POP-UP BOOKS--BIM
Dan Stidham
EDTE 229B--FINE ARTS
Dr. Cris Guenter, Ed.D.
Grade Level : 5
Time Frame : 3 hours over 3-6 days
Topic : Visual arts lesson featuring pop-up books created by
individual students. The books will contain student designed
scenes from their individual versions of fairy tales.
Component Objectives :
Creative Expression: Each student will draw and color a
unique scene from his or her version of a fairy tale. The
scenes will be created using lines, shapes, colors, and
perspective. The scenes will be used to create student-made
pop-up books.
Historical and Cultural Context: Through class
discussion and reading students will explore the history and
alternative versions of fairy tales as a basis for creating
their own versions of fairy tales.
Rationale : The visual arts offer aesthetic, perceptual,
creative, and intellectual dimensions. Designing pop-up books
(deciding what each scene will depict, drawing the scene and
writing the story) fosters creativity and critical thinking,
thereby encouraging intuitive, emotional, and possibly verbal
responses. Appreciation and application of perspective,
line, shape, and color will last throughout the students'
life.
Strategy : A combination of guided discovery and direct
instruction will be used.
Vocabulary : perspective--the technique of representing
three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-
dimensional surface.
Procedures
Introduction : The teacher will read a variety of fairy
tales to the class, including alternative versions (e.g. The
Three Little Pigs told from the wolf's point of view.) After
the class discusses alternative versions of other fairy
tales, the class will discuss the expectations for creating
the pop-up books. With help from a student, the teacher will
model how to get started on the individual pages of the pop-
up books. The term perspective will be addressed. All
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students will create their own pop-up books.
Pupil Activity Sequence :
1. Students will be supplied with forms for the pages for
the pop-up books. The forms are 8.5"x11" sheets of white
paper with predrawn lines on the bottom third of the page to
write a paragraph from their fairy tales. The top third of
the page is blank to provide room for the students to create
the scene from the story. The pages are to be folded in half,
so the lines are inside the fold. The middle third of the
page has four vertical lines (2" long). They are arranged in
pairs and placed approximately 1/3 and 2/3 across the width
of the page. These lines are to be cut along and the
resulting strips are folded out from the page and form the
base for the pop-up characters. Students will be supplied
with as many forms as they need to complete their books.
2. Students will write a paragraph from their fairy tales on
each page.
3. Using crayons, colored pencils, or colored markers,
students will create a scene for each page of the pop-up
book. The background needs to be colored completely, leaving
little or no white paper showing--unless necessary for the
scene.
4. Using blank sheets of white paper, pencils, and crayons,
etc., students will design, cut out and color the pop-up
characters for each scene--usually 2 per scene. The pop-up
characters can be attatched to the bases using glue or glue
sticks.
5. Once all pages are complete, the students will be shown
how to glue the pages together back to back (bottom back of
first page glued to the top back of second, second bottom
back to third top half back, etc) in proper sequence.
6. After all pages are properly assembled, students will
pick out a piece of colored construction paper (approximately
9"x12") as a cover for their books. The cover is glued to the
outside of the pages.
7. Using crayons, colored pencils, or colored markers,
students will design a front cover for their books including
the title. The students need to write their names on the
front or back cover.
Clean-up : Each student is responsible for putting any
scraps of paper into the trash can and putting away any
materials he or she used to make their pop-up books.
Closure : Once the books have been completed, have students
share their feelings of accomplishment and reflect on the
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processes used to make the books. If any students volunteer,
have them share their books with the class. Have students
discuss possible alternative subjects for pop-up books.
Evaluation : After the books are complete, the teacher will
visually check to see that the pop-up books were designed and
assembled correctly--the books open properly and each page
has a colored background, written text, and at least one pop-
up character per page. The students will discuss alternative
versions of fairy tales and whether their perceptions of
fairy tales and pop-up books have changed as a result of
writing their own.
Materials :
8.5"x11" forms for pop-up book pages
sheets of blank white paper for pop-up characters
sheets of colored construction paper (approximately
9"x12") for book cover
crayons, colored pencils, colored markers
pencils--to sketch pop-up characters and scenes
scissors
glue/glue sticks
Extensions : This lesson can be adapted second grade-adult.
It can be used in cross-curriculum lessons, such as natural
science or social studies. Examples include pop-up books
about an event in history or the migration of whales.
Adapted from Christy Bradford, 5th grade teacher,
Wilson School, Gridley, CA.
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