- paper circles (blue; light and dark)
- color
- dark
- light
- shade
MA Standards:
Reading for Informational Texts/RI.P.MA.1: With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about an informational text read aloud.
Reading for Informational Texts/
RI.P.MA.7: With prompting and support, describe important details from an illustration or photograph.
Head Start Outcomes:
Literacy Knowledge/Book Appreciation and Knowledge: Asks and answers questions and makes comments about print materials.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 6: Listen to a wide variety of age appropriate literature read aloud.
English Language Arts/Language 4: Engage in play experiences that involve naming and sorting common words into various classifications using general and specific language.
Read Together: Educator’s Choice, Unit 2, Week 1, #1
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
STEM Key Concepts: There are many different colors; A color can have many different shades (from very light to very dark)
ELA Focus Skills: Color Recognition, Concepts of Print, Parts of a Book, Vocabulary, Active Listening, Interpreting Illustrations
Before You Read
Choose a favorite book about color, such as Colors Everywhere by Tana Hoban.
- Hold up the book and ask children to describe what they see on the cover. Point to the words as you read aloud the title and the name of the author.
- If you are using Colors Everywhere, explain that the book has photographs taken by the author. If you use a different book, read the name of the illustrator and review that the illustrator is the person who draws the pictures in the book.
- Set a reading focus for children by having them look for blue objects in the illustrations or photographs.
As You Read
Ask questions about the illustrations or photographs in the book, such as:
- What do you notice about the blue objects on this page?
- Is the shade of blue the same as this one? Is it lighter blue or darker blue?
After You Read
Talk about the book with children. Ask questions such as:
- What items did you see that were blue?
- Which objects were light blue? Which were dark blue?
- How did you make lighter blue shades when you were mixing colors today?
Take It Further: Reinforce the concept of light and dark colors. Give each child a light or dark blue circle. Have them hold their circles in the air. Say, If you have a light blue circle, jump up and say “light blue!” Ask the group, Who said light blue? Prompt children to answer in complete sentences (Tyrone said light blue). Repeat with dark blue. Have children take turns initiating the activity.