First Grade Color Theory

First graders have been learning about the properties of colors and how they are used in art, including primary colors, secondary colors, and complementary colors. First, we looked at the color wheel and I explained that the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) were like the building blocks and that while they could mix to make other colors, you can't make them by mixing colors. 

Then, I showed them examples of how two artists had used only primary colors in their work. We looked at Stepping Out by Roy Lichtenstein and Broadway Boogie Woogie by Piet Mondrian.

Then, I presented the project, where first graders had to choose primary color collage materials from a bin of collage papers. I also offered "gifts" of secondary color (green, orange, and purple) materials but they said "No thank you!"

Next class, they mixed primary color paint to create secondary colors. They painted shapes with the new colors. Then, they cut out the shapes and drew lines and labels to create their own color wheel.

Next, I introduced complementary colors, pairs of colors that make each other look brighter when juxtaposed. These include purple & yellow, red & green, and blue & orange.  We observed abstract paintings by Sonia Delaunay, then they tried their hand at creating abstract designs with complementary colors.