Learning Colors Through Number Bonds

Kindergarten at Langston Hudges Academy | Kindergarten & Visual Art
Ms. Eliza + Mrs. Ceazer, Mrs. Marshall, and Ms. Thompson

In Kindergarten, students are learning number bonds as a way to master addition. They are learning the concept part + part = whole. This concept is very integral to mixing colors as well. For the rest of the semester, we are planning on focusing on painting and as an introduction, we decided to do a color-blending activity. As a class, we reviewed all the primary colors and secondary colors. We then used the same setup as number bonds to understand how to mix primary colors in order to achieve secondary colors.

Next, I printed out color bond worksheets and had students fill them in with paint. This allowed them to identify which colors when mixed together make another color and practice paint application. We talked about how we treat our materials with respect, how we are gentle with them, and how we share paint with others. 

This lesson went super well. I think the simplicity of it allowed for students to really start to understand how to use paint and how to mix colors. Each teacher was able to bring in their own academic teaching to the lesson and enhance it and relate it back to math. The students had so much fun with the paint and thought mixing colors was magical, and it is!