Back to School Art Lesson First Week of School Art Projects and Art Activities

This Back to School Art Unit gives you a full set of art lessons for the first weeks of school: introductory art lessons, step-by-step art projects, choice based art lessons and daily art challenges that build classroom community while getting students excited to create. It is made for classroom teachers, art teachers and homeschool educators, with a focus on upper elementary.

Students explore projects like a pencil collage, a self portrait art lesson and an apple art project, and build confidence through open-ended prompts and art choices that let their personalities show.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “This art unit is the perfect way to kick off the school year with creativity and fun! The lessons are thoughtfully planned, easy to follow, and packed with engaging activities that inspire students to express themselves artistically. The projects are age-appropriate, visually appealing, and adaptable for different skill levels, making it a great fit for all learners. I also love how it fosters creativity while building foundational art skills. If you're looking for a complete, stress-free way to bring art into your classroom at the start of the year, this resource is a must-have. Highly recommend!” Linda R.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Unit Plan, a scope and sequence to help you map out your first weeks of art
• 2 Introductory Art Lessons, back to school themed starter lessons with a video
• 3 Full Art Project Tutorials with lesson plans, hooks, step-by-step guidance, assessment tools, student pages, rubrics, reflection sheets and display signs
• 7 Choice Based Art Lessons, open-ended activities with no examples provided so students take creative ownership
• 30 Daily Art Challenges for warm ups, early finishers, sketchbook time or extra practice
• Choice Based End of Unit Project centerd on the Elements of Art, with class-generated success criteria

HOW TO USE IT

Begin with the intro lessons and video, then move into the step-by-step projects, choice based lessons and daily art challenges depending on your class and schedule. Use it as a full back to school art unit, pull single lessons for your first week, use the challenges as warm ups, or mix in the choice based activities when students need a creative reset.

The unit supports artistic risk taking, skill development, literacy integration and student identity through art. It also works for classroom community building, sub plans, sketchbook warm ups, early finishers and developing creativity and fine motor skills.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers. It is designed to be easy to follow, even if you do not teach art all day.

How long will this unit take?

The full unit can span roughly 2 to 4 weeks, depending on class time, pacing and how many activities you use. Individual projects may take 2 to 3 class periods.

Can I use just part of it?

Yes. It works as a complete start of year unit or as individual grab-and-go lessons.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “For someone with no art background, this resource made my life so much easier as a teacher. It is fantastic- lessons, examples, step by step instructions for students to follow, etc. Would highly recommend!” Jennifer M.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist, educator and resource creator who designs visual art lessons for children. Her work has been featured on NBC LX News, and she was the featured educator on the cover of OCO Magazine for the October 2025 edition. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast, where she shares art lessons, creative inspiration and support for educators and families.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this resource creatively year after year with your students, buy additional licenses to share with colleagues, and have fun and get messy, because it is art after all.

YOU MAY NOT: share or post this resource publicly (including the video), upload it to blogs or other public sites, use it on OutSchool or for commercial use, or photocopy or distribute it to other educators without additional licenses.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic