One of my favorite ways to remember the year is creating a binder full of their crafts and other samples. I first learned about this simple sweet project while teaching at Calvary Christian Academy.
Supplies
All you need to get started is a 1-2in white three ring binder for each child and clear sheet protectors.
What to Include
- Art projects and drawings - Each week the girls created crafts based on our lessons.
- Be sure to write your child's name, and date or week number to easily organize later.
- Hang some art pieces up on the wall to display while creating a small pile on the side up to 4 weeks worth of crafts.
Related: Using an Art Area to display work.
- Each month - or more - I would take that pile and sort through what is worth saving. Then I would sort by week and by child. I would actually start "stuffing" the binders (placing in page protectors and inserting into binders) right away, while others might choose to store in a file.
- For things that are too large for page protectors – paper plates, extra long paper – I simply hole punch and add to the binder.
- Since my daughter LOVES drawing, I keep her "for fun" paintings in a different place and reserve the binder just for curriculum related projects. Otherwise her binder would be HUGE.
Related: Using a School Memory Box to store extra crafts and drawings.
- I enjoy adding projects from special events such as holiday crafts, first day of school worksheets or anything else "outside the curriculum" that I want to remember and shows off their growth.
- Handwriting Samples - While my children are not at the age where they are writing essays or even small sentences, I have specifically included one or two of my older daughter's cursive words and letters she's been practicing.
- Memory verses, poems, quotes, hymns etc - This year the girls learned one new nursery rhyme each week. I wanted them to remember these, so I diligently typed them into a Pages document, added a few pictures, and printed them out. I also added their memory verses and catechisms. You can add all sorts of things to remember what you learned - vocabulary words, science topics, composers etc.... Knowing I often go overboard, I limited myself to things the kids created, remembering that I can easily glance back at the teacher's guide for all the details.
- Picture Collages - This is my favorite! While I don't always remember to take pictures of each event or activity, I love creating simple pages. I usually start this process closer to the end of the school year. I documented things such as:
- First day of school pictures
- Art projects - that can't be put into the binder
- Field trips: Monterey Bay Aquarium, SF Zoo, Casa de Fruta, hikes with friends
- Holiday activities: Making Christmas cookies, pumpkin party etc.
- Other things - ballet class, tea party, puzzles etc.
- Cover Page - The last thing is adding a simple cover page with your child's name and/or picture on the front, including the school year. I usually make a matching one for the spine as well.
*What it Looks Like Altogether*
