Portfolios!

We LOVE making portfolios for our students!  This is a great way to make sure they have some pieces of their work saved from the year!  Each month we like to save a writing sample, craft/activity, and pictures.  At the end of the year, the kiddos get to take these home and share them with their families!  How sweet is that? Buying portfolios or binders to save their work can be very pricey so, we had a sweet teacher friend show us how to make these inexpensive portfolios a few years ago, and have been making them ever since!  Each portfolio is only going to cost you ............60 CENTS!  How awesome is that?!  Now, if you are a really great shopper, you can make yours for 40 CENTS!  Be sure to buy your folders on sale!  We grabbed these ones for 15 cents each at Target.  Now what do you need?!

4 Folders (no prong) per student 

Book Binder Machine

Plastic Binding Combs

Labels

Step 1:  Get four folders that are the same brand and same size.  Make sure they do NOT have prongs.  

 Step 2:  Chose folder that you would like to be the outside of your portfolio and cut it straight down to middle.

Step 3:  Put these folders on top of each other and insert them into the book binder.  

 Step 4:  Pull the crank down and punch holes into the spine of the folders.  

 Step 5:  Fold the other 3 folders inside out and hole punch them.

 These are what all 3 folders should look like.

 Step 6:  Let's assemble!  Open up the plastic binding comb and insert the "back", which is one of the blue folder pieces.

 Step 7:  Now insert all 3 folders on top of the bottom blue folder. 

 Step 8:  Insert the "cover", which is the other blue folder piece.  

 It's finished!  Now all you have to do is label the pockets so you know where to file their work!  We double up August/September, December/January, and May/June.  

We hope this is helpful for you!  Enjoy!