- camera
- chart paper
- crayons
- paper
- color
- darker
- darkest
- green
- lighter
- lightest
- shade
MA Draft STE Standards:
Physical Sciences: Matter and Its Interactions: Structure and Properties of Matter: PS1.A: Describe, compare, sort and classify objects based on observable physical characteristics, uses, and whether it is manufactured as part of their classroom play and investigations of the natural and human-made world.
Head Start Outcomes:
Science Knowledge/Conceptual Knowledge of Natural and Physical Worlds: Observes, describes, and discusses living things and natural processes.
Science Knowledge/Scientific Skills and Method: Collects, describes, and records information through discussions, drawings, maps, and charts.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
Science and Technology/Inquiry Skills 3: Identify and use simple tools appropriately to extend observations.
English Language Arts/Language 2: Participate actively in discussions, listen to the ideas of others, and ask and answer relevant questions.
Science and Technology/Inquiry Skills 4: Record observations and share ideas through simple forms of representation such as drawings.
Explore Together (outdoors): Colors Outside
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care. 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: Listening and Speaking, Vocabulary, Follow Directions
Safety Tips:
- Be aware of and check areas for poison ivy, poison sumac, nettles, and bushes with thorns before taking children outside.
- Remind children to wash their hands before and after the activity.
- Children's allergies need to be taken into account before going outside.
- Remind children not to eat any plants or touch any plants without asking an adult.
Explain that children will go outside to explore colors. Ask children about the colors they might see outside. Record their ideas on chart paper. Ask questions such as,
- Where do you think you might see something that is the color blue?
- Where do you think you might see the color green? Do you think you might see different shades of green? Why do you think that?
- What color do you think you will see the most of outside? Why do you think so?
Once outside, ask children to stand quietly and look around to notice the colors. Pair children and have them talk about the colors they see.
Allow children to explore freely. You may want to have children take pictures of their observations. As they explore, prompt pairs with questions such as,
- I noticed you were looking at the leaves on two different trees. What do you notice about the leaf colors on each tree? How are they the same or different?
- Do you see other leaves that are shades of that color?
- Do you see different shades of any other colors?
Reflect and Share Together
Once inside, have children share what they observed outside. If you documented the exploration with a camera, review the pictures as children share. For example, say,
- Look at how Justin and Rachel put the pieces of bark side by side as they talked about which one was lighter and which one was darker. Then they held both pieces up to another tree that had the darkest shade of color.
- Notice how the leaves that Yanni lined up are very different shades of green. Yanni can you tell us which one in the picture is the darkest? Lightest?
Then have children draw a picture to record their observations. Say, Draw a picture of two things that were different shades of green or some other color that you saw outside.
Social Emotional Tip: Encourage children to help one another and share their findings as they search for colors.
Educator Tip: Give children clear rules about how to work together outside so everyone will be safe while exploring. Keep young children together in small groups.