In our portfolios, I include anecdotal notes, photographs, art, stories, and other samples of children’s work. I take photos of children building with blocks, participating in science explorations, dramatic play, pretend-reading a story, etc. and attach it to a page along with a description of what the child was doing and quotes of things the child said while engaged in the activity. I sometimes also take photos of artwork or other projects that are too large or bulky to put in a portfolio.
I do hands-on activities in my class rather than worksheets, but when I need something for a portfolio, I think about how to make a “hard copy” of the same activity. For example, if I am assessing sorting, I have children sort paper cutouts to glue on divided paper, rather than sorting manipulatives in a divided tray. I use the paper punchers that are sold in craft stores for assessment of sorting, patterns, and counting. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes: apples, stars, hearts, bears, leaves, butterflies, etc.
I like to write the objective on the back of each paper I add to the portfolio. This way the parents understand the purpose of the activity. For example, “Math: Making an AABB pattern” or “Math: Sorting by size” or “Literacy: Retelling a story”. One way to do this is to print labels with the objectives on them and stick them to the back of the paper. If you print out all of your labels ahead of time, it can work as a list of which samples need to be added to the portfolio and which children were absent when a sample was completed.
I use the portfolios during parent conferences to show what children have accomplished. I also use them when I need to fill out progress reports.
How to Make Them
I use notebooks with children’s work in clear page protectors. The children’s work is placed in chronological order. I like using the clear page protectors because children can flip through their book to look at their photos and work. I keep the portfolios out where the children can get them anytime. I use notebooks with clear covers with a photo of the child in the front sleeve.
What to Include in a Portfolio
Portfolio Work Samples:
- Math Portfolio Samples
- Literacy Portfolio Samples
- Fine Motor Portfolio Samples
- Art Portfolio Samples
- Science Portfolio Samples
Don’t miss the assessment resource page!
Some of these ideas I learned in a Georgia Best Practices Portfolio workshop, and some I’ve created on my own.
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Very detailed! Thank you for your ideas on portfolios. I will definitely keep in my mind for this coming school year. 🙂
Where do you get your pattern block shape cutouts for the students to use on the shape sorting forms? Surely you don’t hand cut all of them do you?
If you are referring to the shapes on the shape sorting math portfolio activity, yes, I do hand cut them. It would be wonderful to have a die cut for pattern blocks (they do make them), but I’ve never worked in a school that had them.
Thank you, Karen. This is extremely detailed and very helpful for me as a first year teacher. The assessment sheets are wonderful!
Thank you for posting this.
I’m learning about portfolios in my college class. I have to make a portfolio this week for an online class which can be difficult if you’ve never made one before so this really helped me out.
Great ideas! I will refer it to my student teachers.
I love all the work you have shared. I would appreciate any new ideas that you would like to share. It is wonderful to give new teachers examples of what others produce other than your own. Thanks for all the hard work and ideas. Catherine
I LOVE THIS! Thank you so much! This has really come in handy with my classroom! I have a small class for now, so this is perfect! 🙂 Love your blog by the way. Always gives me great ideas!
Thank you so much for sharing such valuable information. I am a new teacher and appreciate your generosity.
I am a preschool teacher and found your wonderful idea building a portfolios for the children. We have made them in the past but this way seem much more meaningful for the children as it allows them to take responsibility for their own collection. My question to you is where did you get the cover from or how can I get it?
For the covers of these notebooks here, I just put an 8×10 photo of the child. I do have some editable notebook covers on this page: https://www.prekinders.com/end-year-activities-certificates/
Karen,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas. I don’t know how I missed the download on the covers. I plan to use them this year in my classroom your site offers many, many ideas that I have found to be very helpful with planning.
Thank you for sharing,
Kathy
Thank you for such a great resource. When you used the notebooks were they 1 inch or 1/2 inch?
Thanks again
Mine are 1 inch.
I love handmade portfolios like these! It really shows that you put a lot of time and effort into keeping these kids on track academically. The preschool my child attends (Petit Early Learning) uses an app to keep track of activities. It’s very handy to have everything on my phone, but it would also be nice to be able to keep a physical copy of my child’s work. I’ve been torn on this for a while now and would love a second opinion. Do you see your school implementing something like this anytime in the future? Or do you think parents and instructors prefer making the student’s portfolio’s by hand?
I use the See Saw app to share things the kids are learning with the parents and they can view that on their phone. But, they also receive a portfolio book at the end of the year.