puppet animation laboratory

Puppetry In Practice
PUPPET ANIMATION LABORATORY
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CHINESE ZODIAC
History and Cultural Studies through Puppetry and Animation
Learning with Animation
BRINGING ANIMATION into the CLASSROOM
Animation in the classroom is a unique way to blend creativity with curriculum, while catering to the many
different intellegences and abilities that exist in any group of students.
Animation provides oppurtunites for teachers to incorporate:
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Writing and Storyboarding
Teamwork and Group Project Skills
Technology into the Classroom
Hands-on Artmaking
What is Animation?
Animation is the process of bringing inanimate, or lifeless objects, to life. This is done by taking many still
photographs and using some form of technology to rapidly sequence them together in order to create the illusion
of movement.
Animation has been used in movies and TV since the beginning of moving-image technology. Whether
claymation, stop-motion animation, or computer generated animation, students everywhere will be familiar with
some form of animation from the cartoons they watch or the video games they play.
A frames sequence from an animation with Flip, from the Flip’s Fantastic Journal Series by Angelo DeCesare, leaving the library.
Why Use Animation?
Animation is a contemporary learning tool. It develops writing skills, visual art skills and teamwork skills. It
fosters problem solving, critical thinking and self expression. Students must be collaborative, communicative and
creative to realize success. Additionally, students will find that making an animation is an amazing amount of fun.
Animation is a complete STEM tool. Teachers can use animation to help their students understand, visualize,
interpret and finally re-create any concept from the science, math or social studies curriculum. Picture students
making animations about the workings of the immune system, or perhaps a trip through the solar system, or maybe
a story of a single ray of sunlight that goes through the process of photosynthesis. The content is limitless and the
potential is endless!
Animation brings technology into the classroom in the form of computers, webcams and software. Providing
students with new multimedia technologies brings them into the 21st century. Students are too often approaching
computers with passivity, allowing the program to dictate the rules. With animation, it is the students activity and
control that fundamentally changes their relationship to technology in ways that better prepare them for the future.
Furthermore, technology offers them immediate, non-judgemental feedback that challenges them to improve.
Students often see animation as a form of magic. Helping them to understand the science involved means
breaking down the process piece by piece, or frame by frame.
Here are some key concepts to start with:
Stop-Motion Animation
When we talk about animation, we are specifically referring to Stop-Motion Animation. Similar to claymation,
this is the process of moving physical objects, such as puppets, clay, or cut paper, using very small movements.
Each movement is captured through photography creating a frame. The frames are then rapidly played back one
frame after the other creating the illusion of an independently moving object. Thus, we animate the inanimate.
Frame Rate or Frames per Second (FPS)
The frame rate denotes the number of frames that make up a single second of an animation when it is being
played back. Frame rate is oftentimes written as frames per second or FPS. Standard professional animation has
a rate of 24 fps, which means that the animators need 24 individual pictures for every second of their movie. A
5-minute animation can have roughly 7,200 individual frames!
When working with young students, frame rates can be greatly reduced to create less work. Teachers can
introduce animation with 1 frame per second animations. The result will be a slower animation or SLOWmation.
Building up to a faster and higher frame rate will develop patience and precision skills in students.
Persistence of Vision
Persistence of vision is a phenomenon of the brain and retina which creates the optical illusion needed for the
magic of animation to work as it does. Essentially, the brain fills in the gaps between each still image frame it sees.
Individual frames, usually at a frame rate of 24 frames per second (fps), seem to blend into a fluid moving image.
Even lower frame rates, such as 16 fps, will also appear continuous to the eye because of our persistence of vision.
Early Forms of Animation
Animation is a great place for students to begin learning the science behind vision and perception. Simple
projects like Flipbooks, Thaumatropes and Zoetropes really help students understand perception of vision and
the fundamentals of animation.
Examples of early forms of animations.
From left to right: Flipbook, Thaumatrope, Zoetrope
Exploring the history of animation in TV and Film
Showing students a variety of sample animations done by students, amateurs and professionals from around the world
sparks their imaginations, excites them to the process and introduces them to the limitless potential of the medium.
King Kong (1933)
Stop-motion animation by Willis O’Brien
Directed by Merian C Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack
Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out (1989)
Claymation by Nick Park
Directed by Nick Park
Find Sample Animations
Change
Animation by Saimon Chow, Sean
Dougherty, and Chad Colby
Bathtime in Clerkenwell (2003)
Animation by Aleksey Budovskiy
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Produced by Pixar
Directed by John Lasseter
on the
Born Free (2007)
Web
Animation by Curtis Baskerville
Area of Focus: Chinese Zodiac
Reference material to introduce the Chinese Zodiac
Chinese Culture through Folk Art
Master flour dough artist Xun Ye shows students the ancient Chinese folk art of creating miniature
sculptures of people and animals using a self -hardening clay that he made from cooking flour.
After seeing his creations, students experiment and make their own Zodiac animal sculptures.
Introducing new Technology and Software by
Creating a Full Class Animation
Introducing new devices, software and animation processes to K-5 students can be daunting. A solution to
this problem is to create a simple, group animation project that the entire class can actively participate in. In
the following examples, students engage in a hands-on learning experience which quickly familiarizes them
with new technology, introduces new vocabulary and ways of working, and generates a successful animation
on just their first attempt.
EXAMPLE of a FULL CLASS ANIMATION:
Awakening the Dragon
In this example, students bring the large dragon puppets they constructed to life. Not only did they marvel at
the finished product as their stunning dragon creations slithered around their classroom, but were also able to
quickly grasp the basic concepts of the animation process and the related hardware and software.
The Year of the Dragon
Each year, the Chinese New Year celebrates one of 12 animals
within the Chinese Zodiac. 2012 rang in the Year of the Dragon.
PIP celebrated Chinese New Year with 3rd and 4th graders in PS
216 in Brooklyn, NY by creating beautiful dragon puppets that
could adorn their school and welcome the many good fortunes
that dragons bring.
Additionally, we used the puppets to introduce animation
to the students who would afterwards write, design and animate
their own versions of the Chinese Zodiac tale.
The entire class participated in order to produce their first
short animation of the dragons slithering around the classroom.
Each class completed two dragon puppets
using art making materials. Colored paper
for scales, yarn and pom poms for beards and
styrofoam balls for eyes. Many of the dragons
were made on small cardboard boxes and were
strung together with small pieces of fabric.
Once complete, it was time to bring the
dragons to life. We cleared a large space in the
classroom by pushing all furntiture to the sides of
the room. The class was then divided up into two
groups, one for each of the dragons.
We set up a webcam aimed at the open floor
space. The webcam was hooked into the computer
that was projected large on the Smartboard for
students to see the process.
Taking turns, and little by little, the dragons
crept along the floor space and we captured
pictures of every movement. In the end, students
saw their creatures come to life while experiencing
their first animation tutorial.
Final Animation Preparation
Before jumping into the creation of an animation, some simple steps should be taken in order for students
to be fully prepared. The following section covers the necessary steps of storyboarding, making background
collages, and creating the puppet characters that will star in the movie. Once these pieces are in place, students
will be ready to bring their own stories to life.
Working in Groups
Animation is an excellent way to have students work in a group. The
experience of writing, drawing, collaging, animating and performing as a
group allows for each student to demonstrate his/her particular strength
while learning from the strengths of others.
Working in groups to create animations starts with collaborative
story writing. Every student will say they have written a story before,
but most will say that they have never written a story along with other
students. When a group of four to five students are asked to create one
story on only one piece of paper, arguing, fighting and frustration can
ensue. While it is important to emphasize taking turns writing and
drawing, it can be more effective to tell students that generating ideas
and communicating them to each other is the most important task of all.
Successful group work includes collaboration, communication, and
creativity. Emphasizing support and encouragement within the group
will result in each student feeling a powerful sense of ownership.
Storyboarding
The first step in creating an animation is for students to generate a storyboard. Like a comic strip or book, a
storyboard is a set of pictures and text that sequence, or map out, a story. Essentially, the storyboard is a plan for
students and teachers to reference throughout the entire animation process. It is a visual organizer which shows
the scenes of a multimedia presentation in rough drawing form.
How to Make a Storyboard
Making a storyboard can be as simple as folding a piece of paper in half and then in half again. This simple,
four panel storyboard is perfect for students to create a short, yet complete narrative. It is best to use a larger,
12”x18” size sheet of construction paper. This type of storyboard works well for younger students because of the
size they can draw their illustrations.
For longer, more complex stories, a storyboard like the worksheet on the next page, can be used. This kind of
storyboard emphasizes the writing of text rather than the illustrations because of the size of the picture boxes.
Depending on the theme or area of study, students may need prompts regarding how to start or end their story.
For example, when making animations about their neighborhood, student groups were given a particular location
or place in the neighborhood such as a restaurant, pet store or park. Students were asked to begin their stories with
a character walking down the street to that location. Once inside the place, students were asked to create a silly
vignette about what might happen there.
12”x18” construction paper.
Fold it in half.
Fold it in half again.
Open it up.
Trace the folds.
STORYBOARD Names
Creating the Storyboard
3rd grade students at PS 217 in Brooklyn, NY work together to plan and write their stories. By
using a four panel storyboard format, the students are able to write and draw simultaneously.
We encourage the students to not only take turns, but to see if they can orient themselves
in such a way that the whole group can be working on the storyboard at the same time.
This process is the first step in producing successful group work throughout the residency.
Sample Storyboards related to Chinese Zodiac
created by
3rd and 4th Graders from PS 216 and PS 217 in Brooklyn, NY
Making a Background
Having students work in groups to create animations provides every student in the group with an
opportunity to shine. While some students excel at the storyboarding stage, others will be better visual
artists. Backgrounds and character puppets are where the artists of the group will feel most comfortable.
Using the storyboard as a reference, ask the students to identify where their story takes place. More often
than not, stories take place in more than one location. Students must then create a collage, drawing or
painting to serve as the background for each location.
Making a colored paper collage for animation backgrounds is best in terms of group work. Making art
as a team takes away a lot of the inhibitions that are often associated with young students who sometimes
show frustration with their
perceived inability to draw or
represent the things they see
in real life or in their minds.
Collage reinforces this further.
We teach that making a
collage is like a puzzle that has
many pieces. Everyone in the
group is responsible for making
all the pieces and all the pieces
have equal value. Unlike a real
puzzle however, a collage can be
put together in many ways. There
is no right or wrong answer!
This generates a confidence in
students that allows them to
feel included and proud of the
finished product.
More often than not, these
pieces are simple shapes that
any student can make (circle,
rectangle, square, triangle, line,
etc). It becomes the responsibility
of the students to decide what
those pieces are and who will be
making them.
Here are some examples of
collaged backgrounds created by
2nd Grade students showing the
inside and outside of the grocery
store where their story took place.
All collages are made with Colored Construction Paper, Markers, Crayons and Glue
3rd and 4th grade students from PS 216 and PS 217 in Brooklyn, NY
prepare backgrounds for stories about the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
Creating the Characters
Students prepare for animation by drawing, coloring, and
cutting out their animal characters.
Using SAM Animation
How to make a Stop-Motion Animation
When we talk about animation, we are specifically referring to Stop-Motion Animation. Similar to
claymation, this is the process of moving physical objects, such as puppets, clay, or cut paper, using very
small movements. Each movement is captured through photography creating a frame. The frames are
then rapidly played back one frame after the other creating the illusion of an independently moving
object. Thus, we animate the inanimate.
SAM Animation makes animating easy for students and classroom teachers. Students learned to
set-up their work stations and using their storyboard as a guide, began taking picture after picture, or
frame after frame, to tell their story. The basic instructions are move the character a little bit, move your
hand, then take a picture and repeat. In four 50 minute sessions, 3rd and 4th grade students, in groups
of four will average 500 frames!
A project like this has students demonstrating collaboration, communication, and creativity;
problem solving, comprehension and patience; all while being introduced to new technologies and
new ways of expressing their ideas.
PIP’s Program Developer Jason Leinwand demonstrates how to use SAM Animation.
Students learn to start their new project, set up their webcams and begin capturing frames.
Making an Animation
Using SAM Animation software, laptops and
webcams, students are able to create a stop
motion animation. They delegate roles to
each other and work cooperatively in order to
bring their stories to life!
Dragon Festival and Share Day
To close out the residency, students participated in a school Dragon and Zodiac Festival. Third and
4th grade students paraded their dragon puppets alongside PIP’s giant Chinese dragon puppet through the
hallways and stairwells of their school. Students and teachers flood the hallways at the sound of the gongs to
see the dragons and place written “Wishes for the World” in its mouth.
The parade ended in the school’s auditorium where students gathered and looked at their finished
animations on the big screen. The share day allowed students to enjoy the work of their peers while showcasing
their hard work and effort to parents, teachers and administrators. Animations were then posted on YouTube.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC 2011-2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON ONE - Introduction
OBJECTIVE
Introduce students to the concepts, animals and folk stories associated with the
Chinese Zodiac.
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
• Identify the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac in their order and know several
attributes associated with each animal sign.
• Re-tell the Chinese folktale of the Great Race which explains the origins of the
Chinese Zodiac. Students will begin to create their own version of the story.
• Use simple mathematics and arithmetic to predict which animals will be
associated to what years; past, present and future.
• Be able find their Zodiac animals and also their friends and family members.
MATERIALS: Chinese Zodiac charts and pictures
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Zodiac, astrology, astronomy, philosophy, horoscope
TEACHER PREP
Introduce students to ancient China. Introduce students to various
Zodiacs/Horoscope from around the world. Ask students to write about themselves
(strenghts/attributes) and compare it to what Zodiac says about them or vice versa.
PROCEDURE
Students hear the various concepts and histories behind many zodiacs and
astrologies before focusing specifically on the Chinese version. Students are asked
to name/guess the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac and then guess their order
based on the folktale of the Emperor and the Great Race. Students brainstorm how
the various animals might have crossed the river to win the race and win a spot in
the Zodiac. Students hear the various attributes associated with people born under
particular signs.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Have the students find out their parents/grandparents/siblings/etc Chinese Zodiac
sign. Have the students see if they can find 12 people in their family that
corresponds to each of the 12 animals. Students can research other forms of
zodiac. Have them check their horoscopes in the paper and share them with
classmates.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC 2011-2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON TWO & THREE- CHINESE FOLK ARTS: FLOUR DOUGH (2 WEEKS)
OBJECTIVE
Introduce students to the techniques of the ancient Chinese folk art of Flour Dough
sculpture.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Understand color mixing and be able to produce any color from primary colored
clay.
• Create miniature sculptures of Zodiac animals.
• Demonstrate knowledge of an ancient Chinese art form.
MATERIALS: Model Magic, toothpicks, sculpting tools, cardboard
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS: Folk art, flour dough, primary colors
TEACHER PREP
Familiarize students with the animals in the Chinese Zodiac through images and
pictures from books or the internet in preparation for sculpting. Have students pick
out basic shapes (circles, square, triangles) they see in the forms of the animals.
Draw the animals using these shapes to make geometric representations of the
animals. How many shapes can each student find?
PROCEDURE
Master artist Xun Ye shows students how to work with the clay from the basics of
color mixing to creating advanced miniature sculptures of various animals.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
The dragon is a combination of many animals. Snake/body, Ox/nose, Eagle/claws,
Fish/skin and Deer/horns or antlers. Have students imagine different combinations
of animals and draw them or sculpt them in class with model magic/clay. Have
students write a creation story about their new combination animal. Students can
research other mythical creatures from various folklore from around the world, i.e.
Griffin, Phoenix, etc.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC 2011-2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON FOUR/FIVE/SIX/SEVEN - THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON: PUPPET MAKING
AND A LUNAR NEW YEARʼS CELEBRATION (4 WEEKS)
OBJECTIVE
Using puppetry, students explore the history, symbolic nature and characteristics
of the Chinese dragon and its role in the zodiac and New Years celebrations.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Understand the symbolism of the dragon in Chinese culture and its role in New
Yearʼs celebrations.
• Be familiar with a popular origin myth about the Chinese New Year.
• Describe the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year celebration.
• Know the differences between Eastern and Western dragon legends.
• Work in groups to design and puppeteer unique dragon puppets.
MATERIALS
Dragon pictures/images, cardboard boxes, colored paper, glue, scissors, markers,
crayons, pens/pencils, foam sheets, LARGE dragon puppet, red square for wishes
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Lunar New Year, New Years celebrations from around the world
TEACHER PREP
Show images/movies of Chinese New Year parades.
PROCEDURE
Students are shown different representations of dragons and told various dragon
tales. The attributes and iconography of the Chinese dragon are explained before
students are shown an example of dragon puppet. Students work in groups to
collage, color and create parts of the dragon which are later combined into a large
puppet which can be paraded around for Chinese New Year. In addition, students
will parade PIPʼs large Chinese dragon around the school inviting students to write
wishes for the world on small red paper squares, which the dragon eats in order to
make the wish come true.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Celebrate Chinese New Year. Explore different customs, foods and sounds
associated with this New Yearʼs celebration. Decorate the room.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC 2011-2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON EIGHT - ZODIAC ANIMALS IN CHINESE
OBJECTIVE
Introduce students to spoken and written Chinese (Mandarin). Specific vocabulary
includes the words for the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Write the Chinese characters of the 12 Zodiac animals.
• Speak the Chinese words for each of the 12 Zodiac animals.
• Know the basics concepts and origins behind written Chinese characters.
MATERIALS: Pens, pencils, Chinese character worksheet
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Mandarin, Cantonese, caligraphy, tonal, pictograph, heiroglyph, ideogram
TEACHER PREP
Review Zodiac animals and their order with students. Have students re-tell the
story of the Great Race. Have students choose one of the animals and write a
write their own version about how that animal crossed the river. Have students
incorporate attributes that are assigned in the Zodiac to that particular animal.
Have students draw a picture to go along with the story.
PROCEDURE
Students will be shown the pictures of Chinese Zodiac animals and the
corresponding chinese characters. Students will be shown how to write the
characters and how to pronounce the words they are writing. Students will practice
writing and saying the characters.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Think about how chinese characters are representative of, or look like, what the
words mean. Have students experiment to create a unique character for
themselves. Have students write a paragraph describing themselves and how their
ideogram represents the qualities they described about themselves.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC 2011-2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON NINE/TEN - THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON: ANIMATION (2 WEEKS)
OBJECTIVE
Introduce students to stop-motion animation techniques with laptops, webcams
and SAM animation.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Create a stop-motion animation film.
• Gain an advanced understand of timing.
• Work collaboratively and communicatively to create a whole-class project.
• Assess their own work and improve their own animation techniques.
MATERIALS
Dragon puppets from previous lessons, laptop, webcams, tripod, SAM Animation
software, scotch tape, background paper/props
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Stop-motion animation, persistence of vision, onion skin, frames per second (fps),
timing, patience, collaboration, communication.
TEACHER PREP
PREPARE FOR ANIMATION! Work with groups of students and their dragon
puppets in the classroom to practice simple and complex ways that the puppet can
move. Have students research the ways serpents move on land and in water and
see if they can emulate those movements with the dragon puppet.
PROCEDURE
Students are introduced to animation through sample films and interactive working
examples. Together, the class elevates a webcam overlooking the floor and begins
to animate their dragon puppets to simulate flying/swimming/acrobatics/etc.
Students communicate with one another on when, and how much, to move a
particular part of the puppet to create a fluid stop-motion animation. Students
watch their animations in progress and determine how successful their techniques
are. With each viewing, they are able to adjust accordingly. Students will complete
a simple animation by the end of the 2 sessions.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Facilitate a discussion with the students about animation. What did they learn,
experience and/or take away from it? Have students write songs or poems that can
accompany the dragon animation they made. Share animations on the internet.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC Spring 2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON ELEVEN - Symbolism
OBJECTIVE
To help students understand the key concepts of symbolism and representation
within the Chinese Zodiac.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Identify their personality traits and re-imagine themselves, through writing and
drawing, as an animal or creature that shares the same characteristics.
• Collaborate with a group to generate an original animal/creature that equally
represents all the members in the group.
• Understand that Zodiac symbolism is open-ended with a variety of
interpretations.
MATERIALS: Colored paper, pencils, markers
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS: Symbolism, representation, characteristics, character traits
PROCEDURE
Students are asked to discuss their findings from the previous follow-up. They
describe if the specific descriptions linked to their familyʼs individual Zodiac signs
are accurate or not. Students will make a list of their own personal likes and
dislikes as well as characteristics that describe themselves. Sentences start with “I
am…” or “I like…” Students compare their lists to the Zodiac worksheet and find
the animal that best represents them, even if it is different from their actual sign.
Students are then asked to draw a colored picture of their new animal.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Discuss how the dragon is a mythical creature made up of several different animal
characteristics. Students can compare and contrast their character traits with one
another. Have groups of students combine one or more of their character traits with
each other to create a new animal/creature similar to the concept of the Chinese
dragon. Students can write a story based on their new animal.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC Spring 2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON TWELVE / THIRTEEN - STORYBOARDING
OBJECTIVE
Student groups work collaboratively to develop, write and illustrate a completed
storyboard, which will be the basis for their animations and all the work they will do
for the remainder of the residency.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Plan, write, and illustrate a completed storyboard.
• Collaborate, communicate, and compromise within a group of 4-5 of their peers.
• Understand how to simplify a story into four basic components.
MATERIALS: Large construction paper, markers, pencils, crayons
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Storyboard, collaborate, communicate, compromise, teamwork
TEACHER PREP
Put students in groups of 4 or 5. Try to make groups that are diverse in student
abilities. Each group should possess strong writers, artists, leaders, thinkers etc,
so that students are able to learn from each otherʼs skills. Students will be asked to
identify each others strengths throughout the animation program.
PROCEDURE
The instructor introduces the concept of a storyboard and what it is used for.
Student groups are assembled and given the task of re-telling a part of the Great
Race story. Groups randomly select a piece of paper with one of the Zodiac
animals from a hat and are asked to write a new version of how that animal
crossed the river and made it to the Emperorʼs palace. Students make a practice
storyboard in pencil on 8.5”x11” paper before making their full color 12”x19”
finished storyboard. The instructor works along with the classroom teacher to
assist student groups with conflicts and to encourage collaboration, compromise
and the combination of the varied ideas within each group.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
Allow students to meet with their group during the week to work on their storyboard
for a period. This helps finish the storyboard and keeps the project fresh in their
minds in between sessions. It also gives students further opportunity to work within
their groups and build a stronger collaborative bond. Finish the storyboards.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC Spring 2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON FOURTEEN / FIFTEEN - BACKGROUNDS and PUPPET CHARACTERS
OBJECTIVE
Using their storyboard as a guide, students make all the necessary backdrops,
puppet characters, props, titles and credits for their animation.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Identify and create the “who” and “where” elements of their story.
• Plan and create color paper collages for the settings in their animations.
• Draw the animal characters and learn how to make movable body parts for them.
• Collaborate, communicate, and compromise within a group of 4-5 of their peers
to finish the assignment.
MATERIALS: Construction paper, glue, scissors, markers, pencils, crayons, card stock,
storyboards, PIP Animation Checklist
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Background, collage, credits/titles
TEACHER PREP
Give each group their finished storyboard and the PIP Animation Checklist. Have
the groups fill in their lists with the places/backgrounds they need to make, the
puppet characters they need, and any additional props needed for their story.
Students use this list along with their storyboard to ensure completion of all the
necessary elements for their animations.
PROCEDURE
The instructor introduces the concept of making a collage background and effective
strategies for completing as many as four quickly and efficiently by utilizing the
many talents within the group. Students then plan and create several backgrounds
to serve as the settings in their animations. The instructors and teachers assist the
groups to help ensure every student is participating in some way. The instructor
also demonstrates simple drawing techniques to aid students in the creation of
their character puppets. Students draw, trace, color and cut-out their puppets and
store them in an envelope along with their storyboards and backgrounds.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
If necessary, provide student groups with classroom time to finish backgrounds
and puppets. Students may also draw/write their names on smaller pieces of
construction paper, which are used for the credits at the end of the movie. Titles
and “The End” are also great to have. Store everything in an envelope.
Puppetry In Practice - CHINESE ZODIAC Spring 2012
Instructors: Jason Leinwand and Xun Ye
LESSON SIXTEEN - TWENTY - ANIMATING (5 Sessions)
OBJECTIVE
Student groups will turn their storyboard into full stop-motion animation.
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
• Use SAM Animation, laptops and webcams.
• Produce a stop-motion animation movie.
• Record narration, voices and sound effects with Garage Band.
• Collaborate, communicate, and compromise within a group of 4-5 of their peers
to finish the assignment.
MATERIALS: Laptop computers with SAM Animation, webcams, tripods, storyboards,
backgrounds, characters, props, titles/credits
KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS: Stop-motion animation, frames per second (FPS),
persistence of vision,
TEACHER PREP
Provide students with additional time to finish all their materials. Completed
storyboards, backgrounds and puppets make the animations process much easier
for the students.
PROCEDURE
The instructor gives a multimedia presentation about animation. Students watch
animations made over the last 100 years and discuss the differences and
evolution of the medium. Following this presentation, the instructor provides
students with a step-by-step tutorial on SAM Animation software and workspace
organization. Students learn how to set-up and break-down their work stations as
well as strategies for effect group work. Upon the completion of the tutorial,
students begin animating their story. Each session, student groups work toward
completing their animations as laid out in their storyboards.
TEACHER FOLLOW-UP
The instructor will provide the class with a DVD of their completed animations.
Teachers should consider posting the videos on YouTube, TeacherTube or any
other related public web domain. The purpose should be for students to learn to
share their work with people around the world and perhaps even open up dialogue
or trade with classrooms all over the country. A shared video-viewing party over
Skype, for instance, only strengthens studentsʼ understanding of, use of and
appreciation for, the many ways technology can be integrated into their lives.
Puppetry In Practice
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