Rainbow Activities

Each year, my first thematic unit is Colors.  We choose a color a day and do  literacy, math, and science activities for each color.  To end the unit, we have Rainbow Day.  Here are 2 different activities I like to do for Rainbow Day.

For our first art center activity, we make Rainbow Hearts.  This is good practice for reading and following simple directions, plus tracing and cutting skills.  Here is a picture of the completed project.

I write the directions on sentence strips and place them in a pocket chart.  You can also write the steps on chart paper and hang on the wall.  I make 6 hearts in different sizes.  Print these on card stock for sturdiness.  Then cut them out.  These will be your templates.  On each template, write a color word so students will know which color of construction paper to trace the heart on.  Make red the biggest, then orange slightly smaller, and so on with yellow, green, blue, and purple.

Another fun (and edible) activity is a primary and secondary colors activity.  You simply mix vanilla icing and red, blue, and yellow food coloring to make the 3 primary colors.  Then you mix the 3 primary colors to make 3 secondary colors.  Here are some pictures of the activity.

 

        

         

         

After mixing each color, I have students spread a little bit on a vanilla wafer.  Then the best part is to eat it!