Autumn Whispers Worksheet Packet 🍁
1st Grade Reading Quest
Autumn Whispers
Name:
Date:
📖
Read Along
Read the autumn story two times. Put your finger under each word as you read!
Read #1: Read #2:
🌰 The Secret Chestnut Patch
By Lenny
It was a chilly and windy morning. Bright gold and copper leaves were falling from the tall oak trees. Leo and his sister Ruby walked down the stone pathway. Their red boots were crunching softly on the dry ground.
Warm sunshine peeked through the gray clouds. Near the low garden bushes, a spotted wild turkey dropped two soft brown feathers. Under a big oak, bright red mushrooms poked out of the damp soil.
"Look!" whispered Ruby. A striped chipmunk was watching them from a pile of stone patches. The furry friend was busy catching dropped nuts and happily munching on a shiny chestnut.
Leo and Ruby helped rake the leaves. Then they jumped inside the giant leaf pile and laughed!
🔍
2-Syllable Digraph Words
path•way (th) sun•shine (sh) chip•munk (ch) patch•es (tch)
✨
Word Endings in the Story
-ed: helped, jumped -ing: falling, munching -y: chilly, windy
✏️ Quick Story Check: Who are the two children in our story?
Max and Mia Leo and Ruby Ben and Sam
🍂
Comprehension Workshop
Main Idea & Detective Clues
Page 2
Part 1
Find the Main Idea & Details
What is the story mostly about? Fill in the bubble for the Main Idea.
A chipmunk lives in a giant kitchen and cooks soup.
Leo and Ruby discover beautiful signs of autumn and a hungry chipmunk.
How to plant red mushrooms in the spring garden.
🍁 Supporting Detail Leaves (Check the 2 details that were in our story):
A chipmunk was munching on a shiny chestnut.
In Story
Two polar bears swam across a freezing river.
In Story
Leo and Ruby jumped inside a big pile of leaves.
In Story
Part 2
Detective Clues: Making Inferences
Clues + What I Know = Inference
An inference is a smart guess using text clues and your brain!
🐿️
1. Why was the little chipmunk working so hard to catch and gather chestnuts?
Clue: Winter is coming next! What do animals need when it snows?
The chipmunk is storing food for
🧣
2. Leo and Ruby wore warm red boots and felt chilly wind. How will the weather change soon?
Think: What season comes right after autumn?
It will get colder with snow.
It will get hot for beach swimming.
🔎 Detective Tip: Always check back in the story to prove your answer! Good Job! ⭐
🪵
Phonics Workshop
Digraphs & Autumn Endings
Page 3
Part A
Two-Syllable Digraph Sort
👏 Clap 2 Times for Each Word!
Read each 2-syllable word in the bank. Write each word in its matching digraph basket!
pathway sunshine chipmunk watching feathers mushroom chestnut patches
Digraph /th/
Digraph /sh/
Digraph /ch/
Digraph /tch/
Part B
Add the Autumn Endings (-ed, -ing, -y)
Combine the base word with the suffix ending to make the new word.
Ending: -ed (happened before)
help + ed =
jump + ed =
Ending: -ing (happening now)
fall + ing =
munch + ing =
Ending: -y (describes something)
chill + y =
wind + y =
Part C
Super Writer Autumn Sentence
Write one complete sentence about autumn using at least one digraph word and one word ending!
🎉 You finished the Autumn Word & Story Packet!
Star Score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Autumn Whispers Answer Key 🔑
Teacher Resource
Autumn Whispers Answer Key
Grade 1 • Reading & Phonics CCSS: RL.1.1, RL.1.2, RF.1.3
🍂 Story Topic Autumn signs, animal behavior & seasonal changes.
🎯 Comprehension Main Idea, Key Details, and Text Clue Inferences.
🔤 Phonics Target 2-syllables with th, sh, ch, tch & -ed, -ing, -y endings.
Student Page 1: Quick Story Check Recall Check
Question: "Who are the two children in our story?" ✓ Correct: Leo and Ruby
Page 2 • Part 1
Main Idea & Supporting Details
Standard: RL.1.2
Question: "What is the story mostly about?"
✕ A chipmunk lives in a giant kitchen and cooks soup. (Incorrect: Silly distractor)
✓ Leo and Ruby discover beautiful signs of autumn and a hungry chipmunk. (Correct: Summarizes text)
✕ How to plant red mushrooms in the spring garden. (Incorrect: Off-topic detail)
🍁 Supporting Details Leaves (Check 2 that are in the story):
✓ YES (In Story) Chipmunk was munching on a shiny chestnut.
✕ NO (Not in Story) Polar bears swimming in a freezing river.
✓ YES (In Story) Leo and Ruby jumped inside a big pile of leaves.
Page 2 • Part 2
Detective Clues: Making Inferences
Standard: RL.1.1
1. Why was the chipmunk working so hard to gather chestnuts?
Target Response: "The chipmunk is storing food for winter" OR "cold days ahead."
Scoring Guide: Accept any answer noting that winter is coming, food will be scarce, or animals prepare for cold weather.
2. How will the weather change soon?
✓ Correct: It will get colder with snow.
Autumn Whispers Lesson • Teacher Guide & Answer Key Page 1 of 2
🔤
Teacher Resource
Phonics & Word Study Key
Student Page 3 Solutions CCSS: RF.1.3.A, RF.1.3.D, L.1.4.B
Part A
Two-Syllable Digraph Sort Solutions
All 8 words: 2 syllables (2 beats)
/th/ Basket
1. path•way path - way
2. feath•ers feath - ers
/sh/ Basket
1. sun•shine sun - shine
2. mush•room mush - room
/ch/ Basket
1. chip•munk chip - munk
2. chest•nut chest - nut
/tch/ Basket
1. watch•ing watch - ing
2. patch•es patch - es
💡 Teaching Note: tch follows a short vowel sound (
Autumn Whispers Slides 🍁 🍂 🌰
🪵 🍄 🐿️
1st Grade Reading & Phonics Quest
Autumn Whispers
Discovering fall mysteries with two-syllable digraphs, word endings, and detective clues!
📖 Story: The Secret Chestnut Patch
🔍 Main Idea & Inferencing
👏 2-Syllable Digraphs
Phonics Power
Two-Syllable Digraph Words
👏 Clap 2 Times: Every Word Has 2 Beats!
/th/
path•way path - way
feath•ers feath - ers
/sh/
sun•shine sun - shine
mush•room mush - room
/ch/
chip•munk chip - munk
chest•nut chest - nut
/tch/
watch•ing watch - ing
patch•es patch - es
💡 Phonics Rule: Two letters work together as a team to make ONE sound!
Word Builders
Autumn Word Endings: -ed, -ing, -y
Suffix Magic ✨
-ed Past Action
It happened before now!
help + ed = helped
jump + ed = jumped
-ing Happening Now
The action is taking place right now!
fall + ing = falling
munch + ing = munching
-y Describes
Tells how something feels or looks!
chill + y = chilly
wind + y = windy
🤝 Turn and Talk: "The wind is blowing today, so it is very _______ (-y word)!"
🐿️
Story Time
The Secret Chestnut Patch
👀 Follow along together
It was a chilly and windy morning. Bright leaves were falling from tall oak trees. Leo and Ruby walked down the stone pathway.
Warm sunshine peeked out. Near the garden bushes, a wild turkey dropped soft feathers, and red mushrooms poked out of the soil.
A striped chipmunk was watching them from stone patches. The furry friend was catching nuts and happily munching on a shiny chestnut!
Leo and Ruby helped rake the leaves, then jumped inside the giant leaf pile!
🍁 Green Words = 2-Syllable Digraphs 🍂 Orange Words = Word Endings (-ed, -ing, -y)
Comprehension Skill
The Main Idea Tree 🌳
Big Idea + Supporting Details
🌳 The Main Trunk
What is the whole story mostly about?
"Leo and Ruby discover beautiful signs of autumn and meet a busy chipmunk."
🍂 Supporting Detail Leaves (Prove the big idea!):
Autumn Whispers Flashcards ✂️
Print & Cut Center
Autumn Whispers: Digraph Flashcards
Set A: Two-Syllable Digraphs 8 Cards • 2 Claps Each 👏
✂️ Cut along the dashed lines. Practice clapping the syllables with a partner! 1st Grade Phonics
Digraph /th/ 🛤️
path•way path - way (2 claps)
"They walked down the stone pathway."
Digraph /th/ 🪶
feath•ers feath - ers (2 claps)
"The wild turkey dropped soft feathers."
Digraph /sh/ ☀️
sun•shine sun - shine (2 claps)
"Warm sunshine peeked through clouds."
Digraph /sh/ 🍄
mush•room mush - room (2 claps)
"A red mushroom poked out of soil."
Digraph /ch/ 🐿️
chip•munk chip - munk (2 claps)
"The striped chipmunk watched quietly."
Digraph /ch/ 🌰
chest•nut chest - nut (2 claps)
"He was munching on a shiny chestnut."
Digraph /tch/ 👀
watch•ing watch - ing (2 claps)
"The friend was watching from stone."
Digraph /tch/ 🎃
patch•es patch - es (2 claps)
"Pumpkins sat in sunny garden patches."
Autumn Whispers Phonics Cards • Set A Page 1 of 2
🍁
Print & Cut Center
Autumn Whispers: Word Endings Cards
Set B: Suffixes (-ed, -ing, -y) 8 Cards • Action & Describing ✨
✂️ Cut along the dashed lines. Identify the root word and the suffix ending! Word Study
Ending -ed 🤝
helped help + ed (past action)
"Leo helped rake all the leaves."
Ending -ed 🍂
jumped jump + ed (past action)
"They jumped inside the leaf pile!"
Ending -ing 🍁
fall•ing fall + ing (happening now)
"Bright leaves were falling down."
Ending -ing 🍎
munch•ing munch + ing (happening now)
"The chipmunk is munching nuts."
Ending -y 🧣
chil•ly chill + y (describes air)
"Wear a warm scarf on a chilly morning."
Ending -y 💨
wind•y wind + y (describes day)
"The windy gust shook the tree."
Digraph + -ing 🧤
catch•ing catch + ing (has /tch/ & -ing)
"He was busy catching falling nuts."
Digraph + -ing 🥾
crunch•ing crunch + ing (has /ch/ & -ing)
"Red boots were crunching dry leaves."
