LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Faces Tell Feelings - Part 4 - Computer Animation

In this lesson, students will create an animated face presented in a "Slide Show" using Kid Pix Studio.

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 Visual Arts Education

By Susan Wenzel Getter

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • create a series of 6 drawings in KidPix illustrating the stages of a particular facial expression.
  • save each step of the expression as a separate file for use in a slide show.
  • incorporate each of their individual drawings into a slide show using the SlideShow feature of KidPix Studio.
  • save the slide show and print a copy to give to art teacher.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1.5 hours

Materials/resources

  • Student handout handout on the factors of drawing expressions.
  • Example of a KidPix SlideShow showing an illustrated facial expression.

Technology resources

  • Computer for each student
  • KidPix Studio software on each computer
  • Computer with KidPix Studio for teacher
  • Color printer
  • Computer projector and screen or monitor large enough for whole class viewing (for use with instuctor’s computer)

Pre-activities

Lessons 1, 2, and 3 in this unit will have been completed before this class. Students will have studied and practiced facial expression in drawings and painting during art class.

Students should also be familiar with using Kid Pix, as well as saving their work to a file (on a disk or file server).

Activities

Day One:

  1. Distribute handout on drawing facial expressions. Review what parts of the face that show expression.
  2. Explain that their animation will consist of a series of 6 drawings that they create in Kid Pix. Each file will be saved separately, then put together later. Stress how important it is to save each file separately and with a different file name!
  3. Show an example of each of the six drawings going from no expression to the final expression (examples attached, see below)
  4. Students will create and save their six drawings.

Day 2:

  1. Using the overhead and the six drawings, walk students through placing each individual picture in a slide on KidPix slide show.
  2. Students will complete a slide show using their individual pictures, print a copy to take to art class, and save the show to a disk.
  3. Students will show their completed animations to the class on the projector.

Assessment

Students will share their completed animations with the class on the projector. This requires successful saving of a project to a floppy disk, as well as the displaying of their completed project.

Student (rubric) to attach to printed animation.

Completed rubrics, printouts, and disks will be collected.

Supplemental information

A series of 6 individual illustrations is attached. They show a very basic drawing of a facial expression. (face.jpg - face6.jpg)

Related websites

N/A

Comments

This lesson is the fourth in a series of six lessons created by Jan Kimosh and Susan W. Getter, the elementary art and computer teachers at Our Lady of Lourdes School during a summer LEARN NC/NCSSM/Ackland Art Museum workshop. Look for lessons 2, 3, and 6 in the Arts section of the lesson plans.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Visual Arts Education (2001)

Grade 3

  • Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
    • Objective 2.06: Create portraits, still lifes and landscapes from real life observation or memory.
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.06: Develop ability to discuss his or her own work and that of others in terms of art elements.
    • Objective 3.07: Recognize composition is using the elements of art to create an artwork.

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop critical and creative thinking skills and perceptual awareness necessary for understanding and producing art.
  • Goal 2: The learner will develop skills necessary for understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes.
    • Objective 2.04: Demonstrate one's own thought and feelings visually, using sequential, visual narrative.
  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.02: Differentiate horizontal, vertical, parallel, and diagonal lines.

Grade 5

  • Goal 3: The learner will organize the components of a work into a cohesive whole through knowledge of organizational principles of design and art elements.
    • Objective 3.01: Recognize and apply the elements of art in an aesthetic composition.
    • Objective 3.02: Recognize and apply the design principles used in composition.
    • Objective 3.04: Use variations to create interest in a composition.

Computer Technology Skills (2005)

Grade 3

  • Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
    • Objective 3.04: Identify, discuss, and use multimedia to present ideas/concepts/information in a variety of ways as a class. Strand - Multimedia/Presentation