Science Struck
Science Struck: Colors of the Rainbow in Order
Learn the seven colors of the rainbow in order and what each of them symbolizes. Includes a helpful mnemonic.
NASA
Nasa: Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum: Visible Light
Visible light waves are the only electromagnetic waves we can see. We see these waves as the colors of the rainbow. Each color has a different wavelength. Red has the longest wavelength and violet has the shortest wavelength. When all...
Starfall
Starfall: Rainbow, Rainbow
This interactive nonfiction ebook focuses on the colors in the rainbow. Children can choose to read independently or listen to each sentence read to them.
PBS
Pbs Kids Afterschool Adventure!: Operation: Rainbow Math Activity Plan
Red apples, orange candles, yellow stars, green frogs, and blue, indigo, and violet flowers-they all add up to Rainbow Math fun! During this adventure children learn the colors of the rainbow as they practice counting, adding and...
NASA
Nasa: Sci Jinks: What Causes a Rainbow?
Find out whatever you wanted to know about rainbows and how they form. Check out the section on folklore regarding rainbows too.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Over the Rainbow
Students review and conclude our color unit. Students graph their favorite colors.
Utah Education Network
Uen: I'll Build You a Rainbow
In these three activities, students explore the colors of the spectrum in white light.
Math Science Nucleus
Math/science Nucleus: Light Magic
This animation discusses light and the properties of light in a storybook format. The animations cover the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) along with prisms, light waves, reflection, and refraction.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Rainbow in the Room
Students investigate the properties of visible light and the sequence of colors in the spectrum using light shone through water and prisms. The lesson plan and accompanying slideshow can both be downloaded.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Energy of Light
In this introduction to light energy, students learn about reflection and refraction as they learn that light travels in wave form. Through hands-on activities, they see how prisms, magnifying glasses and polarized lenses work. They also...
University of Illinois
University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Light and Optics
Rainbows and sunsets are called "atmospheric optics". They can be caused by light being absorbed, reflected, scattered, refracted, or diffracted by particles in the atmosphere. Learn all about different atmospheric optics along with...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Quantum Dots and Colors
Students are introduced to the physical concept of the colors of rainbows as light energy in the form of waves with distinct wavelengths, but in a different manner than traditional kaleidoscopes. Looking at different quantum dot...
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Color Vision
Make a whole rainbow by mixing red, green, and blue light. Change the wavelength of a monochromatic beam or filter white light. View the light as a solid beam, or see the individual photons.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Release the Rainbow
A simple activity to demonstrate how light separates into colors when it passes through water acting as a prism.
South Carolina Educational Television
Know It All Media: Light and Color
Why do we see certain colors? This interactive animation demonstrates the concept of the visible spectrum, and how we see the different colors of the rainbow.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Leaves and Light
Leaves use sunlight to make food for the plant. Sunlight contains all of the colors of the rainbow, but are all of those colors used by the leaf? Can you find out if some colors of light are more important than others?
HotChalk
Hot Chalk: Lesson Plans Page: Planting a Rainbow
A simple lesson plan on rainbows. Objectives are to learn the colors of a rainbow, to reinforce shapes and colors, and to become aware of how flowers are planted and how they bloom.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Graphing the Rainbow
Students are introduced to different ways of displaying visual spectra, including colored "barcode" spectra, like those produced by a diffraction grating, and line plots displaying intensity versus color, or wavelength. Students learn...
Other
Tooter4kids: Light and Color
You'll find a wealth of resources at this site dedicated to color! Easy-to-read discussions can be found on topics ranging from the science of light to complementary colors and the color wheel. All special terms are highlighted and...
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: About Rainbows
This site from the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research provides an illustrated article about the phenomenon of rainbows.
Writing Fix
Writing Fix: Writing Rainbows
Students begin this lesson by reading several books about colors such as Cat's Colors by Jane Cabrera, My Many Colored Days by Dr. Suess, Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O'Neil, and A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. After discussing...
ABCya
Ab Cya: Molly's Magic Adventure
Join Molly on her magical adventure in search of the rainbow! Children will get to choose what path Molly takes, as well as other fun things along the way in this interactive create-your-own adventure activity.
Other
Learning Activities: Peace Education
This series of activities for early elementary students focuses on peace education. Emphasis is on our behavior and how it impacts peace.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Nutrition Apple Trivia
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart addresses the benefits of fruit in nutrition and wellness, emphasizing the benefits of the colors of the rainbow. The flipchart also provides trivia questions on all kinds of varieties of...