The main difference is that theme studies rely upon children's literature instead of textbooks. Children explore a topic in far more detail and spend much longer on each theme than in a textbook-driven program. Children engaged in a theme study use the school media center to seek information about specific topics. They also use works of various genres to supplement their research. Fiction, for example, demonstrates attitudes and behaviors, the reasons to use the information found in nonfiction books.
Poetry can provide an aesthetic dimension to the theme study topic.
Thematic studies require large numbers of trade books, which the children use with the teachers to build the content of their instructional program. Librarians must work cooperatively with teachers to assure that resources are available in the media center when needed. At certain times of the year, pulling books can be a full-time job for the media specialist. Flexible scheduling in the school media center is also important to the success of theme studies. When the media center is available to individuals and small groups of children virtually all day, children are free to seek information when questions arise.