Storytime with Rachel: You Are Light

Rachel reads You Are Light by Aaron Becker.

Questions to Discuss

  • What colours did you notice the most and how did they make you feel?

  • How do you think light changes the way we see the world?

  • Can you tell me some of the ways light can help us or change things?

Activity: Make Your Own Circle of Light

Materials

  • White paper plates (or circles cut from cardboard)

  • Coloured tissue paper, cellophane, or transparent plastic wrappers (different colours)

  • Glue sticks or tape

  • Flashlight or a sunny window

Steps

  • Give each child a paper plate and cut out a circle in the middle (like a frame)

  • Let them glue or tape coloured tissue/cellophane around the hole to create a stained-glass effect

  • Once dry, hold the plates up to the light or shine a flashlight through them

  • Talk about how the colours mix and change when the light shines through, just like in the book

Discussion prompts

  • What happens when two colours overlap?

  • How does it look different in sunlight vs. indoors?

  • Which colours make you feel happy, calm or excited?

Photo by Matt Byrne

Activity: Colour Hunt

Steps

  • Ask the children to look around the room and find something of each colour they saw in the book (red, blue, yellow, etc.)

    • Example: Who can spot something blue?

  • Once each child shares, ask:

    • How does this colour make you feel?

    • What might this colour remind you of outside, in nature or in your home?

  • If outside or near a window, you can also do a light hunt:

    • Where can you see light shining right now?

    • What changes when the light moves?

Activity: Dancing Colours

Just like in You Are Light, the Wonderverse is full of colours that change and move. Colours don’t just stay still - they can dance, swirl and flow. How do you think colours might move if they were alive?

  • Watch the trailer for Wonderverse below

  • Ask each child to choose their favourite colour

  • Invite them to pretend they are that colour moving through the Wonderverse

    • a red child might move fast and fiery

    • a blue child might float gently

    • a yellow child might jump and shine

  • Play soft music or clap a rhythm as they “dance their colour” around the room

  • Gather them back and ask:

    • How did it feel to move like your colour?

    • How would different colours dance together in the Wonderverse?

Further Learning

You Are Light invites children to notice how light and colour work together to create beauty. Just like each colour is important in making the circle complete, every person is important in making a community strong and welcoming. This idea connects with the Building Belonging Toolkit which helps children explore identity, diversity and inclusion in ways they can understand.

Discussion prompts

  • How are colours in the book like the people we know, all different but all special?

  • What happens if we take away one colour? What would happen if someone was left out of our group?

  • How do we shine brighter when we all belong together?

More activities to try

Animal Shadow Dance Party Turn your classroom (or your lounge room) into a shadow dance party with a few simple steps.
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Mirrors and Reflection Explore reflection and the magic of mirrors with these simple activities.
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Creature Sounds – Superluminal Discover the creatures in Superluminal and explore the sounds they make.
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