The Age of Exploration Lesson Plan
Learning Objective
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of the Age of Exploration by creating an animated gif using Brush Ninja that depicts key events and figures from this era.
Materials
- Computers or tablets with internet access for each student
- Brush Ninja
- Research materials on the Age of Exploration (books, websites, etc.)
- Paper and pencils for brainstorming ideas
Procedure
Introduction
- Begin by discussing with students what they already know about the Age of Exploration.
- Introduce the concept of animated gifs and explain that they will be using Brush Ninja to create one related to the Age of Exploration.
Brainstorming
- Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to brainstorm key events, figures, or themes from the Age of Exploration.
- Encourage creativity and remind students to think about how they can visually represent these ideas in an animated gif.
Research
- Instruct students to use books or reliable websites to research more about their chosen topic from their brainstorming session.
- Remind them to take notes on important details that can be included in their animated gif.
Creating the Animated Gif
- Guide students through accessing Brush Ninja on their computers or tablets.
- Demonstrate how to use different tools and features within Brush Ninja, such as drawing, adding text, and creating animations.
- Encourage experimentation and exploration while creating their gifs.
Sharing and Reflection
- Allow time for students to share their completed gifs with the class.
- Discuss as a class what they learned during the process and any challenges they faced.
- Ask students to reflect on how their animated gif represents the Age of Exploration.
Assessment
Assessment will be based on:
- Completion of the animated gif
- Accuracy and depth of historical content in the gif
- Creativity and originality in visual representation
- Student’s ability to explain how their gif represents the Age of Exploration
Extension
For students who finish early or want to further explore the topic, they can:
- Conduct additional research on a specific explorer or event from the Age of Exploration and create another animated gif.
- Write a short paragraph explaining why they chose their specific topic and what they learned about it.
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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
Here’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 RigbyAwesome man!!!! Great website! I’m also loving the website https://brush.ninja to make animated gifs. It’s a combination of whiteboard/GIF creator. Enjoy!!! #TCEA #TCEA19
Tweeted by Tom SpallTried out a great website for 4th grade Makerspace this week. With https://Brush.ninja you can build an animated gif - great results in a short time! Easy to learn, free & no account needed. Thumbs up from students!
Tweeted by Sarah HooleyCreating a digital ABC’s libro 📖 with words they’ve learned using Brush Ninja - ¡Gracias @BrandyWalden2 for introducing me to this site!
Tweeted by Ellie ElizondoOn Friday, students created an animated gif depicting an element of feudalism of their choice. They loved using @BinaryMoon‘s awesome https://Brush.Ninja application.
Tweeted by Sara McConnel“This day just keeps getting better and better!” ~3rd grade student Students in Mrs.Quintero’s class @NISDFranklinES used brush ninja to create a Gif with a holiday message for their parents! #NISDInnovate
Tweeted by Rosío Martínez-Apolinar