Color Wheel

Here's a simple and fun way to get a color wheel into the hands of primary students.  The colored wheel can be found here and the black and white here.

Following introduction to the color wheel and discussing primary and secondary colors and how the color wheel works, I give the kiddies a little assignment.  They are each given a set of paints, water, brush, and plain paper.  I paint with them and demonstrate each step. I have them paint a picture using all six basic colors but they can only use the blue, yellow, and red from the tray.  They have to make their own secondary colors.  Colors are mixed right on the paper.

Students paint a purple butterfly, orange sun, green tree, blue sky, adding yellow and red in whatever way they want.  Here are a couple of paintings by the 1st graders.

This is just one of many ideas I use for teaching color theory.  I like this activity because I can complete the entire process in one 45 minute lesson.

One of the most popular centers in my classroom is the paint center.  Periodically, I only supply the center with the three primary colors and let the kids use painting trays for mixing.  After a few weeks I add the secondary colors and challenge the kids to create new and interesting colors.  I love the conversations that I hear at this center.

A good book to use to show color relationships is Mouse Paint.   

Next year I hope to make some primary color Playdough and give each student a Ziploc bag with two primary colors in each bag.  Then the kiddies can mix their colors and take home a secondary color.

Here's another lesson idea on the color wheel.  I would love to hear your ideas as well.

Deep Sparkle Color Wheel Lesson