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Project challenge:

kooky characters

Suggested Ages: K – 2nd Grades

Get kooky with these super silly, Mad Libs-style drawing prompts. In this challenge you’ll work with a partner to invent a character. Then you’ll each work separately to draw your own versions of the character and reveal your works of art to each other once they’re done. You’ll practice BEING COLLABORATIVE as you take time to appreciate how and your partner had different awesome ideas about how to draw the same thing.

Active Challenge: Fun, movement-oriented games and activities to spark innovation and creativity

This is no ordinary DIY project for kids: It’s a step toward becoming an innovator.

 

Every Galileo Design-It-Yourself Challenge teaches the same techniques and mindsets that professional designers an engineers, artists and chefs use in their work. With skills like these, we believe you can change the world.

Get Involved—For Grown Ups

Materials list:

Help your child find these materials or a close substitute: 

 

*Note: You can print it out and have kids write on it directly. Or just have kids (say or) write words for each blank on another sheet of paper, and then (repeat or) read the description using the words they’ve given.

 

Activity Steps:

Use these to keep your innovator on track as they create: 

 

    1. Find a partner to help you with this project challenge.
    2. Take turns with a partner filling out the blanks on the Kooky Character PDF.
    3. Read the final character description out loud.
    4. Separately, draw your own versions of the character. Keep your drawing secret until you are both finished drawing.
    5. Reveal your drawings to each other!
    6. Be collaborative by sharing at least one thing you like about your partner’s drawing that is different from you own.
    7. Bonus collaboration points: Take inspiration from your partner’s character to add something to your drawing or create a new drawing together that combines your best ideas.

 

Guiding Questions:

If your child is stuck, try asking these questions to help them keep on innovating: 

 

  • What simple shape might you start with to draw your character? What shape could you use for its head? How about its body?
  • What do you notice about your partner’s drawing that’s different from yours? What new ideas does that give you about what you might add to your own drawing?

 

More Ideas:

Every project presents opportunities to add your own twists or extensions. Here are some ideas to get you started: 

 

  • Change the rules! Instead of having partners wait until the end to show each other their drawings, try showing each other after 5 minutes. This way, each person can incorporate inspiration from their partner as they continue drawing.
  • Play with even more people for more fun versions of how to draw one thing!
  • Step it up! After you have a drawing, collaborate to create a story about your character. Try starting with, “Once upon a time there was a [insert character description]. Then take turns going back and forth to tell a story that’s just as kooky as your character.
  • Keep innovating! Invent your own fill-in-the-blank descriptions for endless kooky drawing possibilities!

 

Wrap Up Questions:

Lock in the learning by asking your child these questions about their project and how they practiced the featured Innovator’s Mindset element: 

 

  • Which characters of all the ones you drew is your favorite? What do you like about it?
  • What was it like to see your partner’s drawing? Did you get new ideas you hadn’t thought of before once you saw it? Do you think your drawing gave your partner new ideas?
  • Why do you think it’s important to be collaborative by appreciating ideas that are different from your own? What would happen if everyone had the same exact ideas?

SHARE!

The last step in the Gallieo Innovator’s Process is SHARE. Great learning can come from sharing successes and failures—to solidify your own experience as an innovator and to inspire others.

 

SHARE WITH galileo

 

Take a picture of everyone’s unique version of one kooky character and share it with the Camp Galileo Anywhere Facebook Community.

 

Share with family and friends

 

Your innovation doesn’t stop with you. Inspire someone else by sharing your project challenge—maybe they’ll try it themselves or maybe your project will give them a new idea.

 

  • Who: someone in your house, a family member, a friend
  • How: in person, on the phone, online
  • When: anytime, starting now!