Colour Wheel Mural

Overview

In this 45-minute lesson, students in years 0-2 will collaboratively create a large mural representing the colour wheel. Each student will contribute a section to the mural by mixing and painting colours, reinforcing their understanding of primary, secondary colours, and their relationships. The lesson integrates social, cognitive, and creative development following the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, emphasising learning through relationships, engagement, and knowledge building.

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Learning Objectives

Aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Arts and Key Competencies):

• Arts Curriculum (Levels 1-2):
  • Understanding the visual arts: Students will develop an awareness of colour and how colours combine and contrast.
  • Developing practical skills: Mixing and applying paint, handling tools safely and creatively.
  • Communicating and interpreting: Express ideas through visual forms and listen to others’ ideas collaboratively.
• Key Competencies:
  • Managing Self: Take responsibility for their own contribution and tools.
  • Relating to Others: Work collaboratively, share roles, and respect peers’ work.
  • Participating and Contributing: Engage positively to achieve a shared creative goal.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students can:

• Work effectively as a team to create a shared mural.
• Demonstrate basic colour mixing skills to produce secondary colours from primaries.
• Explain or show their understanding of colour relationships (e.g., which colours mix to create others).
• Respectfully share materials and space while contributing their colour section to the mural.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Assign roles tailored to each student's strengths, e.g.,
  • Planning (drawing outlines, deciding colour placement),
  • Mixing colours (using guidance and visuals),
  • Painting (applying paint to the mural).
• Provide visual step-by-step instructions and colour cards to assist comprehension, supporting students with dyslexia and English language learners.
• Use paired or small group support to enhance engagement and aid focus for students with ADHD or short attention spans.

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Extension Activities

• Advanced learners will lead a mural section, assist peers with mixing, and verbally explain their colour choices and relationships to the class.
• Encourage experimenting with tints and shades by adding white or black to colours to extend mastery of colour concepts.

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Resources

• Large mural paper or board sectioned into colour wheel parts.
• Paints: Primary colours (red, yellow, blue), white, and black.
• Paintbrushes, palettes or mixing trays.
• Colour wheel posters or large visual reference.
• Visual instructions with simple colour mixing diagrams.
• Smocks or aprons for painting to protect clothing.

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Lesson Sequence

Time	Activity	Description & Teaching Notes
0–5 minutes	Introduction & Recap	Briefly revisit previous lessons about primary and secondary colours. Show a large colour wheel poster and model colour mixing for secondary colours. Use simple, clear language and visuals.
5–10 minutes	Assign Roles & Demonstrate	Assign mural sections and roles based on student strengths. Demonstrate how to mix paint to create colours needed for the mural section assigned. Use visuals and physical demonstration to reinforce instructions.
10–35 minutes	Collaborative Mural Creation	Students work in assigned groups or pairs on their colour wheel sections, mixing and painting carefully. Teacher circulates offering encouragement and guidance, ensuring sharing of materials and positive collaboration. Visual instructions remain accessible for reference.
35–40 minutes	Sharing & Reflection	Invite students to show their section of the mural, share what colours they mixed, and talk about colour relationships. Advanced learners to explain their colour choices. Celebrate teamwork and creativity.
40–45 minutes	Clean-up & Closure	Students tidy up art materials collaboratively. Reinforce key ideas about colour and teamwork. Preview next lesson’s focus to build curiosity.

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Teaching Considerations

• Use open-ended questions to stimulate thinking (e.g., "What happens if we mix red and yellow?").
• Allow students time to experiment within their roles and scaffold with prompts where needed.
• Reinforce positive social interactions and patience during sharing and collaborative painting.
• Monitor and support students needing extra help with motor skills or with managing ideas.

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Alignment with New Zealand Curriculum Refresh

• The Arts Learning Area:
  • Level 1-2 Visual Arts: Understand that ideas, experiences, and stories can be communicated through colour, line, shape, and texture.
  • Engage in exploration of colour through mixing and application.
• Key Competencies:
  • Managing Self: Students manage materials and time effectively.
  • Relating to Others: Collaboration for shared goals fosters communication skills and respect.
  • Participating and Contributing: Active participation in creating group work develops responsibility and pride in contributions.

This integration supports holistic learning, connecting the arts with social and self-management skills essential for young learners’ development, .

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Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Options

• Use visual instructions with clear, large colour-coded images showing each step of colour mixing and painting.
• Keep language concise and paired with icons (e.g., paint brushes, colour blobs).
• Present instructions on laminated cards or posters around the activity space for easy referral.
• Use explicit modelling and repetition to reinforce steps.

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This plan offers an engaging, hands-on art experience that supports diverse learning needs while being firmly rooted in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh framework, helping teachers provide a rich, collaborative environment.