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Mixing Colors

Third graders learn how the three primary colors mix to make secondary colors — red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green — unlocking a whole rainbow of colors for their art.

Grade 3Color35 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Mix colors.
  • ✓Make secondary colors.
  • ✓Match mixes to results.
  • ✓Use mixed colors.
Essential Question

With just a few colors, you can mix a whole rainbow! What happens when you mix two colors together?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Color Mix

Project this and match each color mix to what it makes — tap a mix, then tap the result.

🎨 Match each color mix to what it makesTry it
Color Mix
Makes
Now tap what it makes!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Look — A Whole Rainbow

4 min

With a few colors you can mix a rainbow — how?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Mix two colors.
  • Ask what they made.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Mixing Colors

9 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Color Mix.
  • Match each one.
  • Try mixing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Mix it.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

10 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Mix orange.
  • Mix green.
  • Paint with a mix.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Mix it.
  • Mix it.
  • Paint it.
4

Share — Share

8 min

Children share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a color you mixed.
  • Name the mix.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Name it.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a color mix.
  • Say what it makes.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Visual Arts).

NCAS
VA:Cr2.1.3

Mix colors to make art.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.2.3

Plan color mixing.

NCAS
VA:Re7.1.3

Perceive mixed colors.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.1.3

Explore color as an element.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Color-mix cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ and ___ make ___.”
  • Use paint.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with red + yellow.
  • Use paint.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Mix more colors.
  • Make a color wheel.
  • Mix light and dark.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎨Paint
  • 💻Match the Color Mix
  • 🖌️Brushes
  • 📄Paper
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

mixto blend colorsprimary colorred, blue, or yellowsecondary colormade by mixing two primariesorangered + yellowgreenblue + yellowpurplered + blueshadea darker colortinta lighter color
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What do red and yellow make?
Orange.
QUESTION 2
What do blue and yellow make?
Green.
QUESTION 3
What do red and blue make?
Purple.

Reflect: mix a color.

Have children mix two colors at home (paint or markers) and name the new color. A printable mixing sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Mixing ColorsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Mixing ColorsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Mixing ColorsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: green, mix, orange, primary color, purple, secondary color, shade, tint
  1. blue + yellow
  2. red + yellow
  3. red, blue, or yellow
  4. to blend colors
  5. a lighter color
  6. a darker color
  7. red + blue
  8. made by mixing two primaries

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What do red and yellow make?
  2. What do blue and yellow make?
  3. What do red and blue make?
Answer key — Part A: 1) green · 2) orange · 3) primary color · 4) mix · 5) tint · 6) shade · 7) purple · 8) secondary color
Part B: 1) Orange. 2) Green. 3) Purple.