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For more information about the Making Books with Pockets series, and for great tips on using these books, please click here.
**Please note that the Theme Pockets line of books has been re-titled Making Books with Pockets. The covers have changed, but the contents of the books are the same.**
Each Making Books with Pockets title covers three complete themes. Several topics are covered for each theme. The themes covered in this title are:
1. Valentine's Day: This theme contains 4 pockets, making it a quick and easy unit. The activities deal with all sorts of themes and symbols of Valentine's Day. I like to take a few days off near every holiday and do special activies relating to the holiday. You could easily do this entire unit in just two days and still have plenty of time to read some good books on the origin of Valentine's Day and make cards to give to friends and loved ones.
 2. Two Great Presidents: This theme is ideal to do around President's Day, or you can use the material when studying American History. Your children will complete very detailed pockets about Washington, Lincoln, quarters, pennies, and a final pocket with activities comparing and contrasting daily life during each man's presidency. I think this last pocket is very important since it is often hard for children to put daily life things in the correct context and time period - "Did they have electricity when you were born, Mom?" "Did Grandma ride in a horse and buggy?' etc.
3.. Fairy Tale Fantasy: Ok, I admit it. When our Evan Moor rep sent us this book, it was weeks before I even bothered to look at it - all because of this "Fairy Tale Fantasy" theme. It sounced like to sort of silly time-waster that we avoid like the plague! One night couriosity got the best of me and I started thumbing through it, and was I ever surprised! It has some cute activities for very young children regarding fairy tales (and one unfortunate witch project). The best thing, however, is that it contains a few really intruiging Medieval-style activities. There is an adorable Knight hand puppet which my 6 year old Matthew is pestering me to make with him, and an incredible folded paper castle which opens up to reveal a place for a mini-book!! I have never seen anything like this castle. My 3 -10 year olds all made the castle and are working on illustrated books of people who live inside a castle to put in their castle books. They are very, very impressive! (The castle instructions call for using some pastel colors of construction paper to make a "fairy tale-ish" castle, but we opted for more realistic colors: parchment cardstock for the castle and various shades of brown for the roofs, doors, etc.)
This book is packed full of reproducibles like writing patterns, templates and instructions for art and craft projects, clip art, shaped book forms, mini books, literature lists, etc. It is recommended for grades 1-3 but is easily adaptable for younger or older children, especially when the material is being used to enhance a more comprehensive study of the given topic.
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