Cultivating Community Gardens Lesson Plan
Learning Objective
Students will learn about the concept of community gardens and their benefits, while developing their digital animation skills using Brush Ninja.
Materials
- Computers or tablets with internet access
- Brush Ninja animated gif maker
Procedure
- Begin by discussing the idea of community gardens and why they are important.
- Engage students in a discussion about the benefits of community gardens, such as promoting healthy eating, fostering social connections, and beautifying neighborhoods.
- Divide students into small groups and assign each group a specific aspect of community gardens to research.
- Encourage students to use reliable online resources or books to gather information about their assigned topic.
- Have each group create a simple plan for an animated gif that illustrates their assigned aspect of community gardens.
- Instruct students on how to access Brush Ninja on their computers or tablets.
- Provide a brief demonstration on the basic features and tools available in Brush Ninja.
- Guide students through the process of creating an animated gif that represents their researched aspect of community gardens.
- Allow each group to present their animated gifs to the class, explaining how it relates to their assigned aspect of community gardens.
- Facilitate a class discussion where students share what they learned from each other’s presentations.
Assessment
- Observe student engagement during the research phase and provide guidance as needed.
- Assess student understanding through their ability to create an animated gif that effectively represents their assigned aspect of community gardens.
- Evaluate student participation during the sharing and discussion session based on active listening and thoughtful contributions.
Extension
For further exploration:
- Have students create additional animated gifs highlighting different aspects of community gardening, such as composting, insect pollination, or the life cycle of plants.
- Encourage students to share their animated gifs with other classes or even display them on the school’s website or social media platforms to promote community gardening within the larger community.
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How to animate with Brush Ninja
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Tweeted by Heather HaynesMr. Krings @Ortiz_Hornets is a Sensei with #Brushninja, his 7th-grade students created an animation of the photosynthesis process.
Tweeted by Fernando MartinezLook at this wonderful creativity from Room 9, who loved using Brush Ninja today!! Mrs Ross was so impressed, she just had to share!!
Tweeted by LanarkPrimarySchool&ELCDay before thanksgiving + pirate day? animated SWBST organizers for “How to Catch A Turkey” with @DanielleGanze’s friends. Thanks @AltmanITS for sharing this resource!
Tweeted by Ms. Taylor JacobsonI had a total fail on my first post of these gifs! I realized they didn’t post correctly the first time so I am giving it another try! These #BrushNinja Mendel projects are just too good to miss!
Tweeted by Christy Scofield


