Our fourteen-year-old likes to digitally draw, so we were excited to discover the free animation lessons at Pixar in a Box, a collaboration of Pixar and Khan Academy. Learning this has inspired her to animate her drawings, so she’s now interested in learning an animation program. She’s also learning how animators use math, though math is still not her favorite subject.
What you’ll need to access the free animation lessons:
To take the Pixar in a Box lessons, you won’t need an expensive program – just your internet connection will do. The lessons are part of Khan Academy. Your child may already be registered with Khan Academy (we use it for math). Simply log into your account and begin the Pixar in a Box lessons.
What you’ll learn at Pixar in a Box:
There are 13 subject areas, from Rendering to Rigging, and from Simulation to Storytelling. There are 20-50 tasks within each subject area. Your child’s progress is saved as he works through each area of learning.
There is a lot of information at the Pixar in a Box site.
Start with these links:
The best place to start is the Educator’s Guide. On this page, you’l see which lessons are best for which grade group (5-6, 7-8, or 9-12), and which type of math will be learned in each lesson (Newton’s second law or polynomial equations, for example).
A video explaining the program.
The Learner’s Guide explains the subject areas and how animators use math, whether or not they realize it.
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