Creating Custom Shapes with PowerPoint

Today I created a fun activity for my Kindergartners to complete when we're learning about each other at the beginning of the year.  Our school mascot is Ozzy the Owl so of course I needed to include a custom owl designed by yours truly.  How did I do that you ask?? Super simple...

1.  Decide what shape you'd like to make.  I chose an owl so I searched the web to get an idea of shapes to use when creating my own owl.  Thanks Google images!

2.  I decided to use the 'double brace' as the top part of my owl.  With a little maneuvering, I got the double brace in the position I wanted.  But.....I didn't need two braces...stay tuned.

3.  The next step was creating the owl's body.  I used the rounded rectangle shape for the head, and then copy & pasted (C&P), and enlarged another rectangle for the body.  

4.  Little Ozzy needed some wings so I went ahead and found the shape called 'chord' and drew in a wing.  C&P another chord and maneuver it around until it looks like wing #2.  

5.  Next I made the eyes by drawing a large, medium, and small circle.  I arranged them until I liked the way they looked, grouped  and aligned them, and C&P to make eye #2. 

6.  Ozzy needed some feet so I took a heart and turned it upside down, C & P, and voila.  I threw in another heart for the beak because I'm a Kindergarten teacher and it's adorable. :)

7. Since I will be using this as an activity, I inserted a banner and text box so my kiddos know what the activity is about.  THEM!  

8.  Finally, I went back and cleaned up Ozzy a little by taking out shape outlines and thickening others.  I also colored him (or her?) blue and orange since those are our school colors.  Remember step 2? I had used a double brace but didn't need the 'double'.  I inserted a rectangle in the space with the extra lines I didn't want.  I took out the outline and filled it with white.  Easy peasy! 

Meet....OZZY OWL! #adorbs

I plan on using little Ozzy in worksheets I create throughout the year, just changing the text in the banner.  I never would've thought I could make an owl from PPT shapes!  

Below is the first activity my students will be completing with the help of Ozzy.  

PS...I had WAY too much fun with this assignment. :)