1. More advanced English learners can work in pairs or groups to write metaphors and similes with colours. We can distribute the following sample phrases from works of literature to help them become inspired: a) “The sky is already purple; the first few stars have appeared, suddenly, as if someone had thrown a handful of silver across the edge of the world” (Alice Hoffman “Here on Earth”). b) “...early on Monday evening, when the sky was the color of a velvet ribbon falling over the hills” (Alice Hoffman “Here on Earth”). c) “Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple” (J.K Rowling “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”). 

2. Students can work in small groups to create their own painting or poster inspired by the song or the poem, using as many colours as possible and give a suitable title to their work. 

A follow-up optional activity assigned as homework regarding the song is to work in groups in order to create and present in the next lesson a digital story based on the song, a form of video clip with successive still images that could accompany the lyrics of the song. (Students can use window movie maker or any other programme they are familiar with for producing digital stories).

3. Additionally for homework, the students can work in groups in order to collect a list of quotes about colours and present them in the next lesson. Also, they can choose five quotes they like the most and elaborate on them during the lesson. We can provide them with the following quotes as prompts and ask students to comment on the quotes in class: “Man needs colour to live; it’s just as necessary as an element as fire and water” (Fernand Reger). “The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most” (John Ruskin “The stones of Venice”). “Love was a feeling completely bound up with color, like thousands of rainbows superimposed one on top of the other” (Paulo Coelho). 

4. Questions for reflection and for writing journals during and / or after the lessons: 

Towards the end of the lesson we introduce the following topics for a brief whole class reflection session: What feelings do the song and the poem by Wordsworth evoke to you? What is the role of colours in our lives? Can you imagine a world without colours? What symbols could different colours represent? What can be our possible reactions to different colours? What colours are usually associated with what emotions? How do colours affect our mood and psychology? 

ASSESSMENT

We can use alternative assessment methods and more specifically, observations, evaluation forms and self-assessment checklists, questionnaires, rubrics, journals and portfolios to evaluate our students’ performance, knowledge, skills, collaboration and engagement and acknowledge their creativity. Assessment should focus on students’ cooperative participation, creative thinking responses, contributions to discussions and group work and their level of engagement in all activities. Each student will create his portfolio which will include the journal entries and any form of creative work they may be inspired to produce. The students will be encouraged to add in their portfolios all the activities carried out during the teaching stages of the three lessons including any creative form they want to express themselves, such as a painting, a drawing, an image or a photo, a poem or a short story.