Kindergarten Memories

Teaching kindergarten is a wonderful experience where memories are made each day. Each year, I use digital photographs to create a DVD movie for students to take home at the end of the year.

Using a digital camera, I take pictures of children throughout the year doing the following activities:
First Day of School
Bulldog Bash
Johnny Appleseed
Pumpkin Patch field trip
Pow Wow
Christmas party
100th day
Dr. Seuss
Valentine's Day party
(all field trips, special play times, etc.)

Throughout the year, I create and save each round of photographs in folders in I-Photo. After the picture taking is complete, I use the digital pictures to create an I-Movie. I have the students "introduce" themselves in the movie with each of their first day of school pictures, and I use other sound clips of the students with special pictures (such as them saying the pledge of allegiance). The other pictures are shown with a background of music. I give each student a copy of the "Kindergarten Memories" movie on a DVD to take home at the end of the year.

In kindergarten, we have always done a paper "memory book" where we developed pictures, laminated all artwork and make special backgrounds using the computer. However, due to budget cuts we were unable to continue this practice. The kindergarten memories DVD using digital pictures has been a wonderful alternative that actually gives the children a lasting visual memory of special activities they celebrated with their friends throughout the year. This is my third year teaching and doing this activity, and I really cherish the picture movies as a lasting memory of each special class I have had the privilege to spend their kindergarten year with.