Draw Piggie and Make a Flipbook
From Kennedy Center: Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems · 2020
20 minK1st2nd3rdReading & Writing (ELA)
Summary
Episode 3 draws Piggie from Elephant & Piggie using letters and numbers as building blocks (the letter J, the number 3) -- a trick for young artists who feel intimidated by drawing. Mo then introduces making a simple flipbook animation and explains persistence of vision.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
- Mo used the letter J and the number 3 to draw parts of Piggie. What letters or numbers do you see hidden in everyday objects around you?
- How does a flipbook trick your eyes? What is happening in your brain when you flip it quickly?
- What two moments would YOU want to animate -- what would change from page 1 to page 2?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: animation, persistence of vision, flipbook, sequence.
Materials: 10 small sticky notes or paper scraps, pencil.
Try it: Draw a simple shape on the first page. On each next page, move it slightly (a ball rolling, a bird flapping). Flip it -- do you see movement?