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Skills Competition 2024 (Elementary) - Character Animation

Thu, Feb 29

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St. Lawrence College

In this contest, participants will work together in teams of four to create a digital animation based on this year’s theme. Teams are permitted to use any appropriate digital software to create their animation, as long as it is an LDSB board-approved “green” app.

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Skills Competition 2024 (Elementary) - Character Animation
Skills Competition 2024 (Elementary) - Character Animation

Time & Location

Feb 29, 2024, 9:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

St. Lawrence College, 100 Portsmouth Ave, Kingston, ON K7L 5A6, Canada

Scope

LDSB Character Animation - Gr. 4-6, 7/8 (Teams of 4), 8 teams per division

When: February 29, 2024

Where: St. Lawrence College

9:45am - 12:00pm        Competition

12:00pm - 12:30pm   Lunch

12:30pm - 1:30pm        Competition

1:30pm - 2:00pm          Awards

The goal of this LDSB competition is to prepare participants for the provincial Skills Ontario competition. The scope for this

local contest is based off of the 2023 Skills Ontario scope for the Character Animation provincial contest. You are welcome and

encouraged to view the 2023 Character Animation scope to learn more about how this contest was facilitated at the provincial

level last year. Please note that the requirements and expectations for the LDSB Skills Competition will be based on the

information provided in this document.

Up to eight teams of students can participate per division. Each individual school can send one team per division. Registration

is offered on a first come, first served basis. If there are more than four students interested per division at a school, the school

is asked to host their own challenge to narrow the choice down to one team for the LDSB Skills division.

Purpose of the Contest:

In this contest, participants will work together in teams of four to create a digital animation based on this year’s theme. Teams

are permitted to use any appropriate digital software to create their animation, as long as it is an LDSB board-approved

“green” app.

A listing of LDSB approved digital tools can be accessed on SharePoint. Teams are encouraged to consider using Google

Slides to create their animation as this digital tool is board-approved and is available for free to all students and staff of LDSB.

Skills Ontario created a helpful tutorial to demonstrate the process of creating a digital animation using Google Slides. Please

watch this video in order to familiarize yourself with the expectations for the contest.

Challenge Breakdown and Deliverables:

The following deliverables will be created using this year’s competition theme (see below). On the day of the competition,

teams will be provided with a problem their main characters will face, which will be the basis of their animation’s story.

1) Storyboard: Teams will begin by creating a storyboard for their animation on the provided storyboard template. The

storyboard will illustrate the beginning (setting the stage for the story by introducing the story, the characters, the

setting, and the provided problem), the middle (the main events and climax of the story), and the end (the resolution of

the story). Teams will submit their storyboard by lunchtime for evaluation.

2) Trailer: Each team will create a trailer for their animation. The purpose of the trailer is to highlight key aspects of the

final animation and encourage those who watch the trailer to want to view the final version of the animation. The trailer

should be 30 seconds or less in length – just enough time to build excitement without giving away the content of the

animation. As you create the trailer, consider how movie trailers are designed. They show just enough action to get

people excited about seeing the movie when it comes out in theaters, without giving away all details of the story. Teams

will submit their trailer by lunchtime for evaluation.

3) Animation: Teams will create a digital animation using LDSB approved digital tools based on the storyboard and trailer

that they created. The final animations should be less than 4 minutes in length and must be submitted 30 minutes prior

to the end of the competition day for evaluation. The animation should include a background and images. Teams are

welcome to include sound effects and background music, if they wish, as long as the media is copyright clear and/or

the license for the media permits usage. The tutorial from Skills Ontario provides suggestions of websites that provide

slidedeck templates.

Media Creation Tips:

Teams may use any suitable software to create their animation. The software must be a green LDSB approved digital tool. It is

important that teams ensure that any slideshow templates, images, sound effects and/or audio they include in their animation

is permissible based on copyright restrictions, as well as the terms and licenses of the selected media.

Please ensure that credit is given to the creators of any media that you use in your animation, as necessary. Your school-based

mentor can provide you with guidance on how to cite your sources, in advance of the competition day.

A good way to avoid copyright issues is to use your own media. Just be sure that the website you are using to create your

media permits re-use of the creation in other content. For example, Piskel is a green app you may find helpful for creating your

character and/or animations of your character. Participants are also encouraged to create their own background sounds and

music using tools such as through Chrome Music Lab. LDSB approved digital tools can be viewed by category and provide a

wealth of apps supported by the board. We encourage you to search through the app inventory to support your creations.

Theme:

The theme for this year is STEM superheroes. STEM is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.

For the competition, you will create an animation that shows a STEM superhero using STEM to solve a problem. The

superhero can be:

● a real person or a fictional character who uses STEM to solve a problem,

● from the past (e.g.. Frederick Banting), present (e.g. Chris Hadfield), or the future (you decide!),

● from our world, a fictional world, or another planet.

On the day of the competition, you will be assigned a specific problem that your superhero will need to solve. We are excited

to see how your character is able to adapt to any circumstance that they are tasked with addressing.

To practice for the competition, you are welcome to brainstorm and practice animating your STEM superhero. However, on the

day of the competition, participants will not be permitted to bring any previously made content (e.g. character images,

animations, etc.) into the competition. The entire animation (e.g. images, animations, sounds, etc.) must be created on the

competition day.

Provided Resources

● Internet access

● Google Slides, MS PowerPoint Online (accessible to LDSB staff and students)

● Storyboard template (paper hardcopy) and digital version in Google Slides.

Supplied by Teams:

● Computer with any software installed that you wish to use. Competitors are only able to have a maximum of two

computers running at a time. You are welcome to bring back-up computers, if you wish.

● Pencils, pens and lined paper for storyline

● Headphones

● Snacks (Peanut free)

● Refillable water bottle

● One USB drive per team that can be used to transfer files between the team’s devices and to the Tech Chair(s) /

Judge(s). The USB must be blank (have no files saved on it) at the beginning of the competition.

● Teams are responsible for the installation and troubleshooting of their own devices.

● Personal devices (such as cell phones) will not be permitted during the contest unless for emergency purposes and/or

provided permission by the Tech Chair(s) / Judge(s).

Scoring

Criteria Explanation Points

Storyboard

The storyboard clearly explains how the STEM superhero encounters, interacts with, and

solves the provided problem.

5

The storyboard includes at least 3 acts outlining the beginning (setting the stage for the

story by introducing the story, the characters, the setting, and the provided problem), the

middle (the main events and climax of the story), and the end (the resolution of the story).

6

There is a logical sequence to the events that are depicted in the storyboard and all ideas

are fully developed.

5

The storyboard is organized and clearly communicates the animation’s proposed design and

narrative.

5

Trailer

The trailer includes enough detail from the story to excite the audience about viewing the

entire animation, but adequately withholds information so that the audience is left with

suspense.

5

The trailer flows well from one scene to the next and the acts in the trailer are logically

organized.

5

The trailer does not exceed the specified duration. 4

Animation The introduction of the animation is compelling and hooks the audience’s attention. 15

The animated characters/elements are able to show emotion, movement, and reliable

cause and effect scenarios, as if they were real. (Fictional characters/elements not found in

the real world show emotion, movement, and cause and effect scenarios consistent with

their fictional world’s design).

15

The animation is based on the theme and includes the key features of a story, including, but

not limited to: character development, plot, setting, conflict, resolution, theme, suspense,

humor, pacing.

15

Transferable Skills Teamwork: All team members worked together and contributed equally to the creation of

the animation.

4

Critical and Creative Thinking: Evidence of design and planning (ie. a storyboard that is

organized and communicated clearly) in developing the animation’s narrative, along with

evidence of critical thinking applied in responses to questions.

4

Oral Communication: How clear and concise the responses to questions were

communicated.

4

Problem Solving: How well teams make decisions based on problems that arise during the

process of planning and developing the animation.

4

Time Management: Effective use of time during the challenge. 4

TOTAL /100

Questions:

Each team will answer a mandatory question and three additional questions that will be chosen at random. Each question

must be answered by a different teammate. Teams can select whom they wish to answer each question.

[Mandatory Question] Why did you choose the STEM superhero that you selected? Did you experience any challenges in

merging your STEM superhero with the problem provided? If yes, how did your team adapt to overcome these challenges? If

not, what were the qualities of your team’s STEM superhero character that made it so easy to adapt to the problem provided?

{Additional Questions]:

1. Which aspect of this challenge did you, specifically, feel you had the most impact with and why?

2. If you were to revisit this challenge, what would you do differently and why?

3. Why did you choose to participate in this challenge?

4. How do you think schools can encourage students to participate in challenges like this?

5. Do you see yourself in a career relating in any way to this challenge? Explain.

Were there any differences between your initial ideas/storyboard and the final animation? If so, why did your team choose to

make these changes?

Provincial Event:

The team(s) that garner the most points following the challenge will have an opportunity to represent LDSB at the provincial

level. More guidance and further understanding about qualifying for the provincial event will be communicated at a later date.

LDSB Contacts:

Should you have any questions regarding the challenge event or this scope, please contact:

Paul Allison Theo Vangelatos

Co-Chair Co-Chair

allisonp@limestone.on.ca vangelatost@limestone.on.ca

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