Collage Portfolio

I really enjoy creating themed portfolios for my students, rather than one project at a time. I try to make each portfolio centered around a theme, utilizing a few different techniques, or media, or project styles. Each portfolio usually has 2-3 different projects, ranging in difficulty and effort, along with a open project, that must incorporate the theme.

I like this approach for a few different reasons.
ONE From what I have seen so far, every student can find something within each portfolio that they will be successful at, that they will find challenging and that they will be able to explore and feel creative. I feel that is so important for younger students, to get ample opportunities to express themselves, to confront challenges and to feel success.
TWO If a student does feel challenged or stuck at a certain project, they could set it aside and work on a different piece.
THREE I enjoy seeing students make connections that they may not have thought of before. Providing different projects around a particular theme, gets these connections started.

Here is an example of a recent portfolio that we just completed with my Grade 7 students, The Collage Portfolio. This portfolio had students practicing color theory, highlights and shadows, collage, and color matching.

Project #1: Collaborative Color Wheel - In small groups students were to design a complex color wheel, utilizing primary, secondary and tertiary colors. They then used magazines to find the color matches.

Project #2: Color Collage - Students were to choose a picture from the picture file that had a wide range of tones, highlights and shadows. Again, using magazines and their complex color wheel, they had to color match and recreate the image.

Project #3: Greyscale Collage - Students now had to transfer their knowledge of color, highlights and shadows to a greyscale. On scrap paper, student had to create crosshatched greyscale, then tear that up to create the collage.

In reflection, the process of this portfolio was great. It was a little too much collage though. I noticed the students getting sick of it by the end, which is never the reaction you want. If I were to do it again, I would make the required size smaller for the last two collages. I had them do it on 81/2x11 paper, this was just too big.

For the students who worked hard though, they created some amazing pieces! Here are a few more fabulous examples!

Project #1

Project #2 (sorry for the glare...)

I will be posting more examples for portfolios that I have done with my students, along with examples.