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Lesson Plans


Re: Portfolios

From: ARTNSOUL12
Date: Tue Jun 20 2000 - 04:15:27 PDT

  • Next message: croberts: "Re: Electronic portfolios"

    I teach approximately 400 students k-5. Everyone takes home a portfolio
    during the last week of school. We make them out of 24"x36" construction
    paper (Tru-ray). We fold the paper in half horizontally and staple both
    sides. On the top we attach handles out of pipe cleaners. First, we put
    packing tape inside along the top where the holes will be punched for the
    handles. This reinforces the paper so the pipe cleaners do not rip through
    the portfolio. Use two pipe cleaners per porfolio and just twist the ends to
    attach as a semi-circle handle. All the year's work goes in, including 3-d
    stuff, (not ceramics, papier mache) if it hasn't been taken home during the
    year. Some of the work needs to be rolled to fit in- I tend to work very
    big. Each student decorates the front with his/her name and also "My Art
    Portfolio-Grade 3(or whatever) 1999-2000. Here's an important tip...I give
    each class a different color paper. The color coding definitately helps when
    finding ones porfolio.
     But, here's what I think is a most important part of this, I attach a letter
    to the parent on each portfolio. The letter contains a brief synopsis of
    what their child has acheived at his/her grade level. Also, in this one page
    letter I highlight what has been taught throughout the year, mention that
    projects meet the State Standards, and how they have integrated with
    classroom curriculum, etc. It's a different letter per grade. I also ask
    the parents to share in the joy of art by reviewing and discussing the art
    work with their child. At the end of the year the students write about what
    they have created/learned throughout the year and this also goes into their
    portfolios. The writing part is a form of self- assessment and is part of the
    NYS Standards. In kindergarten it can be a fill-in sentence sheet.
    Although this is a tremendous amount of work on my part, I find that is worth
    it. Next year I plan to have an Art Squad staple and attach handles for the
    little ones. The art work doesn't go home crumpled up in a book bag and the
    portfolio has helped make Art an important part of the school year. Many
    parents have told me that they love going over the year's work with the
    children, and that they are using the portfolio to store whatever they don't
    frame. Many professionally frame their children's paintings!
    Susan on Long Island 

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