Colour Connections

Overview

In this second lesson of “Creative Connections: Art & Tech”, students will experiment with paint to discover how primary colours combine to make secondary colours. They will create a simple colour wheel and share one idea about what they learned while making it.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• experiment and play with visual conventions and materials by mixing paint colours
• use visual arts processes to create a colour wheel using primary and secondary colours
• notice and explain differences between colours they create through mixing
• share and discuss their artwork in an informal class setting

Success criteria

• I can mix at least two secondary colours from primary colours.
• I can place primary and secondary colours in the correct places on my colour wheel.
• I can describe what happened when I mixed two colours (what changed?).
• I can share one thing I liked or found challenging about my colour wheel.

Curriculum links

• Students experiment and play with visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials.
• Students use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks.
• Students share artworks and/or visual arts practice in informal settings.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Hook & materials check. Teacher shows a prepared colour wheel sample and two mixed paint puddles (one primary mix example, one secondary). Students turn-and-talk: “What colours do you think will make green/orange/purple?”
2. 4–10 min · Direct teach: primary and secondary. Teacher models mixing one colour pair (e.g., blue + yellow) with a small demo brush, naming primary colours and describing secondary colours as “made by mixing two primaries.” Students observe and repeat a quick “dry run” practice: dab, rinse, dab (no wet paint yet if classroom needs extra control).
3. 10–18 min · Experiment stations (silent mix). Teacher sets out limited supplies: paper colour wheel templates, paint cups, brushes, water, and paper towels; explains students will work silently for 2 minutes on mixing only the three secondary colours they need. Students mix in small steps: choose two primaries, mix, test with a tiny paint mark, then adjust by adding a little more of one primary. Teacher circulates and prompts: “What do you notice is changing?”
4. 18–24 min · Create: colour wheel painting. Teacher reminds students to use clean brush habits and to follow the wheel sections (primary colours placed first, then fill the spaces for secondary colours). Students paint their colour wheel sections carefully, starting with primary colours and filling secondary sections once satisfied with the mix. Teacher checks for coverage and paint clarity (not muddy mixtures).
5. 24–28 min · Quick reflection using prompts. Teacher gives 2 sentence starters on the board: “When I mixed ___ and ___, I noticed ___.” and “Something that was challenging was ___ because ___.” Students finish one sentence in their art journal/scratch paper.
6. 28–30 min · Share & celebrate. Teacher invites each student to show their wheel to a partner (or whole class if time) and share one success or one challenge. Students present briefly, focusing on the colour-mixing observation.

Resources

• Pre-drawn colour wheel templates (one per student) with clear sections
• Primary paint colours (red, yellow, blue) and secondary targets (optional guide, not prefilled)
• Student-safe paint cups or palettes
• Paintbrushes (one per colour stage if possible; otherwise ensure rinse routine)
• Water cups and paper towels
• Art aprons or old shirts
• Paper towels for blotting and brush cleaning
• Art journals or scrap paper for reflection sentence starters
• Teacher sample colour wheel
• Timer for silent experiment and transition moments

Assessment

• Observe during mixing: whether students test, adjust, and use clean brush routines.
• Check the colour wheel at the end: primary and secondary colours are correctly placed and clearly mixed.
• Collect quick reflection sentences: students describe cause-and-effect (“mixed two primaries → got a new colour”).

Differentiation

• Support: Provide a “mixing steps” visual card (dab → rinse → dab → test mark → adjust) and allow extra time for drying between fills.
• Support: Offer sentence starters and a word bank (primary, secondary, mix, more/less, darker/lighter, muddy/clean).
• Extension: Challenge students to create a lighter or darker version of one secondary colour by adding more of one primary (then label it on the wheel margin).
• EAL/SEN: Use gestures and colour samples; accept verbal or guided responses for reflection; allow pointing to sections on the wheel instead of longer writing.