your family’s interests. This will make the learning experience personal and create lasting memories for everyone.
How do I use the literature guides?
Choose a few books from the literature guide to read together as a family. Discuss vocabulary words from the provided list and talk about them to help everyone understand the story better.Â
Take turns letting different family members read the books aloud. Use fun voices for the characters to keep everyone engaged and make the story more enjoyable. Pause while reading to discuss the story, explain new words, and point out interesting parts of the illustrations.
Have a family discussion after reading. There are two sets of question ideas provided: one for the first reading and another for follow-up readings.Â
Read the books multiple times throughout your unit study to enjoy them more and better understand the story. As you read, notice how the books connect with each other. Talk about the similarities and differences between them.
There are activities related to each read-aloud book in this guide. Select activities that your family finds interesting to make real-world learning connections.Â
Literature Guides and Activities
County Fair
Title:Â County Fair
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Illustrator: Jody Wheeler
Date Published: 1998
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book County Fair | Give-What-You-Can PDF Link
What is this book about?
This picture book is based on a chapter from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s famous book Farmer Boy. It tells the story of Almanzo Wilder, Laura's husband, when he was a boy. In this story, Almanzo and his family visit the county fair. It’s an exciting day full of contests, races, and tasty treats. Almanzo is especially excited to see what the judges will say about the special pumpkin he grew on his family’s farm.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Make a Fair GameÂ
Activity: Research County Fairs
Activity: Research Almanzo Wilder
Activity: Mule Study
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
Author: Marjorie Priceman
Illustrator: Marjorie PricemanÂ
Date Published: 1996
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
In this picture book, making an apple pie becomes a fun adventure around the world! If the market is closed, you’ll need to gather ingredients from different countries. First, take a steamboat to Italy for the best wheat. Then, head to England to get fresh milk straight from a cow. Don’t forget to pick apples in Vermont! Readers will explore different places and cultures while learning how to make a tasty apple pie. A simple recipe for apple pie is included at the end.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Ingredient Map
Activity: Bake a Simple Apple Pie
Activity: Country Research
Activity: Farm Fieldtrip
Johnny Appleseed
Title:Â Johnny Appleseed
Author: Reeve Lindbergh
Illustrator: Kathy Jakobsen
Date Published: 1993
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
This beautifully illustrated picture book is a great way to introduce young readers to the story of Johnny Appleseed. Through rhyming text, the book tells the life of John Chapman, known for planting apple seeds and trees across the Midwest. His efforts made him a legend and created a lasting legacy. Reeve Lindbergh’s rhythmic verse makes it perfect for reading aloud, while Kathy Jakobsen’s colorful paintings bring the story to life.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Johnny Appleseed Map
Activity: Native American Research
Activity: Apple Tree Lifecycle
Activity: Food Donation
The Vegetable Alphabet Book
Title:Â The Vegetable Alphabet Book
Author: Jerry Pallotta and Bob ThomasonÂ
Illustrator: Edgar StewartÂ
Date Published: 1999
Book Type: Non-Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
This fun and informative picture book makes learning about vegetable gardening exciting for kids. It covers everything from common veggies like snow peas to unique ones like munchkin pumpkins and fiddleheads. Children will enjoy the blend of facts and humor as they explore soil preparation, seed planting, and how to grow their own garden. It also introduces the idea of historical victory gardens. The colorful illustrations make it easy for kids to follow along and discover all kinds of vegetables.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Victory Garden Research
Activity: Make a Vegetable Alphabet Poster
Activity: Vegetable Soup Challenge
Activity: Plan a Victory Garden
Corn
Title:Â Corn
Author: Gail Gibbons
Illustrator: Gail Gibbons
Date Published: 2009
Book Type: Non-Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
This engaging picture book teaches kids all about corn and the surprising things we make from it, like popcorn, tortillas, and even fuel for cars. Read about the history of corn, the four main types, and how it’s grown and used in everything from food to medicine.
With simple text and artistic diagrams, Gail Gibbons makes it easy for kids to understand how corn is cultivated, pollinated, and harvested. Whether grown in family gardens or large fields, this versatile grain has many uses your family will learn about. The book even includes fun corn trivia for your family.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Design a Corn Themed Restaurant
Activity: Corn Use Research (Non-Food Items)
Activity: Types of Corn Book
Activity: Colors of Corn Art
The Turnip
Title: The Turnip
Author: Jan Brett
Illustrator: Jan Brett
Date Published: 2015
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
In this lively tale, a badger family and their friends try to pull up a giant turnip. A confident rooster joins in, pulling so hard that he flies into the air with the turnip! But what they don't know is that a mother bear, sleeping in her underground den, kicked the turnip up to make more room for her family to hibernate.
Jan Brett adds her unique twist to this classic folktale. Set in snowy rural Russia, her colorful illustrations of animals in old-fashioned clothes bring humor and charm to every page.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Turnip Pancakes
Activity: Russian Animals
Activity: Russian Art
Activity: Turnip Cookbook
Sophie's Squash
Title: Sophie’s Squash
Author: Pat Zietlow Miller
Illustrator: Anne WilsdorfÂ
Date Published: 2013
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
On a trip to the farmers' market, Sophie picks out a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. Sophie takes Bernice everywhere, even though her parents warn her that it will start to rot. As winter gets closer, Sophie notices Bernice is changing. What will Sophie do when her beloved squash is in trouble?
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Types of Squash
Activity: Squash Lifecycle Chart
Activity: Farmer’s Market Fieldtrip
Activity: Food Preservation Research
The Apple Cake
Title:Â The Apple Cake
Author: Nienke van HichtumÂ
Illustrator: Marjan van Zeyl
Date Published: 2021
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
In this heartwarming story, an old woman wants to bake an apple cake but doesn't have any apples. She heads to the market with a basket of plums, hoping to trade them for apples.
As she travels, she meets people who need the plums and trades them for different things. Your family will enjoy guessing what she will trade for next and seeing how her kindness comes full circle. The story, illustrated with warm pastel colors, is all about sharing, trading, and caring.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Bake Easy Apple Cake
Activity: Working Together Scavenger Hunt
Activity: Act Out the Story
Activity: Apple Recipe Book
Apples for Everyone
Title:Â Apples for Everyone
Author: Jill Esbaum
Illustrator: National Geographic (photography)Â
Date Published: 2009
Book Type: Non-Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
This book shows how apples are a big part of fall. Think of red apples falling from trees, baskets of apples in orchards, and the smell of apple pie. Apples are often used in festive treats like candy or caramel apples. They become cider to enjoy around the fire as the weather turns colder.
Apples for Everyone celebrates all the wonderful things about autumn and helps families learn about the season through stunning photographs and engaging text loaded with great vocabulary words.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Apple Type Chart
Activity: History of Apples
Activity: Apple Star Prints
Activity: Apple Museum
Strega Nona's Harvest
Title: Strega Nona’s Harvest
Author: Tomie dePaola
Illustrator: Tomie dePaola
Date Published: 2012
Book Type: Fiction - Picture BookÂ
What is this book about?
Enjoy the magic of autumn with Tomie dePaola’s beloved character, Strega Nona, in this colorful picture book. Perfect for fall, this book continues the charm of the original Strega Nona story that won a Caldecott Honor.
The book features beautiful illustrations and provides opportunities to learn Italian names for vegetables. It also teaches the value of following the wisdom of elders and taking your time with your tasks.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Helping Hungry People
Activity: Italian Vegetable Poster
Activity: Compost Research
Activity: Plan a Square Foot Garden
Apple Picking Time
Title:Â Apple Picking Time
Author: Michele B. Slawson
Illustrator: Michele B. Slawson
Date Published: 1998
Book Type: Fiction - Picture Book
What is this book about?
Experience the warm colors of autumn and a slice of American history with this delightful book. Follow Anna and her family as they join the whole town for a traditional fall apple harvest.
The story shows how everyone, from the youngest child to the oldest grandparent, works together to gather apples. The beautiful illustrations capture the essence of the season and the joy of family and community working as one.
What should I point out in the illustrations?Â
What vocabulary should I discuss?
What discussions can we have before we read?
What discussions can we have after we read?
Activity: Apple Picking Fieldtrip
Activity: Which Apple is Best?
Activity: Work Together as a Family
Activity: Apple Tree Song
Hannah Ward, M.Ed., is the homeschool mom and educational designer behind Sherlock Homeschooling and Little House Kindergarten. With years of experience teaching students from preschool to university, Hannah’s work is grounded in research-based principles and is designed to empower parents as their child’s first and most important teacher. She holds a Master of Education degree in Education Technology and Instructional Design, as well as a Master of Science degree in Management and Leadership.
Hannah is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and English. She lives in the Ozarks with her husband and three children, where she continues to create inspiring curriculum resources that support global literacy and community education.
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