| Lesson Title: Colors in Context |
| Overview: Students will participate in group exercises and classroom discussion in order to explore their own interpretion of colors and color combinations. By providing students with an opportunity to compare classroom discussion results with foreign and domestic partner schools, this lesson is designed to help students discover that the same colors and images may evoke completely different feelings and emotions for people of different cultures and backgrounds. |
| Frameworks: View how this lesson ties into the Frameworks. |
| Grade Level: Grades 5-6 |
| Objective: To help students understand that a person's culture and background influence the way in which he/she interprets colors and images. |
| Time: 1-2 Classroom Sessions |
| Motivation: Every teacher seems to have his/her own tips and techniques on how best to motivate different groups of students. I'd love to hear your ideas via e-mail on how YOU would motivate students to actively participate in this lesson. |
| Materials: Color squares.Internet connection and e-mail/chat access. Optional: You may want to prepare slides of artwork from your partner school's country in order to illustrate how various colors are used symbolicly. |
| Preparation: 1. Establish two partner schools to complete this project. Choose one school from a different region of the United States and another school from a foreign country. In order to find potential partner schools, you may want to consult the following Internet resources: |
| Procedure: [Part 1] 1. Introduce the topic by asking students questions such as "What is your favorite color?", "Why is that your favorite color?", "When you see that color, what does it make you think about?" 2. Split the students into small groups and give them each a set of the colored squares, as well as a piece of paper with a list of the individual colors and a list of color combinations (i.e. red/green, orange/black, etc.). Ask each group to discuss and write down 2-4 words/phrases which come to mind when they see each color or color combination. (i.e. orange/brown= Fall, Thanksgiving). 3. As a class, allow each group to share their responses. Make a list of at least 3-4 words/phases for each color and color combination. 4. Discuss with the students how the same colors and color combinations may mean very different things to different people. To demonstrate this principle, choose a few different color combinations, and discuss their significance in other cultures. (Refer to Resources section below for discussion ideas). 5. Explain to the students that another U.S. class and a foreign class are conducting the exact same color experiment that they have done today. Explain that during the next class, the students will find out what these colors and color combinations meant to other students who live in a different part of the globe. 6. E-mail your class' results to your two partner schools. You have opportunity to discuss the results of the lesson with the other two partnering teachers, and ask for clarification to any of the students' responses. [Part 2] 1. Examine and discuss with your class the responses of the other two schools' students to the color experiment. Compare how their answers were similar or different from your students' responses. |
| Reflections: This will vary according to the similarities and differences between your class' responses and those of your partner schools. |
| Resources: Learn more about the interpretation of colors in other cultures: Japan, China |
| Modifications: This experiment can be adapted to focus on the interpretation of images as opposed to colors. |
| Special Considerations: When you are choosing a foreign partner school, you may find your results more satisfying if you partner with a school from a non-Western country. However, don't forget to keep in mind issues of language barriers. |
| Author: For comments and suggestions, please feel free to contact Christine Kerrigan. |