Creating and using a simple template

In this recipe, we will create a very simple template that can be used in the primary grades for showcasing student work. It is not meant to be a complex standards-based template. Rather, it is a template that students should be able to manage pretty much on their own. The recipe includes a journal for reflections and one for "My Weekly Spelling Lists". These journals will automatically be created in the student's portfolio when the template is copied. The assumption is that students will have at least some time each week in a computer lab when they can type their spelling words and create sentences for them. Perhaps this is something students could even work on at home.

The following screenshot is an example of the template:

Getting ready

Students will need to go to the plans section in the Content area of their portfolio and create a plan titled "My Reading List". Students will use the list to keep book reports. They will also need to create a folder...