Rainbow STEM Activities and Color Graphing

Rainbow STEM activities are ideal to begin learning about rainbows and colors. Also, using the rainbow colors, you can incorporate graphing and counting. With rainbows, you can study more than how rainbows form.

Other useful ways to learn about rainbows and colors include chromatography or the movement of molecules in different solutions.

In these activities, the rainbow STEM activities focus on using chromatography simple methods to investigate color differentiation. Then, color graphing uses rainbow and flowers to identify numbers in English and Spanish. 

Rainbow STEM Activities and Color Graphing

These activities consist of two parts. The first part uses chromatography to detect the various colors in water-based markers using different solutions.

Then, the second part uses the FREE templates and printables of rainbows to practice numbers sense in English and Spanish. Rainbows are excellent topics to learn about colors, identification, and science.

Materials for the Rainbow Chromatography

• 15 x 28 centimeters (6 x 11 inches) paper towel 
• Water-based markers (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• 3 plastic containers
• 40 milliliters (3 rounded tablespoons) of water for each container 
• Extra water to dilute
• 4 – 5 rounded teaspoons of sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Spoons 
• Ruler
• Safety scissors
• Paper plate or aluminum foil
• Optional: tape or labels for each container: lemon juice, sugar water, and water

Instructions for the Rainbow Chromatography

1. Divide the 15 x 28 centimeter paper towel into three different pieces.
2. Make 4 centimeter markings along the paper towel with the different colors.
3. Begin with red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
4. Repeat for each piece of paper towel. 
5. Label each plastic container as lemon juice, sugar water, and water. 
6. Set aside. 
7. Measure 40 milliliters of water and pour it in the ‘water’ container. 
8. Measure 40 milliliters of sugar water and pour it in the ‘sugar water’ container. 
9. Measure 40 milliliters of lemon juice and pour it in the ‘lemon juice’ container. 
10. Gently take one of the paper towel strips and place it in the ‘water’ container. 
11. Next, take another paper towel strip and place it in the ‘sugar water’ container. 
12. Then, take the third paper towel strip and place it in the ‘lemon juice’ container. 
13. Observe as the liquid travels along the paper towel and how the colors separate. 
14. Allow the pieces of paper towel to dry completely. 
15. Record your observations using the FREE Rainbow Graphic Organizer.

Video

The video shows how color separates based on different types of solutions: lemon juice, sugar water, and water. Watch as the colors look different for each type of solution and how this applies to chromatography. 

Materials for the Rainbow Color Graphing

• Various colors of cereal pieces
• FREE Spring Templates and Printables
• Glue
• Color crayons: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink

Instructions for the Rainbow Colors Graphing

1. Use the color cereal pieces to count different amounts such as 10, 5, 4, 3, and 2. 
2. Place the pieces of cereal on the rainbow. Then, count the number of pieces. 
3. Make your markings on the chart. 
4. Or, you can place the pieces of cereal on the chart. Then, count the pieces as you place them on the rainbow. 
5. Use a crayon or pencil to make the markings on the chart. 
6. Optional: use number cards or magnetic numbers to identify each number. 
7. Vary the pieces of color cereal that you place on the rainbow. 
8. Use the Color the Flowers FREE printable to count the number of flowers as you color them. 
9. Add number sense practice as you color and count. 
10. For additional practice, use the Spanish alphabet FREE printable to color. 

Video

The video shows fun activities you can use for colors and rainbows. Each printable helps with number sense, recognition, color identification, and Spanish letters. 

Chromatography Application of Rainbow Colors 

How did the colors separate according to the different solutions? In chromatography, you experience how mixtures separate into different components.

In this case, the lemon juice separated the colors in the markers better than the sugar water and water. Notice that water simply carried the colors and mixed them throughout the paper towel.

Similarly, the sugar water started to separate the colors but eventually mixed most of the colors towards the end of the paper towel. The rainbow STEM activities used chromatography to separate those colors.

As a result, the lemon juice solution was the best choice to see the distinction between colors. Chromatography is a common separation technique used to identify various components in a mixture.

Depending on the molecules, solute, and adherence to the stationary phase, you can evaluate different mixtures using chromatography. 

Conclusion

The rainbow STEM activities and color graphing are wonderful experiments that young learners can do. With simple items, they can easily learn about colors and chromatography. While cereal counters are easy to count, there’s a lesson to learn by simply counting flowers and cereal pieces.