The Teachers' Animation Toolkit

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pollmüller, Britta.
The teachers’ animation toolkit / Britta Pollmüller and Martin Sercombe.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-4411-4525-3–ISBN 978-1-4411-4796-7–
ISBN 978-1-4411-3107-2 1. Animated fi lms–Study and teaching 
(Secondary) 2. Animation (Cinematography)–Study and teaching 
(Secondary) I. Sercombe, Martin. II. Title.
NC1765.P59 
2011
791.43—34–dc22 
2010053756
Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems Pvt Ltd, Chennai, India
Printed and bound in India
Note
All prices listed in this book were correct at the time of going to press but may be 
subject to change.

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Additional Credits 
ix
INTRODUCTION 
1
What is the Teachers’ Animation Toolkit? 
1
Research Techniques 
2
Why Use Animation in the Classroom? 
3
Using the Toolkit 
6
PART ONE: GETTING STARTED 
8
1.1 Animation History 
8
Worksheet: Sketching a History of Animation 
8
1.2 Beginners’ Exercises 
18
Handout: The Easiest Animation 
18
Handout: Create a Flip Book 
19
Worksheet: Make a Spinning Card (Thaumatrope) 
21
Handout: How to Make a Spinning Card (Thaumatrope) 
22
Worksheet: Make a Spindle Viewer (Phenakistoscope) 
23
Handout: How to Make a 
Spindle Viewer (Phenakistoscope) 
24
Worksheet: Making an Animation Wheel (Zoetrope) 
25
Worksheet: Breathe Life into Teddy 
26
Worksheet: Twist’em, Bend’em, Squash’em 
27
Worksheet: Expressive Lines and Characters 
28
Worksheet: Getting the Basics of Movement 
30
PART TWO: CINELITERACY 
32
2.1 The Language of Film and Animation 
32
Worksheet: The Grammar of Film Language 
36
Worksheet: Deconstructing a Media Text 
39
CONTENTS

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Worksheet: Freeze Frame 
41
Worksheet: Studying a Title Sequence 
43
Worksheet: Who Makes Animations? 
45
Worksheet: Pitching an Idea 
46
Handout: Writing a Treatment 
47