Creating Flames

We suggest this as a first project in multi media for eight year olds ( or younger) using Macromedia's Flash.

Read why the Government is wanting Multimedia projects to be a high priority in the school curriculum- Extracts from an interview with Michael Wills (the DfEE's learning and technology minister) from the TES

The following results were the first experience that these eight years had had of using PC's. After two hours, working in pairs :-

The children who created the above files would love to hear from you at fire@newburypark.redbridge.sch.uk (they look at their emails every Friday afternoon)

Here's how we did it:-

First, with a class of 30, we lit two fires on barbecues (outside!) using "sticks" made from rolling up newspaper - You can light them when required - they start immediately if some scrunched up paper is put under the sticks.

We asked them to draw what they thought they saw in pencil, then adding colour. At the same time photos where taken of flames with a digital camera as a record that could be referred to later on their computers -

While the students were looking out of the fires we had a liittle discussion:

Where did the wood go? What is a flame? Why is it yellow (like a candle flame)? Why is it hot? Where does the heat come from? And where does the energy in the wood come from? Why are the flames short out hear but those on a fire inside a house are much taller? What other fuels do we burn? etc. etc.

Back in the classroom this is how they went about using Flash:-

The Flash working file creating_a_flame.fla -for Pc or for Mac can be obtained from Geoff Dellow at geoff@tygh.co.uk as part of a collection of templates for use in the classroom. A charge is made for use of this copyright file when used in the classroom.

When you have this then follow these detailed instructions : -

Creating a Flame!

Drag a solid circle (with no line round it) on frame 1.Then add a keyframe at frame ten as in scene 1.

Click on frame 10 with the arrow, click on the white space to deselect the circle, and deform the circle by dragging its perimeter with the arrow as in scene 2

Alternatively the circle in frame ten can be deformed in a more extensive way by fixing a point on the circumference by drawing a line through as in scene 3 and deleting the line by clicking on its two parts and delete as in scene 4.

In scene 4 tweening between the two shapes at frame 1 and frame 10 is achieved by double clicking on frame 1 and choosing from the "Frame properties" - Tweening/Shape and then OK The shape then "morphs" from one shape to the other when return/enter is hit!

Now having achieved the required shape change, the next thing is to fill the shape with a colour that will depict a flame. The fact that a fill can be created with Flash that has gradients of multiple colours, and varying transparency helps to simulate the look of a flame!

Click on frame 10 and then click on the paint bucket in the toolbar then press on the fill colour and choose the miniature menu at the top.

A new menu comes up called "color". Choose gradient and if appropriate radial ( rather than linear). Each of the colour indicators above "radial" can be adjusted one at a time - Click on one, choose a colour from the "rainbow", then the intensity of this colour from black to white by adjusting the small arrow that is on the right of the "rainbow".

Lastly adjust the alpha % which changes the transparency of the colour with the slider so that the flames are "see through.

Follow the same procedure for the other colour indicator -and add further indicators for other colours if required by dragging a new indicator onto the "indicator bar" above the label "radial". (There is no need to click new unless it is wished to save this combination).

Bring the cursor over the shape to be filled and click where the centre of the radial fill is required.

Repeat the operation on the other shape that is at frame 1 to achieve a different fill if required.

Tip It's best to avoid using any lines around your shapes - they can do strange things when "tweened".

Clever Flash will figure out the tweens required to produce the requested "morph" and "Bob's your Uncle" or maybe "Mary's your Aunt".

Repeat the whole procedure using a new layer to produce another "flame" - and another . . . . . . . your flames can then flicker at different times!

The background colour can be changed by "Modify/Movie/Background - OK

Then have fun with altering size, rotation and position of any of the shapes using the the toolbar and dragging the shapes respectively.
Over and out!

For immediate support with Flash projects email me
back to the students page!