Claymation

I am starting a new project with my first grade kids--stop motion animation with clay. We looked at books about animals in the winter time then I split the kids into three largish (8-10) groups and assigned each group an animal to work with. They had to figure out what their animal does in winter (hibernate, lose antlers, what does it eat, live, etc.) Then describe and quickly sketch the animal's winter habitat. Then each group got a box which they used to create the animal's habitat. They turned out so cool. We used sticks, paper, clay, rocks and leaves, and puffy polyfil stuffing.

Next week each group will work together to make one animal out of oil based clay, and also they'll create story boards of their short film (for example, they could show a bear walk into a cave, turn around, then lay down an sleep, or show a deer lose it's antlers then eat bark and twigs while walking through snow.)

During the last week we'll set up cameras and take a bajillion pictures, Wallace and Grommit style. Finally I'll record their voices telling us about what their animals do in the winter time. I am expecting the average film to only be about 15 seconds long. I'll string together all 12 (from 4 classes) into one "long" movie online and we'll have a special screening day.

I am super nervous about this actually working. I'm hoping it doesn't tank. So far, their habitats are looking pretty great anyway. We'll start the sculpting on Friday.