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Prehistoric Motion
Skills: sequencing, observation
In Brief
students complete a flipbook showing two prehistoric animals in motion
Goal
to recreate an exhibit element in the classroom
Background
The zoetropes in the Life Over Time exhibit at The Field Museum animate the motion of three dinosaurs and two mammals. Zoetropes use the concept of animation. An animal appears to be put in motion when you flip quickly through a series of drawings, each slightly different from the previous one. This is the technique used to make animated cartoons.
Directions
- Print out the images
- Copy them onto heavy paper
- Give one complete series to each student
- Have students cut and assemble the cards in order, with No. 1 on the top and No. 20 on the bottom.
- Staple the cards together on the left edge.
- Flip through the cards to achieve motion.
Follow Up
Have the students complete the flipbooks before their visit to the exhibit and compare their results with the animations in the exhibit.
Albertosaurus flipbook
Triceratops flipbook