Art and Design · Year 8

Active learning ideas

Principles of Animation: Squash and Stretch

Active learning works because squash and stretch relies on visual rhythm and physical logic that students grasp faster through doing than through explanation. When students physically sketch motion, flip pages to see cause and effect, or animate a ball’s bounce, they internalise how distortion communicates weight and energy in ways that static images cannot.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: Art and Design - Animation Principles
• KS3: Art and Design - Digital Media

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Experiential Learning
• 30 min · Pairs

Observation Sketch: Bouncing Ball Analysis

Students observe a real ball bouncing in slow motion via video, then sketch key frames showing squash on impact and stretch during ascent. They label distortions and discuss weight implications. Pairs compare sketches to identify effective exaggeration.

Explain how squash and stretch contributes to the realism and expressiveness of animation.

Facilitation Tip

For the Observation Sketch, provide a reference video of a bouncing ball shown in slow motion so students can isolate key frames and note angles of impact.

What to look for

Show students short animation clips (e.g., a bouncing ball, a character jumping). Ask them to identify where squash and stretch are applied and explain what physical property (weight, speed, impact) it communicates for each instance.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Experiential Learning
• 45 min · Small Groups

Flipbook Creation: Squash Sequence

Provide pre-printed flipbook pages; students draw a simple object like a jelly dropping and rebounding, applying squash and stretch across 20 frames. They flip and review for smooth illusion of weight. Share in small groups for feedback.

Compare the application of squash and stretch in different animation styles.

Facilitation Tip

During Flipbook Creation, limit students to 24 frames per second of animation to reinforce timing and pacing conventions in animation.

What to look for

Students share their 3-second animation sequences of a bouncing ball. Partners provide feedback using a checklist: Does the ball squash on impact? Does it stretch during ascent? Is the exaggeration effective? Partners suggest one specific adjustment.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Experiential Learning
• 50 min · Individual

Digital Demo: Animation Software Trial

Using free tools like Pivot or Krita, students create a 10-frame animation of a character jumping with squash and stretch. They export and present variations. Whole class votes on most convincing weight portrayal.

Design a short animation sequence that effectively demonstrates the principle of squash and stretch.

Facilitation Tip

In the Digital Demo, pause the software demo after each tool is introduced so students can replicate the step before moving on.

What to look for

Students draw a simple storyboard frame for a character landing after a jump. They must label areas of squash and stretch and write one sentence explaining why they applied them in those specific locations.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Experiential Learning
• 35 min · Small Groups

Style Comparison: Clip Breakdown

Show clips from 2D (e.g., Looney Tunes) and 3D (e.g., Pixar) animations; groups storyboard a scene replicating squash and stretch in both styles. Discuss differences in application during plenary.

Explain how squash and stretch contributes to the realism and expressiveness of animation.

What to look for

Show students short animation clips (e.g., a bouncing ball, a character jumping). Ask them to identify where squash and stretch are applied and explain what physical property (weight, speed, impact) it communicates for each instance.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with real-world observation: have students drop a ball and sketch freeze-frame moments to connect physics with animation. Use direct instruction only after students have tried and struggled with the principle themselves, which makes the rules feel necessary rather than arbitrary. Emphasise that squash and stretch is a tool for communication, not decoration, so critique should focus on storytelling impact first, technique second.

Successful learning looks like students confidently applying squash and stretch to convey momentum and flexibility in their own animations. They should be able to explain the purpose behind their distortions and adjust extremes based on style or realism. Peer feedback should focus on clarity of motion, not just aesthetic appeal.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Observation Sketch: Bouncing Ball Analysis, students may assume squash and stretch is arbitrary distortion.

  Guide students to mark the moment of impact with a star and note the direction of stretch, then ask them to explain how the distortion shows the ball’s weight and the floor’s resistance.

• During Flipbook Creation: Squash Sequence, students may believe extreme squash always improves animation.

  After they complete their flipbook, have them count the frames between squash and stretch and adjust spacing to match a slow-motion reference, then redraw if needed.

• During Style Comparison: Clip Breakdown, students may think squash and stretch is only for cartoons.

  Ask them to compare a realistic bouncing ball clip with a stylised one, then redraw the realistic version with subtle squash to see how the principle applies universally.

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Methods used in this brief

• Experiential Learning