[stooksgirl06]

Do you do a book for each child for the end of the year? What kinds of things do you put in it? Thanks!

[fredflintston]

I do this. At the end of every month I make a page for the book with some pictures of things we have done for the month. I usually make one master page and photocopy it so each child has a copy (not the best but it's cheap). I write a little note on the bottom about what we did for hte month and then I end with and I wrote my name like this: and I have the chidlren write their names. I also include one journal page from each month because it's nice to see their drawings progress from month to month. I keep mine simple.

[Ms. B in GN]

i do a bunch of different things....

1. i had the kids draw a picture of themselves every month. on the top of the page i had printed "This is me in September" and so on. I taught them about drawing a person, you need a body, and a head, and two legs and two arms, etc. all the way down to the fingers. i made sure they had clothes on, and shoes...i usually started with showing them a mirror, and having the draw themselves accurately. so, if they had brown hair, they couldnt make it purple in the picture they were drawing. they did that every month for the whole year. it is AMAZING what kind of progress you see from the Sept or Aug pic to the June or May one. On the last page I had them write, "I am Jenna" and fill in their name. Underneath it, I had a 4 x 6 individual photo of them. on the over, i had them do a paper doll that represent them, with clothes and yarn for hair etc. no words on the front...the parents LOVED it.

2. i do a month by month book, where they paint whatever we're working on each month, and save it. So, for example...
In September, I painted Apples.
October, pumpkins
Nov, Turkey
Dec, Gingerbread Man (we try to stay away from specific holidays)
Jan, snowflakes
Feb, hearts
Mar, penguins (LOVE teaching penguins!)
April, planets or dinosaurs
May, flowers
June, i think fish or frogs?
on the front of that one, i usually put "Month by Month with Pre KB" and have a pic of the whole class or something.

3. they ahve their journal that they work on through the whole year.

4. i have a copy of every song or rhyme we learn, and thast goes in a folder progressively, by the end of the year it has about 40 or so songs.

5. i keep a copy of every recipe that we do in class, and in the end, i print them all up for a Pre KB cook book! (parents LOVE that one)

6. I do a Keep in Touch or Telephone book...each page gets the kids address and phone number on it, and the kids sign their name and draw a picture of themselves.

7. i do an All about me book some years too. each page is a different colored paper doll cut out, that they decorate (eyes, nose, mouth, hair, etc.) the ones that can print nicely, write their answers, the ones that can initially, i print for them.
ask questions like
my favorite thing to do in school is...
favorite color
favorite snack in school
favorite playground (we have 4)
favorite song
favorite critter from the goodbye song (there are 10)
favorite kind of frog
favorite gingerbread story
favorite penguin
favorite food
i usually try to have like 10 or 12 pages in that, well..usually ends up being 10.

wow when i type it all out it sounds like a bunch..but i do it throughout the whole year, so its not that bad! its actually all pretty simple. ive done other things over the years too, if you're looking for more ideas, let me know!!

[bucket]

Each child's book is organized by month. Each month we do a self portrait (like the pp) This is me in August. We also do a handprint each month. These have a poem with them like the handprint calendars. We just do one a month and use them to decorate our room instead of making them for a calendar. This month was a handprint ghost. I have a page or two of pictures for each child each month. I also try to include at least one work sample a month. Apple patterns in September etc. We make several class books throughout the year. I put the book pages for each child in the month section that we made the book. This month has a lot of books. We did Fall Leaves, Bippity Boppity Boo, How Many Pumpkins Tall Are You?, Our Bat Book, and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. So each child will have their 5 book pages in their October section.

[ateacch]

Each month, I send home a packet that says -What I learned in September, etc.

At the end of the year, they get to take home their portfolio. In this are fine motor, literacy, and math activities.

Then, using iMovie, I make a movie out of the pictures from the year. At the beginning of the year, the district has the parents sign permission for use of pics. Then I put songs to the pics like- You've Got A Friend in Me-Toy Story, The Best Day-Taylor Swift, My Wish-Rascal Flatts. Then I burn a copy for each family. I am not a paper scrap-booker. To me, an closet techie, I enjoy this. I do try and put some titles in the movie, like Fire Fighters, for when the firefighters came to visit.

[stooksgirl06]

Could you tell me more about your portfolios? I would like to do this, but am not sure exactly what to keep. thanks!