5 Ways To Celebrate International Dot Day
International Dot Day is a celebration of creativity, courage, and collaboration. It was celebrated for the first time in a single classroom in 2009 and has grown into a global event. Today, people from across the world participate in a dot-filled day of making your mark!
1. Register
The first step to celebrating International Dot Day is to register for the celebration! In 2020 over 19 million people from 194 different countries participated. Click here to register for 2021!
2. Read The Dot
A good way to start your celebration is to pick up a copy of The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. This book was the catalyst for International Dot Day! You can get the book here.
3. Get Inspired
Here are some amazing projects from the past few years:
Dots Take Flight: This perfectly instagram-able display demonstrates the power of many dots together! First, decide on your display shape, keeping in mind the number of dots necessary for the display. Next, allow your students to create their dots. Finally, put the dots together and enjoy by taking a ton of photos! Find more about this particular display from @believeinstevens or using this link.
Dots Gone Bananas: This Dot Day activity harnesses the dots we see in nature! Give your students the opportunity to brainstorm and think of natural occurrences of dots! After, have them incorporate their found-in-nature dots into their dot day drawing! Find more about this particular display from @Juan Huerta or using this link.
Dot-Dot-Dot (Or To Be Continued): Challenge yourself to create a dot-inspired optical illusion! Our friends at the Moco Museum created this awesome endless dot dot display! While there is a limited amount of dot lanterns in the room, no one would ever know! Think about how you could create a dot display where there is more than what meets the eye! Find more about this particular display from @Moco Museum or using this link.
WWW-Dot-Sphere: This display transcends the 2D world and breaks into the 3D world. @stem4kids utilized the app QuiverVision, to turn their dots into a 3D sphere. This activity incorporates creativity and STEM into your dot day celebration! There are endless possibilities when you turn your dot into a sphere! Find more about this particular display from @stem4kids or using this link.
4. Animate & Fabricate Your Dot!
FableVision Learning’s Animation-ish provides an opportunity to animate your dots! Activities on Animation-ish combine technology, animation, design, and more for a creativity packed experience! Learn more about Animation-ish and see examples of past projects here!
FabMaker Studio is the perfect tool for cultivating your inventive spirit! With this paper prototyping and fabrication software, flex your design muscles and create 2D, Pop-up, and 3D paper models inspired by The Dot. It’s easy to get your design mind rolling when you start small - you can always try again and again! Try fabricating dots that fold, roll, spin, or transform!
5. Share Your Mark
Dot Day is September 15th! Be sure to share your mark with the world. International Dot Day is about creativity and inspiration so be Post on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtags #InternationalDotDay and #MakeYourMark.