**Note: The Fablevision program used in this unit requires an account. If you are using a different animation software, the instructions on how to complete the final product will need to be modified.
Script: This week, we will be learning all about animation. Ingenia’s Serenity Studios is having an animation competition. You’ll learn more about the competition throughout the unit.
Do you know what animation is? …. Animation is the art of making inanimate (things that don’t move) objects appear to move. It is also a motion picture made up of illustrations that includes small changes in each frame to give the appearance of movement like in cartoons. What are other places that you see animation? ….Do you have any favorite animation? …. Have you ever wondered how animations are created? How do they “move”? Any ideas? Have you ever heard of an optical illusion? …. Optical illusions are something that deceives the eye by appearing to be other than what it is.
Open the lesson with a general discussion to engage students in the topic of animation. Allow students to share what they already know of the subject. This could include observation-based knowledge (ie, students watch cartoons) as well as any technical knowledge students may possess. Possible prompts to lead conversation include:
Let’s look at some (you may pick as many images as time allows). (https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/)
Take a look at this picture. Does it appear to have slanted lines? …. They are actually perfectly parallel which means they are lines that have the same distance between them. Our brains try to make sense of the placement of the black squares and it makes it appear as if the lines are crooked.
In animation, we use what we know about how the brain and eye “see” things to make it look like images are moving. When images change quickly in front of us, our brain blends the pictures together. If there are little differences between the images, we can make it look like the subject is moving.
An important concept that makes animation possible is the persistence of vision theory which states that if drawings were shown in fast succession, the human eye would perceive them as a continuous movement. We will be learning more about this theory in this video.
Watch FableVision Learning Persistence of Vision Theory Video [2 mins] (https://www.fablevisionlearning.com/)
Just like in the video we are going to make use of the theory by creating our own thaumatrope which is an optical toy that will rotate quickly between two images. Because of this learning persistence of vision theory, spinning it would make it seem like the two different pictures are combined into one picture.
To create their own thaumatrope - an optical illusion toy, have students first use the bird and cage image to practice. Then, have them come up with their own designs where they would create two images that can work together to make one nice image. *The National Park Service offers this similar lesson (www.nps.gov)
Possible ideas:
| Materials | Instructions |
|---|---|
| - Thaumatrope template (1 page per student) - Cardstock (1 per student) - Cup - Scissors - String (~1.5 ft per student) - Glue - Markers  |
1. Cut out the circles with the bird and cage. 2. Place the cup upside down on the cardstock and use a pencil to trace the circle. Make sure you leave room to make two circles. 3. Glue your paper circles to the cardstock circle with one circle on each side. Make sure one of the images is upside down (flipped). 4. Use the hole puncher to punch a hole in the places specified on the paper circle (the two tiny circles in the big circle) 5. Cut the string in half and tie one on each side. 6. Hold the strings in each hand and twirl the card to see the illusion. The bird should appear inside the cage. 7. Make your own design using the two blank circles and draw two different images on each circle. 8. Repeat steps 1-6. *Tip: To save a step, you may print the template directly to the cardstock. |
Script: Animation technique relies on the brain’s ability to perceive an illusion of motion. In a flipbook, there is no actual motion occurring to the characters on the page, but the illusion is created. As our eyes take in the rapid-fire images, our brain connects them together. Like in the thaumatrope we just made, when we spin the circle fast, it creates an illusion that it is one image.
Guide student discussion to allow for discovery of this science. Possible prompts include:
Now that we know a little bit more about optical illusion, let’s learn more about how that illusion works in creating animation.
Watch How Does Animation Work Video [2 min] (www.youtube.com/@TylerPacana)
In the video, we saw different types of animations and how they all use frames which are a single image to create the animation. There were four types of animation mentioned in the video, do you remember what they were? …. There was the 2D Traditional Animation where each frame is sketched by hand, 2D Rigged Animation which characters are made once with pivot points and are used to rotate and stretch the pieces. Stop-Motion Animation where puppets are photographed on frame at a time and CG Animation have digital joints that can be manipulated and posed.
After viewing, ask students to identify the similarities and differences between the 4 types of animation:
Script: We will be working with 2D Traditional Animation where we will be drawing frame by frame. To create our animation, we will be using a site called Animation-ish which has three different levels. We will be working with the first level today which is called Wiggledoodle-ish. In this level, we can create a maximum of three different frames. The next level Flipbook-ish will allow us to have as many frames as possible but to get you started, we will start with Wiggledoodle-ish. To get to the animation software, go to Animation-ish and login. Then click on Wiggledoodle-ish.
**Note: If students are unable to access Animation-ish, here are similar sites that you may use at little to no cost. Each website includes tutorials and resources that can be distributed to students.Lessons will need to be modified based on the selected website.
Online Software: Powtoon, Animatron
Apps: 10 Best Animation Apps to use in the Classroom and at home - EducationalAppStore
Play the Animation-ish Lesson: Make a Doodle
Have students duplicate what is being shown on the screen. Pause the video if needed to make sure that students are keeping up.
After the tutorial, have students animate their name in WiggleDoodle-ish making it as elaborate as they would like. Discuss with the students how the animation is simply a looping of 3 frames, which, when played quickly, gives the illusion of motion: Example logo animation
Allow time for students to design and create in Wiggledoodle-ish. Once they are done, they can watch it loop by hitting play and saving their animation.
Once their name project has been saved, have them open a new project by clicking new. In the new project, have students animate a bouncing ball. They are free to add different things to the background but the goal is to have a bouncing ball.
If there is more time, have them create a new project that they can freely create. Have them think of a tiny story they can tell with three frames. Have them continue to work in Wiggledoodle-ish to bring their ideas to life.
Have students present one of their animations (animated names, bouncing ball or tiny story animation) explaining their design and animation process to their peers. Nudge students into questioning one another or into sharing tips and tricks learned.
Animation: A motion picture made up of illustrations that include small changes in each frame to give the appearance of movement.
Onion Skin: An animation feature that shows the illustration from previous frame(s) in the background of the current frame.
Optical illusion: something that deceives the eye by appearing to be other than it is.
2D Traditional Animation: Traditionally done by hand, each frame sketched out and hand colored. Pages would be flipped for motion. Nowadays it is usually done on tablets with digital pens.
2D-Rigged Animation: Characters have pivot points and flexibility, to be rotated, stretched, posed, etc
Stop-Motion Animation: Puppets are photographed one frame at a time (rather than drawn). Images are stitched together to give the illusion of motion.
CG Animation: Characters have digital joints that can be manipulated and posed. Computer technology allows for real-time manipulation
Frame: a single image in animation
Persistence of vision theory: if drawings of the states of an action were shown in fast succession, the human eye would perceive them as a continuous movement. Thaumatrope : an optical illusion toy
Wiggledoodle-ish: Level 1 of Animation-ish software
Invite and encourage students to experiment further with Wiggledoodle-ish on their own time. Remind students that their saved projects can always be found in the Project Vault.
More info can be found on the Animation-Ish User Guide (Updated 2/21)
