Claymation

“Can Claymation enhance group skills within our class?”

Students will develop knowledge about the types of technology

available, the ways in which they operate, and the uses to which they
can be put. They will develop confidence and competence in a range of
technologies and the adaptability to use new technologies.
(New Zealand Curriculum)
Group Work Skills

Sharing ideas
Listening skills
Deciding on roles
Working as a team to create a successful
Claymation
Tasks Required Within a Group

Students were put into groups of 3-4. They needed to:

Decide on a Suitable Poem
Draw a detailed story-board
Decide on Roles
Design Background & Stage
Create Characters and props out of clay
Learn & use the “I can Animate” programme to create
Claymation of their selected poem
ICT Skills & Programmes
I Can Animate
Garage band - Record voice over
Export to iTunes
Export to iMovie
Add background music through iTunes
Add transitions & titles through iMovie
I Can Animate

Digital photography - Camera’s or Laptop Web Cam

Audio: Voice recordings; Own sound effects; Built in
Sound effects;
Drawing Tool - Draw your own pictures
Students at work
 Characters and Props

Creative
Students PMI & Next
Positive

“The timing, the sounds, and the movie turned out really well”.

Minus

“Everyone didn’t get their say in things. There were a couple of arguments”.

Next STep

“We’ll make more characters bigger and put more expression on their faces.
We’ll let everyone have their say”.
PMI
Positive

“I think our group worked really well together because we all organised
what jobs we had to do and helped each other when we needed it. We had
great team work”.

Minus

“I think we could have taken a lot more photo’s and have got the words
beside the actions. We also should have had a lot more photos of the end
to make it more funny.

Next Steps

“I think we could next time make little stories instead of poems and could
say their voice but we would need to use a lot of expression”.
PMI
Positive

“We worked very well in making the Claymation. I really think we did well
in making the movie and I would love to do it again”.

Minus

“We could of made the Claymation a little bit slower and a little bit
shorter. We argued sometimes on where the goat was going to be”.

Next Steps

“We could base our Claymation on a story next time and make the
characters bigger”.
PMI
Positive

“I think we managed to make a really good Claymation. We made a very

cute little goat and a great background”.

Minus

“I think our Claymation would have been a bit better of Michael hadn’t
been trying to change a lot of thinks that we had planned. We cooperated
most of the time though”.

Next Steps

“Next time I think I should speak a bit louder. I think we should also put
some transitions in for the title as well”.
 Photos

Step-by-Step process
What we learned

Background: Use felt as colouring in pencil is too light; Match each scene;
Make it fit to the stage; Cover the sides and the floor.

Characters: Not too small or too big; Make sure they can stand up if
needed; Don’t spend too much time on them; Expressive faces; Keep it
simple.

Storyboard: Make it fit with the narration.

Title and Editing: Think ahead for a creative title; Add transitions if
appropriate; Choose 4 seconds for title approximately; Choose features which
fit with the theme; Choose appropriate sound effects and/or music

Filming: Try not to move stuff around; Take several of the same shot if
appropriate e.g start and end; Concentrate and keep track of storyboard
numbers
Researching Group Skills

Why use Cooperative Learning?

Research has shown that cooperative learning techniques:

• promote student learning and academic achievement

• increase student retention

• enhance student satisfaction with their learning experience

• help students develop skills in oral communication

• develop students' social skills

• promote student self-esteem

• help to promote positive race relations

David and Roger Johnson. "Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October 2001.

 1. Positive Interdependence
(sink or swim together)

2. Face-to-Face Interaction
(promote each other's success)

3. Individual
&
Group Accountability
( no hitchhiking! no social loafing

4. Interpersonal &
Small-Group Skills

• Social skills must be taught:

◦ Leadership
◦ Decision-making
◦ Trust-building
◦ Communication
◦ Conflict-management skills
5. Group Processing

• Group members discuss how well they are achieving their goals and maintaining effective
working relations.
David and Roger Johnson. "Cooperative Learning." [Online] 15 October 2001.
CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that Claymation proves an

excellent vehicle for teaching and
enhancing specific group skills and
children are able to transfer the skills and
knowledge gained into other topics.