Creative+Computing

__Creative Computing__ (offered both 1st and 2nd semesters) Over the course of one semester, students will learn advanced animation and media techniques using applications such as Garage Band, Photoshop, iStop Motion, Flash, and Toon Boom Studio. Students will become familiar with different animation tools and techniques and construct projects that include multiple layers of content during the animation section of the course. The course's media component will expose students to applications intended to increase their knowledge of audio production and image manipulation.
 * 8th Grade**


 * Students will:**
 * develop skills in structured thinking and creative problem solving.
 * learn various tools and approaches to solving problems, and determine the most appropriate tool for the challenge at hand.
 * develop a greater appreciation for the increasing impact of computers and computer science on our global society.


 * Essential Questions:**
 * What considerations must be taken into account when creating content to animate?
 * What tools are specific to character generation and animation?
 * How can a two dimensional environment be made to act three dimensional?
 * What impact does the addition of music and/or voice have to animating a project?
 * What considerations must be taken into account when voice recording widely dispersed, on-line content?
 * How can various applications be used to create integrated digital media content?


 * Course Units:**
 * Music creation and podcasting
 * Image manipulation
 * Animation


 * Benchmark skills:**
 * Students will demonstrate skill in composing and editing digital music.
 * Students will understand the various aspects of image manipulation, including cropping, resizing, layering and morphing.
 * Students will learn various techniques of animation from the mechanical to the visual/spatial.


 * Resources:**
 * Garage Band
 * Photoshop
 * iStop Motion
 * Flash
 * Toon Boom Studio


 * Assessments:**
 * Students are assigned hands-on projects to assess their understanding of the mechanics of the application being studied.
 * Students are also evaluated on effort, creativity and time management.