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 can we learn about the world of nature?
In this unit we’ll explore the sky, the seasons, the weather, and how animals grow. We’ll also find out how scientists make discoveries about our world. As you read the stories in this unit, think about the world around you. Think about how people fit into the world of nature. What can we do to protect our world?

2. What can you see when you look up at the sky?

3. discovers
pale
In Kitten’s First Full Moon, Kitten discovers a delicious-looking bowl of milk in the sky. She tries everything she can think of to get a drink of that milk. She even climbs a tree and leaps into the sky just to taste it. But in fact what she really sees is not a bowl of milk at all. It is the pale, full moon!

4. What is a scientist? What kinds of questions do scientists ask about nature?

5. curious investigate fascinating
Ben Franklin, a famous American from long ago, was curious about lightning and decided to investigate it. In Meet Ben Franklin, you will learn about this fascinating American scientist and how he discovered electricity.

6. What kinds of weather do you know about
What kinds of weather do you know about? What is your favorite kind of day?

7. conditions
forecast
In Stormy Weather, you will learn about many different kinds of storms and the often dangerous conditions they create. You’ll also find out about scientists who forecast when and where storms are likely to hit.

8. What seasons do you have where you live? What is your favorite season?

9. observes
In Happy Fall!, a donkey named Pinwheel observes the leaves falling and worries that he broke the tree. It takes some help from a friend to learn about the season called Fall.

10. How do baby animals change as they grow up?

11. newborn
matures
Tiger Cub Grows Up follows a newborn tiger named Tara as she grows up in the animal sanctuary. In this selection you will learn all about the stages that a young tiger goes through as it matures.

12. What do you want to know about nature
What do you want to know about nature? What do you already know about the world around you?