Animating Learning: Harnessing Stop Motion to Spark Student Creativity

Outline

"Animating Learning: Harnessing Stop Motion to Spark Student Creativity"

Duration: 60 minutes
Target Audience: K-12 STEM and STEAM Teachers
Session Outline:
Introduction (5 minutes)
Storyboarding Basics (10 minutes)
Stop Motion Animation Techniques (15 minutes)
Classroom Implementation (15 minutes)
From Classroom to Community (10 minutes)
Conclusion and Q&A (5 minutes)
1. Introduction (5 minutes)
Welcome participants and introduce the session topic
Briefly explain the importance of stop motion animation in STEAM education
Outline the session goals:
a. Learn storyboarding techniques
b. Understand stop motion animation basics
c. Develop a unit plan for classroom implementation
d. Explore ways to showcase student work in the community
Key Takeaway: Stop motion animation is a powerful tool for integrating technology, art, and storytelling in STEAM education.
Activity: Quick icebreaker - Have participants share their favorite animated film in 10 seconds or less. Use Multimeter Word Cloud!
2. Storyboarding Basics (10 minutes)
Explain the purpose and importance of storyboarding
Demonstrate basic storyboard layout and elements:
a. Shot composition
b. Camera angles
c. Scene descriptions
d. Dialogue/action notes
Discuss how storyboarding incorporates visual arts and narrative skills
Key Takeaway: Storyboarding is a crucial planning tool that helps students visualize their stories before animation.
Activity: Provide a simple story prompt and have participants quickly sketch a 3-panel storyboard.
3. Stop Motion Animation Techniques (15 minutes)
Introduce basic stop motion principles:
a. Frame rate (e.g., 12-24 frames per second)
b. Incremental movement
c. Consistency in lighting and camera placement
Demonstrate various stop motion techniques:
a. Clay animation
b. Paper cut-out animation
c. Object animation
Showcase free and low-cost stop motion apps and software:
a. Stop Motion Studio
b. iMotion
c. Clayframes
Discuss equipment needs:
a. Cameras or smartphones
b. Tripods or device stands
c. Lighting options
Key Takeaway: Stop motion animation can be achieved with minimal equipment, making it accessible for various classroom settings.
Activity: Using smartphones or provided devices, have participants create a quick 5-10 frame animation of a simple object moving across a surface.
4. Classroom Implementation (15 minutes)
Present a sample unit plan for a stop motion animation project:
a. Week 1: Introduction to animation and storyboarding
b. Week 2: Character and set design
c. Week 3-4: Animation production
d. Week 5: Post-production and editing
Discuss cross-curricular connections:
a. Math: Calculating frame rates and timing
b. Science: Physics of motion
c. Language Arts: Storytelling and script writing
d. Visual Arts: Character and set design
Address potential challenges and solutions:
a. Time management
b. Equipment sharing
c. Differentiation for various grade levels
Key Takeaway: Stop motion animation projects can be adapted to various grade levels and integrated across multiple subjects.
Activity: In small groups, have participants brainstorm a brief lesson plan incorporating stop motion animation into their specific subject area.
5. From Classroom to Community (10 minutes)
Explore ways to showcase student work:
a. School-wide film festival
b. Online platforms (e.g., secure YouTube channel, school website)
c. Local community centers or libraries
Discuss the benefits of community involvement:
a. Increased student motivation
b. Real-world audience for student work
c. Community engagement with school programs
Provide tips for organizing a successful film festival:
a. Planning timeline
b. Venue selection
c. Promotion strategies
d. Involving students in the organization process
Key Takeaway: Showcasing student work in the community enhances the learning experience and builds connections beyond the classroom.
Activity: Quick brainstorming session: Have participants share ideas for unique venues or events where student animations could be showcased.
6. Conclusion and Q&A (5 minutes)
Recap key points from the session
Provide resources for further learning:
a. Online tutorials and courses
b. Stop motion animation books
c. Professional networks for STEAM educators
Open the floor for questions and answers
Key Takeaway: Implementing stop motion animation projects can enhance STEAM education and provide students with valuable skills in technology, storytelling, and artistic expression.
Activity: Encourage participants to share one key idea they plan to implement in their classroom and one question they still have about stop motion animation.
Additional Resources:
Handout and/or QR code with links to share recommended apps, software, and equipment
Sample storyboard templates
Basic unit plan outline
List of stop motion animation tutorials and inspiration sources

Supporting research

Research shows that student-generated digital media, like stop motion animation, enhances engagement, improves retention of information, and fosters creativity and critical thinking (Hobbs, R. & Coiro, J., 2019).
Visual Literacy and Critical Thinking: Studies on visual literacy suggest that stop motion animation helps students improve in storytelling, sequence understanding, and narrative structure, which strengthens literacy and critical thinking skills (Burmark, L., 2010).
STEAM Integration Benefits: Research highlights how integrating art with STEM (making STEAM) through activities like stop motion animation enhances student problem-solving skills, persistence, and collaboration (Henriksen, D., 2017).