Creating content for children appeals to me primarily because children have a sense of wonder that many lose as adults. Children's imagination engine is firing on all cylinders. It doesn't hurt that my mental age is 5 years old. There is a natural affinity. Many of our formative experiences as children frame our lives. So as a creator, it's fun to imagine producing content that makes that kind of impression. It's even more fun to have those experiences that engage the awe and wonder of childhood.
The Old Storytelling Lots of talk about storytelling these days. Of course humans have been telling stories as long as we have existed, it's part of our DNA. What I am finding fascinating is how my long career as a producer of preschool media prepares me for the current brand storytelling we are hearing so much about and our work at Anim8Nature.
Falling Leaves I love watching leaves falling. I created this short animation last Fall to celebrate this annual event. In the process, I researched why leaves fall. Something I had never really questioned before...it just happened. Turns out, trees release their leaves because they are a liability during winter. Maybe everybody else knows this, I just had not wondered. I was too caught up in enjoying the show.
I believe my anecdotal experience indicates that focusing on even brief phenomena in the natural world can generate questions and substantive learning experiences. A new resource is providing evidence from science educators that this is true. NAAEE My stumbling onto the North American Association for Environmental Education website, via Twitter was a very fortuitous event. I am discovering a treasure trove of opportunities and resources for my project Anim8Nature, helping children connect to nature.
I am an animator/media producer and educator. I am developing Anim8Nature to promote environmental stewardship by exploring science with art and careful observation of the natural world. I have received a seed grant but I am seeking additional funding.
Anim8Nature.com InMotion: Squirrel
Are you also running around looking for money and trying to find that golden stash of acorns? This is what I have learned as a newbie after almost two years researching and applying for grants.
Grant writing is universally acknowledged as being a pain in the neck.However, I am finding that it really can be "fun" and transformative. Here's why. 1. Foundations Need You as Much as You Need Them Charitable organizations are tasked with giving away 5% of their net investment assets each year. That's good news for those of us looking for a small piece of that money.
2. Lots of Help Out There: Databases and Webinars There are many resources/databases online. Google searches have introduced me to the Foundation Center as well as Foundant, GrantWatch and more. After over a year of taking advantage of the Foundation Center's online database, I finally made it to their offices in Washington, DC. When I queried them on the phone why onsite visits are preferable, I was informed it was their knowledgable staff. That is an understatement. I was so grateful for the assistance I got at the Foundation Center, at least 30 minutes of one-on-one when I first arrived and then answers to many questions during my visit. I am working to get my local library here in Lynchburg, VA to join their network.
My efforts to find funding for my series of animated short science documentaries, Anim8Nature has included viewing various webinars. New to this process of convincing funders to support my work, I am appreciative of expert advice.
The last webinar I watched was presented by GrantHub with Jana Hexter of GrantwritingRevealed.com. What I got out of this hour was to take the widest possible view of my work and focus on what it's "about" and how it makes the world a better, more beautiful place.
On Monday, I had the pleasure of working with approximately 90 students at Greenbriar East Elementary School in Fairfax County, Virginia. I was invited to help every student in the 4th grade explore science with art and animation.I met with two classes in November and these were the remaining three classrooms of 4th graders.
Art teacher Christie Miller in her classroom with students getting ready to start working on their animations. Greenbriar East staff assistance during the workshops played a major role in our success.
As I mentioned in this post, teaching 30 students at a time with these tools (PC laptop and a web-based application) was not what I considered ideal. My workshops are generally with iPads and less than 10 students per session. The staff convinced me how important it is to give their students instruction with tools they can access 24/7. I am so pleased to have found an appropriate animation tool and developed a curriculum that I tested during these five workshops. I determined that this kind of learning environment can be very successful.
Next week I am visiting Greenbriar East Elementary School in Fairfax County, VA to teach 4th graders how to use animation to explore science. I am very excited. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to spend time in a classroom and conduct important research for my educational project Anim8Nature.com. I have been working with kids and technology for 4 years (college level students for 15 years) and been conducting art workshops for kids for over 40 years. Many of these workshops have been in schools, generally after school programs, art centers or museums outside a typical elementary school classroom. How will this experience be different? My most recent workshop was teaching kids animation in a week long iPad Camp at the Academy Center of the Arts in Lynchburg, VA. I had 6 students. We met for 3 hours a day for 5 days. At GreenbriarEast, I will have 28 students for one hour. Yikes.
I love fall. Cooler weather is invigorating. The changing colors of the leaves can be spectacular but it is the way the leaves fall that most intrigues me. I am fascinated by their apparent surrender as they travel to the ground with so much variation and grace.
My mother loved these lines from Cyrano de Bergerac:
CYRANO: The autumn leaves! Ay, see how brave they fall, In their last journey downward from the bough, To rot within the clay; yet, lovely still, Hiding the horror of the last decay, With all the wayward grace of careless flight!
I just spend two days in Washington, DC at Women in Film & Video events and when I want to celebrate the concept of community, WIFV comes to mind. I have been a member for over twenty years and it has changed my life in many ways.Most recently I am the recipient of the WIFV Seed Fund Grant for Anim8Nature. I am profoundly indebted to WIFV for the funds and the mentoring, additionally for the vote of confidence. Now I need to build a community around Anim8Nature to ensure its success. How are I going to do that?
My goal with the fungus life cycle I am currently animating is to spark curiosity about these fascinating organisms. Fungi are truly amazing and they are everywhere. They play a vital role in the
decomposition of organic matter and have fundamental roles in nutrient cycling and exchange in the environment. Fungi are often not noticeable because of their size. We are most likely to see them only in their fruiting stage, ie the mushroom that seems to appear from nowhere.
Seeking fungi on my favorite trail along the Blackwater Creek
Earlier this week I wanted to collect one more specimen of the bracket fungus I am animating and document other fungi that I found visible from the path. I went on an expedition to the Blackwater Creek Trail right by my house.
I am pleased to present Jellyfish, the latest animated life cycle for Anim8Nature. This project in development is designed for kids 5 to 9 years old. My mission is to spark curiosity, explore science with art, get kids outside and inspire environmental stewardship. A tall order, but every aspect of these goals is very important to me.
Like many of you, my first experience with jellyfish was as a kid and it wasn't so positive. There was a twist. They were stinging my sister when we'd vacation at the Chesapeake Bay or in Ocean City but not me.
My next exposure to jellyfish was as an adult kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay. Seeing them out of the corner of my eye, I thought they were plastic sandwich bags floating in the water. On more careful observation I realized what they were and was mesmerized. I find jellyfish very beautiful creatures.
I am producing Anim8Nature, built around animated life cycles to get kids outside and inspire environmental stewardship. I am finding this marriage of art and science has a long history, think Leonardo DaVinci, and many modern proponents.
Leonardo da Vinci A page showing Leonardo's study of a foetus in the womb (c. 1510) Royal Library, Windsor Castle
One fabulous resource I found celebrating the art/science connection is the SciArtCenter. Established to facilitate collaboration between artists and scientists, they publish a magazine. As a new member, the August issue was the first I really perused. Oh, my what I found.
Since I graduated from UCLA with a BA in Art, defining myself as an artist has been a big deal for me...I accept the best and the worst of what that means. So here I am producing science content...how is that going to work? Anim8Nature will be a web-based resource to inspire environmental stewardship built around 10 short animated life cycles of a variety of organisms. Writing and art-making lesson plans will be included to explore the concepts presented in the animations. I am producing and creating the animation. Emphatically this is a very collaborative project. I am working with a host of educators and scientists as this develops. As an artist I have been a keen observer of nature and active participant in life outdoor since I was very little. My eye and intuitive skills as an observer serve me well in my capacity as an educator and give me great confidence moving forward.
Procreate on the screen with a student's work the elements brush.
This week I am teaching an iPad Camp at the Academy Center of the Arts here in Lynchburg, VA. I have been doing week-long iPad camps for a number of years and love spending this time with kids 8 - 14 helping them learn to become content creators. They learn to make animations, digital art, interactive books and videos. I wanted to test my theory that animation, art and science can play a role in how kids interact with their environment.
