So much anticipation for this field trip!
I ran across Box of Light Studios when I was researching art activities for a field trip with our Home School Co-operative. Right away I was excited!
See my own kids and many of my students are in that middle age that is often hard to find activities for field trips.
There are lots of things for the younger crowd. Pumpkin patches, story times, trips to the fire hall…
Older kids often get more involved in after school sports or band…
So you can imagine my excitement when I saw what Box of Light Studios has to offer. Here’s a link to their classes. Lego stop motion animation, green screen, Minecraft workshops, robotics…
Exciting stuff!!
So we got together a group to head up there with a large variety in ages, 7 to 15 years.
And let me say that I WAS IMPRESSED.
(I will apologize now for my photos. I’m hoping for a new camera.)
So they started off with a little “How-to.” The kids were instantly engaged. Thinking of possibilities, anticipating problems. Most immediately had ideas and were eager to get to it.
Their was a table in the middle of the space with lots of Legos. That was a big appeal to the group.
Groups of 2-3 got a computer, camera, and table with backdrop.
You wouldn’t believe the atmosphere in the room. The concentration was something I haven’t seen fill an entire group of 20 kids. It was like a race without competition. A race within themselves.
So they made a background and taped that and the camera to the table so it wouldn’t move and look like an earthquake was happening in their Lego movie.
Then they started taking pictures by moving their figures in tiny steps. Place their figure, take a picture, move their figure, take a picture, move their figure, take a picture, over and over again. It took 10 pictures to make one second of movie.
Once they completed taking their pictures they were able to add sound. The easiest way was to record their own and overlap it. Others had time to search the supplied sounds and find something they liked. Some even added text. As I said there was a variety of ages so by being in small groups they worked to their abilities.
At the end of their very productive hour and a half they had what one student dubbed a “film festival” where they got to view everyone’s movies. They laughed, clapped, and congratulated each other.
I ABSOLUTLY LOVED IT! And so did the kids. In fact my own came home and found an app so that he could make stop motion movies on his own. That, my friends, is HUGE!
Here’s one of the films.
The Motorcycle
If you have kids ages 7-12 or so, check out Box of Light Studios in Erie!
