Instructify

In any given classroom you’ll find lots of different talents and interests, and it can be difficult for one teacher to find the time and resources to address them all. And, with school budget cuts hitting arts departments hardest, schools in general have fewer resources to let kids explore their talents and and give them a much-needed creative outlet. So, wouldn’t it be great if a virtual utopia dedicated exclusively to the visual and performing arts existed in which your student could run wild with their creativity?

Believe it or not, this utopia of the arts exists! Artopia is a free, interactive Web-based arts experience designed for middle school students that lets them explore the arts, including: theater, sculpture, dance, music, painting and media arts. Your students can go behind the scenes of a theater, learn about choreographing dance performances, create storyboards, get behind the soundboard in a music studio, view important paintings and works of art, and so much more. And, on top of all that, they can even watch performances and write critical reviews of them. There’s so much to do and see in Artopia, and luckily your students can keep track of it all with their own virtual portfolio, which they can access by registering and logging into the site.

Artopia also offers a special area for teachers with downloadable lesson plans and classroom materials that tie in with the activities on the site, making this a great way to let your students’ creativity shine and also encourage them think critically about art.

So cater to all the artistic talents and tastes that co-exist in your classroom, maybe they’ll even find some common ground in Artopia. -LAUREN FROHNE

Artopia

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