The Walt Disney Family Museum

MULTIPL ANE
EDUCATOR
GUIDE

TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, INSPIRATION

© Disney
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Hello!
Welcome to The Walt Disney Family Museum! This educator guide provides detailed
information for educators and parents about the Multiplane Camera, one of The Walt Disney
Studios’ most important and influential technological developments. You’ll find
background information and descriptions of animation techniques that will help you
facilitate discussion and inquiry during your visit, at home, or in your classroom.

CO N T E N T S pg 01 pg 02 pg 04
Hello! How the The History &
Multiplane Camera Innovators of the
Works Multiplane Camera

pg 08 pg 09 pg 10
D0-it-Yourself D0-it-Yourself Plans & Diagrams
Multiplane Camera Animation

FIND IT ONLINE This guide and related activity sheets are also available for download at [Link]/schoolresources

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 WELCOME
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

How the Multiplane Camera Works

Imagine you’re traveling by car on a long road trip. The road

stretches out ahead of you into a wide-open landscape. In the the area that is visible as through a camera

distance you see a range of tall, hazy mountains. As you drive,

you see trees and telephone poles whiz past you. At first, they
appear tiny in the distance. Gradually, they get larger as you the part of a view that is nearest to the observer, especially
in a picture or photograph
travel closer to them and pass them. Strangely, the mountains
still appear to be very far away and hazy. They don’t appear
to have gotten larger despite being closer to them the way the the middle distance of a painting or photograph.
trees and the telephone poles did. Why? Because the moun-
tains are so large and far away, the change in their apparent
size is negligible. the area or scenery behind the main object of contempla-
tion, especially when perceived as a framework for it.
A similar effect occurs in filmmaking. Imagine a video camera
pointed at a painting of a landscape. To create the effect of
traveling toward or through the landscape, you might use the a shot where the camera seems to move through or
alongside the action of a scene
zoom feature on the video camera, which provides the illusion
of moving forward. Rocks, trees, and bushes will appear to
grow larger, but so will mountains, clouds, the sun, and
everything else on the two-dimensional painting. The illusion
of traveling forward in the landscape could not be accomplished
realistically using this method.

A Multiplane Camera solves this problem by splitting a field

of view into different planes or levels. Separate planes are
used for the foreground, middle ground, and background.
For a forward-motion tracking shot, a more realistic effect is
accomplished by moving foreground and middle ground
planes toward the camera, while the background plane remains
stationary.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HOW IT WORKS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Operating the Multiplane Camera required several technicians zoom

to adjust the numerous lights, cel-setups, and plane positions to simulate movement rapidly away from or toward
for every single shot. Each shot also required many tests in a subject using a zoom lense

order to establish the desired perspective, proportion, and timing

of the scene.

In the example above, notice the house on the hillside at night.

The trees and the fence would be placed on the plane closest
to the camera, the house on the hillside would be placed on
the middle plane, and the moon would be placed on the plane
furthest from the camera. That way, a tracking shot drawing the
audience into the scene can be accomplished by moving the
foreground and middle ground planes toward the camera while
the background plane remains stationary. The moon remains
the same size rather than growing unrealistically larger as it
would with a simple zoom.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HOW IT WORKS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

The History & Innovators of the Multiplane Camera

Why was it significant?

Walt Disney Studios’ technician Bill Garity developed the Mul-

tiplane Camera during a time of great experimentation and
growth at The Walt Disney Studios. The camera created the
illusion of depth, which helped make animated films look
more interesting and realistic.

The Multiplane Camera was first used as an experiment in the

production of the Silly Symphony “The Old Mill” in 1937.
The film was planned to follow a traditional narrative structure
that would begin with a forward tracking shot, drawing the
audience into the idyllic setting of mill and its surroundings.
The final shot of the film was planned as a reverse tracking
shot, moving away from the mill for a sense of closure.

Previously, there was no way of creating a successful tracking

shot using traditional animation methods and the act of
animating the forward motion was costly and time consuming.
The Multiplane Camera answered this problem by creating a
realistic sense of three-dimensional depth in a cartoon setting

The innovative use of the Multiplane Camera was recognized

in 1938, when The Walt Disney Studios received a Scientific
and Engineering Academy Award® for its development. The
same year, “The Old Mill” won the Academy Award® for Best
Animated Short Subject. “The Old Mill” © 1937 Disney

FIND IT ONLINE To better understand how this works, see “What is a Multiplane?” at [Link]/multiplane

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HISTORY & INNOVATORS

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

With the advent of feature animated films such as Snow White

and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940), and Bambi (1942),
the Multiplane Camera became a key asset in establishing a
more believable space for the increasingly skilled artwork and
character design produced by Disney artists. As humans and
animals became more naturalistic and the scenery became
increasingly detailed, a photographic-style depth of images
helped create a more believable world for these objects and
characters to inhabit.

The Multiplane Camera also allowed for the use of new types
of special effects in animated films. The movement of water
and the flickering of stars or lights were made possible by the
layering capability of the device.

Ub Iwerks (1901–1971)

Animator and special effects producer Ub Iwerks was Walt’s

creative partner for many years, beginning in Kansas City and
spanning the length of each of their careers. Iwerks co-created
Mickey Mouse in 1928 and set an animation industry record for
creating 700 drawings in a single day.

Iwerks left The Walt Disney Studios in 1930 to found his own
animation studio. During this period, Iwerks created such
characters as “Flip the Frog,” and he designed his own version
of a Multiplane Camera in 1933. Iwerks’s design included
several layers on which animation cels were positioned and
photographed before a horizontal camera. His original de-
sign implemented mechanisms from a Chevrolet automobile.
Iwerks used the camera for his Willie Whopper series in the Top (left to right) : Alfred Werker (seated), Fred
mid-1930s. Moore, Ub Iwerks, Walt Disney and Ward Kimball
© Disney, Bottom: Ub Iwerks © Disney

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HISTORY & INNOVATORS

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Iwerks returned to The Walt Disney Studios in 1940, and

thereafter primarily developed visual effects, including the
optical printer for combining live-action and animation,
the Xerography process for photocopying drawings directly
onto cels, and the effects on a number of classic Disneyland
attractions. Iwerks earned two Academy Awards® for merit
and technical achievement and was inducted as a Disney
Legend posthumously in 1989.

Bill Garity (1899–1971)

Special effects and sound technician Bill Garity created innova-

tive sound and camera effects for the Studios beginning in 1928
when he developed the sound technology that produced their
first synchronized sound cartoon “Steamboat Willie.” In 1940,
Garity and his team developed Fantasound, the stereophonic
sound system for the Studios’ concert feature, Fantasia (1940).

Garity developed a new version of the Multiplane Camera

for the Studios for the 1937 Silly Symphony “The Old Mill”
as discussed in this guide. This design was the largest and
most sophisticated model developed, and was the first to
feature a vertical orientation of camera and planes instead
of a horizontal one. In 1938, “The Old Mill” won the Acadmey
Award® for Best Animated Short Subject, and The Walt Disney
Studios were awarded a Scientific and Engineering Acadmey
Award® for the development of the camera itself.

The Walt Disney Company was issued a patent for Garity’s

design of the Multiplane Camera in 1940. The same design
was used for several decades until digital technology replaced
the original Multiplane Camera. The last Disney film on Top: © Disney, Bottom: Multiplane Camera
which the camera was used was The Little Mermaid (1989). © Disney

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HISTORY & INNOVATORS

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Where can I see one today?

Today, three original Multiplane Cameras from The Walt Disney

Studios survive. One resides at The Walt Disney Animation
Studios in Burbank, California. One is located in the Art of
Disney Animation attraction in Disneyland Paris. The third
is on view at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco,
California.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 HISTORY & INNOVATORS

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Do-it-Yourself Multiplane Camera

The Multiplane Camera developed at The Walt Disney Studios was large, sophisticated,
and required several trained technicians to operate. However, you can construct
your own Multiplane using simple materials. Follow the instructions below for the
do-it-yourself version (see the diagram map on the last page).

• 12 disposable cups (preferably thick, compostable cups)

Supplies
• Three square or rectangular pieces of plexiglass or plastic toy
box covers

• A painted or printed background, or a piece of plain white

paper or poster board

STEP 1: First, place a painted or printed background onto a

Instructions flat surface such as a table or desk (a piece of plain white
paper or poster board may be used instead of a background).
Place a piece of plexiglass or plastic over the background.

STEP 2: Place four cups upside down on top of the plastic, one
at each corner. Stack another piece of plastic on top of the four
cups to create a second layer above the background.

STEP 3: Create the next layer by placing four cups upside

down on top of the plastic, one at each corner. Stack the third
piece of plastic over these cups to create a third layer.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 DIY MULTIPLANE
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Do-it-Yourself Animation

Once you have built your Multiplane, create an animation using the following material:

• DIY Multiplane Camera

Supplies
• Construction paper (assorted colors)

• Scissors

• Computer or tablet

• Animation software, such as iStopMotion

• Webcam and microphone stand, or a down-shooting camera

STEP 1: Position the camera and mic stand over the Multiplane
Instructions
so that it shoots downward at the background. Connect the
camera to your computer and open iStopMotion.

STEP 2: Cut a simple character or object out of construction

paper.

STEP 3: Place your character on the bottom plane of the

Multiplane, furthest from the camera. Animate the character
by taking a series of pictures of it in various poses. Using
iStopMotion, press the number 2 on your keyboard.*

STEP 4: Make a small adjustment to part or all of your character.

For example, to make your character wave or move slightly to
one side. Take another picture. Move the hand back to its original
position. Take another picture.
Instructions continue on following page

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 DIY ANIMATION
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Continue with the process of making small movements and

Instructions
taking pictures every time a change is made. When you play
back your animation, your character will appear to be moving.**

STEP 6: Add elements on levels closer to the camera, such

as a cloud passing overhead or a ball flying up into the sky.
Experiment with how objects on different levels might interact
with one another.
STEP 7: Once you feel comfortable with the process of animation
using simple paper shapes, try branching out into other craft
materials. Experiment with felt, pipe cleaners, images from
magazines, drawings, ribbon, clay—whatever strikes your
imagination.

*If using iStopMotion, pressing the number 2 captures two

Notes
pictures rather than one, and will make the animation process
move along a little bit faster. In the industry, this is what is
referred to as “shooting on twos.” Your character’s movements
will be relatively fluid, while still maintaining a “cartoony” feel.

**Small changes in between each frame will result in slower

movements, while larger changes will result in faster movements.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 DIY ANIMATION
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Ad va nce d M u l t iplane Came ra

u si ng wo o d a nd pl exi glass

B asi c M u l t ip la ne Came ra u si ng
pap e r cu p s a nd p l exi glass

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 PLANS & DIAGRAMS

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Walt’s Biography

Early Life
Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago on December 5, 1901 to Flora and Elias Disney.
Walt had three older brothers and one younger sister. Due to growing crime in the
area, the family moved to a farm Marceline, Missouri in 1906 where Walt enjoyed an
idyllic childhood. When the farm proved unproductive, the family moved to Kansas
City where Elias bought distributorships for two Kansas City newspapers. City life
introduced Walt to Vaudeville and early motion pictures. Walt drew constantly, even
earning free haircuts for cartoons that the local barber would post in his shop.

Introduction to Animation
In 1920, Walt was introduced to stop-motion animation while working for the Kansas
City Film Ad Company. He was inspired by the magic of animation and began studying
and experimenting on his own. Walt started his own animation studio, Laugh-O-gram,
in 1922. Unfortunately, Laugh-O-gram’s distribution company went bankrupt and
failed to make scheduled payments. As a result, Laugh-O-gram closed shop, and Walt
turned his sights towards Hollywood.

Hollywood and Mickey Mouse

Upon arriving in Hollywood in 1923, Walt developed a series called the Alice Comedies
featuring the adventures of a young actress in an entirely animated world. Then in
1927, Walt created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to star in an all-animated series. After
disputes over the content and production of the cartoons, Oswald’s distributor,
Charles Mintz, hired away Walt’s animation staff and drastically changed the terms
of Walt’s contract. Refusing to sign the new contract, Walt lost all rights to the character
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Mickey Mouse was born after the fateful meeting with Mintz in 1928. The first Mickey
cartoon to be seen in wide release was “Steamboat Willie,” which featured a new and
exciting innovation, synchronized sound. Walt himself provided Mickey’s voice,
and music and sound effects accompanied the animated action. Audiences were
impressed by the novelty and loved the character of Mickey. For the first time, Walt
had produced a major hit.

WALT’S BIOGRAPHY
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane Educator Guide

Silly Symphonies
Following the success of Mickey Mouse, Walt’s Silly Symphonies series became a
testing ground for advancements in the art of animation. Between 1929 and 1939, The
Walt Disney Studios experimented with color, depth, personality animation, music,
and story development, resulting in the most popular and acclaimed cartoons of
the day. The series earned several Academy Awards® and produced such classics as
“Flowers and Trees,” “Ferdinand the Bull,” and “Three Little Pigs.”
Features
The production of the Silly Symphonies provided Walt and his studio with the
necessary tools for producing animated features. The first, the 1937 classic Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs, was a huge success with critics and audiences alike.
Walt earned a special Academy Award® for its production, and was finally able to
build a state-of-the-art studio in Burbank. More features were produced, and in 1950,
Walt realized the longtime dream of producing fully live-action films. The first was
the adventure film Treasure Island, followed by dramas, fantasies, comedies,
musicals, and westerns.

WALT’S BIOGRAPHY
To: Creative Staff of Everyday Imagineering
From: Retlaw Yensid
Date: 12/5/34
RE: Challenge — We Need More Depth!

I am very proud of the work we have done together in producing innovative and
imaginative cartoons – in recent years, the characters have become more appealing
and well-rounded, the colors more vibrant, and the full scope of music and
sound certainly draws audiences into the cleverly crafted storylines.

Now, I have a new challenge for you. I really want to add a greater sense
of realism to the pictures, the sense that the audience is right there in
the action. I want to draw people into the films, as if the cartoon is taking
place all around them in a space that feels like it has dimension and depth.

I am not sure how we are going to accomplish this, but I want to put my very
best people on it – the first people that came to mind were of course you
folks from Everyday Imagineering. Your team members have the most creative
minds and the sharpest innovative spirits in the business. I have no doubt
that your team of Imagineers will be able to come up with a way of making
animated settings
look more realistic and engaging.

I want you to focus on a project we have coming up, one of the Silly Symphonies
called “The Old Mill.” I want the opening shot to move forward, approaching
the scene of the Old Mill and the plants and animals that inhabit the space
around the structure of the windmill. The effect should be a tracking shot
forward, like those that are used on live-action films. What do you think: are
you up for the challenge?

Yours sincerely,
Retlaw Yensid
Chief Executive Officer, ETAVONNI Animation Studios

P.S.: If we can come up with something for “The Old Mill,” I want to use the
same technique on a new project we’ve got coming up. I don’t want to say what
it is, but it is going to be big! That is to say, the project will be big,
even though a half dozen or so of the characters will in fact be quite small.
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e s 4 —8

CONTENTS
what you will find in this lesson plan

pg 01 pg 02 pg 04
Advance Preparation Task Descriptions Common Core State
Standards-based
Questions: Grade 4

pg 05 pg 06 pg 07
CCSS-based CCSS-based CCSS-based
Questions: Grade 5 Questions: Grade 6 Questions: Grade 7

pg 08
CCSS-based
Questions: Grade 8

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e s 4 —8

WELCOME!
This lesson will introduce students to important concepts to prepare them for their visit
to The Walt Disney Family Museum, while also reinforcing basic literacy skills. The lesson
is designed to meet the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English and Language
Arts, specifically Reading Informational Text (grades 4–8) and Literacy in Science and
Technical Subjects (Grades 6–8). This lesson will take approximately 50 minutes to complete.

Advance Preparation
• The lesson requires the use of still images from animation as well
as brief video clips. Determine how you will share these multimedia
images with the class.
• Make sufficient copies of all student resources. All readings can be
found in the Multiplane Educator Guide.
• There are CCSS-based questions for all grade levels based on the
readings and video. The questions are at the end of this document.
Decide if you will use the questions as a written assignment or for
small group work or class discussion. You may also wish to supplement
the questions with your own queries that reinforce grammar, vocab-
ulary, or other concepts you are working on in class.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 ADVANCED PREPARATION
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e s 4 —8

Task Descriptions
Task 01 / Memo From Walt
Distribute copies of “Memo from Walt” to students. Ask students to
imagine they are working for a movie studio making animated films
in the early 20th century. They come into the office one morning to
find this memo waiting on their desks. You may wish to explain that
memo is short for “memorandum” and that memos were a common
form of written communication in offices before email.
Divide the class into groups. Ask them to read over the memo and
discuss the following:
• What does their boss want them to do?
• Do they have any idea who their boss might be or what studio they
might be working for?
Give students a few minutes to discuss, then open it up for class discus-
sion. Students should be able to recognize that their boss wants them
to add more realism to animated films, specifically by adding a sense of
depth. Students may or may not be able to guess who they are working
for. Reassure them they will find out later in the lesson.

Task 02 / Cartoons Old and New

Use the Timeline feature on the museum website to share still images
of classic and post-Multiplane animation:
Early Animation
Laugh-O-grams [Link]/timeline#25
Alice’s Wonderland [Link]/timeline#26
Plane Crazy [Link]/timeline#43
Post-Multiplane Animation
The Old Mill 1 [Link]/timeline#69
The Old Mill 2 [Link]/timeline#74
If you prefer, you can substitute video clips of early animation (1920s–
early 1930s) and post-Multiplane animation (1937 or later).

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 TASK DESCRIPTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e s 4 —8

Task 02 / Cartoons Old and New (con’t.)

Lead a class discussion about the differences between the two, or have
students complete a Venn diagram or other compare and contrast tool.
At a minimum, students should be able to recognize the use of color
and the increased depth in the animation post-Multiplane.
Explain that the memo they received was, in fact, a real-life challenge
posed to animators by Walt Disney, and the result was an important piece
of equipment called the Multiplane Camera. If students unscramble the
name on the memo, they will see that it is “Walter Disney.”

Task 03 / The Multiplane Camera and Walt Disney

Show students the brief video of Walt Disney explaining the Multiplane
Camera on The Walt Disney Family Museum website:
[Link]/content/multiplane-camera
Then have students read “The Multiplane Camera: How It Works” and
“About Walt Disney.” Use the grade-level standards-based questions to
assess student comprehension of the material.
If time is limited, students should view the video clip and read about the
Multiplane Camera, as those materials will most directly impact their
visit to the museum.

Task 04 / Preparing for the Museum Visit

Review any specific instructions you have for your students prior to their
visit to the museum.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 TASK DESCRIPTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e 4

Common Core State Standards-Based Questions

Grade 4: Common Core State Standards-Based Questions
1 Does the author think the invention of the Multiplane Camera was Standards:
a good thing? What specific parts of the text help you infer that? [Link].4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5
2 Write a brief summary of what you learned about the
Multiplane Camera.
3 Choose three words or phrases that you do not recognize or that
you think are being used in a new way in this text. Try to define
them from the context of the reading, then look them up online
or in a dictionary. When you have determined the meaning in this
context, try writing a sentence using each of the words in this way.
4 How is this text organized? How does the structure of the text help
you learn more about Walt Disney and/or the Multiplane Camera?
5 What is the author’s opinion of Walt Disney? How do you know?
What specific parts of the text help you infer that?

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 STANDARDS-BASED QUESTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e 5

Grade 5: Common Core State Standards-Based Questions

1 Does the author think the invention of the Multiplane Camera was Standards:
a good thing? Write down at least two quotations from the text to [Link].5.1, 5.2, 5.4,
support your answer. 5.5, 5.6
2 Write a brief summary of what you learned about the
Multiplane Camera.
3 Choose three words or phrases that you do not recognize or that
you think are being used in a new way in this text. Try to define
them from the context of the reading, then look them up online
or in a dictionary. When you have determined the meaning in this
context, try writing a sentence using each of the words in this way.
4 How are these two texts organized? Why do you think the authors
chose to organize their texts in this way? How do the different
structures help you to understand more about the Walt Disney
and/or the Multiplane Camera?
5 What information is included in the Multiplane Camera video that
is not included in the text? Who do you think is the intended
audience for the video? What information is included in the text
that is not in the video? Who do you think is the intended audience
for the text? What is the difference between having Walt Disney
explain it to an audience and having a factual explanation on
paper?

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 STANDARDS-BASED QUESTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e 6

Grade 6: Common Core State Standards-Based Questions

1 Does the author think the invention of the Multiplane Camera was Standards:
a good thing? Use specific evidence from the text to support your [Link].6.1, 6.2, 6.4, 6.7;
answer. [Link].6-8.9
2 How does this text use graphics, headings, or captions? What
effect does that have on you as a reader? How would this text read
differently without graphics, headings, or captions?
3 Choose three words or phrases that you do not recognize or that
you think are being used in a new way in this text. Try to define
them from the context of the reading, then look them up online or
in a dictionary. When you have determined the meaning in this
context, try
writing a sentence using each of the words in this way.
4 Summarize what you learned about Walt Disney from the text.
Make sure your summary is based on the text and not your
personal opinions or judgments.
5 Using information from both the video and the text, write your
own explanation of how a Multiplane Camera works.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 STANDARDS-BASED QUESTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e 7

Grade 7: Common Core State Standards-Based Questions

1 Does the author think the invention of the Multiplane Standards:
Camera was a good thing? Use several pieces of specific [Link].7.1, 7.4, 7.5, 7.7;
evidence from the text to support your answer. [Link].6-8.9
2 Choose three words or phrases that you do not recognize
or that you think are being used in a new way in this text.
Try to define them from the context of the reading, then
look them up online or in a dictionary. When you have
determined the meaning in this context, try writing a
sentence using each of the words in this way.
3 How is the text organized? How does each section contrib-
ute to the overall text?
4 How does this text use graphics, headings, or captions?
What effect does that have on you as a reader? How would
this text read differently without graphics, headings, or
captions?
5 Compare and contrast the video and the text about the
Multiplane Camera. Which is more effective at explaining
how a Multiplane works? Why? Which is more effective
at explaining why a Multiplane is important? Why?

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 STANDARDS-BASED QUESTIONS
The Walt Dis n e y Fa m i l y M u s e u m
Multipl a n e S c h o o l E x p e ri e nc e : Pre - v i s i t Le s s on Pl a n
G ra d e 8

Grade 8: Common Core State Standards-Based Questions

1 Does the author think the invention of the Multiplane Camera Standards:
was a good thing? Find the textual evidence that most strongly [Link].8.1, 8.4, 8.7;
supports your inference. [Link].6-8.9
2 What is the central idea of the text? How is that idea developed
over the course of the text?
3 Choose three words or phrases that you do not recognize or that
you think are being used in a new way in this text. Try to define
them from the context of the reading, then look them up online
or in a dictionary. When you have determined the meaning in this
context, try writing a sentence using each of the words in this way.
4 Compare and contrast the video and the text about the Multiplane
Camera. What are the advantages and disadvantages of explaining
about the Multiplane Camera via video or text? Which do you
think is more effective and why?

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 STANDARDS-BASED QUESTIONS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

CONTENTS
what you will find in this lesson plan

pg 01 pg 02 pg 04
Advance Preparation Task Descriptions Writing Assignment
Guide:
Informative Text

pg 05 pg 06 pg 07
Writing Assignment Grade 4—6 Post-visit Grade 7—8 Post-visit
Guide: Assignments & Assignments &
Narrative Text Extensions Extensions

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 CONTENTS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

WELCOME!
This lesson allows students to build on what they learned during their visit to The Walt
Disney Family Museum while developing their writing skills. The lesson is designed
to meet the Common Core State Standards for English and Language Arts, specifically
Writing: Text Types and Purposes and Writing: Production and Distribution of Writing.
The lesson can also be adapted to encompass standards for Writing: Research to Build
and Present Knowledge.
The timing of this lesson is flexible, depending on teacher preference and the complexity
of the assignment.

Advance Preparation
• Review the Multiplane Writing Assignment Guide at the end of
this document. A variety of assignment suggestions and classroom
use scenarios are provided.
• Determine the scope and length of the assignment that best suits
student needs. Develop an assignment sheet, rubric, or other materials
in accordance with usual classroom procedures.
• Prepare sheets of chart paper and sticky notes as described in Task 1.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 ADVANCED PREPARATION
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Task Descriptions
Task 01 / Museum visit re-cap
Before class, post several sheets of chart paper around the classroom,
each with one of the following prompts:
• My favorite part of the museum trip was…
• One thing I learned about animation/film-making is…
• One question I still have is…
• One thing I know about the Multiplane Camera is…
If you have a large class, you may wish to provide multiple sheets of
chart paper for each prompt to reduce crowding.
When class begins, give each student a stack of four or five sticky
notes. Ask students to complete each prompt on a sticky note and then
post the note on the appropriate sheet of chart paper.
Allow a few minutes for students to respond and post their notes. Then
you can review each sheet of chart paper with the class. This provides
a way to obtain a quick “snapshot” of student’s thoughts and questions
after the visit. Do not review the chart paper about the Multiplane Camera
yet, as it will be more useful after students understand their assignment.

Task 02 / Museum Writing Assignment

Explain that students are going to complete a writing assignment based
on what they learned from their visit to the museum and specifically, what
they learned about the Multiplane Camera.
Review the assignment sheet or other materials with students and answer
any questions. Then take time to go over the chart paper on the Multi-
plane Camera. Suggest that students take notes on specific details they
may want to use.
Allow time for students to begin working on their assignment. Discuss
deadlines and milestones as appropriate for longer assignments.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 TASK DESCRIPTIONS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Task 03 / Celebrating Student Work

When students have completed their writing assignments, make sure
to celebrate their accomplishment. This can include:
• Sharing work with peers in class
• Sharing work with parents/guardians through a public reading or
presentation event
• Posting student work on a bulletin board
• Publishing student work electronically
• Publishing student work in a school newspaper
If you have excellent student work related to the Multiplane Camera,
Walt Disney, or the museum, please share it with the museum
education staff. Outstanding student work may be published on the
museum website, [Link].

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 TASK DESCRIPTIONS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Multiplane Writing Assignment Guide

The visit to the museum provides an excellent opportunity for students to practice their informative or
narrative writing skills.

These writing assignments can range from a brief “quick write” designed as a formative assessment or
benchmark assessment to a lengthy assignment that incorporates research skills. The assignment could
be revised and/or published digitally, which would encompass additional CCSS ELA requirements.

Informative Text
Students can write an informative text that incorporates and/or Standards:
builds off of what they learned at the museum. Topics may include: [Link].W.4.2, 4.4;
[Link].W.5.2, 5.4;
• The Multiplane Camera: how it works, how it was invented, why
[Link].W.6.2, 6.4;
it matters in animation history
[Link].W.7.2, 7.4;
• Walt Disney: his life, his role in the history of film-making and/or [Link].W.8.2, 8.4
California history
• Animation: the history of animation, key figures and important
animators, hand-drawn vs. computer-generated animation
Some of these topics may require students to do additional research.
If published electronically, digital texts could be illustrated with
clips from students’ Multiplane films, which they created during
their School Experience.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 WRITING ASSIGNMENT GUIDES

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Narrative Text
Students could write a narrative text in the form of historical or Standards:
biographical fiction. Topics may include: [Link].W.4.3, 4.4;
[Link].W.5.3, 5.4;
• The invention of the Multiplane Camera
[Link].W.6.3, 6.4;
• A key moment in the history of The Walt Disney Studios—for [Link].W.7.3, 7.4;
example, the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs [Link].W.8.3, 8.4
• An important moment in the life of Walt Disney
Some of these topics may require students to do additional research.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 WRITING ASSIGNMENT GUIDE

The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Post-visit Assignments
Grade 4 Extensions
Students write a brief report entitled “All About the Multiplane Students adapt their reports into
Camera.” Students complete the assignment in class, using their notes multimedia presentations, using
from the museum visit and materials from the Multiplane Educator their Multiplane footage as part
Guide. of the presentation.

Grade 5
Students adapt their reports into multimedia presentations, Students Students do additional research
write a narrative in which they imagine themselves to be a camera- and revise their narratives to
person working on the original Multiplane camera for the first time. include more specific details
Students complete the assignment in class, using their notes from the about life in the 1930s (when
museum visit and materials from the Multiplane Educator Guide. the Multiplane was invented).
The teacher uses the narratives as a benchmark assessment to provide
information on student familiarity with basic narrative concepts.

Grade 6
Students write an informative document which explains either how Students work together to create
the Multiplane camera worked or why it was an important development brochures using their writing.
in animation and in the history of The Walt Disney Studios. They illustrate the brochures and
publish them, submitting the best
brochures to the museum education
staff.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 POST-VISIT ASSIGNMENTS
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Multiplane School Experience: Post-visit Lesson Plan
Grades 4—8

Grade 7 Extensions
Students write a narrative in which they imagine themselves to be a Students create illustrations and
Walt Disney Studios employee working on Snow White and the Seven publish their narratives as short
Dwarfs. Students use their notes from the museum and materials from ebooks or entries on a class blog.
the Multiplane Educator Guide; they may also do limited additional
research. Students turn in a first draft, get peer feedback, and then turn
in a polished draft.

Grade 8
Students identify specific topics they would like to research that Students could submit their
are related to their museum visit. The teacher uses this opportunity articles to the museum education
to teach appropriate research skills, including citation, quoting staff. Outstanding articles might be
sources, etc. Students use their museum experience, the Multiplane featured on the museum website,
Educator Guide, and their own research to write a well-researched [Link].
article that could appear in a magazine.

00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 POST-VISIT ASSIGNMENTS