Artopia: the arts at your fingertips.

In this month's column I've invited South Carolina art teacher Scot Hockman to share an exciting new Web site for art teachers and students. --Craig Roland

Artopia (www.knowitall.org/artopia) is a comprehensive Web site on the arts for middle and high school students. It is produced by South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV) and partially funded through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Teachers are encouraged to register at the site so they can upload lesson plans and student artwork. Students can sign-up under their teacher's name in order to submit writings and use the message board. Artopia is an accessible site--each section has both audio and text features so that hearing and visually impaired students can learn through and enjoy the Web site.

The Web site is part of SCETV's K-12 educational Web portal (www. knowitall.org). Visitors enter through pavilions on the Artopia home page to explore educational materials and activities covering painting and drawing, sculpture, media arts, dance, music, and theater. Once inside each building, students can visit galleries and performances, collect and send E-art cards, and learn about the aesthetics and processes of each art form through interactive games. The art disciplines are introduced through fast-paced one-minute movies narrated by a teenager.

In the "Be an Art Critic" section, students can take a closer look at artworks and performances. They can read analytical text and use exemplars to compare and contrast and write critically. The user can write directly on the Web page and print out or save work to an online portfolio.

When students click on selected artworks, virtual art cards pop up, which portray visual and performing artists and provide biographical information. Cards can be collected in the student's virtual portfolio and sent to friends via the Internet. Students also use their portfolios to keep notes, save their writing, and access the message board.

In the "Meet an Artist" section, students can watch streaming videos of artists at work in their studios. In addition, each section features inter active games that help the user understand artistic methods. The Painting and Sculpture Studios highlight the process of painting on canvas, drawing using a grid, casting, modeling, and carving. Theatrical processes can be studied as students watch an audition and choose the actors for a part, apply costumes and make-up to actors, design sets, and work with sound and lighting effects.

The Painting Pavilion contains seventeen paintings based on the theme of the horse. This thematic approach, which includes paintings from the prehistoric era to the twentieth century, helps students gain an understanding of art history. The Sculpture Gallery displays twenty-six artworks, many of which were selected by middle-level students.

The Teacher Resources section invites teachers to upload lesson plans and exhibit their students' artworks online. Assessment writing tips are provided. Also included in this section is "In Our Schools," a SCETV production that features an arts advocacy piece.

New York City-based artist Maria Manhattan is the creator of Artopia's graphics. Her bold and colorful designs make Artopia an engaging and exciting site to visit. Writers and developers of Artopia include educational technology professionals and consultants from South Carolina's arts and arts education community.

Artopia offers an assorted overview of the visual and performing arts. Both teachers and students will appreciate and enjoy its lively and informational presentations, and are encouraged to comment on the site and participate in its many features. For more information, contact Betsy Newman, SCETV Artopia program director at [e-mail].

Scot Hockman is the International Baccalaureate/Arts Infusion coordinator in District Five of Lexington and Richard Counties. South Carolina. [e-mail]