[Surfnetkids] Color Vision

Dear Reader,

Did you see the huge ruckus caused by the gold and white, or blue and black dress? It’s the inspiration for this week’s topic: Color Vision.Have you looked at the calendar lately? It’s March! Pi Day is coming up, to be followed quickly by St. Patrick’s Day.

See ya on the Net,
Barbara J. Feldman
“Surfing the Net with Kids”
https://www.surfnetkids.com

Color Vision
https://www.surfnetkids.com/resources/color-vision/

(** for Premium Members only)

Color vision is our brain’s response to light reacting with our eye’s cone cells. Humans have three types of cone cells, each reactive to a different color: red, green, or blue. But color perception is subjective, and different people see colors differently. Recently a striped party dress caused an online frenzy because there’s no consensus on its color. Is the dress white and gold, or blue and black? Mostly, people just felt confused. To help, here’s a round up of sites on how we process colors.

Colorblind Home Page

“This web-site defines being colorblind and will educate you about the different types of colorblindness. It explains why you may be colorblind and what teachers, school nurses, and parents should know about being colorblind.” Visit to take an online color vision test, and to learn more about what it’s like being colorblind.

Color Matters

“Color plays a vitally important role in the world in which we live. Color can sway thinking, change actions, and cause reactions. It can irritate or soothe your eyes, raise your blood pressure or suppress your appetite.” This extensive site is my pick of the day for both students and adults. It includes sections on the science, sociology, and art of color, as well as a section just for kids: Color Matters for Kids.

Neuroscience for Kids: Color Vision

Although the site is rather tired looking, it is a must visit if you’re interested in doing a color vision experiment. “In the Class Experiment, students discover that afterimages occur because of properties of cells in the retina and because of the way nerve pathways carry color information to the brain. They learn basic facts about photoreceptors, nerve connections, and opponent colors.” The site includes a student guide, a teacher guide (both in PDF), background material to introduce the science concepts, and ideas for additional experiments.

… Click to continue to Color Vision

Printables Club Members Also Get …

Surfnetkids Printables Club Members also get the following printables to use in the classroom, the computer lab, the school library, or to send home with students:

*** Are you curious? Get your own ten-day trial membership:
https://www.surfnetkids.com/printables-club.htm

Related Games

Color Blindness Test
Dirty Color
Science of Colors Word Search

Quote of the Week

“I’ve been forty years discovering that the queen of all colors is black.” ~~ (February 25, 1841–December 3, 1919) ~~ French artist and leading Impressionist painter. Read more at: http://www.lightafire.com/quotations/authors/pierre-auguste-renoir/

Surfing the Calendar