#ArtHeartEd: Lesson about Color Theory

My very first lesson with preschool children was about Color Theory. The lesson intends to promote awareness about colors around us. My lesson plan is attached below: 

Objective:

• Introduction to the basic form of color theory
• Requirement: lesson outside of classroom, focus on observational skills and discussion, and activity in the end

Intro:

• Students introduction
• Ask the name of every student and their favorite color, and why is it this color their favorite
• Give definition to the concept of color
• Color is the way we describe an object, based on what we see. For example, what color is the sun? Yellow. How do we know? Because we look at it and define its color.
• Each of you have your own favorite color; there are many colors, and like everything needs an order, (just like you organize your books by putting them on the shelves? ) colors are also organized.
  
  
  Colors are organized on the diagram, called a color wheel. It is a big shelf where all of the colors in the world are stored. There are three main colors, called primary, blue, yellow and red. It is easy to remember them because when you think of yellow, what comes to mind? Maybe, the sun? When you think about blue, what comes into mind? The sky? And what do you think about when you think about red? Red leaves, fire?
• Also, colors have groups and pairs. On the right side, the colors are paired, according to the common colors: red and yellow, but divided into tones. The tones are the tints of color. For example, to make orange, the tone of yellow, I would mix red and yellow.  
• Activity: call on four students and group the tones of yellow and blue accordingly.
• The colors, like yellow and purple are called opponent; they are opposites; for example, yellow and purple face each other on the color wheel, creating what is called contrast. Contrast defines an object in space. If you were standing next to the yellow wall and were yellow shirt, then you would have a superpower, you would be invisible. But if you wear a purple shirt and stand next to the yellow wall, then I could tell a difference.
• Activity: show a picture for them to understand the difference between the contrasts
• Now, everything has it’s color. What color is grass? Green. What color is the sky? But what if I tell you that the grass is not just green and sky is not just blue. Grass has thousands of different colors and tones. The leaf is not just orange, what colors do you see?
• Activity: draw your favorite object outside, or classroom from observation by using different colors, and not just plain.  
• Materials: color pencils, crayons, a sheet of paper

  

  As one of her favorite objects, my student chose to draw her backyard flowers by utilizing various colors.

  
  

  

  My lesson was successful. Children understood the basic concept of color and color wheel throughly. My favorite part of the lesson was the explaining the concept of color diversity and unity.