Rainbow Feelings

Background Information

Objectives

• Students will write their thoughts of how certain colors make them feel, using creativity and description.
• Students will design their own way to combine colorful pictures and their writing to present their final creation.

Materials

• glass dish full of water
• mirror
• flashlight
• cooking oil
• food coloring
• overhead projector
• writing paper and pencils
• 4" x 6" bound booklets of writing paper and rainbow colored paper
• crayons, markers (or other art mediums -- like chalk, watercolors, construction paper for collages)

Procedures

1. Place a glass dish, partially filled with water, on the screen of an overhead projector. Pour 1/4 cup of cooking oil into the dish and a few drops of red food coloring. (The food coloring will stay on top of the oil creating an interesting and colorful design.)
2. Have students think about how the color makes them feel or what it reminds them of, then write down their ideas on writing paper. They should categorize this writing under RED.
3. Change the colors, in the order of the rainbow, adding food coloring or changing the water as necessary. Have students do the same for each color. Allow time for the students to write freely and get all their ideas from the visual display. You may only be able to do a few colors in one writer's workshop. Continue the following days until all the colors of the rainbow are shown. Students may need to start a new color, but reassure them that they will have time to go back to any colors they have not finished writing about. The visual display is only to stimulate their feelings and get them interested in writing.
4. Continue the writer's workshop, with peer editors and teacher conferences to correct spelling and grammar. The students may also need to narrow down or expand their ideas.
5. After writing has been checked, give each student a "rainbow book". They should think of how they are going to illustrate their books and rainbow feelings they have written. For example, if a student described a color as something else that is familiar to them, they may choose to draw that on the colored page. Then using different art mediums, the student should think of a way to present their writing for each color. Encourage them to use their creativity and imagination. Final drafts should be transfered into the writing pages of the book.
6. Let each student share their books of writing and artistic work during "author's chair."

Evaluation of Student Learning

1. Read students' writing as you conference with their work. Not only have they corrected necessary spelling and grammar, but have they used descriptive words and creativity to show how they really feel about a color? How has the student's writing ideas grown compared to other writer's workshops, especially in using this visual display?
2. Observe students as they choose which art medium to present their pictures and written work. Do they take the initiative to design a final product that is their best work? Do their pictures and writing convey their thoughts about colors? Does the "big picture" of their final product present rainbow feelings creatively?