Cartoon Builder: Lesson 1

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Lesson Plan 1: Explore Animation with Cartoon Builder

Do you like cartoons? Who are some of your favorite cartoon characters?

A cartoon is made from a series of drawing with small differences that, when viewed quickly, seem to move. This movement is called animation.

Try the Cartoon Builder to learn more about how animation works.

1. Open the MaMaMedia Activity Center from the XO Home screen.
2. Open the Cartoon Builder from the MaMaMedia Activity Center.
3. A space alien will appear in the activity. You can play with this character, or choose a different one using the Character chooser on the right. Click on the arrows to see more characters.
4. After you choose a character, decide which 6 movements you would like your character to make.
5. Click on the first box in the filmstrip at the top of the screen, and then click on an image in the pose gallery on the left. The image you chose will appear in the first box. Repeat this process for all six boxes.
6. Press the Play arrow under the big picture to make your cartoon go.
7. Explore the backgrounds and sounds on the right of the screen. Click on the arrows to see more backgrounds and hear different sounds.
8. Save your animation when you are happy with it. Click the “Save” (computer disc) button in the top right corner of the screen. Give it a name you will remember, like “Cartoon1” and click “Save.”
9. To find “Cartoon1” later, click on the “Open” (folder) button in the top right corner (next to “Save”). Click “Cartoon1” on the list that appears to load your animation in the Cartoon Builder.
10. Share your cartoons with classmates, and look at the cartoons they made. Talk about making the cartoons. What was hard? What was fun? What did you learn?
11. Record the ideas your class had using the “Write” activity on your XO. If you have poster paper, you can create a set of ‘Cartoon Making tips’ to put up on the wall.