Chapter 12: PowerPoint Notes – Working with shapes
(back to Build a TpT Store)
Here are some common ways to manipulate shapes when creating resources for your TpT store.
1. How to add shapes
- Insert > Shapes > Rectangle
- Click and drag anywhere!
Other commonly used shapes: line, rounded rectangle, oval, pentagon, and chevron
2. How to format shapes (worksheet border)
The main elements are height, width, fill options and line options.
- Go to Shape Format > Format Pane
- Height: 10.8″ (take 0.2″ off 11″)
- Width: 8.3″ (take 0.2″ off 8.5″)
- Fill: no fill
- Line: solid line
- Line color: black
- Line width: 3pt
Try different line options
- Shape > Format Pane > Line > Dash type or
- Shape > Format Pane > Line > Sketched style
3. Rectangle Shape: color blocks
Color blocks are a big part of design elements. Most of the time, they are used for adding headings or regular text.
- Add a rectangle
- Height = 1.2″
- Width = 8.5″
- Fill = solid fill (can be any color your want)
- Line = no line
4. Pentagon Shape: Ribbons
- Go to Insert > Shapes > Pentagon
- Height = 0.6″
- Width = 2.4″
- Fill = solid fill (can be any color your want)
- Line = no line
- Tiny yellow-ish square: moving the tiny square on the ribbon (pentagon) shape allow you to change how steep the slope will be
5. How to edit shapes
- Select the pentagon shape created in point 4.
- Go to Shape Format > Edit Shape (tiny weird shape icon) > Edit Points
- Click and drag the point you want to edit. You will see the guiding lines as you drag.
- Click anywhere else to get out of shape editing mode.
- Resize the new shape (height = 1.3″, width = 7.3″)
6. Rectangle Shape: Task Cards
- Slide size: 11″ x 8.5″
- Add a rectangle
- Height = 4″
- Width = 5.3″
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 3 pt
7. Circle Shape: Graphic Organizer
- Add an oval (circle)
- Height/Width = 6.4″
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 3 pt
8. Line: Number Bonds
- Add a line (Insert > Shapes > Line, then click and drag)
- Height = 0.45″
- Width = 0.72″
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 4 pt
9. Line: Cutting Line
- Add a line. You don’t have to drag out a perfect line at the beginning, just type in the height/width after creating the line.
- Height = 0″ (0 means the line is completely horizontal)
- Width = 8.5″ (i.e. the entire width of the page)
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 3 pt
- Dash type = dash
10. Rounded Rectangle
- Add a rounded rectangle.
- Height = 1.2″
- Width = 8″
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 3 pt
11. Transparency
- Add a circle.
- Height/Width = 1″
- Fill color = #FFDC3F
- Fill Transparency = 40%
- Line = no line
12. Align
Continuing from Point 11, copy and paste the circle many times. Select all of them, and align them so that they are all perfectly stacked. Students can now drag and drop these circles to complete their digital assignment.
- Select all the copies.
- Arrange > Align > Align Middle
- Arrange > Align > Align Center
13. Merge Shapes (puzzle pieces)
Use the merge shape function to create your own puzzle pieces!
Create 2 circles + 2 rectangles
- Rectangle Width = 2.5″
- Rectangle Height = 2″
- Circle Width/Height = 1″
- Fill = no fill
- Line color = black
- Line width = 3 pt
Arrange the shapes
- Arrange the circle half in and half out of the rectangle.
- The circles and rectangles are aligned in the middle.
For the first pair:
- Shape Format > Merge Shapes > Union
For the second pair:
- Shape Format > Merge Shapes > Subtract
- Order of selection is important: Select the rectangle first, then the circle. If you didn’t get the right result after you choose Subtract, it means you selected the circle before the rectangle.
Finally, add text and clipart.
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Chapter 12 Action Steps
Practice recreating all the examples in this chapter! All the fonts and clipart used in the chapter can be found in my Fonts and Clipart Starter Pack.
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