Science

The rainbow collectors

by Fellowship Agency March 13, 2020

Teach the children the importance of looking after our planet and the wonderful colours we have surrounding us. The book ‘How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow’ illustrates that the sun and clouds are friends and how they work together to keep the world warm. However, after they get into a fight and decide not to be in the sky together, it means that we no longer have any rainbows. The world becomes a very dull place to be and we realise just how important colours are on our planet. This activity gets children looking for brightly coloured objects around them and thinking about the rainbows they might see.

Learning outcomes

You will be able to:

  • Listen to the story ‘How the Crayons Saved the Rainbow’
  • Sort objects by colour
  • Use descriptive language to describe objects

You will need (per class)

  • A selection of F2 Gratnells trays (different colours)
  • 3 x Jumbo Gratnells trays with lids (Translucent)
  • Selection of objects to go in the jumbo trays to sort
  • Rainbow paper for drawing activity (x30)
  • 30 x pencils

What to do:

  • Put the bright coloured F2 trays out onto the carpet.
  • Get the children to explain what it could be (rainbow).
  • Have a discussion about a rainbow- do we have things around us that are made of the different colours?
  • Get children to give examples of different objects and the colour that matches it.
  • Read the book ‘How the Crayons saved the Rainbow’.
  • Gather thoughts about the book from the children and ask how they would look after things around them. Link this to looking after things at their school and school property.
  • Explain task- Children to sort the objects from the Jumbo trays into their matching colour F1 tray.
  • Once the objects have been sorted by colour, children to sit in a circle and discuss the properties of the objects. EYFS – Are they soft/hard? dull/shiny? etc using words to describe what the objects feel and look like.

Other things to try…

  • Can the children arrange the objects in the colour spectrum of the rainbow?
  • Teacher says a colour and the children have to describe an object from that coloured tray and the others have to guess what is being described.

Health & Safety

As with all Gratnells Learning Rooms What’s In My Tray activities, you should carry out your own risk assessment prior to undertaking any of the activities or demonstrations.