Take your students on a virtual tour of Japan with this beautifully designed site that investigates Japanese culture from a kid’s perspective. It’s easy to navigate and filled with easy-to-understand text, pictures, and interactive surprises. Complete a virtual origami airplane, compose a tune on the koto, and learn to say some basic everyday phrases in Japanese. There is SO much to see and do on this site. Provide some direction for your students before turning them loose.
5474

Part of a far larger site, this section offers lots of instructions on the basics of origami, the Japanese art of paper folding. There are examples galore, along with information on terminology, reading folding instructions, and sources for origami patterns. If you’re looking for an art activity that requires very little equipment, try this one.
2921