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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What makes you special?
In this unit, we’ll explore all of the things that make us special. We’ll talk about who we are, the things we like, and what we can do. We’ll read a story about a bird and a rabbit who are very different but are still good friends and about pet dinosaur who goes to school. We’ll also read nonfiction selections about growing up and playing soccer. What do you like to do? How are you different from your friends?

2. What do you like to do? What makes you special?

3. unique
In Pam and Sam you will meet a little rabbit and a little bird who love to play together. Each character is unique. Pam, the rabbit, loves to jump. Sam, the bird, prefers to do other things. But they learn they can be different and still be the best of friends!

4. How do you move? What can you do?

5. energy
movements
In I Can, Too! a boy and a girl with lots of energy make up their own game. The girl can jump and run. Can the boy? Find out what happens when the two friends try to follow each other’s movements. The bouncy rhyming text will make you want to join in on the fun.

6. How have you changed since you were little?

7. change
learn
Once you were a newborn baby and you spent most of your time eating and sleeping. But now you can talk, sing, run, ride, and so much more. In How You Grew you will read about how kids change as they get older. You will see the many things kids learn to do at each age.

8. What pets do you know? What are they like?

9. adorable
sensible
In Flip, you will meet an adorable pet dinosaur named Flip who decides to go to school. In the classroom, Flip has a great time making a mess with finger paints. The kids have a great time sliding down Flip. Although Miss Black, the teacher, isn’t quite so happy. It might not be sensible to let Flip into the classroom but it makes for a lot of fun and excitement.

10. What do you like doing with your friends?

11. challenging
offers
Soccer is a challenging game that offers a great opportunity to work and play together with friends. In Soccer you will see how real kids play soccer. The kids run, they kick, and they use their heads to hit the ball. You will even see how they tend goal.

12. What are some of the things that make you you
What are some of the things that make you you? Why is it important to be yourself?