Materials
- One box contains six tablets. One pair each of three primary colors–red,yellow and blue.
- One box contains twenty-two tablets. One pair each of: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, grey, brown, black and white.
- One box contains eight compartments, each containing eight shades of the following colors: yellow, purple, blue, green, red, orange, brown and black.
Direct aim of the material
Training the chromatic sense.
Indirect aim of the material
To appreciate color in art.
Age of great interest
From 2 years onwards.
Teacher’s presentation
First box and First Presentation.
Note: Even if the child already knows the three colors, it is presented in order to show him how to pair the colors and how to handle the tablets.
- Bring box to a table.
- Sit on the child’s right side.
- Place the box in its lid.
- Take out the tablets carefully.
- Show the child how to hold them between the index finger and thumb, and the middle finger on the frame.
- Mix the tablets on the right side of the child.
- Take one and place it in the top left corner.
- Take the identical matching color and examine it closely, and place it beside the first one.
- Take another color, and place it underneath the first tablet and examine its matching one, placing it beside its pair.
- Finally take the third color and place the two tablets underneath the second pair.
- If the child asks the names of the colors, they may be given. Otherwise wait until later, letting him absorb the visual contrasts. Generally, do not mix doing with listening, especially at the younger ages. There will be too many parts of the brain activated which will cause confusion and distraction from the aim of the material. Later, the names of the colors are given with a 3-period lesson and only one tablet from each pair is used. A longer time is spent on the
second period–till the child is really sure of the names.
Second Box and Second Presentation
- This may be presented right away after the first box if the child has understood the first lesson easily.
- Pair the colors as before, starting the second line quite far away from the first line. The child is given the freedom of the box.
Later the color names of those he does not know are given with a 3-period lesson.
Third Box and Third Presentation, Color Tablets (Grading)
This is generally presented quite a long time after the second box, depending on the capability of the child.
- Present one of the primary colors first. In preference, red or blue.
- Take out the shades of the color and place them mixed up on the lid and give these to the child to bring to his desk.
- Take the darkest tablet. Place it horizontally on the table and to one side in front of the child. Take the remaining shades and mix these close together on the table in the other corner.
- Take the darkest out of the remainder, examine it with the others and place it beside the first tablet. Continue in the same way with the rest of the shades, placing them from dark to light, horizontally, on the table. Ask the child if he would like to do it. He may work with other sets as well, if he wishes.
- Let the child explore the possibilities for himself.
Additional games
- Later on-ask him how many articles of one color can he find in the room?
- With 22 children, give each a tablet from the second box. Let them look carefully at their color and then put it behind their backs, and then go to look for their partner.
- Take to an Art Gallery to see the different shades and colors.
- Look at his own paintings to see how many different colors and shades he can find.
- Look at famous paintings – discovering different shades of one color at a time. Give terminology: i.e. dark, darker, darkest; light, lighter, lightest,etc.