Do you have a little artist or lover of all things colour and rainbows? If so, they’re going to LOVE what I have for you today!
This collection of books covers everything from colour theory, to famous artists like Jackson Pollack and Piet Mondrian, to fun fictional stories, and everything in between. In fact, they are all of the books I recommend in my Exploring Colour Family Unit Study.
If you are new here, let me explain. Each month I release a brand new Family Unit Study, which is perfect for the whole family to enjoy together, as the activities work for all children aged 6-12 years old. In fact, most of the activities work perfectly for younger children, too!
Each Unit Study covers 10 topics, and each of those 10 topics includes:
- An interesting fact and discussion question
- Informative readings at your fingertips
- A hands-on activity with materials you already have at home
- ‘What’s Happening’ information to accompany your hands-on activity
- A curated YouTube video
- A math word problem or literacy prompt
- AND a suggested book that fits that topic!
Take a peek inside one of my Unit Studies! You can also see the entire collection of Unit Studies available in my shop right here: https://shop.howweelearn.com/collections/family-unit-studies-1
Today, I thought I would share with you the 10 topics we cover with one of our most popular unit studies—Exploring Colour—and the suggested books that beautifully fit each topic.
I strongly suggest you get these books from the library if you are able to. I have also included my Amazon affiliate links below, in case you would like to add them to your personal library.
Ready to explore colour? Here we go!
Exploring Colour with Fascinating Books!
Topic 1: What is Colour?
Our world is filled with many different colours, but what exactly is colour? Colour is what our eyes perceive when light is reflected off of an object. Objects absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others. The light that is reflected is the colour we see. Let’s explore…
Book Selection: The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
Poor Duncan just wants to colour. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?
Topic 2: All About Rainbows
What do you get with a combination of sunlight, water, and physics? A colourful rainbow! Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Light Makes a Rainbow by Sharon Coan
We have all seen a rainbow in the sky. But what makes a rainbow? Learn how light and water make a rainbow! With easy-to-read text and detailed, vivid images, this science reader teaches students important scientific subjects and vocabulary terms like prism, energy, and light waves.
Topic 3: Pigments
Have you ever wondered where colour comes from? Pigments! Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Little Concepts: ABC Color: Apricot, Burgundy & Chartreuse by Ingela Peterson Arrhenius
ABC Color pairs learning about lesser known colors with vibrant illustrations and the alphabet for a comprehensive, educational, and fun board book for young kids.
Topic 4: Primary Colours
Red, yellow and blue cannot be created from any other colours. By mixing primary colours together, we can create new colours. Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet
Follow the artist’s simple instructions, and suddenly colours appear . . . mix . . . splatter . . . and vanish in a vivid world powered only by the reader’s imagination. The result is not only enchantment and giggles, but a real and deeper understanding of colours brought by a true master of his craft.
Topics 5-7: Colour Theory, Value, and Warm & Cool Colours
Colour theory helps us understand the relationship between colours and how they are made. We mix primary colours together to create secondary colours. But what happens when you mix a primary colour with a secondary colour?
Value refers to the lightness or darkness of a colour. We can change the value of a colour by adding white and black to it.
Colours can be described as warm and cool. These colours are on opposing sides of the colour wheel. Which colours are considered warm and which are considered cool? Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Special Subjects: Basic Color Theory by Patti Mollica
A perfect resource for new artists and art hobbyists, Basic Color Theory demonstrates the color wheel at work and covers all the essentials, including complementary, primary, secondary, and tertiary colors; hue, saturation, and value; color mood, temperature, and schemes; and how to create a color chart.
Topic 8: Piet Mondrian
Piet Mondrian was a Dutch abstract artist known for using bold lines and primary colours. His iconic artwork used vertical and horizontal lines and only the primary colours; red, yellow and blue. Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Modern Art Adventures: 36 Creative, Hands-On Projects Inspired by Artists from Monet to Banksy by Maja Pitamic
Modern Art Adventures introduces young artists to groundbreaking masterpieces and fresh techniques, then lets them loose to create their own works of art.
Topic 9: Jackson Pollock
Jackson Pollock was an American abstract expressionist artist. His iconic artwork style involved actively dripping liquid paint onto a large canvas on the floor. Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Jackson Pollock Splashed Paint And Wasn’t Sorry. by Fausto Gilberti
Pollock’s story is told here with wit and eccentricity, perfectly paired with black-line illustrations – and splatters galore.
Topic 10: Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol was an artist known for bright, vibrant colours and incorporating aspects of popular culture into his artwork. Let’s explore…
Book Selection: Andy Warhol (Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia
Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists series combines a delightful mix of full-colour historical reproductions, photos, and hilarious cartoon-style illustrations that bring to life the works of renowned artists, combining poignant anecdotes with important factual information.
And there you have it, my friend! The best books for a unit study all about Colour!
xo
Sarah
If you have a child who loves all things art and colour, be sure to grab my Exploring Colour Unit Study right here!
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