Visual & Performing Arts · 7th Grade

Active learning ideas

Introduction to Animation: Principles of Motion

Animation principles come alive when students move their own hands and eyes. The hands-on work of flipping pages, timing frames, and drawing key poses lets middle schoolers feel the difference between mechanical and expressive motion in their bodies before they see it on screen.

• Common Core State Standards
• NCAS: Creating MA.Cr1.1.7
• NCAS: Producing MA.Pr5.1.7

• 20–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Simulation Game
• 40 min · Pairs

Hands-On Workshop: Squash and Stretch Flipbook

Students create a simple flipbook showing a ball dropping and bouncing, applying squash (flatten the circle at the moment of impact) and stretch (elongate the circle as it moves through the air at peak speed). Pairs compare flipbooks and assess whether the squash-and-stretch reads convincingly at different bounce heights.

Explain how the principle of 'squash and stretch' enhances the illusion of weight and flexibility in animation.

Facilitation Tip

During the Squash and Stretch Flipbook, have students first draw a simple 5-frame bounce using equal spacing, then immediately flip it to confirm the robotic look before revising the spacing to slow in and slow out.

What to look for

Students create a 5-frame flipbook demonstrating squash and stretch on a bouncing ball. Partners review the flipbooks and answer: Does the ball squash on impact? Does it stretch on the way up? Are the drawings spaced to show acceleration and deceleration?

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 25 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Timing Analysis

Show two versions of the same action animated at different timings: one at 6 frames and one at 24 frames over the same number of poses. In small groups, students describe the difference in what each action communicates (hurried vs. deliberate, light vs. heavy) and identify which timing choice would fit different storytelling contexts.

Construct a short animated sequence demonstrating anticipation and follow-through.

What to look for

Students are given a scenario: 'A character needs to quickly jump over a small obstacle.' Ask them to draw two simple sequences of 3 frames each. One sequence should demonstrate anticipation before the jump, and the other should show follow-through after landing. They should label which principle is demonstrated.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Anticipation Hunt

Show a 2-minute clip from an animated film and ask students to write down every moment they spot an anticipation pose: the backward windup before a jump, the raised eyebrow before a reaction. Students compare lists with a partner, then discuss what each action would feel like without the anticipation preceding it.

Analyze how timing and spacing affect the perceived speed and impact of animated movements.

What to look for

Present students with short animated clips (e.g., a ball dropping, a character waving). Ask them to identify which animation principles (squash/stretch, anticipation, timing, spacing, follow-through) are most evident and explain their reasoning in one sentence for each identified principle.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Simulation Game
• 50 min · Individual

Design Challenge: Animated Sequence

Using a digital tool (Canva, Flipaclip, or physical paper if devices are unavailable), students create a short 8 to 12 frame sequence demonstrating one animation principle of their choice. They label their frames with the principle at work and present their sequence to a small group, explaining specific timing and spacing decisions.

Explain how the principle of 'squash and stretch' enhances the illusion of weight and flexibility in animation.

What to look for

Students create a 5-frame flipbook demonstrating squash and stretch on a bouncing ball. Partners review the flipbooks and answer: Does the ball squash on impact? Does it stretch on the way up? Are the drawings spaced to show acceleration and deceleration?

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Social Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with physical movement. Ask students to stand and mimic a bouncing ball by crouching low for the squash and rising high for the stretch. This kinesthetic anchor helps them internalize the principles before translating them to paper. Avoid teaching abstract formulas; instead, frame each principle as a performer’s choice about weight, energy, and character intention. Research shows that students grasp motion best when they experience it in their own bodies first, then apply that understanding to visual sequences.

Successful learning looks like students applying timing, spacing, and anticipation intentionally in their drawings rather than copying shapes. You will see deliberate choices about frame spacing, character preparation, and weight shifts that make motion feel alive.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Squash and Stretch Flipbook, students often assume equal spacing between frames creates smooth motion.

  Show students how to space their first flipbook evenly, then flip it to reveal the robotic motion. Guide them to adjust spacing by clustering frames near the top and bottom of the bounce to create slow-in and slow-out timing.

• During the Animated Sequence activity, students may think animation is just repeating the same drawing with minor changes.

  Have students isolate the key poses in their sequence and compare them to the full set of in-between frames. Ask them to describe how the character’s posture, eyes, and weight shift in each drawing to communicate intention.

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Methods used in this brief

• Simulation Game
• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share