Digital+images

__What is digital animation?__
Animation is the process of linking a series of slightly different drawings together to simulate movement. There are normally 24 frames per second in moving film, and the best animation (ie the most flowing and detailed) will use a different drawing for each of those 24 frames. Limited animation will move to a new drawing less frequently, and this results in a jerky image. The same processes used for film are used for the animated GIFs you see on websites.

**__Why use digital animation in the classroom?__**
•**Language skills** are engaged while brainstorming and writing the script and storyboard. Encourages the use of descriptive language, and builds observational skills. Encourages students to be actively engaged in constructing meaning (asking questions, researching, discussing); •**Mathematical, logical, and spatial skills** are used in organizing the project, sequencing the frames, and using digital photography and video editing technology; •**Creativity is encouraged** when students sculpt clay characters, draw and paint sets, and animate their stories; •**Collaboration skills** are practiced when students work together to produce a clay animation project. This article by Janet Bottoms, entitled : **Speech, Image, Action: Animating** **Tales from Shakespeare (**//Children’s Literature in Education, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2001)// provides an analysis of why and how children can learn from the use of animated films. Click HERE to view the article.

**Animated images (GIFs) for dynamic platforms, eg web tools, PowerPoint)**
(Watch carefully to see the animated feature!)

These are an excellent way of adding animated pictures (not movies) to your PowerPoint presentation, or web-based application. Here are links to a couple of sites which provide a wide range of freely downloadable images:
 * **School Discovery's** resource can be accessed [|HERE]...
 * **Animation Library's** selection of nearly 14,000 animated gifs can be accessed [|HERE]

You will need to download images to your computer by RIGHT CLICK on the selected image, and SAVING AS...

Computer Generated Images (CGI).
There is a massive amount of software which will enable us to use the computer to generate animated images; many of these are complex and expensive to use, and can allow us to create animations which have the quality of gaming technology. However, these take a considerable amoun of training to use- here's a piece of software recommended by the Kent Grid for Learning which introduces children to the use of CGIs, called **Pivot Stickfigure Animator**. It allows users to create stick figure animations easily and without any artistic skills. The sections of the stick figure can be moved to easily create a chain of animation frames that can be previewed as you go.

Click on the image above to go to the **Stickfigure** website- the software is freely downloadable. For instructions on its use, click [|HERE]...

Stop Motion Animation: digital video
In a nutshell, stop motion animation is a process whereby images of a model, usually made from clay, plasticine, wire, or even Lego, are played back at such a speed that the human brain interprets the series of static images as one continuous stream of action. There are numerous stop motion animation packages for Mac OS X,

Click on the image below to visit **Kent National Grid for Learning's** general site on using digital video.




 * Getting ideas:** some examples of animated digital videos...


 * This site by Education Wichita contains many examples of different typoes of animation. Click [|HERE] to view.


 * General resources:**
 * **Education Wichita** provides an excellent general resource to support classroom animators, including examples of videos, how pupils went about creating videos, and technical advice. Click [|HERE] to visit this resource.
 * The **Kent NGfL website** has an excellent site on animation- it also features a number of animated films produced by schools. Click [|HERE] to view...
 * Free multimedia resources (sounds and videos from Kent NGfL) available [|HERE].

Some Tips…

 * Always start with a storyboard. Your storyboard should include the basic layout of what you want to happen in your movie. Click HERE to freely download a blank format already created (PDF file)...
 * Encourage students to plan their storyline and think about scenes, shots, camera angles and framing, as they would with video.
 * Employ contrast when choosing the colours for your character(s) and backgrounds. For example, if your character is brightly coloured, try making your background a dark-ish colour, such as brown.
 * Encourage students to be inventive when animating their models; after all there’s no right way to make a dinosaur walk!

Compose a **montage** ‘Images from our class’. Pupils develop and refine their ideas by bringing together film footage and still clips they had taken, and organizing and reorganizing video, still images, sound and text. Analyse a **TV advert** and make one either for an existing product or one invented. Create a **TV advert**, as a fun, extension in year 5 persuasive texts. Support persuasive writing e.g. not to build houses/ motorway/ factory on a green strip through **journalistic style videos**. Using '**Characterisation**' as a theme. Ask children to consider how they might portray feelings using digital imagery such as; fear, excitement, sadness, surprise, suspicion etc. This can lead to ideas, which address PSHE issues such as, Bullying, Friendship, Feeling Lonely. Video a retell or **re-enactment** e.g. Shakespeare/ story telling "**How to play** kwik cricket video" Devise a gymnastic routine and perfect it. Pupils imagine they are TV interviewers back in time and consider questions they would ask. Support work in **PHSE** on bullying through either journalistic videos or drama. Recording Children's thoughts in **PHSE** "How should we behave in the Playground" etc - makes interesting videos for other classes to use as stimuli. Designing demonstration videos in **PHSE** about fire drills.
 * Ideas for using Digital images**
 * Record science experiments** e.g. spinners. Y6, gravity, speed. growing plants, snail eating habits! Ripening fruit/ going to seed, decaying food.
 * Re-enact a scene from history** e.g. Henry Viii and 6 wives
 * Blitz movies** - children edit and record voice overs.
 * Geography** - community study, where we live