Solar System Animation

One of my latest discoveries is Animate on ABCya.com. Using this great tool, my third grade students are creating animations to illustrate concepts as we study the solar system. A friendly tutorial shows students how to use the available tools to build their animations.

Our first step was taking time to experiment. Students selected a scene and at least one object to move through it. Most students really were motivated to go beyond the requirement and create a full story with many moving characters and props. They were very excited to show their work. Fortunately, the finished products can be saved and run in any browser.

As we studied the sun, planets and moons, students created animations which illustrated a planet revolving around the sun. They were also able to show the rotation of the Earth with a person or animal being pulled by gravity. Some showed the phases of the moon as it orbits Earth. 

By using this tool along with simulations, artwork and videos, the students were able to create a product that helps them understand some sophisticated concepts.