Animating a myth part 3 – creating the animation

Class: Key Stage: 2 and 3

Year:

NC links: Literacy, History, Art & Design, ICT

Description:
Pupils will take the storyboard which they created in lesson 1 and the characters
and settings produced in lesson 2 and animate them using computer software.

Previous lessons:
Pupils will have created the 3D characters and 2D backgrounds for their chosen
story, ready to be used in the stop-frame animation.

Learning Objectives (Children should learn):

• To use computer software to create a stop-frame animation of the chosen
story.
• To use computer software to add voiceover to the animation.

Starter Activity: 10 mins

Show the class some example stop-frame animation e.g. a clip from a 10 minute
‘Wallace & Gromit’ film, ‘Chicken Run’ or if not available then show a clip from
www.animationforeducation.co.uk (e.g. ‘Love
Monsters’). Discuss any specific points the children Checklist:
noticed about the animations.
T&L styles (variety)
Activities: 55 mins Visual
Auditory
Introduction - 5 mins Kinaesthetic
• Assemble the characters and backgrounds and
Single/Group work
practice a few movements/gestures e.g. waving
goodbye, walking etc. Demonstrate that blinking Thinking Skills
is done by shooting a frame, removing the eye, Literacy
shooting three frames and then replacing the eye Art & Design
and shooting again. ICT
Citizenship
• Demonstrate to whole class how Xipster software
works – how frames are captured and how frames Spiritual
can be deleted. Moral
Social
Cultural
Group Work – 50 mins Multiculturalism
• Groups now begin to shoot their animation using
Xipster. Assessment for Learning
• Begin by shooting approx 15 frames without any Use of Support
movement, to establish the scene. This technique
can be used throughout the film to create moments of stillness amidst all
the action. Remember that, in general, 15 frames equals approx 1 second of
film. To create a brief pause in the movement shoot 5 or 6 frames.
 • Also remember that all movements must be small to create an animation
which flows smoothly.
• Remember to save your movie every 2-3 minutes and watch it regularly to
see how it is developing.
• To add voice-over, use the tool in Xipster to record over the finished film –
try to use different voices for the storyteller and for the different
characters in the story.

Resources:
• Storyboard prepared in previous lesson
• Highlighted story example
• Backgrounds
• Plasticine characters
• Xipster Instant Animator software on Computers
• Webcam
• Microphone

Plenary: 5 mins
Each group shows their finished animation, in turn, inviting positive critical
comments from the rest of the class.

Differentiation:
Outcome. Peer/Teacher support.