There are over ten million colors in the world, and that’s just the ones we can see. We tend to learn about the basics, but why limit ourselves? Colors have cool histories, intriguing origins, cultural meanings, wonderful names. Plus, they are often quite beautiful. And beauty is showing promise as a way to help kids (and us!) learn.
With all this rich possibility swirling in the world, we invite you to take a journey into colors—whether you are 5 or 50 or even 85. Use them to teach yourself fascinating things about history, science, language, and culture (maybe even math!). Go on color treasure hunts, taste them or tinker with them. We’re here to send you on your colorful way, continuing our color journey with xanthic.
Of course, in our very own alphabet book, we also include old favorites like red, orange, yellow, green, blue (as part of the denim page) and purple. But with 26 letters to illustrate, we also saw a beautiful opportunity: to paint the world from an azure sky to a zaffre goodbye.
Xanthic Pronunciation Video
5 Fun Facts About Xanthic
1. Xanthic is a yellow or golden color, and comes from the Greek ξανθός xanthos, which means — wait for it — yellowish golden.
2. Xanthic acids are a class of acids that are characterized as sulphurous (yellow, and typically pretty smelly). Xanthate salts are used in the production of cellophane.
3. The color xanthic is seen in mutations of certain types of ornamental fish, like bettas, usually produced on purpose because of the bright yellow.
4. In plants, the yellow xanthic is produced by removing blue from chlorophyll. Or, at least that’s what a gardening book from 1914 said. But I have no idea how, back in 1914, they were removing blue from chlorophyll.
5. There are 42 synonyms for this interesting way of saying yellow, starting with sallow and fallow. Who knew?
Take a Color Walk
One great way to become more attuned to the colors around you is to take a color walk. It’s easy to do: simply decide on your color-of-the-day, and look for it wherever you roam. Take pictures, jot notes, or just keep your findings in mind. If you feel so inspired write a color vignette when you get home.
Count Your Colors
For younger color walk participants, we’ve created a special My Color Counting Book that reinforces color names, days of the week, sorting, counting, and adding. Just print and enjoy, at home or for a math or literacy center in the classroom!
Xanthic Haiku Poetry Prompt
Try your hand at a xanthic haiku. Use the “fun facts” or findings from your color walk as inspiration if you like. Need more inspiration? Check out our haiku infographic.
Brilliant ink-on-tile illustrations created with a secret process bring the alphabet to colorful life. Children will delight in the rich, poetic language of colors like emerald, jasmine, and quartz—while also meeting old favorites like yellow, orange and purple.
Related Article at Huffington Post: 5 Great Reasons to Color the Core of Kids’ Learning
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Katie says
Poets,
there is just too
much fun to be had with
ten million colors in the world;
let’s go!
Katie says
call it
ecru, aurin
sallow, yellow, fallow
sandy, amber, creamy or buff
xanthic
&
fallow
shouldn’t that refer to a field
canary is a bird
gilded, golden
straw, beige?
Katie says
Okay,
let’s try again:
gold, lemon, primrose, gilt
how about, buttery, champagne
citron.
OR
Chartreuse
can you spell it
citron, can you taste it
cream-colored crocus, goldenrod
flaxen.
&
Honey
honey-colored
jaundiced jasmine mustard
maize-like saffron dandelion
sulfur
OR
cinquains:
sunshine to cheer
a poor sickly poet
who feels yellowish and tawny
Sunny:)
Donna Falcone says
Katie, Thank you for sharing the many shades of xanthic… 🙂
I really enjoyed the sensory impact of this:
Chartreuse
can you spell it
citron, can you taste it
Katie says
Thank you, Donna. I love your haiku!
Donna Falcone says
Thank you!
Donna Falcone says
a memoir in haiku form;
deep midnight terrain
cracked wide open spilling forth
healing xanthic light
Donna Falcone says
blow an azure kiss
to the videographer
tweetspeaks xanthic love
Donna Falcone says
Thank you!
Katie says
Okay, here’s another cinquain using the last two of the 42 synomyns for xanthic:
Lemon
Dandelion
yellowy flower-weed
you fill my yard with ocherous
sunshine.