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.
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How to animate with Brush Ninja
This video teaches the basics of using Brush Ninja
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Examples of Brush Ninja in Education
Grade 8 PE students using the app #BrushNinja to show what a healthy lifestyle looks like to them! Fun app that can be used in any subject!
Tweeted by Derek NorrisA Grade 8 student’s work today using brush.ninja to show integer multiplication using a number line!
Tweeted by Mike BuninBrush Ninja today in the LC! Thanks to my colleague (and fellow tech masters student) @HorsmanMs for sharing this with our Masters group on Tuesday! Ss were excited! Definitely some great ways to apply this to social group discussions!
Tweeted by Jennifer FunkeCheck out the #GIFs 2-3 and 4-5 students have created in #BrushNinja!
Tweeted by Amanda Korell FuderToday I am celebrating #DLday with #GISDchat by my 5th graders are creating an animated GIF in #BrushNinja about the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica.
Tweeted by Erica Ramírez, M.A.EdOne of our future Digital Leaders staged a takeover last week in the Digital Learning classroom. After polling the learners via @GoogleForEdu Forms, he delivered an excellent lesson on #BrushNinja. @DigiSchoolsERC
Tweeted by Mearns Primary & Nursery





