— November 21, 2024

What is a rainbow? What colors make up a rainbow? How is it created? These colorful bands in the sky are a beautiful natural phenomena and somewhat rare to spot. The weather has to be just right and you need to be in the perfect spot to see it before it disappears. That’s why in a week that we are studying all about these I made sure we would see one.

As an Amazon Associate, Playing for Hours earns from qualifying purchases.

How are rainbows created?

Immediately after a rainstorm when the sun comes back out is usually the optimal time. On top of these already prime conditions the sun must be behind you and low in the sky. No wonder they aren’t really all that common and are a treat to behold. 

When the sun’s rays pass through water droplets the light is refracted when entering the droplet and reflected off the back of the water droplet. The different colors of light appear as bands because each one bends at slightly different angles. All this allows us to see the color spectrum called a rainbow.

Preload the activity with books about rainbows.

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman is an excellent choice for this activity. The end of the book highlights the sun’s rays passing through a fish bowl and creating a rainbow on his bedroom wall. Another favorite that encourages children to recognize the colors are everywhere and incorporate additional science is Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

Optimal weather conditions, a scientific explanation, and now we have a beautiful art lesson. The only problem is that chances of actually seeing rainbows when we’re studying them is slim. I needed a way to guarantee one for my kid’s lesson. So I made sure I could create one on our wall using a glass triangular prism.

What is a prism? And how does it create a rainbow?

A prism is a 3-dimensional object with two ends that are the same. These bases can be triangles, pentagons, or any shape. The other sides of the prism are rectangles. When light passes through a prism it bends, just like when it passes through a water droplet. When it bends, the different colors bend at different angles and we see a spectrum of colors. 

A glass prism bends the light and creates a spectrum of colors on the wall for us to study in our home. Even if there isn’t a rainbow in the sky. Here is the glass triangular prism I use in our homeschool. You’ll also need a flashlight with a concentrated beam to help achieve the effect on the wall you’re going for. A standard household flashlight works just fine for this.

What colors make up a rainbow?

ROYGBIV

There are seven colors identified in a rainbow and the acronym ROYGBIV can help you remember them. Including the order of the colors. The order of the colors are: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. 

Sir Isaac Newton was the person responsible for deciding that seven colors were in a rainbow in 1672. He wanted the number to reflect the same number of notes in a musical scale. Despite purple being separated into two distinct variations of purple we can still use these colorful bands to learn about primary versus secondary colors.

Primary versus secondary colors.

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These colors make up all the other colors that we see. They also cannot be made by mixing other colors. Various shades and colors all come from these three colors. That is why we find the secondary colors in between the primary colors in a rainbow.

The secondary colors are all created by mixing the primary colors together. Red and yellow make orange. Yellow and blue make green. And blue and red make purple. 

Sir Isaac Newton decided to split purple into indigo and violet, again to match the notes in a musical scale. Indigo is purple with a heavy amount of blue in it. Violet is another variation of the ratio of blue to red. 

Free printable options.

Because of this distinction I have provided a simplified option for younger learners and a standard option with all 7 colors included for the older students. The first option is specifically for learning primary versus secondary colors and the other is for teaching specifically to the colors identified in a rainbow, ROYGBIV. You’ll find both options in the printable below.

More rainbow activities for homeschool.

Rainbows are an extraordinary way to combine science and art into one lesson. Our child may not be ready to understand wavelengths but they can experience the change of a single, white beam of light passing through a prism and coming out as a spectrum of colors on a wall. And the colors always follow the same pattern. Share your thoughts on this lesson and how you may have modified it for your child’s age. 

This rainbow lesson is a part of a week of lessons all about rainbow activities and primary versus secondary colors. To check it out, go to Rr is for Rainbow. More free printables and book suggestions await. 

Creative activities for 3-5 year old’s. 

Rr is for Rainbow is a part of a 26-week curriculum. Your child will study more than the alphabet and the activities are more than cutesy crafts. Your son or daughter will perform science experiments, play math games, learn art, and so much more. Letter of the Week creates opportunities to challenge and engage your children in learning opportunities that go beyond typical preschool expectations. To explore more follow the button below.

Recent posts on the homeschool blog.