NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light

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published by the NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project

This is a NASA-created lesson plan on the primary colors of light (red, green, and blue), developed for use in grades 4-8. It introduces children to the basics of the primary additive colors through a hands-on experiment with flashlights and colored filters. It includes printable worksheets with answer keys.

This item is part of a larger module on the topic of light by NASA's Imagers project.

https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#p...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Electricity & Magnetism - Electromagnetic Radiation = Electromagnetic Spectrum Optics - Color = Synthesis and Analysis of Color	- Middle School - Elementary School	- Instructional Material = Activity = Lesson/Lesson Plan = Problem/Problem Set

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physical Science	- Lesson Plan - Activity - Assessment - New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Educator
Learner
Format:: text/html
Mirror:: https://www.univie.ac.at/geograph…
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2007 NASA
Keywords:: NASA activity, RGB colors, additive colors, color addition, lesson plan, primary colors, spectrum
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created July 10, 2009 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: August 19, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: January 20, 2008

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This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.

Topic: Nature and Behavior of Light
Unit Title: Visible Light and Color

Hands-On Experiment Grades 4-8
Students cooperatively explore the three primary additive colors of light (red, green, blue) by using flashlights and colored filters. Developed by NASA, this lesson includes printable worksheets and answer keys. *NOTE: Students will need scaffolding to understand why these three colors are the primaries of light, which runs counter to the primary colors of paint and pigment. Click on the link below under Teacher Content Support for more information.

Links to Units:

Physical Sciences K-8 Visible Light and Color Unit

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=9243">NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project. NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light. Cleveland: NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project, January 20, 2008.</a>

AIP Format

(NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project, Cleveland, 2007), WWW Document, (https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5).

AJP/PRST-PER

NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light (NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project, Cleveland, 2007), <https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5>.

APA Format

NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light. (2008, January 20). Retrieved April 28, 2025, from NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project: https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5

Chicago Format

NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project. NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light. Cleveland: NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project, January 20, 2008. https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5 (accessed 28 April 2025).

MLA Format

NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light. Cleveland: NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project, 2007. 20 Jan. 2008. 28 Apr. 2025 <https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Title = {NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light}, Publisher = {NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {28 April 2025}, Month = {January 20, 2008}, Year = {2007} }

Refer Export Format

%T NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light %D January 20, 2008 %I NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project %C Cleveland %U https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5 %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D January 20, 2008 %T NASA IMAGERS: The Primary Colors of Light %I NASA Glenn Learning Technologies Project %V 2025 %N 28 April 2025 %8 January 20, 2008 %9 text/html %U https://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/Echo_the_bat/understanding_light.pdf#page=5

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