Straightforward Sensory Animation Lesson Plan for k-12 Teachers - The Mindful Class

Digital devices are addictive. 

That's like saying water is wet, or exercise is hard. 

Maybe you hesitate to use digital devices in an art class – especially if your focus is on calming the body/mind, and integrating the senses for a better quality of life. But nearly every classroom has the devices, and there are ways to make them work for students. 

Two Options of Many

Here are two straightforward programs for animation projects (the first one has a free-with-ads version available):

- Flipaclip digital animation

- Frameographer stop motion capture application (Stop Motion seems like a good, free alternative app, but I haven't tried it yet.)

Both have onion skinning (a see-through frame) available, which can help students build their understanding of movement, or 4D media. 

Onion skinning is the term for seeing the layer underneath, aka the previous frame. When I started learning animation, this was done by holding the separate sheets of paper anchored to the register bar and flipping quickly between the pages. Now, we can see at least two frames at a time, and so we can see the direction of motion a bit easier.

I recommend these two apps for their simplicity, though the advertising on Flipaclip can get a bit much. So far, nothing inappropriate, just... a lot.

Of the two animation options, stop motion versus digital drawing, I think the stop motion can be a better antidote to an overly digital world, as it involves seeing, staging, and touching real objects. However, the Flipaclip digital drawing can teach more about pacing, and understanding how things move, thereby improving people's abilities to see the world. 

I used both methods in a similar elementary art lesson plan unit I created around the SIX Senses.

The SIX Senses

According to traditional Buddhist perspectives, which I align with, the six senses and their associated stimuli/experiences are categorized as follows:

- Eye and the visible world

- Ear and sound

- Nose and odor

- Tongue and taste

- Body and touch

- Mind and mental objects

Six Sense Poem

Inspired by a sensory exploration poem exercise proposed by Lisa Kay in her book, Therapeutic Approaches in Art Education, I have the students brainstorm 5 ideas for each category above. 

Students can focus on one of the ideas, to give them a better grasp on what they'd like to make into their animation.

Here is Lisa Kay's "I am Poem" exercise that inspired this lesson plan:

And... Animate!

Here is my tutorial for Frameographer and creating cut paper animation with easily found resources:

Here is my tutorial for using Flipaclip:

My animated 6 Sense poem:

National Visual Arts Standards NVAS Anchor Standards:

NVAS Standard 1: Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas

Students will explore their sensory experiences and create illustrated poems based on their favorite senses.

NVAS Standard 2: Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work

Students will organize their sensory experiences into a coherent and expressive illustrated poem, considering composition, color choices, and visual elements.

NVAS Standard 3: Refine and Complete Artistic Work

Students will refine their illustrated poems, revising and editing to enhance visual impact and convey sensory experiences effectively.

NVAS Standard 4: Analyze, Interpret, and Evaluate Artistic Work

Students will analyze their own and peers' illustrated poems, identifying effective use of visual elements to evoke sensory experiences.

NVAS Standard 5: Convey Meaning through the Presentation of Artistic Work

Students will present their illustrated poems to others, explaining the sensory experiences depicted and the artistic choices made.

Interdisciplinary Standards:

Vocabulary Development:

Students can expand their vocabulary by learning and using sensory-related words such as "fragrance," "tactile," "resonant," "savory," etc., in their poems.

They can explore figurative language such as similes and metaphors to describe sensory experiences in more vivid and imaginative ways.

Critical Thinking and Analysis:

Students can analyze and compare different sensory experiences depicted in poems, identifying similarities, differences, and themes.

They can reflect on the emotional impact of sensory language in poetry, considering how it affects the reader's interpretation and response.

Speaking and Listening Skills:

Students can participate in discussions about sensory experiences and poetry, sharing their own poems and listening to their peers' creations.

They can practice oral presentation skills by reciting their poems aloud, paying attention to voice modulation, fluency, and expression.

Cross-Curricular Connections:

Teachers can integrate science concepts related to the five senses into the poetry lesson, reinforcing interdisciplinary connections.

For example, students can learn about how the sensory organs work and how they contribute to our perception of the world, linking science with poetry and literacy.

Artists Who Make Work About the Senses

Below, work from artist and anti-ableist activist Sonia Boué, Conversation with B (2),

2021 © Sonia Boué 2021

Arts Council England funded neurophototherapy Project

Next, an experience of smell, by Ernesto Neto: Cai Cai Marrom, 2007. Polyamide, wood, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon 196 ¾ x 118 x 118 inches. Collection Pérez Art Museum Miami, museum purchase funds from the PAMM Collectors Council. Image courtesy of the artist and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York. © Ernesto Neto. Photo: Jean Vong

Healing sound baths held in conjunction with Guadalupe Maravilla: Luz y fuerza, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, October 30, 2021–October 30, 2022. Healers: Guadalupe Maravilla, Hilary Ramos, and Sam Xu. Digital image © 2023 The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Photo: Julieta Cervantes

Erik Satie's House in Honfleur, photographer unknown: