Click this link to view our multimedia PowerPoint, which is one method we use to brainstorm ideas for a theme.
 

I used to think that only large, important concepts such as "Freedom", "Civil Rights", "Money" and so forth were worthy of selection for unit themes.  Then one day I was watching television.  I don't recall whether it was the Travel Channel or one of the food channels, but I watched a show that took you on a tour of several factories that produced sweets.  They took us through the Hershey's Factory, Jelly Belly Factory, Tootsie Roll Factory, a candy cane factory and several others.  It was so fascinating that I became very excited about writing a unit on the theme of Candy.  But I kept hesitating because I thought that this theme was not significant, and in fact, rather frivolous, so I didn't do anything about it for a while.

Then I began to do a little research on candy, and I changed my mind.  I discovered all kinds of wonderful connections to the curriculum.  You can view those in the PowerPoint on Candy which I am developing.  I have always used concept-mapping to brainstorm ideas for a theme, and I still think that is a necessary step.  However, I have recently begun creating PowerPoint presentations as another way of organizing the theme.

In fact, you could tie it into Hurricane Katrina if you have a candy-making and candy selling project come out of it to raise money for the hurricane victims.  And perhaps you could arrange to send candy to some of the children in shelters.

 I discovered that the theme of candy is a rich theme in which you can teach all the disciplines' content standards, basic skills, and if rich with opportunities to incorporate multimedia, media literacies and all the critical attributes of an ideal 21st century curriculum.  Please understand that this is a WORK IN PROGRESS.  I still have much to add, but it if offered as an idea jump starter!  Enjoy!