Teacher Script: Animation

Warm-Up: What Moves You? (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to explore something really cool that makes our favorite cartoons and movies come alive. To start, I want you to think about movement.

What are some things you see that move? (Pause for student responses, e.g., cars, animals, people walking, a ball bouncing).

Great! Now, think about your favorite cartoon character. How do they move on the screen? What do you think makes them look like they're walking or jumping? Turn and talk to a partner for one minute about your ideas."

"Alright, let's hear some ideas! Who wants to share what they discussed?" (Call on a few students. Guide them towards ideas of many pictures or quick changes, but don't give away the answer yet).

Introduction to Animation (10 minutes)

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 1: Bringing Drawings to Life!)

"Fantastic ideas, everyone! Today, we're going to learn the secret behind how those drawings and characters come to life. We're talking about animation!"

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 2: What is Animation?)

"Animation is really clever! It's when we take many, many still pictures, and show them one after another, super-fast. Our eyes get tricked into thinking those pictures are actually moving! Each one of those still pictures is called a frame."

"Think about a flipbook. Has anyone ever made or seen a flipbook? (Allow students to respond briefly).

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 3: How Does it Work? Frames!)

"That's exactly how it works! If you draw a little picture on each page of a small book, and each picture changes just a tiny bit from the one before it, then when you flip through the pages quickly, it looks like your drawing is moving! That series of drawings is called a sequence."

"It's like magic, but it's really just science and art working together!"

Flipbook Fun Activity (20 minutes)

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 4: Your Turn: Flipbook Fun!)

"Now it's your turn to become animators! Today, you are going to create your very own mini-animation using a flipbook. I'm going to give each of you a small stack of paper. Your challenge is to create a simple animation.

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 5: Flipbook Tips!)

"Here are a few tips to help you succeed:

• Start Simple! Don't try to draw something too complicated. A bouncing ball, a stick figure waving, or a flower growing are great first ideas.
• Small Changes! This is the most important tip! Each drawing should only change a tiny, tiny bit from the one before it. If you make big jumps, it won't look smooth.
• Draw Lightly First! Sketch your ideas lightly, and then you can go back and make them darker.
• Have Fun! This is about being creative and experimenting. There's no right or wrong way to animate, just ways to make it look smoother or more exciting!

"I'll be walking around to help you out. Take your time, focus on those small changes, and get ready to bring your drawings to life! You have about 20 minutes for this activity. "

(Circulate, provide individual help, encourage students).

Share & Reflect (5 minutes)

(Display Animation Slide Deck - Slide 6: Time to Share!)

"Okay, animators! Pencils down for a moment. Who would like to share their flipbook with a partner or with the whole class? Let's see some of your amazing creations!" (Allow a few students to demonstrate their flipbooks).

"Wonderful work! Now, let's think about what we just did. What did you learn about animation today by making your own flipbook?"

"What was the hardest part about making your animation?"

Cool-Down: Animation Reflection (5 minutes)

"Excellent discussion, everyone. For our cool-down, I want you to think about one new thing you learned about animation today, or one thing you found really interesting. You'll write it down on your cool-down slip."

(Distribute Animation Cool-Down slips).

"Take a moment to write down your answer, and then you can hand them in as you leave/finish up. Great job today, future animators!"

Animation Warm-Up: What Moves You?

Think about your favorite cartoon, movie, or video game. How do the characters or objects in it move?

What do you think makes them look like they are really moving, even though they are just drawings or computer images?

Share your ideas with a partner!

Flipbook Fun: Bring Your Drawings to Life!

Today, you're going to be an animator! You'll create your very own mini-movie using a simple flipbook.

What you'll need:

• A small stack of paper (or a small notepad)
• Pencil
• Markers or colored pencils (optional)

Instructions:

1. Choose Your Idea: Think of something simple that moves. Here are some ideas:

   • A ball bouncing
   • A stick figure waving hello
   • A flower growing from a seed
   • A simple shape changing (like a square becoming a circle)

2. Start on the Last Page: It's often easiest to start with your final drawing on the very last page of your stack. This helps you plan where your animation will end.

3. Work Backwards (or Forwards!):

   • Option A (Backwards): After your last drawing, flip to the second to last page. Draw almost the exact same thing, but make a tiny, tiny change from the last page. Keep doing this, making small changes on each page, until you get to the first page.
   • Option B (Forwards): If you prefer, start on the first page with your beginning drawing. Then, on the next page, draw almost the exact same thing, but make a tiny, tiny change. Continue this for each page, making your animation slowly progress.

   The Key: Each drawing should only be slightly different from the one before it! Small changes are what make the animation smooth.

4. Draw Lightly First: Sketch your drawings lightly with a pencil. Once you like how it looks, you can trace over it darker or add color.

5. Test Your Animation: Once you have drawings on several pages, hold the stack firmly with one hand and quickly flip through the pages with your thumb. Watch your drawing come to life!

Share Your Masterpiece!

When you're done, be ready to share your flipbook with the class or a partner. What did you create?

Animation Cool-Down: What Stuck With You?

Think about everything we learned and did today about animation.

What is one new thing you learned or one thing you found really interesting about how things move in cartoons or flipbooks?

Bonus: Can you think of another simple object that would be fun to animate in a flipbook?