Tutorial: A Writing Portfolder (Assignments, Slideshows, and Step-by-Step Instructions Included!)

It's finished! The portfolder tutorial with eleven mini-books is ready for you to try with your students. You can find it here.

Making a Writing Portfolder: A Tutorial

Once children are ready to write independently, it can be challenging to know how to guide them. In this tutorial, children's imaginations will be stirred as they complete a variety of assignments, many of them inspired by published writing. Each piece will begin as a draft on notebook paper (or a computer screen) and end as a typed mini-book which will be displayed on a portfolder shell to be read and enjoyed for years to come.

See the happy faces of kids who have made them before?

Before we begin, I'd like you to remember a few things.

First, it's important for kids to begin with a blank screen or sheet of paper so they are free to engage in the writing process. If you give them the flaps, folds, or mini-books for the portfolder too soon, you will either 1) not see the child's best writing or 2) end up with eraser smudges or tears. Save the mini-books for the final copies!

Similarly, stress the process of writing in these assignments. The first draft is likely not the best you can get from your students.

To make the final product extra special, I recommend that students' work be typed, cut (preferably with a paper cutter), and glued (with a glue stick) onto the mini-books.

Think of my ideas as suggestions. If you deviate from them because you or your children have a better idea, I'll never know. Similarly, if you want to change the order of the mini-books, do it. The goal is to propel your children to write, to end up with a project that satisfies them. If that is accomplished, celebrate!

Writing doesn't have to be laborious or tedious. Have fun!

Oh, and if anything is unclear, PLEASE let me know.

Now I think we're ready to begin.

Gather Supplies
The basic supplies are listed here for you.

Make a Portfolder Shell
Follow Steps 1-3 here to make a single portfolder.

Mini-Book #1: Acrostic Name Poem
Find the instructions for writing the acrostic poem here.

When the acrostic is finished, follow these instructions to make a flapbook for the portfolder. (Press the i to see the instructions.)

As the mini-books are completed, store them in a large zip-top bag to protect them. The flapbook is the bag's first resident! We will wait until the projects are all collected in the bag before we begin laying them out and pasting them to the portfolder.

Mini-Book #2: I Know What I Like
Look here for this writing assignment based on a picture book by Norma Simon. Then follow the slideshow below to make a circle book. (Press the i to see the instructions.)

Plop the finished book in the plastic bag to join the acrostic flapbook. Now the bag has two cozy residents!

Mini-Books # 3 and #4: Metaphors
Students will make two shutterfold books of metaphors, following the post here. For each word they choose, ask them to write a list of comparisons, developing five of them with sensory details. When they are finalized, one metaphor can be put on the outside cover, adjacent to the title. The other four can be pasted in each of the sections on the inside of the mini-book. Do this for two mini-books.

When the metaphors are ready, follow these instructions to make two shutterfold books for the portfolder. (Press the i to see the instructions.)

Put the mini-books in the storage bag. They're adding up!

Mini-Book #5: Important Things
Students will make a book of three to six important things, following the instructions here.

The important things will go in a bound book. Watch the slideshow to see how to make it.

Arrange the paragraphs on the pages. Illustrate them or include photos. Put a title on the front cover. Voilà. You have another book to add to the bag.

Mini-Book #6: Writing in Threes
The next mini-book is a filmstrip book. Follow the instructions for writing in threes here.

Students will have three pages in their filmstrip book, one for each of their important things. On the frames of the filmstrip piece, they will make illustrations which correspond to the pages of their mini-book. When the reader is reading page one, the filmstrip piece will be pulled to the right to allow the first picture to be viewed in the frame. This piece will be pulled to the left to allow the second picture to be viewed when the reader is ready for page 2. It will be pulled completely to the left when the reader is ready for page 3.

When the filmstrip book is complete, add it to the zip-top bag.

Mini-Book #7: Circular Story
Next up is a circular story, modeled after Laura Numeroff's If You Give... books. You can find the lesson here.

Follow the instructions below to make a layered book for the portfolder. (Press the i to see the instructions.)

Look at that growing bag! Pull out the collection of books and admire each one.

Mini-Book #8: Diary of a Critter
It is now time for students to write diaries...with a twist. They will not be writing about their lives but instead about the life of a critter, maybe a grasshopper or a ladybug or whatever suits their fancy. You can find the lesson here. The number of entries is up to you, but I recommend at least ten.

You won't need a slideshow to make this super easy mini-book. Just cut squares from white or colored copy paper (approximately 5" x 5"), enough for the diary entries, the front cover, and the back cover. So, if your student has ten entries, the book will have twelve pages. Staple on the left and, as promised, you have a super easy book.

Once the diary is completed, it can also be placed in the bag.

Mini-Book #9: Two Stories, One Pattern
For this assignment, we're going to toss in some basic literary analysis. Go here to find the books and the story mapping sheet to begin the process.

You can make this book in three easy steps. (Press the i to see the instructions.)

Into the bag it goes, joining the rest of the mini-books.

Mini-Book #10: Excuses, Excuses
Do you hear a lot of excuses when it's time to write? Well, don't let all that griping and grumbling go to waste. Invite your kids to use their best excuses in a poem explained here.

Place both poems--the original and your student's--in an accordion-fold book, explained below. To print the poem, right-click the poem (here), paste it into a Word document, and edit it as you wish.

When it's ready, add it to the bag. We're almost finished making and collecting mini-books.

Mini-Book #11: How-to Writing
Follow the lesson here--the simple or extended version--for a how-to writing assignment.

When the text is revised and edited, display it in a top tab book. If there are four steps, place one step on each tab/page. If there are eight steps, place two steps on each tab/page.

Another mini-book to add to the bag!

Putting It All Together

Finally, we have enough projects to fill a single portfolder. (Of course, if you want to add more writing projects, you can always add extensions to your portfolder. It's not complicated!)

To plan the layout of the portfolder, have students spread out (and admire) the mini-books. Since the filmstrip book and the top tab book are the largest of the mini-books, they will need to go in the main section--the window--of the portfolder. Anchor them with paperclips.

The rest of the mini-books will fit on the fronts and backs of the flaps--or shutters.Students can tinker with the arrangement until it is pleasing to the eye, using paperclips to hold the books in place. No pasting yet!

If any of the mini-books are lacking titles, take care of that before pasting.

Once students are sure the mini-books are ready and they are happy with the arrangement, they can get a glue stick and carefully paste the mini-books to the portfolder, aligning them carefully.

(Optional): Give students stickers and markers to decorate the white spaces of the portfolder.

And there you have it: a finished portfolder proudly displaying eleven pieces of student writing.

Beyond Portfolders

To keep from getting in a rut, we moved from portfolders to other projects. Like the portfolders, these projects are filled with original writing, drawings, captions, photographs, and assignments of all kinds, centered around a specific topic.

Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome

The girls each made a scrapbook, documenting their studies of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Although my oldest and and youngest daughters are four years apart, they could study the same topic while working at their own ability levels. I loved our one-room schoolhouse days!

Middle Ages

We used posterboard for the cover of our Middle Ages projects, cutting turrets in the tops.  We pasted pictures and assignments to cardstock pages, which we then taped to the inside of the cover, one page overlapping the next.

Oregon Trail

We joined Westward Ho! virtual wagon train and made notebooks to document the experience. At the time, a wagonmaster led weekly online chats, allowing the travelers to meet and make decisions. Now I see that  all the material is there for teachers/homeschoolers to gather their own groups, large or small. Our notebooks were simple: a plastic cover with mini-books, assignments, and photographs pasted to cardstock pages. (Beside the notebook is a collection of letters from the trail, the cover made by distressing a paper bag.)

The Olympics

I needed some way to justify all the hours we would spend watching the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.  Think, think, think. I found a trifold presentation board and asked the girls to do an A-Z presentation of the Olympics, which they worked on together. Perfect.  All that time in front of the TV was educational and productive!

Study of Pennsylvania

I must have a thing for the alphabet! I gave the girls binders in which they included at least one page for each letter. Included in the pocket of each letter is a card with a brief overview of that page's word. We were able to extend the classroom for this one, going on a slew of field trips.

Portfolders: More Than Cutting, Coloring, and Pasting

What is wrong with this picture?

Nothing, really. If your students follow all of the instructions, they will end up with a mini- book that highlights the seasons of the year. 

The problem is that someone else did most of the work. All that is left for your students to do is cut, color, and paste.

Can you accomplish a similar goal, allowing your students to more fully engage in the process of learning, doing more than complete a worksheet in disguise? 

I think so. And it's not difficult!

First, teach a lesson on seasons in whatever way best suits you and your children. It need not be formal or lengthy. You can read books about the seasons, taking special note of the trees. You can talk about how trees change from season to season. You can watch a video on the seasons or find pictures on the internet. 

Let your student choose a colored sheet of paper. Cut it to the size you want. If you want each section to be 2.5" x 2.5", then you should cut it to 2.5" x 10".

Mark the four sections of the accordion-fold book by drawing (with a pencil)  light lines. These lines will be erased later. You can fold it back and forth now, or wait until it is complete.

Your students will draw, color or paint, and label a tree for each season. If the block is large enough and you want to add a dash of writing to the assignment, have the students write a brief caption about or description of each tree. They will also decide on a title and make a cover illustration.

If this is a once-and-done project, your students can draw and write directly on the accordion-fold book. But if you want to reduce the chances of tears (and a ruined project), it might be better to make blocks of paper that can eventually be pasted in each section. That way, if one tree is a flop, it can be redone. No big deal. Same with the captions. They can be typed and pasted to the frames which means less pressure to get the handwriting to fit exactly right in a small space.

Portfolder Checklist

When you're ready to make a portfolder, it will be helpful to have the following items on hand.

Dinah Zike's Big Book of Books and Activities
You'll find enough folds in Zike's book to keep you busy for a while.

Paper Cutter
You can use scissors, but you will wish you had used a paper cutter. It will save you time and many headaches.

Glue Sticks
It's important to use glue sticks, not liquid glue, to paste the mini-books to the poster board.

Craft Glue
Glue sticks won't work when you want to paste poster board to poster board. Use craft glue instead.

Cardstock--White and Colored
Avoid neon colors. They don't last over time. (Yep, I learned that one from experience!)

Copy Paper--White and Colored
Avoid neon colors. They don't last over time.

Poster Board--White or Colored
This will be the shell of the portfolder.

Gallon-size Zippered Bags
As students finish their mini-books, they can safely store them in a labeled bag until it's time to put together the portfolder.

Photo Corners
Use photo corners to affix photographs of field trips and hands-on activities to the poster board.

Yard Stick
You'll need a yard stick to measure and crease the poster board. For instructions on how to make a portfolder shell, go here.

Scissors

You can't use a little paper cutter to cut the poster board. You'll need scissors instead.

Paper Clips
When students are planning the layout of the portfolder, paper clips temporarily anchor the mini-books in place.

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A Peek into Our Portfolders

Have you ever intended to spring clean a room, only to find yourself lost in nostalgia as you page through a yearbook or a journal or a stack of letters?  That happened to me all the time as a teenage girl. It happened again yesterday when I pulled out my girls' portfolders. What a beautiful collection of creativity and learning that reminds me of the good ol' days when learning was rich, fun, practical, contextual, literature-based, spontaneous, personal...(sigh), all the things it's harder to maintain when you have to prepare a transcript worthy of a college admissions team.

When my friend introduced me to portfolders in our early days of homeschooling, she gave our family a precious gift. These projects not only gave us hours of fun and learning then, but they also bring us warm memories now.

What I love about portfolders:

• They allow for writing galore, long, short, fiction, and non-fiction, all of it with a purpose.
• They encourage creativity.
• They bring purpose and focus to unit studies, keeping motivation high for Mom and students.
• Students of different ages can do the same assignments, each of them working at their own levels.
• There is no limit to these projects, age or otherwise.
• Color! It's amazing to see interest increase when students can choose their own colors--for borders or for mini-books.
• Variety! Presenting information on different flaps and folds automatically makes the process more fun.
• Art, writing, science, history, music, etc. meet in one place.
• It's a blast watching the mini-books collect until, at last, it's time to put together the portfolder.
• Planning, laying out, and pasting the final project is a learning experience of its own. Students make many decisions.
• They are versatile. You can make a shutterfold portfolder, a double-fold portfolder, or a double-fold portfolder with extensions. For our U. S. History study, which was even too big for the double-fold portfolder with extensions, we made a part two portfolder.
• What student wouldn't want to share all that work with an interested grandparent or friend?
• Students feel that wonderful sense of accomplishment when the last piece is pasted.
• They are mementos of super sweet days.

To show you the possibilities for these projects, I will take you on a brief tour of some of ours.  Many of the mini-books come from Dinah Zike's Big Book of Books and Activities. They are noted with italics.

(Note: Since Michaiah is the oldest child, she has more portfolders than the other two. By the time Rebekah was the same age, we moved on to other projects, which I share in Beyond Portfolders.)

Civics: An Election Year

During the 2004 presidential campaign and election, we did a civics unit.

A Peek Inside:
~ Janessa made a bar graph, choosing six names (George, John, James, Andrew, William, Franklin), noting how many presidents we've had with those names.

~ The girls made a podium out of a box, designing it with both their rendition of The Great Seal and their own seal. They wrote and presented a campaign speech. The speech and the picture are included.

~ They wrote letters to George W. Bush, the President at the time, including a copy of their letters in an envelope.
 

Storm in the Night by Mary Stolz

 The Storm in the Night was our Five-in-a-Row hub book from which a study on weather, the water cycle, and figurative language was born.

A Peek Inside:
~ We did an experiment to observe evaporation. Michaiah recounted the four-day process and included a picture.

~ She looked for mentions of weather in the Bible, summarizing each of them in a simple stapled book.

~ She included an original acrostic poem with the word Hurricanes.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by Trinka Hakes Noble

This silly book inspired a unit and a portfolder that taught us about reptiles and farms. 

A Peek Inside:
~ Michaiah did the envelope fold. On each triangle, she glued a picture of a snake (blech!).  Her caption says, "Can you identify each of these snakes without lifting the flaps?"  On the inside, she included the name of each snake as well as information about each one.

~ She typed the highlights of the story on sentence strips which fit in a drinking cup pocket.  On the outside, she wrote, "You can try to fit together the story of The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash by taking the slips out of the pocket and setting them up in the right order."

~ She wrote a cause and effect story of her own and displayed it in an accordion book.

Berlioz the Bear by Jan Brett

One day I didn't know what to teach next.  I sat on the edge of Michaiah's bed and prayed. When I looked up, I spotted Berlioz the Bear and thus began a wonderful unit on music. 

A Peek Inside:
~ Michaiah drew math problems with musical notes on a vocabulary word book. She wrote the answers on the back of each flap and drew a surprise picture of Berlioz for the reader to enjoy when all the problems are solved.

~ On a graph, she wrote the notes of the musical scale on one axis, the words of "The Wheels on the Bus" on the other axis. She then made bars showing the note for each word.

~ She made a key, noting each of the sections of an orchestra--percussion, woodwinds, brass, strings--with a color. She wrote the names of the instruments  in her very best cursive on short sentence strips, identifying their sections with the appropriate color. She then pasted them in alphabetical order.

The Salamander Room by Anne Mazer

 We combined The Salamander Room and Considering God's Creation to make this portfolder centered around insects, amphibians, metamorphosis, and salvation.

A Peek Inside:
~ Michaiah wrote her own fairytale called "The Princess and the Frog." 

~ She included a page, describing the process of metamorphosis, in the left pocket of a pocket book. In the right pocket, she displayed the activity from Considering God's Creation which shows the life cycle of six insects. As a decoration on the pocket, she printed a picture of an insect, colored each section in a different color, and labeled the sections.

~ She wrote a series of facts about amphibians on six miniature matchbooks.

U. S. History, Part 1

We lingered in our study of American history since there is no lack of books at the library, and we happen to live where field trips and re-enactments are plentiful.

A Peek Inside:
~ On adding machine tape, Michaiah made a timeline--narrated and illustrated--of Squanto's life. We accordion-folded it to fit.

~ Janessa made a layered look book about the pilgrims. The first layer tells about their time in England, the second in Holland, the third in America.

~ They designed their own flags with felt and foam.

U. S. History, Part 2 

All of the girls' projects would have overstuffed the first portfolder, so they each made a second one. 

 

A Peek Inside:
~ They made ABC bound books.  Michaiah's was about the Revolutionary War, Janessa's about George Washington. These books alone represent hours of work, as they had to figure out what word to use for each letter, write an explanation, and illustrate it.

~ Michaiah wrote another verse to "Yankee Doodle," writing the words and notes on a musical staff.

~ Janessa wrote two letters to King George III, one from Loyalist Lulu, one from Patriot Patty.

Oregon Trip

When my girls were 3, 5, and 7, we traveled 3,000 miles from home to spend a month learning with the portfolder creator/queen herself in our home state of Oregon. We created and collected and put all of our learning together in portfolders.

A Peek Inside:
~ From the look of the front cover, you would think the girls' Mt. Hood books are nothing special. Open them up to the first page, however, and you find text with a tiny hole in the middle.  Each subsequent page has more text with a slightly bigger hole, allowing a larger peek at a picture which is eventually seen in full on the last page.

~ Michaiah painted a picture of Multnomah Falls, inspired by a postcard she bought. She left room to write a diamante poem.

~ She made a top tab book, outlining the steps a person must follow to thresh wheat, a process she saw demonstrated live at Champoeg Park.

Writing Projects

I've taught a number of classes where the end goal was a portfolder of writing, some of the pieces based on children's literature.

A Peek Inside:
~ After reading I Know What I Like by Norma Simon, the kids made a circle book. Each circle has four sections, three for "I likes" and one for "I don't like" to follow the book's pattern. I won't try to explain more; it's too complicated. : )

~ Teachers get a lot of mileage from Margaret Wise Brown's The Important Book. I joined the crowd.  Students made their own version in a bound book.

~ I asked students to choose three related things: three restaurants, three presidents, three memories, three vacations, three sports.... They made filmstrip books, writing about and illustrating each of their "things."

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