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Masters of Illusion

Is it science or is it magic? Students will learn about optical illusions and create an animated flip book.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

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  • Index Cards
  • Index Cards, Unlined

Steps

  • Step 1

    Optical illusions are not merely a trick of the eye - they also involve the brain's interpretation of visual information. Using MRI scans scientists can analyze what happens in our brain when we look at illusions. One of the things they've learned is that neurons compete with each other and the winner sends the message to your brain. There are many theories about how and why our eyes get fooled, but as yet there isn't one definite conclusion.

  • Step 2

    Ask students to choose a scene or object they'd like to depict in a flip book, which contains a series of still images that appear to be moving when presented in rapid succession. Encourage them to choose something that will be easy to replicate several times on successive index cards.

  • Step 3

    Have students think of the journey their scene or object will take and then draw the object in a slightly different place on each subsequent index card. When all the cards are done have them hold the cards together on one side and then flip the open side to see their art appear to move.

Standards

ARTS: Speculate about processes an artist uses to create a work of art.

SCI: Design pictorial or graphic representations/models that are useful in communicating ideas.

Adaptations

Have students research the history of film animation. It began with something called a stop-motion technique in which physical objects were photographed and then moved in small increments and photographed again. When these photos were shown in succession, the objects appeared to be moving. Hand-drawn animation was the dominant technique for most of the 20th century, and now it's mostly done with computers.

Have students watch a time-lapse video of their choice - perhaps a seed becoming a flower within seconds or the sun rising and setting. Or have them look at art produced using time-lapse photography.