Beginning of the Year Portraits

At the beginning of each school year, I have my second graders create portraits of themselves to hang up in the room.  I read a book about being an individual and being unique.  Usually I use I  Like Myself.  The kids love the illustrations and how the main character loves so many things about herself.  It has a positive message that I hope my students will adopt in their own lives.

After we read the story and talk about what we love about ourselves, I give my students the outline of a head.  Then I give them mirrors, colored pencils and crayons and have them create a detailed portrait of themselves.  On their shirt they write "I like myself because____" and fill in the blank.  I give them yarn in all different colors for their hair but everything else they color.

After we share these, I hang them up on clotheslines above the windows in my classroom.  It makes a great display for back to school/open house and the parents love trying to find their child and figure out what they love about themselves.  Click the picture below to get the portrait outline.