This is an animated gif using claymation.  The lesson is designed for an elementary classroom but it can be used for any grade level.  This as done as a demonstration, not a piece of art.. Here are the steps that were taken to make this animation.

1. Prepare with clay a figure that can change with small steps.
2. With a digital camera, take pictures of the object.  I used only 3 shots for the jump rope if. Before taking each picture, make a change to the claymation.  I simply moved the rope for each shot.  To keep the shots standard, I put the figure and camera on a table and did not move them between shots.
3. Open the program PictureWorks Spin PhotoObject I used version 1.2.1($49)
4. To begin bringing your pictures into this program, pick "Browse" Your pictures should be stored together.  Find the pictures in your hard drive, Press "open"
5. All the  pictures in the folder will appear under the browse button.  Simply drag the pictures you choose up onto the white space above in the order that you want to place them. They seem to pile on top of each other.
6. Press align to get each picture directly on top of the other.
7. Press crop to remove unwanted parts of the picture.
8. Press create to set the size.  (Mine is 300 X 221 pixels)
9. You can test it by playing the green arrow.
10. Press "Create".  You will be prompted to save it. On this screen, notice under file name is "save as type:" set the drop arrow to pick animated gif file.
11. A screen will ask for Animation Speed.  I picked 5 with infinite loops and checked dithering.
12. Your animated gif is complete.  To see it in a homepage, open Netscape Composer. Go to insert, then Object, Choose file.  Find the animated gif.

 
Good Luck!
If you have claymations to share, make please let me know.
If you have questions email eheasley@home.com