Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Visual Arts · Grade 7

Complementary Colors

Seventh graders learn about complementary colors — pairs that sit opposite on the color wheel, like red and green — and how placing them together makes each one look brighter and more vivid.

Grade 7Color45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain complementary colors.
  • ✓Name the pairs.
  • ✓Match colors to complements.
  • ✓Use them for contrast.
Essential Question

Why does a red flower pop against green leaves? They’re complementary colors! What are they, and how do artists use them?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Complementary Color

Project this and match each color (or idea) to its complement or meaning — tap the left, then tap the right.

🎨 Match each color to its complementTry it
Color / Idea
Complement / Meaning
Now tap the match!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

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

1

Look — Colors That Pop

5 min

A red flower pops against green leaves — why? Complementary colors!

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a complementary pair.
  • Ask why it pops.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Complements

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Match the Complementary Color.
  • Match each one.
  • See them on the wheel.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Note it.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

13 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pair two complements.
  • Place them together.
  • See the contrast pop.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pair it.
  • Place it.
  • See it.
4

Share — Share

11 min

Students share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show your color pairing.
  • Explain the contrast.
  • Give feedback.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Explain.
  • Feedback.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a complementary pair.
  • Say what they do together.
  • 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:Cr2.1.7

Use complementary colors.

NCAS
VA:Re7.1.7

Perceive color relationships.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.2.7

Plan a color scheme.

NCAS
VA:Re7.2.7

Describe color contrast.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Color-wheel cards.
  • Sentence frame: “The complement of ___ is ___.”
  • Use a color wheel.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with red-green.
  • Use a color wheel.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Paint a complementary artwork.
  • Explain color schemes.
  • Mix complements to gray.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🎨A color wheel
  • 💻Match the Complementary Color
  • 🖌️Paint
  • 📄Paper
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

complementary colorsopposite pairs on the wheelcolor wheela ring of colorscontraststrong differencesvividbright and boldred/greena complementary pairblue/orangea complementary pairyellow/purplea complementary pairschemea set of colors used together
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 is the complement of red?
Green.
QUESTION 2
What is the complement of blue?
Orange.
QUESTION 3
What happens when you place complements together?
They make each other look brighter.

Reflect: make it pop.

Have students find a complementary color pair in the world and describe how they pop together. A printable complementary 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.

🃏 Complementary ColorsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Complementary ColorsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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.

🖨️ Complementary ColorsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: blue/orange, color wheel, complementary colors, contrast, red/green, scheme, vivid, yellow/purple
  1. strong differences
  2. opposite pairs on the wheel
  3. a complementary pair
  4. bright and bold
  5. a set of colors used together
  6. a complementary pair
  7. a complementary pair
  8. a ring of colors

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the complement of red?
  2. What is the complement of blue?
  3. What happens when you place complements together?
Answer key — Part A: 1) contrast · 2) complementary colors · 3) red/green · 4) vivid · 5) scheme · 6) blue/orange · 7) yellow/purple · 8) color wheel
Part B: 1) Green. 2) Orange. 3) They make each other look brighter.