Watch your instructor model 12 FPS vs. 4 FPS live using a pre-made animation sequence!
Lesson 1: Persistence of Vision Slide 4 of 7
STUDIO LAB TIME Pacing: 25 mins
COLLABORATIVE
HANDS-ON PRACTICE
Team up with a shoulder partner. Combine drawing and timing to animate a ball bouncing cleanly using exactly 12 sheets.
The golden rule: Move your object only a tiny bit on each page. Giant jumps cause teleporting!
Lesson 1: Persistence of Vision Slide 5 of 7
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
PARTNER CHECK
STEP 1: SWAP & FLIP
Swap your completed 12-frame flipbook with a neighboring pair. Help each other check that timing meets standard before we wrap up today!
Lesson 1: Persistence of Vision Slide 6 of 7
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
WHOLE CLASS
REFLECT TOGETHER
Was it keeping your drawings consistent in size? Or was it controlling the tiny distance shifts between each sticky note?
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we start applying our visual skills to real-world research!
You'll learn the S.E.E.K. system to find 10 verified facts about a historical figure for your stop-motion script.
Lesson 1: Persistence of Vision Slide 7 of 7
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production APA Reference: Common Sense Education. (2026). S.E.E.K.ing Information. Common Sense Media. Page 1 of 2
Sub-Ready Lesson Plan
Lesson 2 (Continued)
25 Minutes
Students work in partner pairs to complete the SEEK It Out worksheet. They analyze Jamie's endangered animal science project scenario, practicing how to apply Specific, Explore, Evaluate, and Keep Track parameters.
Step-by-Step Task Instructions:
5 Minutes
Guide reflection across two slides: first, a partner search checklist comparison, and second, a whole-class synthesis.
Step 1 Script (Slide 6 - Search-Term Audit):
"Compare your S.E.E.K. worksheet responses with the pair sitting next to you. Did they select more specific terms than you? Did they discover other reliable domains? Run through the checklist together!"
Step 2 Script (Slide 7 - Whole Class & Preview):
"Let's reflect: How did using specific search terms speed up your pre-production planning? Tomorrow, we will turn our historical research into a solid, structured 10-fact script and discuss safety!"
Learning Requirement: I can follow legal and ethical rules when using others’ work in productions.
Score 1.0 (Beginning)
With help, the student can identify basic elements of attribution but cannot write proper citations or identify reliable domains.
Score 2.0 (Approaching)
Student lists required citation components and uses broad terms, but misses key attribution parameters (like URL, retrieval date, author).
Score 3.0 (Meets Target)
Student independently applies S.E.E.K. to find 3 verified facts, documenting perfect keyword queries and clean domain attribution (.gov / .edu).
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 2 of 2
TARGETED (S.E.E.K.)
Returns precise academic articles, primary letters, and verified educational history pages (.edu / .org) detailing his specific values immediately.
Result: Rapid Factual Verification
Lesson 2: S.E.E.K.ing Information Slide 4 of 7
STUDIO LAB TIME Pacing: 25 mins
COLLABORATIVE
JAMIE'S PROJECT
Jamie is working on a science project about endangered animals and needs to gather information. Use S.E.E.K. to help him build an accurate, cited report!
Open your SEEK It Out handouts with your partner and begin drafting.
Lesson 2: S.E.E.K.ing Information Slide 5 of 7
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
SEARCH COMPARISON
STEP 1: SWAP & REVIEW
Compare your worksheet responses with the pair sitting next to you. Audit which terms gave the most reliable endangered animal results!
Lesson 2: S.E.E.K.ing Information Slide 6 of 7
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
WHOLE CLASS
REFLECT TOGETHER
Did starting with a clear "Specific" query make it easier to find exact endangered species details? Think about how much time you saved compared to scrolling through infinite random links!
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we take our research and finalize our "10 Facts" outline.
We will also explore crucial creator safety concepts: Phishing, Digital Footprints, and Privacy.
Lesson 2: S.E.E.K.ing Information Slide 7 of 7
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 1 of 2
Sub-Ready Plan
Lesson 3 (Continued)
20 Minutes Minimum
Divide students into pairs or small groups. They open their **Key Facts Script Planner** worksheet.
Pacing Steps & Pair Objectives:
5 Minutes
Guide reflection across two slides: first, an auditing checklist of script punchiness, and second, a whole-class synthesis on visual planning.
Step 1 Script (Slide 13 - Script Audit):
"Swap script plans with a neighboring pair. Read their sentences. Are they completely short and punchy? Did they correctly flag Actions vs. Text Overlays?"
Step 2 Script (Slide 14 - Class Reflection):
"Class, look at Slide 14. Let's reflect: What did you discover about your character during research, and how can you plan for visual movement in stop-motion? Stack your sheets and prepare for tomorrow's storyboarding!"
Learning Requirement: I can follow legal and ethical rules when using others’ work in productions.
Score 1.0 (Beginning)
Student struggles to identify facts from credible sources, even with direct teacher assistance, prompts, or cues.
Score 2.0 (Approaching)
Student identifies facts from credible sources with correct domain extensions (.org, .edu) but misses exact website locations or drafts overly text-heavy script sentences.
Score 3.0 (Meets Target)
Student independently applies S.E.E.K. to find verified facts, write punchy script sentences, and record exact source website/database locations showing ethical pre-production planning.
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 2 of 2
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 6 of 14
SAFETY INTERACTIVE: CYCLE 3 Pacing: Group/Pair Chatter
TERM 3 OF 3
COLLABORATIVE PAIR CHATTER
With your partner, discuss and draft a definition in your own words. How can you spot a fake email alert?
Think & Write (Own Words) • Partner Swap • Class Share-Out
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 7 of 14
OFFICIAL REVEAL: CYCLE 3 PHISHING DEFINITION
Deceptive tricks (fake emails, websites, or login pop-ups) pretending to be trusted brands to steal your credentials and delete files. Don't take the bait!
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 8 of 14
TEACHER MODELING RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
S.E.E.K. DEMONSTRATION
Watch as your instructor demonstrates how to S.E.E.K. the answers to Question 1 and Question 2 on our master document!
Search query: "Cesar Chavez birth place date". Pinpoint Yuma, Arizona, in 1927 and note the database source.
Search query: "Cesar Chavez family siblings count". Identify sibling counts and verify source credibility.
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 9 of 14
STUDIO TIME COLLABORATIVE LAB
ACTIVE COLLABORATION
Grab a marker with your partner. Walk to your assigned poster on the wall or table. S.E.E.K. your assigned missing fact, write it on the poster, and share with the class!
We are working collaboratively in pairs to complete the class database.
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 10 of 14
SCRIPT SKILL TRANSLATION GUIDE
RAW FOCUSED RESEARCH
This has too many details for a rapid animation scene. How can we make it punchy and ready to animate?
PUNCHY TRANSLATION
Short, simple, and direct! Now return to your assigned wall/table poster and write the corresponding punchy sentence for your assigned fact!
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 11 of 14
PROJECT WORK Pacing: 20 mins
PERSONAL CHARACTER
PLANNING YOUR STOP-MOTION
Open your Ten Facts Worksheet. Select the famous, historical, or biographical figure you will use for your final stop-motion animation project!
1. Research and write 5-10 verified facts using S.E.E.K. on your devices in pairs.
2. Translate each raw fact into a short, punchy sentence.
3. Note the exact source location to prepare for credit lessons.
4. Categorize as Visual Action (physical movement) vs. Text Overlay (onscreen numbers/dates).
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 12 of 14
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
STEP 1: SWAP & REVIEW
Swap your character planning sheet with a neighboring pair. Read their factual script. Is it ready for animation storyboards?
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 13 of 14
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
REFLECT TOGETHER
Think about how your character can walk, gesture, or interact on screen to tell your facts without relying entirely on text overlays. Show, don't tell!
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we take our punchy facts and draft a custom 8-frame storyboard layout!
You'll learn the anatomy of storyboarding, camera shot directions, and pre-production mapping.
Lesson 3: Ten Facts & Internet Safety Slide 14 of 14
Refinement Concept (I can refine my digital productions):
Explain that storyboards are iterative living documents. In production, plans are reviewed and revised based on constraints to meet final technical and creative goals.
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 1 of 2
Sub-Ready Plan
Lesson 4 (Continued)
20 Minutes
Divide students into their established project groups/pairs. They open their **8-Frame Storyboard Worksheet**.
Step-by-Step Task Instructions:
5 Minutes
Run a Silent Critique gallery walk. Students swap sheets and audit each other's visual storytelling clarity.
Silent Critique Prompt:
"Swap storyboards with another pair. Do not read their script sentences. Look strictly at their drawings. Can you tell the story of their character without reading a single word? Give them positive and constructive feedback on Slide 7!"
Learning Requirement: I can develop a plan for my media production.
Score 1.0 (Beginning)
Student struggles to map consecutive visual steps or sketch sequential frames, even with physical teacher assistance/prompts.
Score 2.0 (Approaching)
Student sketches frames, but sequence lacks structure (Beginning, Middle, End), motion direction arrows, or designated camera shot types.
Score 3.0 (Meets Target)
Student independently maps an 8-frame storyboard with structured sequence (B/M/E), clear visual action, motion arrows, and camera angle annotations.
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 2 of 2
Establish setting.
Lesson 4: Storyboarding the Micro-Script Slide 4 of 8
DIRECT INSTRUCTION SKETCHING TECHNIQUE
SIMPLE STICK FIGURES
Use simple stick figures, circles, and blocks to represent characters and props.
Overcomplicating drawings wastes pre-production time. Keep drawings rapid, symbolic, and clean!
MOTION ARROWS
Draw directional arrows inside your storyboard frames to represent:
Lesson 4: Storyboarding the Micro-Script Slide 5 of 8
STUDIO TIME Pacing: 20 mins
VISUAL PLANNING
Open your 8-Frame Storyboard sheet in your group. Take your Lesson 3 script facts and translate them into visual boards!
Self-Identify Structure!
Map out your own Beginning, Middle, and End across the 8 frames. Wording is removed from the frames—this is your team assessment!
Lesson 4: Storyboarding the Micro-Script Slide 6 of 8
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
VISUAL AUDIT
STEP 1: SWAP & INSPECT
Swap storyboards with another pair. Do not read their script sentences. Look strictly at their drawings. Can you tell their character's story?
Lesson 4: Storyboarding the Micro-Script Slide 7 of 8
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
REFLECT TOGETHER
Think about how drawing shot types and arrows on paper first saves you from getting stuck on set when moving lego or clay. Planning is the secret tool of master animators!
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we start exploring physical stop-motion animation rules with motion, lighting, and set design.
Lesson 4: Storyboarding the Micro-Script Slide 8 of 8
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 1 of 2
Sub-Ready Plan
Lesson 5 (Continued)
To stick to pacing for the lesson, do not go into great detail modeling the clay Squash and Stretch and 1-Stud rule. Introduce the concepts and then provide micro-teaching to groups that need the extra instruction.
Because today's iPad onboarding and physical setup cover a massive amount of technical content, there might not be time for revision of storyboards. If time, prompt students to use the last 2 minutes of the block to scribble physical/lighting and movement notes on their storyboards. If there is not time, storyboard revisions could be done at the beginning of Lesson 6 as a quick warm-up reflection.
20 Minutes Minimum
Pairs sit at their desks to set up sets, configure lighting, and launch their first active stop-motion recordings on iPads.
5 Minutes
Run an animation playback audit in groups, followed by the "Check the Gate" clean-up ritual.
Step 1 Script (Slide 8 - Playback Audit):
"Swap iPads with another pair. Review their recorded tests. Did their characters teleport, or was the walk fluid? Is there any shadow flicker?"
Step 2 Script (Slide 9 - Check the Gate & Clean-up):
"Clean your lenses with the micro-fiber cloths. Let's practice our production cue: 'Check the Gate!' Ensure baseplates are recorded, clean tables, pack LEGO bins, and stand ready to start full production tomorrow!"
Learning Requirement: I can use media to tell a clear and effective story.
Score 1.0 (Beginning)
With help, student can take pictures in the app, but struggles with camera shake, teleporting movements, or flicker.
Score 2.0 (Approaching)
Student uses stop-motion tools to capture frames, but struggles to adapt techniques to resolve choppy moves, camera bumps, or light flicker without teacher prompts.
Score 3.0 (Meets Target)
Student independently adapts to production and software tools (Stop Motion app settings, clay shapes, tripod locking) in standard/experimental ways to capture smooth sequences.
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 2 of 2
For today's lab, configure your project settings to run at exactly 12 FPS.
This represents our standard stop-motion timeline. (12 clicks = 1 second of fluid movie time!).
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 5 of 10
MINI LESSON: PART 4 SQUASH AND STRETCH
GIVING OBJECTS LIFE
Squash and Stretch is the fundamental rule of gravity animation. When a clay ball impacts the ground, it squashes flat. As it leaps, it stretches long. This gives objects organic life!
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 6 of 10
MINI LESSON: PART 5 THE 1-STUD RULE
INCREMENTAL TIMING
To animate walking figures smoothly, move your LEGO character exactly one stud (knob) per frame. Moving further in a single click causes the figure to "teleport" or look highly choppy!
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 7 of 10
STUDIO TIME Pacing: 20 mins
HANDS-ON EXPLORATION
Secure your baseplate, setup lighting, configure Stop Motion Studio Pro, and run your first active motion tests in pairs!
We are working collaboratively to master physical timing and camera care.
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 8 of 10
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
STEP 1: SWAP & PLAYBACK
Swap iPads with another pair. Review their recorded bounce and walk tests. Did they master stop-motion physics?
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 9 of 10
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
PRODUCTION RITUAL
Before we clean up tables and stack lego bins, let's practice our director's ritual: **"Check the Gate!"** Spot-check your lens, record baseline baseplate placements, and secure your files.
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we start exploring physical stop-motion animation rules with motion, lighting, and set design.
Lesson 5: The Physics of Animation Slide 10 of 10
Sub-Ready Plan
Lessons 6-8 (Continued)
Production Lab (25 mins)
Objective: Shoot frames 49-96. This is the core action and climax of their 10-fact historical narrative script.
Sub-Teacher Troubleshooting Tips: If students get stuck because an object fell over, teach them to use Onion Skinning to align the model perfectly to the shadow of the last captured frame!
Daily Synthesis (5 mins): Peer Review. Swapping iPads with a neighboring pair to run a visual audit. Give exactly one positive "Glow" on frame consistency or lighting.
Production Lab (25 mins)
Objective: Finalize shooting (Facts 9-10) and credits. Shoot the "Hero Shot" (linger on the final frame for 2 seconds / 24 clicks so the audience can read the concluding fact!).
"WRAP!" is called. Students disassemble sets, pack LEGO bricks, and organize tripod storage.
Daily Synthesis (5 mins): Cleanup Challenge. Teams compete to return all LEGOs, clay, and iPads to their storage zones in exactly 3 minutes.
Learning Requirement: I can execute specific roles in a collaborative media project.
Score 1.0 (Beginning)
Student struggles to cooperate, follow directions, or understand basic responsibilities of their assigned studio role.
Score 2.0 (Approaching)
Student performs core role duties but relies on constant teacher correction to follow production cues or keep up with team storyboards.
Score 3.0 (Meets Target)
Student independently executes their assigned role, utilizes industry cues (Quiet on Set, Check the Gate), and collaborates to hit daily frame count targets.
Urbandale Community School District • Animation & Digital Production Page 2 of 2
Active capture loops.
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 4 of 9
PRODUCTION DAY 1 DAY 6 MILESTONE
Facts 1 to 3
Your Day 6 goal is to shoot the beginning sequence of your movie. Keep characters stable, follow the 1-stud rule, and secure a flicker-free background.
Daily Target: 36-48 total frames captured!
DAILY REFLECTION
Loop playback with your team at the end of class. Scan every frame carefully. Did any "ghost hands" accidentally get captured in the shot?
If so, select and delete those specific frames from your timeline before wrapping up!
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 5 of 9
PRODUCTION DAY 2 DAY 7 MILESTONE
Facts 4 to 8
Your Day 7 goal is to shoot the core action middle sequence. If an object falls over, don't panic! Use onion skinning to align the model to its ghost shadow from the previous frame.
Daily Target: Reach 96 total frames!
DAILY REFLECTION
Swap iPads with a neighboring pair. Watch their movie's middle sequence and offer one positive "Glow" about their frame consistency, camera stability, or Squash/Stretch physics!
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 6 of 9
PRODUCTION DAY 3 DAY 8 MILESTONE
Facts 9 to 10
Your Day 8 goal is to shoot the ending resolution and credit slides. Use the "Hero Shot" rule: let the camera linger on the final factual frame for 2 seconds (24 clicks) so the audience can read the concluding fact!
Daily Target: Reach 144 total frames!
DAILY REFLECTION
When "WRAP!" is called, teams race to secure materials. Return all lego parts, pack clay blocks, store lights, and pack away iPad devices safely in their designated bins.
Goal: Total set cleanup in under 3 minutes!
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 7 of 9
PRODUCTION AUDIT Pacing: 5 mins
FINAL REVIEW
Evaluate your team's completed stop-motion timeline. Have you met our professional standards before we publish?
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 8 of 9
SYNTHESIS Pacing: 5 mins
THE PIPELINE CONCLUDES
Your raw 10-fact stop-motion animations are fully shot, recorded, and finalized. Double-check your iPad storage, clean your desk, and prepare for our classroom debut!
UP NEXT...
Tomorrow, we launch our Unit 1 premier: **The Frame Festival!** We'll screen our animations and practice professional viewing etiquette as creators.
Lessons 6-8: The Animation Studio Slide 9 of 9
