"Pocket Mods" for Education

Introduction: 

Two years ago in an elementary math methods class I was introduced to the idea of creating an eight page book out of one one sheet of paper. Recently I came across the website http://www.pocketmod.com/. This site allows a user to customize the eight page book to meet the needs of the classroom. By folding the piece of paper, students can easily have their notes on-hand at any time in this small pocket size books. "Widgets" allow the user to customize the booklet to the needs of the classroom. Widgets available on the website include:

• Lined paper
• Large, medium, and small grid paper
• Tables 
• Story boards for writing
• Music Staff Sheets 
• Calendars 
• Task lists with check boxes
• Contacts
• Conversions for volume, length, area, mass, temperature (great for math classrooms!) 
• Formulas for geometry 

 When printed the books look like the picture at the right. Follow the easy to follow folding instructions on the site and PRESTO! You have an easily transportable study guide, anticipation guide, evidence of center work, or notes from a lesson.

Classroom Applications: 

• Center Time is usually reserved for the elementary realm of teaching. I love to use this form of learning for reviews where students can independently work and manipulate what they have learned previously from direct teaching. Create six centers, one for each page in the book that focuses on a specific skill or concept that you would like the students to work on. For example this week my students are learning about the elements of fiction: setting, characters, plot, theme, and point of view. For each element I chose a children's book that exemplified that particular trait. At each station the students not only had to identify the setting, characters, plot, theme, or point of view but had to explain what each element was in 12 words or less in kid friendly terms. 
• Anticipation Guide: Anticipation guides are a great way to get students involved and thinking critically about material before a unit has begun. Create an anticipation guide for material using the booklet template. Place a statement (either true OR false) on each page. Have the students mark the statements agree or disagree before the unit. As they learn about the concept have them revise their answers and correct the false statements so that they are true. This allows the students to face their misconceptions and miscues themselves. 
• Give-One-Get-One/Jigsaw Reading: If your classroom requires a lot of non-fiction reading this idea is for you! Jigsaw the reading by dividing your students into six groups. Have each group read a separate section or subheading and summarize the text in 12 words or less. This makes the readers summarize the reading in clear, precise language (every word needs to count!). Have the students roam around the room sharing their summary and what they learned from the section with other students from other groups. They will then write down the new information on one of the pages of the book. This allows them the opportunity to "Give and Get" from others in the classroom. Review the summaries to make sure that all "need to know" information was covered by the summaries. If you are in need of extra incentive to keep the students on track allow the students to use the summary booklet on their next test or quiz.