End-of-Year Portfolio

When creative/proud student art or writing gets sent home during the year, the chances of it being kept are slim because what can you really do with awesome pieces here and there throughout the year, every year the child is in school???  Unless the parents/students have some organizational tool, those memories fade faster. What to do?

Well, when I taught kindergarten, we saved at least 1-2 items each month (it was much more season/holiday themed in kindergarten) and bound them all together into a book the students can take home at the end of the year. So, I decided to do this in 5th.

I decided I would keep all those poems, get to know you activities, random photos, and work that would probably be trashed or misplaced if simply sent home. Anything that was two pages or on larger paper was folded so it was more of an interactive feel. Here's how it turned out (just cock your head sideways to the left... I didn't want to resave them all the proper way!):

 

Cons: It takes forever gluing it all in, especially making sure the bind won't affect any pages that fold out/down/etc.

Pros: Kids get a keepsake from the year of their growth and work. The are able to reflect on the year and have it saved. And my ABSOLUTE favorite page... the comments section that I save for the very last day activity.

It simply consists of the students' names on the top of the page in their book and another blank lined sheet behind (students can flip the first page up). Why is this plain page my favorite you say??? On the last crazy day of school, I can get:

1. students being pretty quiet/focused for a good 45 minute block
2. students still reading and writing practically the entire time with some mini breaks
3. authentic student writing that is personal... and then students can take it home as a keepsake

• We sit in a giant circle (since desk cleanup/pileup is the day before the last day). Students already have their favorite pen(s) for school-wide yearbook signing, so I don't have to worry about passing those out now that they don't have desks. 
• Each student gets about one and a half minutes with another student's book, passing clockwise when I say "pass" after the time is up. They are to write a comment/compliment/special memory from the year for each student as the portfolio is passed their way. If they finish early, they can read others' comments or start thinking about what to write for someone coming up.

After the last switch, I give them time to read comments and have some who want to share out one compliment that stood out to them and who wrote it. It creates a great feeling in the room and makes all those hours gluing and binding portfolios TOTALLY worth it!