DESCRIPTION: Students express their feelings, reactions, likes or dislikes about a particular color.

OBJECTIVES: Students demonstrate how color can convey ideas and emotions.

PROCEDURE: Color is one of many elements that communicates ideas and emotions. Let's choose a color and write a poem together. Think carefully about the color yellow, what is the first word that comes to mind? Let's all take a turn saying a word and I will write each one down. Is it a sound? (a smell, a taste, a food, an animal, an activity, a place, anything) (Perhaps the tour guide will begin.) Let's find a work of art that has our color in it, and see which words fit that painting. (Have students choose words that make a poem for that painting. Do it with a couple of different works that have the same color.)

VARIATION: Think of a color. What comes to mind? On the top of your paper write down the color. This will be the title for your poem. Next, answer the following questions:

· What thing (noun) comes to mind? (i.e. engine, apple)
· What words describing the actions (adverb) come to mind? (i.e. fast, slowly)
· What action (verb) comes to mind? (i.e. cry, run)
· What descriptive word (adjective) comes to mind? (i.e. funny, angry)

Now put the words from each question together and form a sentence (i.e., the angry apple runs fast). Find the painting that has a red in it that fits your red. This is where you can read your poem.

Notes: As you look at works of art, be sure to discuss how other elements contribute to or work against the ideas.

MINNESOTA GRADUATION STANDARDS:
(1) Read, View, Listen
(2) Write and Speak
(3) Literature and the Arts

Age level: Appropriate for grades 3 and up.
Artworks used: Go to areas of the gallery where works with a variety of color are located and where it requires students to use their imaginations in viewing an artwork.
Props needed: Easel, paper and markers.
Related to Minneapolis Sculpture Garden: No
Notes: It does take some time. Limit the space used.


© 1998 WALKER ART CENTER