Teaching color words and building your classroom community in a way that empowers your students!

Teaching color words and building your classroom community in a way that empowers your students!

We all have classroom color charts in our rooms? Right? Especially in the primary grades. Have you ever thought about including your students in making this resource for their classroom each year? Up until a few years ago, I always used a store-bought or teacher-made chart and didn't think too much of it. 

When I returned to the classroom a few years ago, my resources were...lacking. Let's just leave it at that. Out of necessity, I decided to have my students be part of the making of our classroom color chart and I will never do this any differently!  Here's the final project...

It's not fancy, but the learning that took place was priceless! 

Here's what I figured out along the way...

When I included my students in this activity it naturally:

•      Creates ownership of our classroom space
•      Builds a classroom community on the foundation of teamwork
•      Provides opportunities to share life experiences with others
•      BONUS! Creates independent thinkers that will know how to read and write color words beginning day 1!

Save your time and money!

Children will not have any connection to a store-bought or teacher-made color word anchor chart.  By giving students the opportunity to be part of creating a classroom color chart, we are building a natural connection and sense of ownership over the use of this chart. As children need to read or write color words, they will automatically know where to look for and use this resource because it is a part of them. They helped to create it and will not forget it is available as a tool to use in the classroom. You will not need to tell your students to use this reference tool because they will naturally use it. Students do not make these natural connections to purchased or teacher-made materials.

Here's how I made every minute count! 

Focus on one color per day. Through discussions and extension work, the entire project could take up to two weeks to complete, maybe more. The idea is to go slow now, so that later you can go fast. By starting slow, you will not need to reteach color words again and again over the course of the year. Children will continue to build their knowledge of color words on their own when using this chart throughout the year.

Begin with blank paper and write the color word in front of the students. They need to see this process from start to finish. Determine if you will briefly be touching on any word solving (reading or writing) skills. If appropriate, these skills can be modeled by the teacher at this time (only one or two, depending on student need/interest). We don’t want to create any angst in our students at this point, so be sure not to spend too much time on this as our focus is still building the color chart, sharing ideas about the focus color, and getting to know each other.

While building this chart, be sure to teach children the importance of quality of work. Say something like, “We all need to draw and color our best picture. Our whole class is counting on you. Think…do you want to have a messy color chart or a neat color chart that is easy to read?”

With support, most children will be able to write the color word next to the picture they draw. Hold up the blank piece of construction paper with the color word and encourage the children to use this chart to spell the color word. Assure your students they do not need to memorize how to spell the word (at this point) because the anchor chart is there to help them. Stress to your students the importance of using tools when help is needed (rather than asking teacher or trying to remember or recall information). This will begin to build independence in your students.

When writing the color label, help the kids to see that it is easier for the reader to read when the letters of the word are formed correctly and do not touch or run into the picture. Again, remind your students this chart will be used to read and write our color words. It is easier to read when we write our best.

As children glue their drawing onto the anchor chart, ensure they are not gluing it over the top of the large color word (written on the construction paper). Again, help the kids to see the rationale behind this by saying, “If we cover up the color word with our drawings, we won’t be able to read and write the color word correctly.” When kids understand the reason behind a request, they are more likely to follow through with the request. Providing the rationale behind such things help children to understand that adults do not make random rules about the world. We naturally follow requests and rules that we understand.

Here's the key:

We are focusing on teaching children HOW to think (use a resource to help if help is needed) rather than WHAT to think (memorization of reading and writing color words). 

Extend the lessons through literature...

Provide opportunities for individual expression...

Be sure to grab your FREE copies of these books by clicking HERE!

I think we can all agree that the beginning of the school year can be a whirlwind of emotions...for the students and the adults! The pressure of this time of year can be lifted by creating a classroom together, an entire classroom of readers and writers, built beginning on day 1, with the understanding that everyone contributes and is a part of our team. It can be as simple as creating these anchor charts and classroom resources in your classroom, with your students. 

I encourage you to give this a try. You will be amazed at how a small shift such as this can create a momentum for learning in your classroom that cannot be stopped! :)

For more ideas on teaching color words in the classroom, click here and follow this pinterest board - everything you want at your fingertips for teaching color words!