Digital Storytelling 101: Using Brush Ninja for Narrative Storyboarding and Creation Lesson Plan
Learning Objective
Students will learn how to use Brush Ninja, an animated GIF maker, to create a narrative storyboard and produce an animated GIF.
Materials
- Computers or tablets with internet access
- Brush Ninja website
- Paper and pencils for sketching storyboards
Procedure
- Introduce the concept of digital storytelling and how it can be used to convey ideas and emotions using animation.
- Explain that students will be using Brush Ninja to create their own animated stories.
- Show students the Brush Ninja website and demonstrate the basic features of the software.
- Explain how they can use different brush strokes, colors, and frames to create a moving story.
- Ask students to brainstorm ideas for their own stories on paper before beginning their digital creations.
- Instruct students to sketch out a storyboard detailing their story’s events on paper before starting their digital creation.
- Encourage students to use their storyboard as a guide while creating their animation using Brush Ninja.
Assessment
Student animations will be assessed based on creativity, quality of artwork, clarity of storytelling, and effective use of animation techniques.
Extension
As an extension activity, students can share their final animations with classmates or even post them online for others to view. They can also explore other digital storytelling tools and create more complex animations.
← Demonstrating SurrealismEcosystems and Biomes →
How to animate with Brush Ninja
This video teaches the basics of using Brush Ninja
More English Lessons
Examples of Brush Ninja in Education
Creating a digital ABC’s libro 📖 with words they’ve learned using Brush Ninja - ¡Gracias @BrandyWalden2 for introducing me to this site!
Tweeted by Ellie Elizondo
CES Dragons learning to use graphics tools and getting creative with Brush Ninja. Happy Thanksgiving!
Tweeted by Lori MitchellClassroom fun with Brush Ninja software to teaching children how to create GIFs and how they express or affect your emotions! Hope this little happy alien makes you smile!
Tweeted by Heather HaynesWhen the ice cream van has visited the school playground it must be the last week of school term in Scotland! Enjoy the summer holidays!
Tweeted by Heather Haynes
Kindergarten students in Mrs. Luxton’s class loved learning all about Brush Ninja and animating jack-o-lantern faces.
Tweeted by Jaclyn E. ClaytorHere’s some fantastic GIF animations created by some of @esmsedinburgh’s P5 classes using Brush Ninja - a moon invasion and time-lapse plant growing cartoon! Totally normal thing to say in this job 🤣
Tweeted by Mr Rigby
