Title – A Rainbow’s What You Get!

By – Hollie Regalo

Subject – Art, Science

Grade Level – K-2nd

In this lesson, students will use previous learning in science to create a crayon-resist.

Time Needed: One 45-minute class.

Objectives:

1. TLW recall the terms “rainbow” and “clouds”.

2. TLW recite the order of colors in a rainbow/prism.

3. TLW create a crayon-resist using science knowledge.

Optional: TLW illustrate a type of cloud formation.

Supplies:

book “A Rainbow of My Own”

12″ x 9″ 60# drawing paper

crayons in the colors of the rainbow

watercolors

watercolor brushes

cups of water

paper towels

newspaper or tablecloths

paint shirts or smocks

Set:

(My first-graders complete an in-depth science unit on weather, so I coordinated this activity outside of our regular art time.) Remind students that they have been studying weather. Ask students to tell you some things they have learned, especially about clouds and cloud formations. Read the book “A Rainbow of My Own” (or another story involving a rainbow). Tell students that a rainbow occurs when sunlight passes through raindrops falling from rain clouds. This is why we see a rainbow as the rain is tapering off and the sun is coming out again. Rainbow colors always appear in the same order. Teach students “The Rainbow Song”, sung to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”:

Red, orange, yellow, green

Blue and vi-o-let,

First the rain

And then the sun,

A rainbow’s what you get!

(Simple hand motions can also be included.)

Tell students that they will be making a picture with a rainbow.

Instruction:

1. Explain the crayon-relief process. Students will need to color very heavily with crayon first, then paint over the drawing with watercolors (watered-down tempera paint may also be used).

2. Have students use crayons to draw and color a rainbow with colors in “rainbow order”. They may choose to add the sun, raindrops, or other details, but they must press down.

3. I use this lesson as a chance to familiarize my first-graders with watercolors and proper technique, i.e.: colors in a pan must be wetted first, brush gently, rinse and wipe the brush between colors. You may choose to use liquid watercolors in a bottle so that the colors are teacher-controlled.

4. When coloring is completed, have students brush the paint across the page quickly; the paint should bead up on top of crayon areas, but repeated brushing or scrubbing will destroy the effect. For stormy clouds, use black, gray, or dark blue. I like to walk around and squirt drops of white onto students’ papers; they love to mix it and it produces a cloudy effect.

5. Watch for over-painting, as the paper will only take a certain amount before it begins to ripple or even tear. A heavier grade of paper (such as 80#) will reduce this effect, but it is more expensive.

Closure:

As students clean up, lead early-finishers in The Rainbow Song. Ask students what type of cloud formations they included in their pictures (if this information was taught).

Evaluation:

-Did students use the crayon-resist technique properly?

-What creative choices did students make as far as placement of rainbows, cloud types, details, etc.?

-Did students use the rainbow colors in the proper order?

NOTE: A really useful idea I got from another art teacher is to have students use “rainbow order” to arrange crayons, colored pencils, etc. at cleanup time. This way, students can easily see what colors are missing. I used this lesson to introduce the concept to my first-graders, and they were suprisingly successful with it. In fact, they could do it more effectively than my fifth-graders! :-)

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Hollie Regalo

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