Following a brilliant Technologies ICT input with Sharon Tonner I have a new found confidence in my computing ability. Following an input on animation we were asked to group up and make our own animation using Plasticine, a camera and a piece of computer software called ZU3D.
Myself and my partner’s creation was something which we felt incredibly proud of and the lesson was one which I feel I would be confident teaching.
I feel this type of lesson would meet the following outcome:
This project should be taught over more than one lesson as children need a background knowledge of the software and procedures involved in order to fulfill the objective.
The children also need a lesson to brain storm ideas either as a class or in small groups. The animations could be linked to a particular topic or to a piece of creative writing etc. The opportunities are never ending!
The modelling of the characters could be done as an art lesson.
Each child needs to be given a role so that no one is left out. These roles should be rotated to ensure each child is gaining experience in each stage of the animation process.
Some barriers to teaching this lesson could be its relevance. I think the interests of the children need to be captured in their characters etc. Some children may also find it too challenging but this can be avoided by preparing them over several lessons.
Sharon also showed us a software called Pivot which could be used as a way of introducing the children to the terminology and processes which surround animation. Another stimulus could be showing the class an animated film such as Wallace and Gromit and discussing the processes its creators would have had to go through in order to complete it.
This input has really opened my eyes to the scope a lesson can have in terms of interdisciplinary learning and opportunities to broaden a class’ knowledge.
That is a brilliant animation! We should perhaps consider a change of career and become professional animators. I like how you’ve mentioned some of the cross curricular links and I hadn’t even considered the creative writing aspect. I agree with you that we need to be careful of the level that we pitch this lesson so that it is not too difficult for our young learners. Perhaps this is where the various roles involved in the project can help; playing to children’s strengths or developing their areas of difficulty.