"Color Quest: Art, Emotion, and Expression!"

High School Grade

Lesson
258 minutes

"Color Quest: Art, Emotion, and Expression!"

Morgan liu

Purpose

This lesson empowers students to explore and understand the dynamic role of color in art and nature. Through hands-on projects and community partnerships, students will investigate how colors convey emotions, tell stories, and reflect seasonal changes. By engaging in collaborative and individual art-making activities, students will deepen their mastery of color theory and its application in real-world contexts.

Learning goals

Students will explore how colors can convey emotions and narratives, using their understanding of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors to create expressive art. They will analyze the impact of color in storytelling through collaboration with a community theater group, enhancing their skills in using color to set mood and tone. Additionally, students will observe and document seasonal color changes in nature, applying these insights to their artistic projects. Through peer-led workshops and a gallery walk, students will reflect on and articulate their mastery of color theory, demonstrating their ability to communicate ideas visually.

Standards

National Core Arts Standards - VA:Cr2.1.HSI: Engage in making a work of art or design without having a preconceived plan.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Common Core - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

Week 1	Day 1
Activities	Students will explore the basic concepts of color theory, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. The discussion will include how colors can express emotions and ideas. Students will engage in a brief brainstorming session on how colors are used in everyday life. This activity sets the foundation for understanding how color is used in art and storytelling. (25 minutes) In this team-based activity, students will use a limited palette of primary colors to create art pieces. They will work collaboratively to mix and match colors to convey specific emotions and narratives. The challenge will culminate in presentations where each team shares their creative process and the emotional impact of their artwork. This activity encourages creativity and application of color mixing skills. (60 minutes) Students will participate in a workshop led by a community theater group. They will learn how set and costume designers use color to enhance storytelling and create mood on stage. This hands-on session will help students understand real-world applications of color theory and inspire their own projects. The workshop will conclude with a mini-performance using their own color choices. (50 minutes) Students will engage in outdoor observation to document the colors of trees and nature as they change with the seasons. They will take notes and make sketches, focusing on the transition of colors and how these changes can inspire art. This activity connects students with their environment and encourages them to incorporate natural color changes into their creative projects. (30 minutes) Students will work individually to create art projects using intermediate colors. They will apply their understanding of color theory to express specific themes or stories. During this time, students will also reflect on how their color choices convey emotions and ideas. This activity helps solidify their mastery of using intermediate colors in art. (50 minutes) Students will display their color-themed art projects in a gallery walk format. Peers and teachers will provide feedback, focusing on the use of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors to convey emotions and narratives. Students will also reflect on their learning experience and articulate how they applied color theory in their work. This activity allows students to showcase their creativity and gain insights from others. (38 minutes)
Deliverables
Preparation