Color Psychology

Summary

This lesson introduces students to the concept of color affecting the way we think, feel, and act.

Materials

• overhead projector
• What Color Is Your Personality? transparency
• Senses & Colors worksheets
• My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss ($6.99 at Amazon.com)
• The Color Code by Taylor Hartman ($10.40 at Amazon.com)

Background for Teachers

Please be aware that psychologists are constantly conducting research on how color affects the way we think, act and feel. This lesson just gives students a brief taste of the variety of color based studies that are out there.

Student Prior Knowledge

Students need to be able to identify a variety of colors.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should come away from this lesson with a broader understanding of how color affects us physically, mentally and emotionally.

Instructional Procedures

Begin this lesson by reading aloud My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss to your students. Make it a point to show them the pictures as you read. When you have finished reading the book, discuss as a class the type of day that they are having.

Hand out the Senses and Colors worksheet. Instruct students to complete each question as quickly as possible, answering each with the first thing that comes to mind. Make them aware that there are no right or wrong answers...this is just and activity to get them thinking on the right track. Once they have completed their worksheet, go through each answer as a class, discussing why they answered as they did. Have them hand in their completed work.

Next, have students take out a blank sheet of paper. Have them write their favorite color at the top of the sheet of paper. Put the What Color Is Your Personality transparency on the overhead projector. Keep all colors covered as you read the introduction out loud to the class. Read each color description one by one. As you read, have the students write two paragraphs (each paragraph should consist of 3-4 COMPLETE sentences) on whether or not they agree with what it has to say about their color personality according to the favorite color they wrote at the beginning of the exercise. If they don't agree, have them choose the color that they feel best fits them. Have them hand in their completed work.

Strategies for Diverse Learners

Struggling students may be expected to write only one answer per question on the Senses and Colors worksheet and only a paragraph concerning their color personality.

Extensions

A fun extension of this lesson that takes about 45 more minutes is to go through the Color Code Personality Questionnaire with your students to determine if they are a red, blue, white or yellow type personality. This questionnaire is found in The Color Code by Taylor Hartman, Ph. D. Once students have completed the questionnaire (which really helps develop vocabulary) have them write a couple paragraphs again concerning their thoughts and opinions on their questionnaire results.

Assessment Plan

Correct the Senses & Colors worksheet for completion only--one point per answer. Correct the color personality paragraphs checking for complete sentences and required length and content--ten points per paragraph.

Bibliography

USOE Curriculum Guide, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss, The Color Code by Taylor Hartman, Ph. D.