Creating your own Dr. Seuss character is a fun way to engage older kids on Dr. Seuss Day. With so many strange beings making an appearance in the books, challenging the students to come up with their own character is a great extension.
For younger students, using the handout offers a way to control the amount of time the children spend on the project. By selecting one head, one body and one pair of legs, the kids can move quickly through the drawing.
Older kids can use the drawing guide for it’s intended use but they can also use it as a springboard to designing their own character. After the character is created, the student can create a character sketch by creating a name or species, defining a habitat and diet.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
- 12” x 18” white drawing/sulphite paper divided into 3 @ sections 6” x 12”
- Black marker (I like Sharpie markers)
- Colored paper for background (optional)
- Assortment of colored markers
- Glue
- Scissors
For older kids, it’s not necessary to do a directed line instruction in order for them to create a character, but it does help tremendously to demonstrate the strategy.
Here’s my strategy:
- Select a head shape. While the kids don’t have to draw the head exactly, it does help to plan the general shape. I like to start with the eyes.
- From there, draw the nose. With most Seuss characters, the nose is a flattened oval, but in the case of the profile, the nose looks like an elephant’s trunk.
- Draw the mouth which is most likely a curved line but it can be open.
- The head shape is what creates a great deal of interest to the character. This is where the child can have some fun.
- Neck shapes can be thick, long, or hidden. Some have collars, fur or frills.
- After the head, drawing the body is very easy. The child can determine how thick, round, long or thin it is.
- Select one pair of arms and one pair of legs/feet. Again, children can make any of the selections long or short, think or thick.
TIP: Try to draw one of the characters on the white board before the students arrive. They’ll be intrigued and you’ll get a practice session in.
COLORING WITH MARKERS
By 5th and 6th grade, kids color with markers really well. This is also a great project to finish with markers as they allow for lots of details (which kids at this age love).
If the kids try to cut around whiskers, tell them not to bother. It’s easier to cut the whiskers off entirely then redraw them once the drawing is glued to colored paper.
TO CUT OUT OR NOT…
You can color with markers and then CUT the figure out OR you can leave on the white paper.
I chose to cut the figures out because it’s an added steps that promotes more skills.
But if you are short on time, don’t bother.
WANT THE HANDOUT?
Click on the yellow box below, enter your name and email and we’ll will email you the PDF.
ARE YOU A SPARKLER?
The full lesson (more photos and art standards) is included in The Seuss Bundle inside the membership!
Not a Sparkler? Add your name to our notification list so we can tell you when our next enrollment period is.
I love this project! My 5th graders did in in the style of “exquisite corpse” and had a ball mixing and matching all the Seuss body parts.
oh my heavens is this adorable and clever!!! we are totally dr seussing up our school right now and next week…. so thank you so much for this wonderful lesson !!!!
You are so welcome Kara!
Sorry that I did not open this before tonight. You are right – it is just the right level of goofiness for upper grades. I am saving this for next year!! Could even bind them into a “book” or make large trading cards and then use them to write a story. Thanks for the great Seuss resource for upper wing kids.
❤️ H
Looks fun
I’m excited to try this wi th h my granddaughter…
Thank you! I’m looking forward to trying this out tomorrow with my fourth graders for Read Across America Day!
My school site would not let me go to your page
This project will not only add fun to the classroom it will promote next week’s literacy centres – thank you!
I am already a member and clicked the link to get the download, why is it asking me again??
Hi Kelly…being a member of the Sparklers Club offers you access to the contents on The Sparklers Website. This lesson freebie is offered on my Deep Space Sparkle website for my readers.
To access the full version of this lesson, head over to The Sparklers Club, click on the Seuss Bundle, then you can access the lesson in the 5-6 level. If you don’t have access to this level, then this freebie is perfect to you!
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any trouble downloading.
Awesome video, Cat in the Hat will be my next Art lesson!! Can not wait!!!
I have requested the Suess character download twice today. I received two emails. One welcoming me to the site and another for the download, but the download was not attached. Help! Thank you.
Hi Cindy…can you email support@deepspacesparkle.com? They’ll help you. Patty
I’m an oil painter and a few of my grandkids are interested in creating but I’m concerned about not simplifying art principles and having to use my materials. These tutorials are great, they teach value and form and I don’t have to worry about kids with oil paints, brushes and gamsol. I’m looking forward to teaching your lessons; thank you.
HI,
I requested the Suess Character worksheet and for some reason it’s not work. How do I go about downloading that?
Hi Brenda, contact support@deepspacesparkle.com and we can email it to you.
thanks
This will be amazing for my class:)
looks great! I would like to try this virtually with my students.
I’m unable to download the Dr. Seuss Character PDF. Please help!
Hi Mary! Just click the “click to download” image, add your name and email and we’ll send it to you! We’ve recently learned that our downloads aren’t working with the Firefox browser, so I’d suggest using Chrome or Safari instead. Enjoy.
I can’t get any of the download tabs to work!
Hi Lisa! As a member you can also access this full lesson inside the Sparklers’ Club. I just sent you a copy so check your inbox, and if you don’t see it there you should check your spam folder. The download links are working on our end. We’ve recently learned that our downloads aren’t working with the Firefox browser, so I’d suggest using Chrome or Safari instead. Enjoy.
Love this , thank you
I would love to do this with my second graders but I can’t get the link in the yellow box to work on the website to request the PDF.
Hi Hope! Thanks for your interest in our pdf. I just tested the link and it’s working on our end. If you click the download button and add your email address we will send the lesson directly to your inbox. Be sure to check your Spam or Junk folders to make sure it didn’t end up there. We have found that both the Chrome or Safari browsers work best so be sure to try using one of those. Enjoy.