Emma walked to the fall garden beside the park bench. Her caregiver held her hand. Pepper the dog trotted close by, and Dot, the small classroom robot, rolled along with a soft hum.
Leaves covered the garden path. Some were red, some were yellow, and some were brown. They made a soft, crackly carpet beneath Emma’s shoes.
A neighbor came along the path and smiled. “Hello,” the neighbor said.
Emma stayed close to her caregiver. She held the caregiver’s hand and watched quietly. Pepper sat beside her. Dot gave a gentle beep.
Pepper sniffed the leaves. Sniff, sniff. He sniffed a red pile, then a yellow pile. His tail gave a slow wag.
Dot rolled up beside three baskets. A red card was tucked into one basket. A yellow card was tucked into another. A brown card was tucked into the third.
“Let’s sort the leaves,” said Emma’s caregiver.
Emma picked up a red leaf. It was smooth and bright. She placed it in the basket with the red card.
“Red leaf,” said Dot.
Emma picked up a yellow leaf. It was shaped like a little star. She placed it in the yellow basket.
“Yellow leaf,” said Dot.
Then Emma found a brown leaf beneath the bench. She reached for it, but a small breeze blew it away. The leaf slid across the path.
Emma took one careful step. Then she took another. She caught the leaf with both hands.
“Brown leaf,” she said.
She placed it in the brown basket. Pepper sniffed the empty spot where the leaf had been.
More leaves waited in the garden. Emma picked up a red one, and Dot rolled beside her. Pepper sniffed along behind them.
Red leaves went in the red basket. Yellow leaves went in the yellow basket. Brown leaves went in the brown basket.
The baskets began to fill. The red leaves looked like tiny flames. The yellow leaves looked like little suns. The brown leaves made a soft, warm pile.
The neighbor sat on the park bench and watched. The neighbor did not come too close. The neighbor waited quietly.
At last, Emma found one final leaf. It was yellow with a tiny brown spot. She placed it in the yellow basket.
Dot gave a happy beep. Pepper wagged his tail.
Emma looked at the neighbor. She stayed beside her caregiver. Then, when she was ready, she lifted her hand and waved first.
“Hello,” she said softly.
The neighbor smiled. “Hello, Emma.”
The neighbor did not ask for a hug or ask Emma to say more. Emma turned back to the baskets.
She gently straightened the spotted yellow leaf on top. Pepper sniffed each basket one more time. Dot hummed beside them.
The fall garden grew quiet. Emma held her caregiver’s hand as a red leaf twirled down beside the bench.
Talk about the story
1.What did Emma sort?
2.Who sat beside Emma?
3.What color was the final leaf?
