Print this handout using your browser’s Print / Save as PDF. Student instructions and practice print; the teacher notes stay on screen.

GRADES 3–5 · Ears · Realistic Observation

Find the Shape of an Ear: Look Closely

Name ____________________ Date __________

WHAT YOU WILL MAKE

Create an observed study beside a revised study, focusing on find the shape of an ear. Use the subject steps as practice before making this final pair or set.

Shared feature reference for Ears — Shared feature reference. It may not show this task’s exact pose, accessory, or style. Use the teacher’s matching reference too.

Draw it step by step

An ear has a rim, an opening, and a lobe—not just a letter C. Work from a mirror or one teacher-approved photograph. Try to show what you actually see, not a memorized symbol.

Study the reference for 30 seconds. Name two visible shapes and compare their widths or heights before drawing.
Look at a mirror or teacher-approved photo.
Draw the outside shape slowly, noticing where it narrows.
Add the lobe and one main inner curve; leave small folds out for now.
Compare your study with the reference. Revise one contour or placement and add only the shadows you can actually see.

Watch out → Try this

Common drawing problem: Adding small details before the main shapes and placement are clear.

Repair: Return to the first subject step: Look at a mirror or teacher-approved photo. Compare the biggest shapes before refining.

Check your work: Did you notice a shape instead of using a symbol? Point to one measured or observed relationship that became more accurate.

Materials: pencil, eraser, paper, and a mirror or teacher-approved reference. Optional black drawing pen; no painting required.

Find the Shape of an Ear: Look Closely · Practice page

Name ____________________ Make light trials first. Divide a box further if your task needs extra versions.

1 · Observe and plan

2 · First drawing

3 · Change one choice

4 · Independent application

My evidence: Did you notice a shape instead of using a symbol? Point to one measured or observed relationship that became more accurate.

I changed __________________ because I noticed __________________.

My next practice goal: __________________________________________________

Teach this handout · 30–45 minutes

Prepare: Provide a mirror or clear teacher-approved feature reference. Explain that students are practicing decisions, not copying every detail of the illustration.

Demonstrate: Demonstrate the subject sequence: Look at a mirror or teacher-approved photo. Draw the outside shape slowly, noticing where it narrows. Add the lobe and one main inner curve; leave small folds out for now. Then show how the final style step changes the drawing.

5 minutes noticing, 5 demonstrating, 15–25 drawing and revising, 5 sharing. Collect the practice page and a specific explanation of one change. Evaluate the target skill and revision—not attractiveness or speed.

Grade	Support and challenge
3	Use a large feature study and one observed change. Supply page divisions and model the first landmark. Two trials are enough before application.
4	Complete the listed sequence. Compare two versions and label the contour, proportion, or overlap that changed.
5	Use an unfamiliar reference or second viewpoint after mastering the first. Explain which choices should stay consistent when simplifying or exaggerating.

Offer adapted grips, larger spaces, extra time, or a spoken reflection. Use fictional characters for deliberate distortion; do not mock classmates or stereotype identities. Obtain consent before drawing a peer. Proportion guides are comparisons, not rules for all faces.