To introduce color and light to students in kindergarten and first grade, show the students how light travels through things and in a straight line. Bend two pieces of poster board and cut a hole in both sides of the board. Stand the folded boards one in front of the other and shine a flashlight through the holes. Ask students to describe what they see. The students will tell you the light travels through the holes. Explain to the students that the light goes through all the holes because it travels in a straight line, just like the sun's light rays travel to earth.
Write the following on the board: What color does red and green make? What color does red and blue make? What color does blue and green make? Allow the students to answer the questions by mixing the colors using crayons and white paper. Share the observations as a group. Discuss how the primary colors of pigment mix to make all colors. Then explain to the students how primary colors of light mix to make colors different from the ones made with crayons. Use three flashlights covered in red, blue and green cellophane to show how the three lights together create colors different from the ones on their papers.
Put the students in groups. Distribute the following materials to each group: poster board, flashlight, five different solid-colored blocks and writing paper. Direct the students to fold the poster board in half, widthwise. Show groups how to stand up their folded boards on their desks. Instruct students to place a block at the point where the board is folded. Next, instruct the students to shine the flashlight on the block. The students identify whether the object reflects or absorbs the light. Direct the students to record the results. Discuss the results as a group. The students should observe that an object reflects the color of light that we see and absorbs all other colors.
The students use primary colors of light to create new colors. Put the students in groups of three. Distribute the following for each group: three small flashlights; red, blue and green cellophane sheets; tape; and white paper. Direct the students to tape the cellophane sheets around each flashlight so that no white light shines out. Instruct the students to use the flashlights to mix the colors of light on the white paper. As they experiment, have the students record the colors created. Discuss your notes as a group. Compare the mixing of primary pigment colors to the mixing of primary colors of light.