MADISON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
MHS Multi-Media II Curriculum
Authored by: Rachel Bonnema
Reviewed by: Lee Nittel,
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Thomas Paterson,
Supervisor of Science and Technology Education
Approval Date: January, 2013
Members of the Board of Education:
Lisa Ellis, President
Patrick Rowe, Vice-President
Kevin Blair
Thomas Haralampoudis
Linda Gilbert
James Novotny
David Arthur
Shade Grahling
Superintendent: Dr. Michael Rossi
Madison Public Schools
359 Woodland Road, Madison, NJ 07940
www.madisonpublicschools.org
I.
OVERVIEW
Multi-Media II is a semester course, which provides students the opportunity to continue exploring the
world of multi-media and animation through the development and use of a three-dimensional
environment. This course incorporates the concepts and skills taught in Multi-Media I and builds upon
them by having students understand, learn, and utilize 3D Studio Max (an industry-based threedimensional animation software) along with other programs such as Audacity.
Students enrolled in this course should have completed Multi-Media I. However, a review of a student’s
transcripts, pre-college courses, and/or a portfolio review may allow this requirement to be waived.
II.
RATIONALE
As technology advances and consumers become more demanding of movie making, advertising,
marketing, graphic design, and video game design to mimic ‘real life’, many professions and industries
rely on the computer applications to create 3-D digital imagery to maintain a presence in the market place
and appease the desires of the consumer. Multi-Media II seeks to provide students with an opportunity to
explore this world and expand on their knowledge from Multi-Media I by using the dynamic, industry
standard software program 3D Studio Max (used by PIXAR Animation Studios).
This course will continue to expand students’ computer competency, and it will provide them with a
foundation of understanding and creating 3-D industry standard animations. This will be vital
particularly if they would like to pursue a career in video game design, graphic design, movie making,
marketing, advertising, as well as other career opportunities.
III.
STUDENT OUTCOMES (Link to New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards)
STANDARD 8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage,
evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and
to create and communicate knowledge.
B. Creativity and Innovation
• 8.1.12.B.1: Design and pilot a digital learning game to demonstrate knowledge and skills
related to one or more content areas or a real world situation.
STANDARD 8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage,
evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and
to create and communicate knowledge.
C. Communication and Collaboration
• Digital tools and environments support the learning process and foster collaboration in
solving local or global issues and problems.
• 8.1.12.C.1: Develop an innovative solution to a complex, local or global problem or issue
in collaboration with peers and experts, and present ideas for feedback in an online
community.
STANDARD 8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage,
evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and
to create and communicate knowledge.
D. Digital Citizenship
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Technological advancements create societal concerns regarding the practice of safe, legal, and
ethical behaviors.
8.1.12.D.1: Evaluate policies on unauthorized electronic access (e.g., hacking) and disclosure
and on dissemination of personal information.
8.1.12.D.2: Demonstrate appropriate use of copyrights as well as fair use and Creative
Commons guidelines.
STANDARD 8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage,
evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and
to create and communicate knowledge.
E. Research and Information Literacy
• Effective use of digital tools assists in gathering and managing information.
• 8.1.12.E.1: Develop a systematic plan of investigation with peers and experts from other
countries to produce an innovative solution to a state, national, or worldwide problem or
issue.
STANDARD 8.1 Educational Technology: All students will use digital tools to access, manage,
evaluate, and synthesize information in order to solve problems individually and collaboratively and
to create and communicate knowledge.
F. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision-Making
• Information accessed through the use of digital tools assists in generating solutions and
making decisions.
• 8.1.12.F.1: Select and use specialized databases for advanced research to solve real-world
problems.
• 8.1.12.F.2: Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technology
resources and assess their potential to address educational, career, personal, and social needs.
STANDARD 8.2 Technology Education, Engineering, and Design: All students will develop an
understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the
designed world, as they relate to the individual, global society, and the environment.
A. Design: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision-Making
• The design process is a systematic approach to solving problems.
• 8.2.12.B.3: Analyze the full costs, benefits, trade-offs, and risks related to the use of
technologies in a potential career path.
STANDARD 8.2 Technology Education, Engineering, and Design: All students will develop an
understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the
designed world, as they relate to the individual, global society, and the environment.
B. Technological Citizenship, Ethics, and Society
• Knowledge and understanding of human, cultural, and societal values are fundamental when
designing technology systems and products in the global society.
• 8.2.12.C.3: Evaluate the positive and negative impacts in a design by providing a digital
overview of a chosen product and suggest potential modifications to address the negative
impacts.
STANDARD 8.2 Technology Education, Engineering, and Design: All students will develop an
understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the
designed world, as they relate to the individual, global society, and the environment.
F. Resources for a Technological World
• Technological products and systems are created through the application and appropriate use
of technological resources.
• 8.2.12.F.1: Determine and use the appropriate application of resources in the design,
development, and creation of a technological product or system.
IV.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS AND CONTENT
A. Reviewing the Fundamentals of Multi-Media Concepts, Ethics, & Gathering Components
a. What is multi-media?
b. How should computer applications, folders, files, and directories be managed?
c. How does obeying copyright laws and internet safety relate to being a good digital citizen?
d. What is required to ensure material created is in compliance with copyright laws?
e. What are the components to a good animation?
f. What is a storyboard and why is it beneficial to utilize one?
g. What resources are utilized to gather images, sounds, etc. that will be utilized within the
animation.
B. The Interface of ‘3D Studio Max’ and an Introduction to Primitives
a. What are the three-dimensional basic features and components of 3D Studio Max?
b. How does understanding the user interface and its features allow for the creation of an
animation?
c. Why are primitives, viewports, toolbars, and the modify panel essential to an animation?
C. The Modeling Basics of ‘3D Studio Max’
a. What are modeling basics and different modeling methods?
b. What is meant by dependency?
c. How does dependency affect working with sub-objects?
D. The Basics of Modeling with Splines, Motion Graphics, & Polygons
a. How are splines essential in 3D animations?
b. What transforms splines into editable objects?
c. How are modifiers applied to splines?
d. How is text created and modified to become 3D?
e. Why are tools such as chamfer, array, noise, and mesh essential to creating objects in
animations?
f. How are external objects and files imported into a 3Ds Max file?
E. Understanding the Materials Browser
a. How are materials applied to splines, graphics, polygons, and primitives?
b. What methods must be taken to modify materials within the browser?
c. Why is mapping of a material and understanding its file directory essential in the application
of a material within a file?
F. Bringing Together the Basics & Rendering
a. Using the tools, concepts, and methods of multi-media and of 3Ds Max, how will one create a
file that contains a non-animated scene?
b. Why is it important to understand the basics of modeling prior to understanding an animation
sequence?
c. What is rendering and how is it applied to a scene?
G. Introduction to the Fundamentals of Animating a Sequence with Key Frames
a. Why are key frames vital to creating an animation sequence?
b. How are key frames applied to individual objects as well as objects as a whole?
c. When setting key frames what must the animator take into account?
d. What is the difference between Auto Key and Set Key?
H. Creating Cameras within an Animation
a. How are cameras created?
b. Why is it important to understand the different types of cameras?
c. How do cameras modify the visualization aspect of an animation?
d. What tools are utilized in the modification of cameras?
I. Incorporating Lighting within an Animation
a. What is computer generated lighting and how does it differ from natural lighting?
b. What types of lights can be created within an animation?
c. Why is it important to understand how to modify lights?
d. How are lights animated?
J. An Introduction to the Advanced Tools of Adding Sound Files & Special Effects
a. What are controllers and how are sound files added?
b. What are particle systems?
c. What benefits occur when special effects are added to animations?
d. Why must modifications be added to particle systems for the effect to occur?
e. Why is it important to utilize the appropriate material when creating a particle system?
K. Creating a Final Animation
a. With an understanding of the basics, intermediate, and advanced tools and methods, how is a
3D animation created in its entirety?
V.
STRATEGIES
In order to effectively teach the various skills and content of this course, the following strategies will be
utilized throughout the units of the course:
• Group Discussions
• Guided Practice and Demonstration
• Daily Individual Classroom Practice Activities
• Individual & Partner Based Unit Projects
• Tier-Based Activities
• Unit Pre-assessments
• Additional Differentiated Instruction Techniques
VI.
EVALUATION
In order to effectively evaluate each student’s participation, understanding, application, and completion of
the course material required, the following measures of evaluation may be utilized throughout the course:
• Formative assessments
• Unit Benchmarks
• Unit Projects
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VII.
Daily Participation (This is defined within a rubric provided to all students on their weekly goal
sheets, as well as on the course website. Participation is a combination of classroom conduct,
time management, staying on task, and completion of activities associated with the day’s
objectives.)
Final Project
Electronic Portfolio (This is created at the end of the semester containing three pieces the student
chooses of their work, of which the student then presents one of the three to the class.)
REQUIRED RESOURCES
The resources utilized within this course are:
• Tutorial Websites (i.e. Lynda, Autodesk)
• Search Engines (i.e. Google)
• 3D Studio Max Files & Footage
• PDF Notes & Tutorials via Course Website
VIII. SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
This semester course is divided into units that provide the student the ability to develop a strong
foundation in 3-D multi-media animation, and from that foundation build upon their skill sets to enhance
their expertise and create advanced animations and presentations.
Unit 1: Reviewing Fundamentals of Multi-Media Concepts, Ethics, & Gathering Components (2 Days)
a. The Role of Multi-Media within Industry
b. The Management of Computer applications, Folders, Files, and Directories
c. Ethical Behavior within Industry
d. Understanding Copyright Laws and Internet Safety
e. Storyboards and Their Benefits
f. Utilizing Online Resources and Computer Applications for Gathering Animation Content
Unit 2: The Interface of ‘3D Studio Max’ and an Introduction to Primitives (4 Days)
a. 3D Basic Features and Components
b. The User Interface and Its Features
c. Primitives, Viewports, Toolbars, and the Modify Panel
Unit 3: The Modeling Basics of ‘3D Studio Max’ (4 Days)
a. Modeling Basics Defined
b. Different Modeling Methods
c. Object Dependency
d. Working with Sub-Objects
Unit 4: The Basics of Modeling with Splines, Motion Graphics, & Polygons (10 Days)
a. Splines in 3D animations
b. Transforming Splines into Editable Objects
c. Applying Modifiers to Splines
d. Creating and Modifying Text
e. Using Chamfer, Array, Noise, and Mesh
f. Importing External Objects and Files into a 3Ds Max file
Unit 5: Understanding the Materials Browser (2 Days)
a. Applying Materials to Splines, Graphics, Polygons, and Primitives
b. Modifying Materials within the Browser
c. Mapping of a material and Understanding its File Directory
Unit 6: Bringing Together the Basics & Rendering (10 Days)
a. Create a File Containing a Non-Animated Scene
b. Analyzing Case Studies and Animations
c. Rendering Animations
Unit 7: Introduction to the Fundamentals of Animating a Sequence with Key Frames (4 Days)
a. Applying Key Frames
b. Setting Key Frame Filters
c. Auto Key versus Set Key
Unit 8: Creating Cameras within an Animation (4 Days)
a. Creating a Camera
b. Different Types of Cameras
c. Modifying Cameras in an Animation
d. Animating Cameras
Unit 9: Incorporating Lighting within an Animation (4 Days)
a. Computer Generated Lighting
b. Creating Lights
c. Modifying and Animating Lights
Unit 10: An Introduction to the Advanced Tools of Adding Sound Files & Special Effects (10 Days)
a. Adding Sound Files
b. Special Effects Defined
c. Particle Systems and Their Benefits
d. Modifications to Add to Particle Systems
e. Applying Materials to Particle Systems
Unit 11: Creating a Final Animation & Electronic Portfolio (20 Days)
a. Creating a full 3D Animation
b. The Importance of an Electronic Portfolio
c. Analyzing Case Studies