being. Every Friday morning, we have class meetings that are conducted
process (Anchor Standard #2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and
around a scripted theme, usually about a specific type of bullying. Students
work). With the plethora of computer animation programs available to
are encouraged to share their personal experience through small group
students, it might seem odd that I use stop motion animation, but I firmly
discussion, led by the teacher. This method is not always received well by
believe that the students gain a deeper understanding of what it means to
the students, as some feel exposed and embarrassed by the topic. So in
be part of an animation crew; storyboard editor, set designer, cameraman,
order to drive home the point that bullying is unacceptable and also to
sound designer, pre and post production directors and “all-rounders”,
illustrate the different types of bullying, I decided to have my seventh
capable of collaborating and learning from each other. The final piece is
grade computer art students create a stop motion animation using Lego
the premiere of their animations, to the class, the teacher and their families
bricks and mini-figures. I prefer Lego bricks over using clay to animate,
(Anchor Standard #5. Develop and refine artistic work for presentation).
because I have found that the students get caught up in the clay character
Introducing animation as an option to conventional art class captures the
and how it looks rather than the animation process. Over the years I have
interest of students who are turned off or threatened by traditional drawing
acquired a massive amount of Legos and students can use these or bring in
and painting classes. Adding Media Arts to the National Coalition for Core
their own.
Arts Standards opens up a myriad of opportunities for K-12 art educators
Working with a partner, the students were required to create a storyboard
to begin exploring these unique methods of art