Using Cartoon Avatars in the Classroom

There are many sites available which provide you with options to create avatars, which are comic representations of people. Avatars can have many uses in the classroom. Here are some suggestions.

• Make own avatar and use in a personal profile listing hobbies, interest and goals.
• Make own avatar with background and accessories which represent their interests. The students can explain what the visual images represent, eg. A guitar because they love to listen to music.
• Students divide into pairs and make avatars of each other.
• Make own avatars, print them out and collect them. Shuffle and distribute them. Students then find the person who corresponds with their avatar. (Great ice breaker activity)
• Print out avatars with the student’s name underneath and use them to decorate and personalize the classroom.
• Make avatars of characters from a book, film or play the class is looking at.
• Make avatars and write a story about them.
• Design an avatar and convert the image into an artwork. It could be used in a screen printing activity, painting or drawing.
• Use as a character in a game or animation such as flash or scratch.
• Print out the character and pin the joints to make it movable. This could be used as a puppet or could be brought to life in a stop motion animation.
• Make a 3-D interpretation of the character in clay or construction materials
• or just to have some FUN!

I have found a range of sites which could be used. I mainly looked for free sites which don't require registration. I have also added an example of each and given a brief description. Your choice of site will depend on the age of your students and the task you want to use it for.

Face Your Manga
Representation: head and shoulders
Design Options: some choices
How to save image:do a screen capture or email it to yourself by adding a nickname, year of birth, country and email address. The image is then sent in jpeg form.
Age Group Suitability: This site would be more suited for older students in high school due to some of the images available.



Portrait Avatar Maker
Representation: full body
Design Options: many choices
How to save image: Click on Alignment and choose the file type you prefer. Click on the final design and then save to file. No registration needed.
Age Group Suitability: suitable for any age





Portrait Illustration Maker
Representation: head and shoulders
Design Options: many choices
How to save image: Click on Alignment and choose the file type you prefer. Click on the final design and then save to file. No registration needed.
Age Group Suitability: older students, some images may not be appropriate



Portrait Icon Maker
Representation: sitting at a desk
Design Options: many choices
How to save image: Click on Alignment and choose the file type you prefer. Click on the final design and then save to file. No registration needed.
Age Group Suitability: older students



TizMe
Representation: full body
Design Options: many choices
How to save image: do a screen capture or register.
Age Group Suitability: older students mainly due to clothing options.





Bless This Chick
Representation: full body
Design Options: many choices, makes females only
How to save image: screen capture or email it to yourself.
Age Group Suitability: all ages



WeeWorld
Representation: full body
Design Options: a great variety and includes accessories to show interest and hobbies.
How to save image: Click on a WeeMee, screen capture or register.
Age Group Suitability: all ages


Create a Simpsons Avatar
Representation: full body
Design Options: a great variety and includes accessories to show interest and hobbies.
How to save image: To start click on Create your Simpsons Avatar and then choose New character. To save you can download a jpeg version, email it or print.
Age Group Suitability: Probably more suitable for upper primary and secondary.


Simpsonize Me
Representation: full body or head and shoulders
Design Options: requires you to upload an image
How to save image: Email or export
Age Group Suitability: Probably more suitable for upper primary and secondary.


Anime Face Maker
Representation: head and shoulders
Design Options: good design choices
How to save image: screen capture
Age Group Suitability: all ages

South Park Studio
Representation: Full body – based on the South Park Animations
Design Options: good design choices
How to save image: screen capture
Age Group Suitability: Probably best for upper Secondary.



Avatar Maker
Representation: Head
Design Options: a few choices
How to save image: screen capture or email
Age Group Suitability: upper primary and secondary



Mess Dudes!
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: a few choices
How to save image: screen capture is the easiest
Age Group Suitability: upper primary and secondary


My Avatar Editor
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: a few choices
How to save image: Export and save as jpeg or png
Age Group Suitability: all ages



Doppel Me
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: a few choices, more if you register
How to save image: Screen Capture or register
Age Group Suitability: Upper primary and secondary




Why Robbie rocks
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: a good range of choices
How to save image: Click on next to look at different categories. To save use Screen Capture or register
Age Group Suitability: secondary students




Windows Live Minimize Me
Representation: Head, emoticon
Design Options: limited choices
How to save image: To save use Screen Capture or save to file
Age Group Suitability: any age





Elouai Doll makers
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: There are many options and categories one includes Harry Potter characters
How to save image: save to file as a gif file
Age Group Suitability: any age








Build Your Wildself

Representation: Full Body
Design Options: a few options including animal parts
How to save image: screen capture or email it as a gif file
Age Group Suitability: Primary school students







Mini Ego
Representation: Full body
Design Options: a small range
How to save image: Screen Capture or register
Age Group Suitability:all ages






Muggins
Representation: Full Body
Design Options: There are many options and colour changes
How to save image: screen capture
Age Group Suitability: any age



Wirefly
Representation: Head and shoulders
Design Options: a few choices, realistic.
How to save image: animated avatars for download to phones or use as 2D with a screen capture
Age Group Suitability: secondary students



Voki
Representation: Head and shoulders
Design Options: a few choices, animated avatars and you can add text which convert to speech
How to save image: email final design, embed into a blog or website or do a screen capture.
Age Group Suitability: secondary students




Dream Avatar
Representation: Full body
Design Options: a large range
How to save image: Screen Capture or embed in blog or websites
Age Group Suitability: upper primary and secondary






Anime Character Maker
Representation: Half Body
Options: a good range
How to save image: Screen Capture
Age Group Suitability: upper primary and secondary










Lunaii Doll Maker

Representation: Head and shoulders
Options: a good range
How to save: Screen capture
Age Suitability: upper primary and secondary

My Culture Quest

My Culture Quest is a fun, interactive site which explores different cultures and countries. You choose a character and then start travelling the world visiting museums and galleries. Each place visited offers information about an artwork or cultural item. Students need to read the information and then answer a multiple choice question correctly in order to collect the item and create their own exhibition.

Once in the game, a world map is provided with highlighted points. Click on the point to travel to the destination. Your character will travel via air balloon.

You are given 12 days to collect as many items as you can. You probably won’t get all the items in this time allowing students to play the game several times without being bored as they explore new places.

One drawback however, there is no point to visit in Australia!

This site provides a great way for students to learn about art, history, countries, cultures, religion and maps. It also encourages the development of comprehension and reading skills. The site allows you to download flash cards with quiz questions to help students remember the information. These cards could also be used for further activities.

Students could do the following activities:
· find the countries using google maps
· find famous landmarks from the country
· research the flag
· write a travel journal of their journeys and document the items they collect.
· make a passport documenting places of their travels
· research countries visited
· research art items and art techniques mentioned.
· make a quiz or board game based on collecting items as you answer questions correctly.

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Build Your Wild Self

Build Your Wild Self is a fun and creative site where you can create a character by choosing human parts and then combine them with animal parts. The site provides lovely hand drawn and watercoloured images. Simply click on the body part you want to create and choose the image you want. There are also options to change colours. There are limited options for clothes though.

Once finished creating, you can print out the design or email it to a friend or yourself. It is sent as a .gif file allowing you to save it.

This site could be used in many ways across different year levels. Students could make an image of themselves first without any body parts and then add their favourite animal parts. The printed image even comes with a name made up from all the animals. Students could describe the image or create a story about the character.

Each member of the class could make a character and print it out to put up around the room. This site could be used with any animal unit.

It could be used as a starting point for an artwork and is also useful for creating an avatar.

Here is an example of a character without animal parts.

Here is an example after animal parts are added.