Color Our World

It’s a colorful world! But how often do think about color? How is it made? What can we do with it? The following websites help you experience color from many different angles.

CONNECT:

If you mix primary colors, do you get black or white? YES! Find out why that happens by looking at http://www.omsi.edu/tech/colormix.php

How do other animals see color around them? Look through their eyes at http://www.colormatters.com/color-matters-for-kids/how-animals-see-color. This website also explains the anatomy of vision and color – as well as other color matters.

How are crayons made? Watch a couple of fun videos about their production: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMU-wXsgyR8 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5f7NuGkhX0

What is a rainbow? How are they made? Find the answers and more at http://eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/

Is the Milky Way really white? You might be surprised with the real answer: http://news.discovery.com/space/milky-way-colors-120111.htm

The French artist Matisse is known for his colorful painting. This website explains Matisse to children: http://www.artbma.org/flash/F_conekids.swf

Does white always mean purity? Does red almost mean anger? Colors symbolize different things in different cultures. See examples at: http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/middle/color2.htm. This website has several other activities about color.

CREATE:

Try you hand at experimenting with color: http://www.crayola.com/for-educators/resources-landing/articles/color-experiments.aspx and http://www.projects-for-kids.com/science-projects/primary-colors.php

How about rainbows? Try activities from this sampler: http://www.sciencecompanion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/RainbowColor-and-Light-Digital-Sampler.pdf

Why do leaves change color? Find out at http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html. This website also gives you directions for you to separate colors in a leaf yourself.

Explore this artist’s toolkit on color: http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/explore.cfm

CARE:

By coloring, you can learn about the U. S. Forest Service, and how it helps save plants for everyone to enjoy: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/kids/coloring/

Has your family created some great art? How to you take care of it? This website gives useful advice: http://www.bcagalleries.com/support.asp?section_ID=130&parent=130

You can recycle old crayons into “new” ones by following the directions at http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalfun/ht/Make_Crayons.htm

When did girls start wearing pink? The Smithsonian explains that history at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/When-Did-Girls-Start-Wearing-Pink.html. Think about how families assign different things and actions to girls and boys. Should we be mixing things up a bit more – like colors?

CAREERS:

Color affects us in so many ways. Brainstorm all the careers that involve color. Your list might include artists, decorators, publishers, advertisers, eye doctors (e.g., ophthalmologists and optometrists), chemists, physicists, psychologists, anthropologists, manufacturers, even chefs.

Here’s an interview with a color specialist: http://www.jobshadow.com/interview-with-a-color-expert/

Want a cutting edge color-related job? How about polymer and color chemist? http://www.ncsu.edu/majors-careers/do_with_major_in/showmajor.php?id=94

If you’re interested in visual arts, this website has links to hundreds of careers: http://www.khake.com/page42.html