Great Sites for Teachers

ORIGAMI ONLINE:  http://www.paperfolding.com

COLORING ONLINE:  Many of the coloring pages found on the Net are the print-and-play variety. Print out the black and white picture and
use your crayons to color them in. Today's sites, however,
are virtual coloring books   you color, paint and draw right
on your computer screen. These interactive coloring pages are great for preschoolers, kindergartners and budding artists of all ages.

Coloring.com http://www.coloring.com
This site hits the mark with a large selection of pictures and
the ability to e-mail your completed masterpieces to friends and family with a personal note. Not only can you fill the pictures with colors, but also with patterns such as twinkling stars, 
grass or granite.  Free registration allows you to save
completed pictures in your personal gallery, and to change the
background color of the site.  My only complaint is the annoying
screen refresh each time color is applied. 

Kaleidoscope Painter
http://www.permadi.com/java/spaint/spaint.html
Now for something totally different: Kaleidoscope Painter
creates colorful spiraling fractal designs based on the movement
of your mouse. You can change the effects by moving your mouse
or resizing the brush. You can even put it on Auto and watch as
the mesmerizing lacy designs create themselves. Guaranteed to
capture your imagination.

Puzzle Factory: Coloring http://www.thepuzzlefactory.com/coloring/coloring.cfm
Just when you think you know how to color online, Puzzle Factory
comes along with new rules.  Instead of clicking on a color,
select it with a keyboard letter ("r" for red or "b" for blue)
and hold that key down while you drag your mouse over the
picture.  What a fun way to learn letters!  To change the size
of your paintbrush (they call it a pencil), simply tap a number
from 0 to 9.  Want to share the fun?  Pick any of the coloring
pages, and send it to a friend as a postcard.

Eyes on Art
Eyes on Art has been on the Web since 1995, but former Pacific Bell Education First Fellow Tom March has recently completed a thorough revision. Look for updated images and improved instructional strategies. The site is appropriate for primary students who are just "learning to look" as well as advanced students of the visual arts. Select from among five activities that progressively challenge students' ability to look carefully at the visual arts. A final Eyes on Art Quiz checks to see if you were paying attention in Art History 101.

National Museum of African Art 
Although not brand new, the Web site of the Smithsonian National Museum
of African Art is worth a visit. The What's New link from the homepage
leads to 5 different specialized interfaces of the museum's collections:
diversity, uses, imagery, currently on view, and advanced.