Lesson plan by: Jackie Brewer, Art Coordinator at Bryan ISD
Title: Color Matters
Integrating Technology
(for using traditional art materials see Dick Blick: Graphs Use Art and Math)
See Color Matters Sample Chart
Grade Level: 6-8
Subject (s):
- Technology skills
- Mathematics Skills
- Art Reference to Color
Class Time
Approximately 4 days
Description:
Students will survey ten people their own age and ten adults to discover their favorite color. Does age affect color preference? Report your findings in a spreadsheet and graph.
Goal:
Students will create and manipulate spreadsheets and graphs.
Objectives:
- Students will create a spreadsheet to chart favorite colors
- Students will collect data, create appropriate charts, and use percentages to describe quantities.
Texas State Standards:
Technology
1B – compare, contrast, and appropriately use the various input, processing, output, and primary/secondary storage devices
Create and edit spreadsheet documents using all data types, formulas and functions, and chart information.
10C – create a variety of spreadsheet layouts containing descriptive labels and page settings.
10D – demonstrate appropriate use of fonts, styles, and sizes, as well as effective use of graphics and page design to effectively communicate
10E – match the chart style to the date when creating and labeling charts
Materials:
- Sample color wheel
- Computers with either Microsoft Excel or Appleworks
- Sketchbook for gathering information – logged on worksheet per color and signatures
- Worksheet with instructions
Procedure:
(Depending on class size and computer availability, teachers may choose to have students work individually or in pairs)
Task 1 - Begin the lesson by discussing the color wheel (primary, secondary, intermediate colors ). Ask students to record their favorite color and state why it is their favorite color. What percentage of each color do you think are favorites among friends and family?. Using the worksheet distributed, now go out and survey 20 people your age (male/female) and 20 adults (male/female) on which of the six main colors (primary and secondary) would be considered their favorite. Students will need to log name, favorite color, reason why, and signature of person interviewed. Students can not use classmates as reference.
Timeline 1-2 days
Task 2 – After the results have been tallied, hand out an instruction sheet to each student. The instruction sheet provides step-by-step direction for creating a graph using Microsoft Excel.
Timeline 2-3 days
Students should be able to follow the instructions with minimal help. If additional help is needed, students can access the website, www.atomiclearning.com , to help with the steps. This site is also available from home. If students/parents wish to use this site from home, they may contact me about access. The teacher can also encourage students to ask each other for help if the teacher is busy assisting another student. When students have completed their graphs, they should print out a copy of their work. Students can compare their results with classroom predictions.
Task 3 - Extension
Have students go to the Color Matters web site (listed below) to take a survey about favorite colors to see if their pie charts and percentages are similar to those advertised on the web.
Evaluation:
Collect students’ completed work to check for accuracy.
Useful Internet Resource:
See also Dick Blick Lesson Plan: Graphs Use Art and Math - using art materials to make graph.
Social comments: This activity can be done with favorite colors of M&M’s or any other material with multicolors… Students may enjoy completing this type of lesson and then eating their colors.
What is Your Favorite Color
Spreadsheet and Pie Chart
1. Open the program called Microsoft Excel.
2. Click the mouse in cell A1 and type “Color Matters” in the entry bar.
3. Highlight “Color Matters” in the entry bar and change to font size 14 and BOLD
4. Press the enter key to move the information from the entry bar to the active cell.
5. Click the mouse in the B3 and type in “Male.” Highlight the word and change the font to size 12 and make it BOLD. Press the enter key to move the information from the entry bar to the active cell.
6. Move to D3 cell and repeat the same using the word “Female”.
7. Move to F3 cell and repeat the same using the word “Total”.
8. Highlight the cells A4 through A9; change the font to size 12 and BOLD.
9. Enter the names of the different colors into cells A4-A9. Place your mouse in cell A4 and type in the color, hit enter key. Continue until all the colors are entered.
10. Once the data is entered, click on cell A3 and drag the mouse to the end of where you entered information in Column B. From the Insert menu on the Task Bar select Chart. Select Pie Chart. Click Next and Next again. Click on the Data Option table and select Show Percent and then Finish.
11. Move the Pie chart off the spreadsheet table by clicking on the pie chart and dragging it to the side. To increase the size of the pie chart, drag down on the bottom and side of the chart area, and the chart will grow in size.
12. Change the color of each piece of the pie on the chart by clicking once on square, then double click on the color square in the legend and selecting the appropriate color from the pattern tab color chart. The legend and the piece of pie will change to the new color after you click OK.
13. Repeat steps 10-12 beginning at C3 – column D and the same for E3 – column F.
14. When you have completed your pie chart, click on Print Review to make sure that the chart and the spreadsheet will be printed. Save your work in the student folder with your name , print two copies (one for sketchbook and one to be turned in). SEE EXAMPLE
If you have questions about this lesson e-mail Jackie Brewer
