I’ve Got You Covered!

Looking for a simple summative assessment to see what your students know at the end of the school year?

Try a portfolio cover sheet!

Theses cover sheets get glued to the outside of student art portfolios at the end of the school year.  My idea was inspired  by things I have seen in catalogs and also from several other blogs out there who have been assembling “Portfolios” in creative ways as a celebration of learning at the end of a school year.  Teacher’s Discovery, a company I have worked with before with Traveling Art Exhibits, sells small 8×10 portfolios that already have different activities similar to mine printed right on the portfolio!  Check them out if you are looking for something like this, there are a wide variety of portfolios you can buy from them for a quick and easy way to make an impact when you send art home.

For me, I knew I wanted something custom to the Power Standards in my district, as well as combining some new questioning skills I have learned from assessment trainings I have recently attended, so the example above is my take on the whole concept of assembling a portfolio cover sheet.  I also need portfolios that are very large to hold the size of my students artwork (20×28 is the size of paper I use for my portfolios)

These are the perfect solution to a problem I’ve had for awhile now.  I never know what to do with the kids while the other students are helping pass back their art on my “Portfolio Day”  (IE: Pass back art and control mass chaos and loud voices day). I am not a fan of allowing kids to “free draw” on the front of their portfolios because they always look like crap. I am sorry, but they do.  Is that the first thing you want your parents to see when kids bring home artwork? Crappy art? I don’t think so… Some teachers have a project that students can do on the front of the portfolio. This idea is better.. However, I have such limited time, I do not prefer to waste time on a project that is on a portfolio that may get thrown away…  So, the answer for me: Do an assessment right on the portfolio!

This Concept ROCKs Because:

• They are the easiest assessment you will ever give.
• They provide you with knowledge about what your students know from the course of the year and what they have retained.
• It’s a great way to get data for your art program without administering a bubble test, like we do (but thankfully that is changing)
• The will provide reflection for students and a review of their entire year in art class.
• They are so FUN the kids will not even realize it’s an assessment.
• They are another great way to communicate with parents about what is happening in your art program.

For younger students, I would like to see a cover sheet that is a little more visual and incorporate less writing and more drawing. Stay tuned as I show you more about the logistics of Portfolio Madness! I know it’s not the end of the year, but as you all know, Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail.. So I want us all to get a jump start on ending the year right!

How do you know what your students have learned at the end of the year?