Part of Lesson Plan: Shapes "R" In!-Beginning Character Development

Activity Overview / Details

The first part of the lesson is to get the students thinking about how characters are created. Can they recognize basic shapes and their importance? 

Start off by having a Hot Potato Shapes game. First divide the students into equal groups, give them printed versions of relevant characters, enough so each student in each group has one to work on. Also make sure they are age age/grade level appropriate Instruct the students to search for shapes, lines. and forms that they can find within the characters, examples attached.

Start by giving each student in each group one of the printed cartoon characters. The rounds will be timed at various intervals (your choice), using music or sounds stopping and starting as cues. Each time a student finds a shape on their paper the group is forced to rotate the images to the next person. When the music stops the student with the least amount of shapes on their paper is out. The game continues until one person ends up with the all the drawings and shapes. The group of students that are "out" can be allowed to coax on the finalists.

After the Shapes game as a class discuss the shapes found within the characters. If you have the capability draw over the found shapes while the students point them out, examples are attached:

Below are  examples of  various cartoon characters and their shape exsistance (use appropriate cartoons for your age/grade level):

Homer Simpson, What shape is is head? His mid-section? His lower section? The eyes? Mouth?

Mickey Mouse-What different shapes do you see here? Which are the same and which are we adding to the list?

Spongebob-Pretty obvious shapes here.

Bugs Bunny-Continue outlining and recognizing the forms, shapes, and line

Felix the Cat-same activity for this one too