It was movie day at Kids Central.
The kids had just watched a cartoon.
When it was over, Miss Shelly turned on the lights.
"I love cartoons, especially space adventures," Jason said.
"Miss Shelly, can we draw pictures from the movie?"
"Jason is really good at drawing," Ethan said.
"My mom just signed me up for art lessons," Jason said.
"My first lesson is today."
"Fun!" Izzie said.
Jason looked unsure.
"I hope the teacher doesn't tell me what to draw.
I like drawing my own stuff."
"Well, I think you'll like today's drawing activity, Jason," Miss Shelly said.
"We're going to make flip books.
We'll draw cartoons and turn them into movies."
"That's called animation!" Jason said.
"Right!" Miss Shelly smiled and held up a small booklet.
"This is my flip book.
I made a movie with a dancing dot. Watch."
Miss Shelly flipped the pages of her book.
A dot with feet danced across the paper.
"It looks like that dot is really moving," Izzie said.
Miss Shelly handed out three sheets of paper to everyone.
"Stack the sheets of paper and fold them in half," she said.
"Cut along the fold so you get two stacks of paper.
Next fold each stack in half lengthwise.
Cut each fold and now you'll have—"
"Twelve strips," Jason said.
"Yep. Now stack the strips and fold that stack in half."
"Now we staple the pages on the folded side, right?" Ethan asked.
"That makes a booklet with 24 pages."
"Right. After that, I'll show you how to start drawing," Miss Shelly said.
"Can I make a basketball go into a hoop?" Bobby asked.
"Great idea," Miss Shelly said.
"I'm going to draw a boy surfing," Ethan said.
Jason smiled. He knew what he wanted to draw.
"Turn to the last page of your flip book," Miss Shelly said.
"Your first drawing goes here." She pointed to the lower part of the page.
Everyone started drawing.
"I'm making someone jumping rope," said Nina.
"Turn to the next page," Miss Shelly said.
"Can you see your drawing through the paper?"
Everyone nodded.
"Trace that drawing—except for the part that is going to move.
You'll draw that part again.
But you'll draw it in a different place," Miss Shelly explained.
"I get it," Jason said.
"Each page shows the same picture.
But something in the picture has moved just a little bit."
"Yep!" Miss Shelly said.
"Start making animations, kids!"
Page by page, Bobby drew the basketball closer to the hoop.
Then he flipped the pages from the back to the front.
"Yes! The basketball flies into the hoop!"
Izzie tried hers next.
Her frog, Gurpy, hopped across the page.
"Look at Ethan's movie," Nina said.
"He made a shark appear behind the surfer!"
Jason held up his flip book.
He flipped through the pages.
A spaceship appeared.
It sucked a dog into the ship and flew away.
"That's the best one!" Bobby cried.
"I want to make more movies." Jason grinned.
"Hey! Maybe my new drawing teacher can give me some tips today."