Category Archives: I Can Animate

I Can Animate

Using I Can Animate With S2 Pupils

Background

Our S2 course was a ‘dip your toe in the water’ CfE course.  Pupils had no formal ICT teaching in S1 so we were able to try out lots of different tasks using the Olympics theme.  I knew that I could borrow equipment from the Computer Centre to use for some of the tasks as we didn’t have suitable hardware and software to create an animation of an Olympics game.  We worked with some of the Art staff to use their expertise for making backgrounds and models for our animations, what a difference this made!

How ICT supported learning and teaching

Using laptops with I Can Animate software allowed pupils to work collaboratively as part of a team to plan and produce their animation.  Pupils then worked individually on their animation using iMovie to edit and add audio and titles  to it.  Some of the pupils managed to upload their animation to Glow for othe pupils to see and comment on.

Impact / conclusion

The pupils were enthusiastic about this task, “I used to hate Thursdays but I like them now!”.  They enjoyed working with others to plan their animation and were delighted with their final product.  The classroom was always full of busy, noisy pupils organising themselves!  I added a survey to our Glow group and most of the pupils indicated that it was their favourite task and would have liked more time to work on it.  We have now bought I Can Animate and cameras for use in next year’s S2 course!

One of our S2 groups doing overtime on their animation!
I Can Animate

Animation After School Club – Cumbernauld Primary School

Cumbernauld

Posted on behalf of Helen Westell

Background

The animation after school club ran from January to April in two 5-week blocks.  15 children attended each block to learn how to use animation software and film techniques.  The first week the children looked at various animations using the Glow site and previous animations done in the school.  They split into groups and worked on creating a storyboard and ideas for their animation.  Week 2 the children designed props, backgrounds and plastiecne models.  Week 3, 4 and 5 the children filmed their animations using I Can Animate software and editing the films using imovie, following instruction videos on Glow from the computer centre.  Each child was presented with a disc of their film and these were uploaded to the school website for all to see.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

ICT supported teaching and learning and was used as a tool for language and literacy projects during the after school club. Reading, writing of storyboards and talking and listening in group work and editing animations.

Children worked co-operatively in groups using social skills and peer coached and mentored each other.

Impact / conclusion

The children are confident and successful in using animation software and setting up the webcams.  The animation club children will be used as peer coaches and mentors to use the software and hardware in other classes for interdisciplinary work.

Animation have been uploaded to the NLC  Glow site  ICT for Pupils – Animation

I Can Animate

Web Cameras – St. Patrick’s Kilsyth

Background

We had the i can animate software in the school but were using the built in cameras in the ibooks to film.  This was working alright but I borrowed a set of web cams so we could evaluate if we should purchase cameras to use.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

  • Able to give the after school group and pupils confidence and skills to embrace new technologies.
  • Pupils have been able to work cooperatively in groups to create dialogue, action and events for a short animation. Each group was responsible for filming and editing their work.
  • Impact / conclusion
  • The loan was highly successful in allowing us to see that we could use the animation software more effectivly with the webcams.
  • We are now looking to purchase our own cameras.
I Can Animate

I Can animate – Thornlie Primary

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Background

The school as a whole were investigating the UN Rights of the Child and we were looking for an interesting way in which the children could depict the rights in action to showcase at an open day focusing on the topic. An Out of School Hours Animation Club was formed to create a series of short animations on the topic.

How ICT supported learning and teaching

The software gave the children a focus. They were inspired by the opportunity to create something different and exciting. It concentrated their planning and co-operative/team skills and gave them instant results of quality animation – this made the process seem less laborious and more fun. The children involved in the after school animation decided to use the skills they had gained and pass them on by offering to lead a new Thornlie Animation Club with younger children – building self confidence, citizenship, leadership and ICT skills. The hardware and software gave the children new opportunities to express how and what they learned.

Impact / conclusion

The animations were shown at the open day as well as a few key children running an animation workshop where visitors were invited to try out their own skills in animation. This club lead to the software being used in a number of classes for a variety of topic based work, e.g. P5/4 created a series of short films and animations on ‘Easter Superstitions’ which was shown at an open assembly, P5 creating shape making animations which were used by P1 during their maths shape work, a Thornlie Animations club and website has been created. The school has since purchased I Can Animate and 2 plug in web cams to continue the animation work within the school. None of this would have happened if we had not had the opportunity to experience the equipment first hand.