Blended Colour Wheel

Creating a detailed, curriculum-aligned lesson plan for the Year 7 Visual Arts class in Western Australia focused on creating a blended colour wheel with oil pastels, here is a highly specific and practical plan designed for 50 minutes, accommodating diverse learners including differentiation and extension opportunities.

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Unit Context

Unit: Exploring Art through Picasso Lesson: 13 of 20 Duration: 50 minutes Class size: 20 students Subject: Visual Arts Year Level: 7

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Curriculum Alignment

Western Australian Curriculum (The Arts: Visual Arts Years 7 and 8)

• Content Description: Experiment with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to develop skills. Apply arts elements and techniques to create artworks that communicate ideas and meaning - Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability, Literacy (visual arts terminology and dyslexia-friendly materials), and Ethical Understanding (respecting materials and sustainable use).

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Learning Intentions (WALT)

• We Are Learning To:
• Apply oil pastel blending techniques to create a blended colour wheel.
• Understand the relationships between primary, secondary, and tertiary colours.
• Experiment with layering and blending pastels to manipulate colour visually.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

• Complete a visually appealing, accurately blended colour wheel.
• Demonstrate understanding of primary, secondary, and tertiary colours by blending pastels.
• Use oil pastel techniques such as layering, smudging, and colour transitions effectively.
• Show safe and respectful use of materials.

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Resources Needed

• Circular templates for the colour wheel (divided into 12 segments).
• Oil pastels in primary colours (red, yellow, blue) + secondary and tertiary colours, or white/black for tint/shade practice.
• Blending tools (optional: finger, paper stump, cotton buds).
• A3 or A4 heavyweight paper per student.
• Smocks or aprons to protect clothing.
• Visual reference posters of the colour wheel and blending techniques.
• Dyslexia-friendly visual aid cards with step-by-step blending instructions and colour names.
• A small group station with alternative materials (e.g., coloured pencils, chalk pastels) for differentiation.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Description
0-5 mins	Introduction & Recap	Brief discussion: Review colour wheel basics (primary, secondary, tertiary). Show examples including Picasso’s use of colour. WALT and success criteria shared. Use dyslexia-friendly visual cards for instructions.
5-10 mins	Demonstration	Teacher models how to apply oil pastels, blend colours smoothly in segment transitions, layering and smudging techniques. Emphasise safe, neat technique and material respect.
10-40 mins	Practical Activity	Students create their blended colour wheels on templates. Teacher circulates to support blending technique, and scaffold where needed. Alternative materials available for students who prefer or require different media. Emphasis on exploration and personal expression within guidelines.
40-45 mins	Peer Reflection & Feedback	Students pair up to discuss what techniques worked well, challenges, and their colour blending choices. Use guiding questions with focus on technique and colour relationships.
45-50 mins	Clean-up and Plenary	Quick tidy-up routine. Group discussion reinforcing how blending creates visual interest and depth. Extend appreciation for colour theory and relation to Picasso’s artworks. Preview next lesson focus.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For Diverse Learners:

• Provide step-by-step visuals and simplified language instructions (dyslexia-friendly).

• Alternate materials available (chalk pastels, coloured pencils) for fine motor or sensitivity issues.

• Allow additional time for students who need it.

• One-on-one or small group support during practical task.

• Clear, sequential breaking down of blending steps with teacher modelling at eye level.

• For Advanced Learners:

• Challenge to create a second colour wheel focusing on tints, shades and tones by adding white/black pastels.

• Encourage exploration of texture by layering with different pressures and stroke types.

• Prompt to relate their colour choice and blending styles to Picasso’s shifting colour use in key artworks.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of technique application during activity.
• Peer feedback using specific reflection questions on blending and colour relationships.
• Completed blended colour wheel checked for: smooth colour transitions, correct order of colour segments, and effort in technique application.
• Teacher notes on individual student’s ability to blend and understanding of colour theory for future lesson planning.

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Extension Activities

• Create a personal abstract artwork incorporating blended colours inspired by Picasso’s palette.
• Research and present on how colour symbolism evolved in Picasso’s Blue and Rose periods.
• Experiment with digital colour wheels in software to compare with oil pastel effects.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Supports

• Use colour-coded, large print instructions with icons.
• Provide hands-on, stepwise guidance with oral and visual cues.
• Allow verbal explanations and demonstrations repeatedly.
• Use high-contrast materials and well-lit workspaces.
• Allow discussion and reflection in pairs to aid understanding.

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This lesson optimally balances curriculum mandates and the teacher’s context while ensuring all students can access and extend their competence in colour theory via engaging, practical art-making rooted in visual arts processes and materials manipulation consistent with Western Australian Curriculum standards for Year 7 Visual Arts.