In March, our library ran a Stop Motion Commotion After School Program for students in grades 3-5 sponsored by our PTO. I was inspired to teach this program after taking the Media Smart Library workshop, Stop Motion Animation on a Budget presented by Bonnie Epstein of the Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art. In the after school program, students used an iPad, tripod, Lego Movie Maker app, and regular household objects to create stop motion animation films. We started by showing examples of stop motion animation so students would understand the concept of putting still photos together to create the illusion of movement. For the first week, I gave students a basic challenge of moving a set of beads from one place to another and moving the beads into a shape. This gave students who had no experience with stop motion a chance to get a handle on the materials, equipment, and technique. It also allowed students who did have experience with stop motion the freedom to get creative with the beads without being hindered by too many objects. After the first and subsequent sessions, we began the class by watching last week's videos and giving feedback to each other. Some groups decided to do different videos for the remaining three weeks while others chose to stick with the same theme and add more movement and sound effects. All groups improved greatly over the course of the program in their understanding of stop motion. Students also worked well together in generating ideas and implementing different techniques. At the end of the program, I was most impressed with students' engaged process of creating the videos and how excited they were about working with stop motion.
For future programs, I have created a Stop Motion Video for Kids Playlist that has examples of different types stop motion such as claymation, cut-paper, and object stop motion and Legos. The playlist also includes instructional videos on how to create settings, movement, and other basic techniques.
Below is a playlist of our videos from all four weeks as well as a lesson plan of the after school program.
For future programs, I have created a Stop Motion Video for Kids Playlist that has examples of different types stop motion such as claymation, cut-paper, and object stop motion and Legos. The playlist also includes instructional videos on how to create settings, movement, and other basic techniques.
Below is a playlist of our videos from all four weeks as well as a lesson plan of the after school program.