Be Creative/Express Yourself Sites

The Art of Teaching the Arts: A Workshop for High School Teachers

Teaching the arts is, as one might expect, an art in itself, and teachers young and old alike will find much to engage their attention on this delightful website. Created as part of the Annenberg Media's educational resource website, this site offers an eight-part professional development workshop for use by music, theater, dance, and visual art teachers. The site includes all eight of the one hour programs, and visitors just need to complete a free registration form to view them in their entirety. The programs all include demonstrations, sample activities, and other pedagogical elements. Visitors should note that the programs include titles like "Developing Students as Artists", "Creating Rich Learning Environments", and "Fostering Genuine Communication". The site also includes support materials and "Channel talk", which is the email discussion list for this set of workshops. (From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008. http://scout.wisc.edu/, 10/17/08)

Bedecked, Bedazzled & Bejeweled: Costume Ornamentation at New York City Ballet

Online exhibit and accompanying article about New York City Ballet costumes. "In photographs, the costumes bloom with a fierce poetry, products of wild imagination and painstaking industry. The tutus and tiaras, the grand gowns and flirty skirts, the formal men's jackets and dapper vests worn by generations of New York City Ballet dancers can now be viewed here." View images highlighting details of ballet costumes. From the New York City Ballet. (Copyright 2008 by Librarians' Internet Index, 10/30/08)

Universal Leonardo

Universal Leonardo covers a massive amount of information about the man and his extraordinary skills. First time visitors may want to begin with the Explore section where they will find interactive exhibits that look at Leonardo da Vinci’s work on the forces of nature, the human body, light and vision, and the natural world and learn how these things are all interconnected according to da Vinci. Alternatively, the interactive timeline at the top of the page provides a visual representation of the interconnectedness by linking related images. The Play section is delightful for all ages and includes online games and activities such as making a monster and making Mona Lisa smile as well as a few activities that can be downloaded and used in the classroom. The Discover section gives users the opportunity to learn about the scientific techniques used to analyze the “Madonna of the Yarnwinder”. Additionally, users can also browse through collections of paintings, manuscripts, inventions, and drawings and learn about the life and times of this celebrated artist. ( Education World Site Reviews, 10/14/08)

~ CEO, Youth Services Update

Lakeshores Library System and Mid-Wisconsin Federated Library System

Issue 324, November 12, 2008