Skip To Main Content

Grade 6 Blends Math and Art for the Perfect Color

Grade 6 Blends Math and Art for the Perfect Color
Tanya Olander

What does it take to find the perfect color? You may think you’ll find the answer in Art class, however, as our Grade 6 students recently learned during their “M-Art” project, the answer is all in the Math.

As any math-lover knows, mathematics is a vibrant, creative language that surrounds us in unexpected ways. Conveying the excitement and beauty of math to our students, the Grade 6 Math team developed a unit in their math class that invited students to uncover the mathematical mysteries hidden within the world of color; “M-Art.”

A Perfect Ratio

“M-Art,” a culminating activity for their study of ratios, challenged students to discover their “perfect color.” Starting with paint and a blank canvas, they engaged in three trials of mixing, calculating, and refining their ratios before creating their final masterpiece. Each student chose their own unique hue, balancing mathematical precision with artistic vision.

M-Art engaged students' minds in logic and imagination. 

After three exploratory trials, and adjusting and refining their colors, students engaged in deep reflective thinking, contemplating how adjusting mathematical proportions affected their color's shade. They also tackled complex ratio problems, calculating how to maintain color consistency when scaling production by 23 times - a challenge that demonstrated the practical power of mathematical reasoning.

Ms. Torti and her team are always ready to serve as guides but the students take ownership of their own learning in Grade 6 Math class.

“Math and art are two sides of the same creative coin, engaging student minds in both logic and imagination. When students blend the precision of mathematics with the expressive freedom of art, their brains light up with curiosity and connection,” says teacher Amanda Torti about the project.

Agency and Creativity

What made this project so impactful was the freedom students had to make their own creative choices. From selecting their colors to perfecting their ratios, they were taking charge of their own learning journey.

This activity was yet another way to illustrate to students that math is everywhere.

“This activity allowed us to test colors and we were able to see how art was related to math. This was interesting because we could see just how much of a difference one drop of white could make on our perfect color and see the ratio change in the moment,” says Elsa, a Grade 6 student.

And while the clean-up presented its own set of challenges, the students rose to the occasion, demonstrating teamwork and determination. 

Sharing the Magic

The exciting “M-Art” journey doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Soon, these students’ final works will be on display in the Middle School, complete with QR codes inviting viewers to explore the mathematical and creative process behind each piece.

Through their work, our 6th graders will now help others realize that math is everywhere—it’s in the colors we see, the art we admire, and the creativity we celebrate. And most importantly, they’ve reminded us all of the beauty of exploring the world with both heart and mind.

 

More SSIS Stories