How many children does it take to trap an elephant?

The answer is 527 – the number of pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade students at Washington Elementary School, all of whom contributed to the newest Tiny Circus production “Elephant Trap.”

Tiny Circus is a collaborative art project whose members engage communities to develop stop motion animated films. The process promotes teamwork, communication and creativity while celebrating art and filmmaking.

“The goal is to learn about the nature of collaboration,” said Greta Songe, a Tiny Circus member. “One person can’t do it all.”

In fact, a team of six students is needed to make a paper elephant move to a seesaw rigged with peanuts. Two students take a picture and the process begins again. Seventy-six shots later, the elephant has moved about an inch.

“It takes a long time,” said fourth-grader Abigail Patten, 9.Better add patience to the list of skills Tiny Circus promotes.

Several Tiny Circus members arrived for the school’s artist-in-resident program last Tuesday. Students immediately got to work, working with the supplied storyboard to create props, sound effects, music and animation during their art and music classes. They had to learn how to pick up where the group before them left off, continuing the story while adding their own creative touches.

The final project will be a short film every student helped create in one form or another. It will be shared with the public Thursday night.

“I wanted the students to have a really special arts experience, something beyond what we can do on our own,” art teacher Sarah Fitzgerald said. “This has exceeded our expectations.”

“To give them a chance to work together, to take their knowledge, abilities and skills and apply them to a project – that’s real life,” said Kristi Keast, music teacher.

Tiny Circus began in the summer of 2008 in Grinnell. The organization has worked with community groups of all sizes to create stop motion films designed to open eyes and minds to the world of imagination and stories.

“Every group we work with is different, so you never know what to expect,” said Maggie Yocius, a Tiny Circus member. “There’s always different ideas and different personalities.”

Washington Elementary is the biggest group Tiny Circus had collaborated with to date.

“It’s been fantastic,” said Carlos Ferguson, also a Tiny Circus member. “The support of the school has been great and the students’ enthusiasm has been amazing.”

“I liked making all the stuff for it,” said fourth-grader Rory Light, 9.

Noah Exley-Schuman, 10, said his favorite part was helping with the animation, moving items carefully for each frame. Third-grader Kaylia Wirfs, 8, enjoyed working on the score, especially the climatic ending.

“It’s fun to make random noises,” Kaylia said.