Color Wheel Color Theory Art Lessons Art Activities Worksheets Elements of Art

This Color Wheel Workbook and Art Lesson set introduces color theory and the Elements of Art: Color, from primary and secondary colors to complementary, analogous, monochromatic, warm, cool and neutral colors, value, tints, tones and shades. It is made for elementary and middle school art, homeschool families and substitute teachers.

Students complete guided workbook pages, paint color wheels, reflect on their learning and create artwork that shows they understand and can apply color vocabulary. It is print and go, and also digital-compatible.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “I purchased this packet for my 5th and 6th grade art students. I ended up using almost all of the pages included in this download!! The students were very engaged and it definitely held their attention, but it was also easy to understand and not too overwhelming as far as workload! Perfect balance. Would recommend for use in a classroom or homeschool setting. I also ended up using it as an after-school activity with my own kids (2nd & 4th grade), and they thoroughly enjoyed it as well!” Elizabeth C.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

Color Theory Presentation

• PowerPoint presentation covering key color theory terms and visuals
• MP4 version of the presentation (timed, autoplay), useful for independent centers or subs

Color Theory Workbook Pages

• Title Page
• What I Already Know Brainstorm
• Primary Colors
• Secondary Colors
• Complementary Colors
• Value and Value Scales
• Mixing Tints, Tones and Shades
• Hue/Shade/Tint Color Wheel
• Analogous Colors
• Monochromatic Color
• Warm and Cool Colors
• Neutral Colors
• Still Life Coloring Activity for Tints/Tones/Shades
• Color Theory Write and Draw Student Reflection
• #FavoriteColor Instagram Worksheet
• Peer Feedback: 3 Stars and a Wish
• Student and Teacher Evaluation Forms

Hands-On Color Wheel Projects and Assessment

• Guided painting activities to reinforce vocabulary and explore color mixing
• Self-assessments and peer reviews
• Final reflection writing and drawing page

HOW TO USE IT

Art teachers can use it as a complete color unit or a weekly project series. Homeschool educators can use it as a structured part of a homeschool art curriculum. It also fits a sub binder or emergency art plans, since everything needed is included.

Prep is minimal and supply options are flexible, so it suits art on a cart and classrooms with limited supplies.

FAQ

What grade levels is this best for?

Grades 3 to 9, though younger students may also enjoy it with extra teacher support.

What materials do students need?

Most pages can be completed with pencils, markers, colored pencils or paints. The color wheel activities are best with watercolor or tempera paint, but any medium can work with modification.

Can I use it for sub plans or homeschool?

Yes. It is low prep, easy to follow and suits independent work, so it works for substitute teachers, distance learning and homeschool art.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “My district got rid of art support for students and now it solely falls on teachers. Im so happy I found this resource. Its super helpful for me and has great lessons for the students. Thank you!” Tawni M.

★★★★ “As a classroom teacher, teaching our weekly art lessons, this was an amazing help to review color theory. The students were engaged and motivated! A great resource!” Catherine C.

★★★★ “We usually spend about a week or two on color theory at the beginning of the year and this is full of fantastic resources for that!” Jennifer K.

★★★★ “I used to have to create a wheel for the students with either a compass on cardstock or paper plates. This made it SO much easier!” Jennifer W.

★★★★ “I used this activity to gauge my students' skills (practical and listening skills) before planning other art projects. I was actually pleasantly surprised by how engaged they were in it! They loved mixing colors, and I loved that it was step-by-step and mess-free. Awesome resource.” Jessica R.

★★★★ “My students enjoyed reviewing key color theory concepts with these worksheets. I was able to quickly check for student understanding and surmise which concepts to re-teach with mini lessons. A great resource for my art curriculum.” Deidra H.

★★★★★ “I have used this with my own daughter as well as my art classes. It's perfect for teaching color theory from the beginning. Thanks for the resource!” Shannon A.

★★★★★ “This is an excellent resource. Takes the headache out of reinventing the wheel. It gives a closer look at how the elements are taught, and can be used on the whiteboard if you don't want to photocopy the sheets. Thank you.” Suzanne D.

★★★★★ “Can be used as pre-assessment or assessment of learning. Also can be used as independent study with a Substitute depending on the class and what has already been taught. Life saver !” Jenny W.

★★★★★ “Wonderful resource! Comprehensive and accessible for someone without art training!” Kelsey R.

★★★★★ “These were exactly what I needed to supplement my color units across many grade levels! Thank you!” Emily H.

★★★★★ “I used this with 3-5 grades when I needed something for one day to not start a new project too early and this helped to clarify certain concepts and they enjoyed doing it. Very easy to understand without me having to tell them what to do.” Merriah J.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

YOU MAY: use this in your classroom or homeschool setting, include pages in student workbooks or duo-tangs, and purchase additional licenses for team or school-wide use.

YOU MAY NOT: upload or share it publicly (Google Drive, blogs, websites), use it on Outschool or similar teaching platforms, distribute it to other teachers or post it on social media, or convert it into a digital product or resell it.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic