Animations in the Classroom

Animation is becoming very popular in Kent. Teachers attending our Animation courses have been extremely creative and had lots of fun, and Partnerships, such as Dartford, have held animation training events using ZU3D software. Schools are also using animation to support literacy skills across the curriculum.

cleoflics
A highly original animation project showcasing best practice in claymation, stop frame animation and Flash. It also includes workshops taking you through the process of animation.
www.cleo.net.uk/resource/cleoflics

Free Animation Software

Pivot Stickfigure Animator
www.snapfiles.com/get/stickfigure.html
This free software allows you to create stick figure animations easily and without any artistic skills. You can move the sections of the stick figure and easily create a chain of animation frames that can be previewed as you go. You can use more than one stick-figure in the animation, and even create your own stick figures using an easy to use visual editor that lets you assemble objects out of lines and circles. In addition, you can optionally set animation size, speed and more. The result can be saved as animated GIF file.

Instructions on how to use Pivot Stick Animator (Right click and select 'Save target As')

Examples of Stick Figure Animations created by Kent teachers during a Creativity in ICT Day.

See more animations created with Pivot Animator

Kent schools who have been very busy creating animations:

Downs Primary School

The Downs School have been making stop frame animations using a web camera and animation software. Here are some examples: www.downs.kent.sch.uk

Ightham Primary School
www.ightham.kent.sch.uk/Classes/Nelson/movie2.htm
Using 2Animate & 2Create pupils at Ightham School have created a stop frame animation.
They have also included a description of how the movie was created.

Chevening School
www.chevening.kent.sch.uk/qpages/Digital%20Movies.htm
Animations done using a variety of equipment and software icluding Digital Blue, an ordinary camera and using Kar2ouche. The children have created some of their animations using pencil drawings.

Kings Hill Primary
www.kingshillschool.org.uk/321.aspx

Websites

Boffin Projects
www.boffinprojects.co.uk/claymation
Examples of clay models being used for animation

 2something - Examples of using 2Animate.

 Animation Library - Free animations to download.

History animation - Using Fluxtime

Scratch - Free download with easy to create animations.

Talking Faces - Animate face to mimic sounds recorded.

Webbliworld - Animated films, interactive games, create your own avatar.

Other Free Software

Fluxtime Studio
www.fluxtime.com
The basic version of this software is free. Using it you can create, edit and play your own animation clips and even send them as e-cards to your friends and families. To save and create more complicated animations you need to sign up.

Anim8or
www.anim8or.com/main/index.html