On the other side, they should draw and color a sky. Next, they will cut two pieces of string, approximately 8 inches long. Loop the string through the holes and tie it. For thaumatropes that have a definete UP position for viewing, one of the images must be upside down in relation to the other. Glue to one side of the thaumatrope.
Students can also experiment with shape.
See some of the sample thaumatropes included in this packet. As you begin making thaumatropes, you will quickly see that the placement of the images involves considerable understanding of spatial relations andmathematics. For this reason, thaumatropes are excellecent tools for teaching these concepts. It is also useful to incorporate thaumatropes into the curriculum by animating subjects being studied. For example, if the class is doing a unit on the desert, students could animate desert landscapes and animals.