1. How to Use the Theme Slideshow
The Theme Slideshow is a useful and engaging tool to introduce your class to the unit. The slideshow touches on the Big Idea questions for the unit. It can be used to prepare students for the unit by building background and academic language on topics that they will read about.
Before you begin a new unit, show the Theme Slideshow to the class. Direct students to listen carefully to the audio as they look at each slide. (Note: if you click while the audio is playing, the audio will stop. Simply click the audio icon in the upper left corner to start the audio again.) Pause the slideshow as needed to allow students to comment or ask questions about what they are seeing. Provide sentence starters containing the academic words listed to engage students in conversations about the visuals and audio. Explain to students that they will learn more about these topics as they read the stories in the unit.
As you begin each week of the unit, you may wish to show the Theme Slideshow again as a means of reviewing the weeks you have completed, and of preparing for the week to come. This is a great opportunity to add new learning and research findings to the Big Question Boards. The Theme Slideshow can also be used at the end of the unit to sum up learning and as a prompt for writing about the unit.
For additional video clips related to the theme, go to Select the California Treasures site, then in the Teacher area click the “Student Activities” button and select the Big Question Multimedia link.
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How can we have fun?
In this unit, we will explore all of the different ways we can have fun. It is fun to play games and to laugh and tell jokes. But many other things are fun too. We will read some silly stories just for the fun of it. We will also read about things you can do for fun, such as making a mask. Another selection shows the different ways kids all over the world like to have fun. What do you and your friends do for fun?

2. What makes you laugh? How do you make other people laugh?

3. ridiculous humorous delight
On the way to school, a boy meets a pig in a wig who wants to play ball. Then a duck, two apes, and four frogs join in and there is even more fun to be had. Ridiculous? Maybe. But On My Way to School is a humorous rhyming story that is sure to delight you.

4. What do you like to do with your family? How do you have fun together?

5. typical
relief
Smile, Mike! is a play about a baby who won’t stop crying. His mom and dad sing to him. His grandmother and grandfather clap with him. His big brother and sister try to play with him. But like a typical baby, little Mike just keeps crying. How will this family get some relief?

6. What types of art do you know about
What types of art do you know about? What kind of art do you like to make?

7. complicated
original
In Masks! Masks! Masks!, you will see masks from all over the world. Some of the masks look simple to make and some look very complicated! Some are funny and some are a little scary. Each is original and interesting to look at. You will even learn how to make your own mask!

8. What does it mean to be creative? How are you creative?

9. hobby
create
Rose Robot Cleans Up tells about a little robot named Rose who has a very interesting hobby. She likes to collect junk. And when she gets the junk home, she likes to create brand new things from it. The only problem is Rose’s mom and dad. When they tell her to clean up her room, Rose starts thinking. There must be a way to save her junk and get her room clean!

10. How are children from other places like you? How are they different?

11. languages cultures similar
Kids Have Fun shows real children in many different parts of the world having fun. You will see kids playing sports, celebrating special occasions, making things, playing make-believe, and finding lots of other ways to have fun. Even though they speak different languages and come from different cultures, kids all over find similar ways to have fun!

12. What fun things can you do by yourself
What fun things can you do by yourself? What fun things can you do with others?