The Gruffalo Animation

By Manjeet Bhamra

Animated stories

Animated stories are engaging because they mix Animated stories are engaging because they mix cartoon-like pictures with the added attributes of cartoon-like pictures with the added attributes of music, sound and text. music, sound and text.

Kids love them because their stories come to life and Kids love them because their stories come to life and they all stimulate children to create and think.they all stimulate children to create and think.

Allowing children to experiment with animation Allowing children to experiment with animation software is a powerful way of teaching about software is a powerful way of teaching about characters, setting, and plot in a visual way.characters, setting, and plot in a visual way.

National Literacy Strategy KS1

Engage with and respond to textEngage with and respond to text

Create a visual adaptation of a simple text using toys, Create a visual adaptation of a simple text using toys, modelling clay, play figures and stop frame animation modelling clay, play figures and stop frame animation techniquestechniques

Speaking and listeningSpeaking and listening Retell stories, ordering events using story languageRetell stories, ordering events using story language

Department for children, schools and familiesDepartment for children, schools and familiesThe National StrategiesThe National Strategies

““It is enormously motivating for children to create It is enormously motivating for children to create animated stories, supply a soundtrack, sequence animated stories, supply a soundtrack, sequence events, and find the traditional skills of storytelling.” events, and find the traditional skills of storytelling.”

(Rudd & Tydesley: 2006: 139)(Rudd & Tydesley: 2006: 139)

Why “The Gruffalo”? Well known and favourite book within the group of childrenWell known and favourite book within the group of children

““The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson and Axel SchefflerThe Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

The rhyme and rhythm in the story helped the children to The rhyme and rhythm in the story helped the children to recognise phonic patterns. recognise phonic patterns.

The text invites the children to participate and discuss as The text invites the children to participate and discuss as they collaboratively make out the meaning they collaboratively make out the meaning

The National Curriculum (2007) for English requires The National Curriculum (2007) for English requires that pupils should be taught to read with fluency, that pupils should be taught to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and enjoyment, building on accuracy, understanding and enjoyment, building on what they already know.what they already know.

Order of sequence to make the animation

created scenery created scenery Made characters using plastercine Made characters using plastercine Voice recorded on camera Voice recorded on camera Take photographs Take photographs Followed the pages of the book to re-enact story Followed the pages of the book to re-enact story Progress through the plot Progress through the plot Download these into Sony Vegas Pro 9 Download these into Sony Vegas Pro 9 Put them into sequence Put them into sequence Edited as appropriate, speed, sequence delete etc Edited as appropriate, speed, sequence delete etc Insert voice recordingsInsert voice recordings Insert musicInsert music

Worked individually and in groupsWorked individually and in groups

Differentiation

The project can be differentiated accordingly, through the The project can be differentiated accordingly, through the amount of photographs and slides produced, and through the amount of photographs and slides produced, and through the choice to add narration or sound to the animation. choice to add narration or sound to the animation.

Pupils who excel in the task could be introduced to the Pupils who excel in the task could be introduced to the further editing techniques available on Sony Vegas Pro further editing techniques available on Sony Vegas Pro Version 9. Other packages can be used such as Windows Version 9. Other packages can be used such as Windows Movie Maker Movie Maker

Enjoy the movie…

Bibliography

DfES, (2009) DfES, (2009) Primary National Strategy; Primary Primary National Strategy; Primary Framework for Literacy and Mathematics Framework for Literacy and Mathematics Surrey, DfESSurrey, DfES

Donaldson, J. & Scheffler, A. (2004) The Gruffalo, Donaldson, J. & Scheffler, A. (2004) The Gruffalo, Macmillan Children's Books, LondonMacmillan Children's Books, London

Smith, M. (2002) Howard Gardner, multiple Smith, M. (2002) Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education intelligences and education http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htmhttp://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm

(Assessed November 2009(Assessed November 2009))

(2007) QCA (2007) QCA Curriculum guidance for the foundation Curriculum guidance for the foundation stagestage, Ref QCA/00/587, p.12 (Assessed November , Ref QCA/00/587, p.12 (Assessed November 2009)2009)