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Welcome to issue 5 of Know Your World Extra. Scroll to the bottom of the page for additional activities for your students.

Background Iinformation About Issue 5
Hot Topics-Chris Is Cookin'!
Before Reading: High School Musical 2, which came out in August, was one of the biggest TV movies of the year. Extra interviewed one of the stars, Chris Warren Jr, who plays Zeke, a jock who's secretly a cook.
Tap Prior Knowledge: Ask students if they saw High School Musical  (HSM) and High School Musical 2 (HSM2). Do they have any secret talents like Zeke does?
Background Information:
-HSM2 takes place at a country club over the summer.
-The first broadcast of this Disney movie had 17.2 million viewers.
-In the movie, Zeke has a crush on Sharpay. He gets a job as assistant to the head chef at the country club.
-Chris Warren Jr is the son of soap star Brook Kerr.
-He has guest starred on Zoey 101 and Just Jordan. He has also acted on Broadway in The Lion King.

Feature-Sweet Success
Before Reading: Lickity Split Chocolate is a candy company in Utah that is run by kids. The candy celebrates their Navajo culture, and their top-selling item is the Navajo basket lollipop. These baskets are used in ceremonies such as weddings. Poverty is common in the area, and the kids use a lot of their profits to help their families.
Tap Prior Knowledge: What is your favorite type of candy? If you had to start your own business, what would it be?
Background Information:
-Blanding, Utah, where Lickity Split is located, is one of the poorest areas in the country.
-The company is a Web site, but has plans to open a physical store this year.
-Lickity Split Chocolate is run by 35 kids, and is supervised by Elaine Borgen.

Debate It!-Pod Problem
Before Reading: Some schools are panning mp3 players because students are using them to cheat.
Tap Prior Knowledge: What are some reasons to ban iPods in schools? How can iPods be used to enhance lessons?
Background Information:
-Electronics were banned in schools in Meridian, Idaho.

Readers' Theater-The Count of Monte Cristo
Before Reading: The Readers' Theater is an adaptation Alexandre Dumas's work of the same name. It is a classic story of revenge.
Tap Prior Knowledge: What does revenge mean? What are some other stories of revenge?
Background Information:
-The Count of Monte Cristo was first published in 1844.
-Dumas was a French author who lived from 1802-1870.
-Dumas also wrote The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask.

Reality Check-Speak Easy
Before Reading: For many people, there is nothing more terrifying than public speaking. This article gives tips to make class presentations easier for students.
Tap Prior Knowledge: Why are some people afraid of speaking in public? What are some ways to relax when speaking in front of an audience?
Background Information:
-Never go into a speech unprepared.
-If you can, practice your speech standing up and in the area where you will be giving your speech. That way you'll be prepared.
-The audience usually won't know if you make a mistake, so if you do, don't apologize. That just draws more attention to the mistake.

What's So Funny
In issue 5, we showed you some winners of our What's So Funny page, which showed people dressed up as leaves. Here are more of our favorite entries:

• "Hey, what's blowin' in?" August K., Indianapolis, IN 
• "We need a ride. How about a gust of wind?" Joey M., Siox Falls, SD
• "My wife is the weeping willow." Aimee C., Florissant, MO
• "This color brings out my eyes." Trenton, Copeland, KS

Check back next month for new What's So Funny entries!

Extra Activities
Our teacher's guide offers activities to enhance the articles in the issue. Click here and here for additional activities. Don't forget the answers!

Download the Write-a-Rap contest entry form here.

Your opinions matter! Is there something you want to see on the Web site? Do you have any questions or comments about the issue? E-mail us at kyw@weeklyreader.com. We want to hear from your students too. In every issue, we'll publish letters to the editor.