South Africa
June 2024
In My Pocket Project
King David Primary School Victory Park
Gabi Borowsky one of the teachers who embarked on the In My Pocket journey with the children has written a summary of how we approached the book.
We chose to do the ‘In My Pocket’ project with our Grade 5 and 6 learners. We started the project by introducing the historical background of the ‘In my pocket’ story. This involved a detailed discussion about antisemitism and the antisemitic laws that were put into place in Germany leading up to the outbreak of World War 2. As we read the story, the topic of the ‘Kindertransport’ arose. We allowed the learners to ask as many questions as they wanted to and this led to further discussion. The book was read over 2-3 lessons because of the questions the learners asked. The book provided a comfortable and accessible platform for the learners to voice their curiosity and learn about the difficult topic of the Holocaust. The children particularly enjoyed the slides that showed real pictures and brought the picture storybook to life.
Each learner received their own copy of the ‘In my pocket’ story and were encouraged to look through the books and discuss their observations further. The children were each given a fabric ‘pocket’ and instructed to brainstorm ideas that they could draw onto the pockets. They were told to draw a part of the story that stood out for them and to link this to something they would take in their ‘pocket’. The learners came up with incredible drawings and each child’s drawing was different. The final step involved the learners writing up a description about what they had drawn on their pockets.
This was a very powerful project. The simplicity of the book gave the children the opportunity to learn about the Holocaust in a gentle and introductory way.
| Keren Lurie Grade 6 Teacher | HOD Hebrew and Jewish Studies |
Our class in Grade 5 recently finished reading a powerful book called “In My Pocket.” It sparked a lot of curiosity and important discussions. Many students weren’t familiar with the Kindertransport that happened during World War II. This led to a flurry of questions – everyone wanted to know more! The discussions even sparked conversations at home, with students asking their parents if any relatives had been part of the Kindertransport.
Another engaging part of the learning experience was decorating our own pockets. It was a creative way to connect with the story and the children’s journeys. Overall, this book ignited a real passion for learning about Jewish history in our grade. It was a powerful reminder of the past and the importance of understanding different experiences.