Annie Clarke
Windsor High School
Interior Design
Lesson Plan
Topic: Elements of Design—Basic color introduction
Concept: Students will have a basic introduction to color, which will allow them have the foundation for more advanced
concepts like color schemes.
Interior Design Standard #1: Understand the principles and elements of art and design.
Objective: Students will learn about basic color concepts through interactive classroom activities and assignments.
Materials:
• Projector, computer and document camera
• Color samples for color wheel
• Playdough- Primary colors
• Color PowerPoint with videos
• Color note guide
• NY Time’s “Pantone” article
• Small container- notecards, playdough, color swatches
• Color assignment (2 part)
• Full paint sample representing value and intensity
• Creative supplies- already available on table
Set:
•
Notecard “K” of KWL. What do you “know” about color? Students will write information about everything they
know about color.
Body:
1. Hand out note sheet on color. Begin PowerPoint lecture on color. Dispersed throughout the lesson are mini
activities that help reinforce the concept being taught.
a. Hue- NY Times Article Activity
b. Value & Intensity- sketch, paint chip visual
c. Warm & Cool- sketch
d. Primary colors- color swatch, video
e. Secondary- video, playdough
f. Tertiary- labeling colors that are tertiary
g. Color wheel- origins video, arrangement of color chips into color wheel
2. Get notecard out again. Ask students to write a respond to “What they still want to know about color” (W).
3. Introduce and explain color assignment due next class. Allow time any extra time remaining for students to
work on their assignment.
4. Notecard “L”. Ask students to write about what they learned today. This will be their ticket out the door.
5. Prepare room for next day, clean up supplies and stack chairs.
Annie Clarke
Windsor High School
Interior Design
Conclusion: Understanding the foundation of color and the color wheel will help students be prepared to learn about
more advanced concepts such as color schemes and color psychology in upcoming lessons.
Assignment: Color assignment
Sponge ideas:
• Share responses from KWL notecard- can be used as warm-up next class
• Allow work time to start color assignment.
• “Color” video to review concepts and introduce the next concept, color schemes if needed.
Modifications: Note guides will be copied and available for student’s that need the notes (the following class period).
Implemented preferential seating and group work designed to help students succeed. Students, who need extra time,
will have an extension on the assignments due. There were a variety of experiences using music, movement, hands-on
activities to encourage learning and creativity, creativity, while also meeting the needs of diverse student learning styles.
Annie Clarke
Windsor High School
Interior Design
WATCH IT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5TwT69i1lU
COLOR BASICS
NOTECARD: K
• K: What you KNOW about color?
WHAT IS COLOR?
• Definition: Color is made
when light strikes an object and is
reflected back to your eye.
• There are over 10 million
different identifiable colors!
• The most powerful, obvious,
exciting element of design.
• It’s noticed first and remembered
the longest.
COLOR TERMS
• HUE: The name of a specific color. Example: Radiant Orchid
Read New York Times
article
“Who Made That Pantone
Chip?”
1. Scan article, highlight
any mention of hue.
2. Read article.
3. Answer follow-up
questions.
COLOR TERMS
• INTENSITY: brightness or dullness
• of color.
• VALUE: lightness or darkness of color.
ARE YOU INTENSE?
WARM COLORS = SUN
• REDS
• ORANGES
• YELLOWS
• Advancing
• Create feelings of warmth,
activity and excitement
• Generally tend to close in a
space or make it appear
smaller
COOL COLORS = SEA
• BLUES
• GREENS
• VIOLETS
• Create feelings of coolness,
calmness and relaxation
• Receding
• Generally tend to expand a
space or make it appear
larger
PRIMARY COLORS
RED YELLOW BLUE
• All colors are formed from them
• Can’t be created by mixing other
hues.
PRIMARY COLOR SONG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddYUw7a4erk
SECONDAY COLORS
PURPLE
ORANGE
GREEN
(Red + Blue)
(Red + Yellow)
(Yellow + Blue)
Mixture of primary hues in equal parts.
SECONDARY COLORS
ACTIVITY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAfqaJ7xdRw
TERTIARY/INTERMEDIATE
COLORS
RED-ORANGE
YELLOW-ORANGE
YELLOW-GREEN
BLUE-GREEN
BLUE-VIOLET
RED-VIOLET
• Lie between secondary & primary hues. Mix
equal parts to create.
• PRIMARY name followed by SECONDARY
name.
COLOR WHEELPRANG SYSTEM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ButdiKfJLU
NOTECARD: W
• W: What would you like to know more
about color?
NOTECARD: L
• L: What did you learn about color? What
did you enjoy?