Spring Umbrella Art Project Spring Art Lesson Rainy Day Art Activity April Art
This Spring Umbrella Art Project brings together visual art, literacy and creative thinking in one spring lesson. Students follow clear step-by-step drawing instructions to create a cheerful umbrella surrounded by raindrops, using an oil pastel resist with watercolor or tempera paint.
It is a spring art lesson plan for elementary students, made for classroom teachers, homeschool educators, art teachers and substitute teachers. After the artwork, students extend their learning with reading comprehension, writing prompts, reflection activities and artist statements.
WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING
★★★★ “This was a perfect last minute lesson plan that was customizable for all the grade levels I teach. My students were engaged and learned about the parts of the umbrella and were able to make their own personalized umbrella with great creativity! Would definitely recommend!” Raquel D.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Teacher lesson plan with step-by-step teaching instructions
- Lesson hook picture puzzle activity to spark curiosity and predictions
- Participation strategy prompts to activate student thinking and discussion
- KWL chart worksheet exploring rain and umbrellas
- 12 visual step-by-step directed drawing pages with written instructions for each step
- Example artwork page showing the final goal
- Guidance for creating oil pastel resist artwork with watercolor or tempera paint
- Informational reading passage on how umbrellas are made, with a reading comprehension worksheet and answer key
- Creative writing activity about an adventure with a magical umbrella
- Write-and-draw storytelling page for younger learners
- Art reflection worksheets focused on the creative process
- Artist statement worksheet
- 3 Stars and a Wish student self-assessment page
- Art rubric assessing creativity, craftsmanship and responsibility
- Bulletin board display sign
- Art postcard template inspired by student artwork
HOW TO USE IT
Guide students through the lesson hook, the reading activity, the directed drawing steps, the painting process and the reflection pages for a complete cross-curricular art lesson. It fits spring art lessons, rain and weather units, elementary art classes, homeschool art, substitute teacher art plans and seasonal bulletin boards.
Students practice oil pastel resist, watercolor or tempera painting, directed drawing, color choices and fine motor skills, then reflect on and write about their artwork and ideas.
Materials: oil pastels, white cardstock or thick drawing paper, watercolor paint or tempera paint cakes, paint brushes and water cups.
FAQ
Who can use this resource?
Classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers who want a spring-themed art project with literacy integration.
How long does this project take?
Most teachers complete it in 2 to 3 class periods, depending on student age, class length, skill level, teaching style and time available for painting and reflections.
What kind of paint can I use?
Watercolor paint or tempera paint cakes over the oil pastel drawing.
Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen McGiveron is the artist and educator behind Ms Artastic. She is a professional artist, art educator and curriculum designer who has created over 1,000 art lesson resources used by classrooms around the world. She has been featured on NBC LX and was the featured educator on the cover of OCO Magazine (October 2025 edition). She also runs the Ms Artastic YouTube channel, where she shares drawing tutorials, art lessons and creative inspiration for students, teachers and families.
TERMS OF USE
This resource is the intellectual property of Ms Artastic / Kathleen McGiveron. Your purchase includes a single license for personal classroom or homeschool use only.
YOU MAY: use this resource with your own students, print copies for your classroom and use it within your classroom learning environment.
YOU MAY NOT: share this resource with other teachers, upload it to shared drives or public websites, or resell or redistribute it.
If additional teachers would like to use this resource, please purchase additional licenses. Copyright © Ms Artastic. All rights reserved.
Sincerely,
Ms Artastic