Rainbow Heart Color Theory Project

This is an art project I do with my PreK and Kindergarteners.  I use Crayola's Model Magic because of the colors and the ease and cleanliness.

Step 1: Start With the Primary Colors

Step 2: Seperate Into Thirds

Each color needs to be seperated into thirds.  This is hard for young children to do, so I tell them to make 3 piles until they no longer have clay in their hand.

Step 3: Color Wheel Set Up

Have students set up the color wheel by places one yellow, one red, and blue in a triangle then place between the red and the blue a red and blue put together and place a yellow and blue together and set between the yellow and the blue clays and finally the red and the yellow together and placed between the red and yellow ones.  It should make a circle with six pieces of clay.

Step 4:

Start mixing clay... I ask the students to predict what color I will be making... red and blue make purple

Step 5:

Red and yellow make orange

Step 6:

yellow and blue make green... and there you have your basic color wheel with the primary and secondary colors...

Step 7:

start rolling out coils

Step 8:

try to keep them in similar lengths

Step 9:

place the coils in correct order

Step 10:

place the coils in rainbow order and press together so the coils stick together.

Step 11:

Curving the clay will create the upper part of the heart

Step 12:

using your pinching fingers create the point of the heart

Step 13:

flatten and shape until it is heart shaped

Step 14:

I use a straw to create the hole- very quick and easy works well with regular clay also

Step 15:

Remind students when they string the heart not to pull on the string as it will rip out of the clay and when they carry it to the drying place carry it in the palm of their hand not by the string.

Step 16:

I use file labels on the strings to identify whose is whose.  Let them dry for 24 hours and then they may take them home or hang them up on the tree.