• Develop an awareness of colour by identifying the primary colours and exploring the formation of secondary colours.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance ofcolour in life, e.g., animal camouflage depends on colour.

Activity

• For this activity the teacher will need to precut a number of butterfly shapes from newsprint. Keep the butterfly shape simple.

• Have children experiment with the primary colour of paint (yellow, red and blue) to create an array of beautiful butterflies. Children can do this by folding a butterfly shape in half, putting a spoonful of paint on one half, another spoonful of paint (different colour) on the other half. Butterflies can be refolded. Children use their fingers to rub hard across the shape. When children open and unfold their butterfly shape they will have created a "new" butterfly colour.

• Invite children to continue mixing various combinations, e.g., blue and red, yellow and blue, red and yellow, etc., to explore "new" colours. How about mixing all three together? Challenge children to create the prettiest butterfly. Discuss how animals camouflage depends on colour. How does Oscar the Octopus change colour so that he blends in with his surroundings?

• Challenge children to mix the primary colours so they create a butterfly that can be "perfectly" camouflaged in a certain area of the classroom.

Assessment Tips from Old Tom the Turtle

• Have students share their butterflies with the class. Invite comments on how a particular butterfly got its colour.

• Write down observations on individual children as they share their colour exploration results.

• Engage children in self-evaluation: What did you learn about colours? How might you use this new knowledge? Why is colour important?