A KS3 colour theory lesson: a practical colour wheel lesson, plus a no-materials knowledge check.

Students identify and mix primary colours to create secondary and tertiary colours across a full 12-part wheel, then stretch into a Creative Challenge page, recreating their wheel in a different material with a built-in reflection and confidence-scale check-in. Also included: a Colour Theory Wordsearch and Crossword, covering 20 key terms from across the whole ArtHouse26 Colour series (primary, complementary, analogous, tint, shade, saturation and more) - genuinely useful as a plenary, a cover lesson with zero materials, or revision before an assessment.

Learning objective: To understand how colours are organised on the colour wheel and use colour mixing to create primary, secondary and tertiary colours.

What’s included

Teacher guidance notes: discussion starter, main task, plenary, extension
Colour Wheel worksheet (Must/Should/Could, Top Tips)
Creative Challenge extension page with reflection and confidence scale
Colour Theory Wordsearch (20 key terms)
Colour Theory Crossword (clue-based)
Terms of use
Also available with US spelling/US Letter

Ideal for

As an introduction to colour mixing and colour theory
Cover lessons and supply teachers: the wordsearch/crossword need nothing but a pen, so this works even when paint or pencils aren’t an option
A starter, plenary, or early-finisher task alongside the practical wheel lesson
Revision before a colour theory assessment, since the vocabulary carries through your whole Colour Theory series

Details: KS3 (Years 7–8) | 45–60 minutes (practical) + 10–15 minutes (knowledge check) | paint, coloured pencils or pastels for the wheel; pen only for the puzzles

Part of the ArtHouse26 Colour Theory series. Pair it with Warm & Cool Colours and Complementary Colours.