Theme Unit: Colors
Children love learning about colors! Below are some ideas on how to incorporate stories and writing into the topic of colors. There are so many great books about colors, you may want to stop by the Library and explore books like, “Mouse Paint” or “White Rabbit’s Color Book”. Yellow, red and blue tempera paint can be explored on paper, fabric, cardboard, in ziploc baggies, by fingerpainting…endless learning opportunities!
Materials
Theme Box: Many more ideas for learning, and sensory activities are included on the theme page.
Audio Books: “Harold and the Purple Crayon”, “Skippyjon Jones Color Crazy” and “A Color of his Own”
Non-fiction text about color: “Over the Rainbow” (provides some great graphs/diagrams that children may find interesting to explore.
Learning Opportunities
-To identify colors by name
-To identify how green, orange and purple are made
Reader’s Workshop Lesson Ideas
1. “A Color of His Own” by Leo Lionni. In this story a chameleon changes colors while looking for friends of his own. Read the story or listen to the book on tape. Ask children what they think the chameleon was looking for, “Why was he looking for a color?” “Is this a happy or sad story”? Ask children about beginning, middle and end of the story. For older students, have them retell the key details of the book. (Feeling sad, finding another chameleon, and then being happy!)
2. “Harold and the Purple Crayon” By asking a lot of questions of what Harold is drawing or doing with his purple crayon, children will feel involved in the story. For some children, questioning why the author used one color may be interesting. “Why do you think Harold only used one color?” This story poses a great chance to talk about the setting “What setting is Harold drawing”. And children may even answer what they think Harold is like as a child. Ask the children if they liked the story and have them explain why or why not. Exploring beginning, middle and end or concepts of print may be pursued also.
Writer’s Workshop Lesson Ideas
1. My Favorite Cut up pieces of colored paper. Have children pick their favorite color and give them corresponding piece of paper. Make graph of colors on easel. Call on students to place their colored piece of paper onto the graph. Count and find out what color the most students like. Have children write about their favorite color. Model writing about your favorite color and lead discussion by asking questions aloud in order to help expand ideas: “What other things are orange?”, “Are there any foods that are orange? Are there any animals that are orange?” Encourage older students to use the sentence stem “My favorite color is__________”.
2. List Have pictures of objects of different colors. Initiate a conversation about colors. “Hm, let’s think of things that are ORANGE! Can we look around the classroom and see anything that is orange? Talk to your partner and think of something at home that is orange?” As a class, make a list of things that are green, or blue and continue through colors. After you’ve worked as a class, have students go to table to make their own list of colors/objects. Then, meet back at the carpet and have children share work.
3. Harold’s Purple Crayon Model writing using one color, just as Harold did in his story. What setting can you create? Where will you go in your story? After using one color to write a story and share during share time, have children go back and add details to their stories, encouraging them to use more colors, if they want to!
Crafts
Macaroni Necklaces: Dye macaroni noodles every color of the rainbow. (Food coloring, rubbing alcohol and plastic bags). Once they are dry help you children string them onto a lanyard cord to make rainbow necklaces. (These noodles can be used for sorting, counting, pattern making, or art-time).
Color Scavenger Hunt: Prepare by placing Have a paper bag with a color written on it (in that color). Set a time limit and tell class you want them to find things in the classroom that are the color that’s written on their bag. For added time, first go around the circle and have each child say what color they have. Lead discussion about what things everyone can think of that are that color.
Tie Dye Sheet
Materials: White Sheet, Spray Bottles, Food Coloring
Directions: Fill spray bottles with water and food coloring. Hang a sheet outside, (on fence). Have children spray the sheet. Once the sheet is try you can use it in your classroom as a picnic blanket, table cloth, rug for group time or a bulletin board background.
Coffee Filter watercolors
Materials :Coffee Filters, Markers, , Spray Bottle
Directions: Have each student fold up their coffee filter into sections (in half, in half again to make a small triangle). *You’ll want to have a couple pre-made for little ones. Have them color the triangle with markers. When finished, spray the coffee filter lightly with water. Let dry. Open the filters at the end of class and the class will see the colors have gone through all the layers. See if they can identity colors that they made by the colors mixing together!
Paper Rainbow
Materials: Construction Paper (every color of the rainbow)Glue Paintbrush
Directions: Give each child a half of sheet of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple paper. Have your children tear the papers into pieces. Next have your children use a paintbrush to spread glue around their paper to form a rainbow. Then place the ripped paper in the glue in a rainbow pattern. Help them identify the colors.
Materials
Theme Box: Many more ideas for learning, and sensory activities are included on the theme page.
Audio Books: “Harold and the Purple Crayon”, “Skippyjon Jones Color Crazy” and “A Color of his Own”
Non-fiction text about color: “Over the Rainbow” (provides some great graphs/diagrams that children may find interesting to explore.
Learning Opportunities
-To identify colors by name
-To identify how green, orange and purple are made
Reader’s Workshop Lesson Ideas
1. “A Color of His Own” by Leo Lionni. In this story a chameleon changes colors while looking for friends of his own. Read the story or listen to the book on tape. Ask children what they think the chameleon was looking for, “Why was he looking for a color?” “Is this a happy or sad story”? Ask children about beginning, middle and end of the story. For older students, have them retell the key details of the book. (Feeling sad, finding another chameleon, and then being happy!)
2. “Harold and the Purple Crayon” By asking a lot of questions of what Harold is drawing or doing with his purple crayon, children will feel involved in the story. For some children, questioning why the author used one color may be interesting. “Why do you think Harold only used one color?” This story poses a great chance to talk about the setting “What setting is Harold drawing”. And children may even answer what they think Harold is like as a child. Ask the children if they liked the story and have them explain why or why not. Exploring beginning, middle and end or concepts of print may be pursued also.
Writer’s Workshop Lesson Ideas
1. My Favorite Cut up pieces of colored paper. Have children pick their favorite color and give them corresponding piece of paper. Make graph of colors on easel. Call on students to place their colored piece of paper onto the graph. Count and find out what color the most students like. Have children write about their favorite color. Model writing about your favorite color and lead discussion by asking questions aloud in order to help expand ideas: “What other things are orange?”, “Are there any foods that are orange? Are there any animals that are orange?” Encourage older students to use the sentence stem “My favorite color is__________”.
2. List Have pictures of objects of different colors. Initiate a conversation about colors. “Hm, let’s think of things that are ORANGE! Can we look around the classroom and see anything that is orange? Talk to your partner and think of something at home that is orange?” As a class, make a list of things that are green, or blue and continue through colors. After you’ve worked as a class, have students go to table to make their own list of colors/objects. Then, meet back at the carpet and have children share work.
3. Harold’s Purple Crayon Model writing using one color, just as Harold did in his story. What setting can you create? Where will you go in your story? After using one color to write a story and share during share time, have children go back and add details to their stories, encouraging them to use more colors, if they want to!
Crafts
Macaroni Necklaces: Dye macaroni noodles every color of the rainbow. (Food coloring, rubbing alcohol and plastic bags). Once they are dry help you children string them onto a lanyard cord to make rainbow necklaces. (These noodles can be used for sorting, counting, pattern making, or art-time).
Color Scavenger Hunt: Prepare by placing Have a paper bag with a color written on it (in that color). Set a time limit and tell class you want them to find things in the classroom that are the color that’s written on their bag. For added time, first go around the circle and have each child say what color they have. Lead discussion about what things everyone can think of that are that color.
Tie Dye Sheet
Materials: White Sheet, Spray Bottles, Food Coloring
Directions: Fill spray bottles with water and food coloring. Hang a sheet outside, (on fence). Have children spray the sheet. Once the sheet is try you can use it in your classroom as a picnic blanket, table cloth, rug for group time or a bulletin board background.
Coffee Filter watercolors
Materials :Coffee Filters, Markers, , Spray Bottle
Directions: Have each student fold up their coffee filter into sections (in half, in half again to make a small triangle). *You’ll want to have a couple pre-made for little ones. Have them color the triangle with markers. When finished, spray the coffee filter lightly with water. Let dry. Open the filters at the end of class and the class will see the colors have gone through all the layers. See if they can identity colors that they made by the colors mixing together!
Paper Rainbow
Materials: Construction Paper (every color of the rainbow)Glue Paintbrush
Directions: Give each child a half of sheet of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple paper. Have your children tear the papers into pieces. Next have your children use a paintbrush to spread glue around their paper to form a rainbow. Then place the ripped paper in the glue in a rainbow pattern. Help them identify the colors.