The Colour Tablets

Material Description:

Box 1: A box containing six tablets made of lightweight wood, one pair of each of the primary colours, red, blue and yellow

Box 2: A box containing twenty-two tablets, one of each pair of the primary colours (red, blue and yellow) the secondary colours (orange, purple and green) the tertiary colours (pink, brown and grey) and a pair of black and white tablets

Box 3: A box containing sixty-three tablets, divided into nine compartments, each containing seven gradations of each of the primary, secondary and tertiary colours

How to hold:

Hold the wooden or plastic ends with the thumb and index finger

Presentation:

• Box 1
• Place tablets one at a time, randomly on the table or working mat
• Isolate one colour
• Find it’s match and pair – place together and to one side
• Continue for the other two pairs
• Mix the pairs and invite the child to pair

• Box 2
• Remove the secondary pairs and place at random
• Invite the child to pair, arranging as for ox 1
• If the child shows interest continue by showing the tertiary colours and black and white tablets

• Box 3
• Note: Present only one set of graded colours at a time
• Let the child choose one of the colours of the graded sets
• Take out each of the seven tablets and place them at random on the table
• Close the box and place it to one side, so it is not a source of distraction
• Choose either the darkest or lightest shade and isolate it
• Choose the shade one gradation different and place it to the right side of the isolated shade
• Continue until all the tablets have been graded
• Mix and invite the child to grade
• The child continues to work with each of the different sets over a period of time

Note:

• Do not correct mistakes, prolonged exposure to the material will help accustom the child to seeing the differences
• If the child has difficulties reduce the number of grades, leaving three, the extremes and a mid-shade, add more mid-shades when the child has success
• The child may have a lift-right tracking issue, making the grading difficult so try putting the shades vertically rather than horizontally

Exercises:

• Mix tablets of contrasting colours, ask the child to sort and grade
• Introduce additional primary, secondary and tertiary set until the child is working with all sixty-three shades at one time
• Variation: show the child different ways to organise the shades, for example as spokes of a wheel

Language:

• Boxes 1 and 2, the names of the colours. To be covered in the three-part lesson, giving no more than three names in each lesson, to be taught when the child can discriminate the different colours without hesitation and before Box 3.
• Box 3 positives, comparatives and superlatives

Criteria of Perfection (Control of rror):

• The child’s ability to discriminate colour

Direct Aim:

• Provides the child with a ‘Key’ to orient herself in the world of colour
• Development of the chromatic sense

Indirect Aim:

• Provides a basis for an intelligent, tasteful and aesthetic appreciation and application of colour
• Preparation to understand the symbolic use of colour

Age at Presentation:

Three years

Games (Further Exercises): 

• Used to promote visual memory

• Game 1
• Set out two mats at a distance
• Place one tablet from each pair from Box 2 on each mat
• Show on tablet and ask the child to find it’s identical pair, the child brings the pair she thinks is identical and compares

Game 2

• Show any tablet from Box 2 and ask the child to find a match from somewhere in the environment (first check that one exists)

Game 3

• Set out two mats at a distance
• Place one tablet from each pair from Box 3 on each mat
• Show on tablet and ask the child to find one shade “lighter” or “darker”, the child brings the pair she thinks it is and compares

Game 4

• As Game 2 but with Box 3

Game 5

• Scatter all the tablets form Box 3 onto a mat
• At a distance show the child an object and ask her to find the nearest match
• Child selects a tablet and holds it up to the object to check

Game 6

• Make discs of colour using high quality crayons and by inserting a pencil through the centre spin to show colours merging.  All the colours of the spectum spun make a white disc