Talking about colors in art class
Read/Listen first
In the art class today, the teacher shows a big box of pencils. In the box, there are red, blue, yellow, green, black, and white pencils. She takes a red pencil and draws a simple heart. Then she uses a blue pencil for the sky. She uses a green pencil for the grass. Students look at the colors and say the names together in a clear voice.⚡ Learning goals
- Can understand very simple sentences about colors in a class.
- Can name basic colors to describe simple pictures.
- Can answer and ask simple questions about the color of an object.
✨ Key language
- What color is it? “What color is it?”
- It is red. “It is red.”
- This is a blue pencil. “This is a blue pencil.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Wh-question with be: “What color is it?”
Rule: Use “What color is it?” to ask about the color of one thing.
Examples: What color is it?; What color is the pencil?; What color is the box?
Common pitfall + fix: Many learners say “What color it is?”. Put “is” before the subject: “What color is it?”.
Choose the correct question.
Tip: Remember to put “is” before the subject in questions.
Fill with the best answer: ______ the pencil?
Tip: Start the question with “What color is…”.
2️⃣ Short answers with be: “It is red.”
Rule: Use “It is + color.” to give a simple answer about color.
Examples: It is red.; It is blue.; It is green.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes say “Is red.”. Always use the subject “It”: “It is red.”.
Choose the correct answer.
Tip: Start with the subject “It”.
Fill with the best answer: ______ red.
Tip: Use “It is” before the color.
3️⃣ This is a + color + noun.
Rule: Use “This is a + color + noun.” to show and name one object.
Examples: This is a red pencil.; This is a green pen.; This is a yellow box.
Common pitfall + fix: Some learners forget “a”. Say “This is a red pencil.”, not “This is red pencil.”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Do not forget the article “a”.
Fill with the best answer: ______ red pencil.
Tip: Start with “This is a…”.
4️⃣ There are + colors in the box.
Rule: Use “There are + plural noun.” to say what is in a place.
Examples: There are red pencils in the box.; There are green and blue pencils.; There are many colors.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “There is pencils.” Use “are” with plural nouns: “There are pencils.”.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Use “There are” with more than one pencil.
Fill with the best answer: ______ red pencils in the box.
Tip: Start with “There are…”.
✍️ Vocabulary
red
Meaning: the color of blood or a heart drawing.
Synonyms: scarlet, bright red
Chunk/Idiom: red pencil
Example: The teacher draws a red heart on the paper.
Morphology: adjective; also used as a noun for the color red.
Self-practice: Point at a red object and say “It is red.”
blue
Meaning: the color of a clear sky or sea water.
Synonyms: light blue, dark blue
Chunk/Idiom: blue sky
Example: She uses a blue pencil to draw the sky.
Morphology: adjective; sometimes used as a noun for the color blue.
Self-practice: Look at the sky and say one sentence with “blue”.
yellow
Meaning: the bright color of the sun or a lemon.
Synonyms: golden yellow, light yellow
Chunk/Idiom: yellow pencil
Example: There is a yellow pencil in the box.
Morphology: adjective; sometimes used as a noun for the color yellow.
Self-practice: Find something yellow and describe it in one sentence.
green
Meaning: the color of grass or many leaves.
Synonyms: light green, dark green
Chunk/Idiom: green grass
Example: She uses a green pencil for the grass in the picture.
Morphology: adjective; sometimes used as a noun for the color green.
Self-practice: Say three objects that are green in your room.
black
Meaning: the darkest color, like night with no light.
Synonyms: dark black, jet black
Chunk/Idiom: black pencil
Example: The box has a black pencil next to the others.
Morphology: adjective; also used as a noun for the color black.
Self-practice: Write one sentence with “black” about something you see.
white
Meaning: the color of clean paper or fresh snow.
Synonyms: pure white, bright white
Chunk/Idiom: white paper
Example: Students look at the white paper before they draw.
Morphology: adjective; also used as a noun for the color white.
Self-practice: Say “The paper is white.” three times slowly.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
The pencils are red, blue, and yellow.
This is a green pencil on the desk.
What color is the sky in the picture?
It is white paper with many colors on it.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the best answer: The heart in the picture is ______.
Tip: Use the order “It is + color”.
Choose the best question for a pencil.
Tip: Put “is” before “it”.
Fill with the best answer:
______ on the white paper.
Tip: Start with “This is a…”.
Fill with the best answer:
______ many colors in the box.
Tip: Use “There are…” with more than one color.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
What color is the grass in the mini text?
Tip: Look at the sentence about the grass.
In the mini text, where are the pencils?
Tip: Read the first two sentences again.
Fill with the best answer:
There is a ______ pencil in the box.
Tip: Think of the colors in the box.
Fill with the best answer:
At the end, ______.
Tip: Look at the last sentence of the mini text.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: What color is it?
B: It is blue.
A: And what color is the grass?
B: It is green.
Why this matters:
Using color words helps you describe simple pictures and real objects. It is useful in class, in shops, and in daily life when you talk about things you see.
Verb & Adjective Pack:
show — The teacher shows the box of pencils.
draw — She draws a red heart on the paper.
green — The grass in the picture is green.
blue — The sky in the picture is blue.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: ______ on my desk.
Tip: Start with “This is a…”.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: There is many pencils in the box
Tip: Use “There are” with plural nouns like “pencils”.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Students say the color names together
Tip: Say the sentence aloud before you type it.