TRENTON PUBLICSCHOOLS
Animation
And
Gaming
CurriculumFramework
CURRICULUM OFFICES - TRENTON BOARD OF EDUCATION
108 N. Clinton Avenue 3r d Floor - Room 301
Dr. Fredrick H. McDowell, Jr., Superintendent of Schools
Elizabeth DeJesus, Chief Academic Officer
Michael Tofte, STEM Supervisor 6-12
Adopted August 28, 2017
INTRODUCTION
TheseCTE coursesfollow the Photography Course, and the Animation Course is a preface to 3D Game development. Students review and extend elements of graphic design and manipulationand extend these concepts to elements of mixed-media, flash animation, and 3D animation, and game development—through actuation. File management and file sharing are reviewed and extended to keep with industry standard. Each unit is designed to help students decide on which career path they would like to follow in the CTE strand. Animation and 3D Game Development area year-long courses, in a traditional school program.
Throughout each semester, students will use and apply mixed-media to professional work while practicing the concepts of animation, and in the gaming course, 3D and gaming development. Students will also be working with our school community to meet their media needs, such as photography, imaging, streaming events, processing images when and image presentation needs. Qualified students will be chosen to show work in competitions, and showcased in the Communications Media Fest. Industry professionals and college recruiters will serve as mentors to help students explore career options.
Students who have successfully completed the Animation course may elect to move onto 3D Gaming;
students who have successfully completed this 3D Gaming will have completed the program.
TRENTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE)
MISSION AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF CTE OFFICE
Consistent with the New jersey Department of Education and the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education, the Trenton Public School District is determined to provide all of its students educational opportunities that will enable them to gain the essential life and career skills to function optimally as positively engaged citizens in a dynamic global society, and productive members of a 21st century global workforce - one that specifically rewards innovation, creativity, and the ability to adapt to change.
•providing students with courses and strategies that will improve student achievement on standardized testsrequiredforhighschoolgraduationandcollegeentranceexams
•providingstudentswithauthenticlearningopportunitiesandrelatedtrainingexperiences
•exposing students to CTE careers via guest speakers, field trips, career fairs and the development of partnerships
•providing teachers with professional developmenton strategies on increasing student achievement and helpingstudentsdevelop theskillstheyneedtograduate andprepareforlifeafterhighschool
Program: Graphic Design and Illustration
This creative/technical design-based hands-on course is for students who thrive on technology, a
challenge, and love computers; for students who are curious about color, imagery, photography,
how design interacts with people on a daily basis; for students who want to explore careers in
communication and creative media while learning graphic design for print and new media. This
program mirrors a graphic design studio. Students take a design project from concept creation
through digital production and preparation for output to various media. Students learn the Adobe
creative suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, etc) software on a MAC and PC computers. Through
a combination of project work, site visits, field trips and career work experience, students will
gain experience in many aspects of the industry that touch our lives in so many ways.
Career Cluster: Arts, Audio and Video Technology and Communications Cluster
Career Pathway: Visual Arts
CIP Code: 500102
CIP Title: Digital Arts
Course #1 –Photography
In this course students will learn how to compose and shoot photographs using the elements of
design. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of photography as
a visual medium and to explore the many ways photographs are used. Class time will be divided
between photo manipulation on computers, shooting photographs, and conventional classroom
instruction as students learn how to compose and manipulate images to suit their purpose.
Course #2 - 3D Animation
This course will introduce students to 2D and 3D, animation planning, storyboard development,
and the animation process. Students will learn to visualize their ideas in 3D space, learning
photorealistic rendering techniques, low polygon modeling, and use video editing tools to create
animations and movies.
Course #3 - Video Game Development
Students are introduced to the fundamental principles, design strategies, and methodologies of
game and simulation development. The course includes practical experiences in game/simulation
conceptualization, design, storyboarding, development methodologies, 2D/3D animation design
and production, and implementation issues. Specialized skills involving graphic animation
software are used to produce a variety of two and three dimensional components stressing
understanding and demonstration of the following rudiments of the game and simulation
industry: production planning, elements of production design, storyboarding, elements of visual
design, integration of graphics and animation into new game/simulation productions, and
collaboration/teamwork.
ANIMATION: course content outline
Introduction— (1.5 Weeks)
File management and basic computer skills
Introduction to Graphics (2.5 weeks)
Linking to ideas—always recursive once new skills are introduced
Sequencing Skills—always recursive once new skills are introduced
Graphical Tools (3weeks)
Masking and Layering
Editing
Using images in character development and theme, narrative
Developing scenes and Setting
…..preparing documents…electronic and print
Intro to Capturing and Presentation Tools and (3 weeks)
Intro to Motion Video
Intro to Editing Mixed Media
Intro to sketching…structured and improvisational to mixed-media
Intro to freelanced and targeted animation
Advanced Graphical and ( 2 weeks)
Review of editing and advanced editing
Review of file formats and file management skills
Image management pertaining to formatting, resolution and so forth
Introduction to Flash (3 weeks)
Using Flash Tools
Adding Graphics-
Motion Editing
Introduction to 3D development, tools, manipulation and resources (1 week)
Using Photoshop and other Adobe Apps and other resources
Adobe resources and projects-developing characters, and manipulating scenes
Midterm Project (2 weeks)
Continuation of 3D development: tools, manipulation, resources (3 weeks)
Using Adobe Apps and other resources
Using story-board and other resources to target and plan animations
Adobe resources and projects-developing characters, and manipulating scenes
Review of Flash
Advanced tool and integration of 3D elements into applications
Review of document preparation…electronic and print
Introduction to Audio (2weeks)
Audacity and freesound.org
Editing
Using Effects
Importing audio to mixed media-motion video, animation and Flash and 3D elements
Review/Advanced Audio and Mixed-Media and 3D editing… (3 weeks)
Review of project planning
Using “art” in media projects
Extend 3D and Animation (3 weeks)
Using media in social networking
Building animations using different apps
Creative integration of animation, art, and media
Intro to html5
Preparing Documents and Animations…print and electric…for Presentation(s) and Practical Application (3 weeks)
Publishing electronic and print media for presentation
Presenting electronic am print media
Closing Project-Portfolio (4 weeks)
3D GAMING: course content outline
GAMING
Introduction— (.5 Weeks)
File management and basic computer skills
Review of Graphics and Graphical Tool (2 weeks)
Linking to ideas—always recursive once new skills are introduced
Sequencing Skills—always recursive once new skills are introduced
Masking and Layering
Editing
Using images in character development and theme, narrative
Developing scenes and Setting
…..preparing documents…electronic and print
Review of Multimedia Tools (3 weeks)
Intro to Motion Video
Intro to Editing Mixed Media
Intro to sketching…structured and improvisational to mixed-media
Intro to freelanced and targeted animation
Review of editing and advanced editing
Review of file formats and file management skills
Image management pertaining to formatting, resolution and so forth
Using Flash Tools
Adding Graphics-
Motion Editing
Review of 3D development, tools, manipulation and resources (2.5 weeks)
Using Photoshop and other Adobe Apps and other resources
Adobe resources and projects-developing characters, and manipulating scenes
Advanced tool and integration of 3D elements into applications
Using story-board and other resources to target and plan animations
Review of document preparation…electronic and print
Review of Audio and Mixed-Media Integration (2.5 weeks)
Audacity and freesound.org
Editing
Using Effects
Tracking and editing and mixing
Importing and manipulating audio to mixed media-motion video, animation and Flash and 3D elements
Review of project planning and storyboarding
Using “art” in media projects
Extend 3D and Animation (2.5 weeks)
Using media in social networking
Building animations using different apps
Creative integration of animation, art, and media
Review and build html5
Introduction to Game Programming and code.org (2 week)
Midterm Project (2 weeks)
Continuation of code.org Resources (1 week)
Using Adobe Apps and other resources
Adobe resources and projects-developing characters, and manipulating scenes
Preparing Documents and Animations and including 2D and 3D games
…print and electric…for Presentation(s) and Practical Application (1 week)
Planning and promoting projects
Publishing electronic and print media for presentation
Presenting electronic media in print media
Review and Study of Unity Resources (2 weeks)
Interface & Essentials
Scripting
Best practices
2D Game Creation
Graphics
2D Games MAPPING and BUILDING (2 weeks)
Using unity
Using Adobe and other resources
Further Review and Study of Unity Resources with 3D game creation (3 weeks)
User Interface (UI)
Navigation
Audio
Animation
Tips
PRESENTATION of GAMES and RESOURCES (2 weeks)
Further Review and Study of Unity Resources with 3D game creation (3 weeks)
Mobile & Touch
Performance Optimization
Ads & Analytics
Multiplayer Net
Virtual Reality
Physics
Closing Project-Portfolio (4 weeks)