Autumn Art Lessons Fall Art Projects Art Unit Fall Art Projects Art Activities

This Autumn Art Unit is a no-prep, ready-to-use fall art unit for elementary and middle school. It includes a seasonal video introduction, 3 fully planned step-by-step tutorials, 7 open-ended choice-based art lessons and a reflective final project, built around pumpkins, hedgehogs, scarecrows and other fall themes.

Students explore texture, form, line and contrast through autumn colors and themes, and 30 Autumn Drawing Challenge prompts give you warm-ups, early finisher tasks or daily sketchbook moments. It is designed for Grades 2 to 6, is easy to plan even if you are new to teaching art, and everything is black-line printable and flexible in medium.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Unit Plan with scope and sequence
• 2 Introductory Art Lessons with a seasonal video and age-appropriate prompts
• 3 Step-by-Step Fall Art Projects: Pumpkin Painting (a pumpkin with a line art background, using tempera and oil pastels), Hedgehog and Apples (a woodland scene in watercolor and oil pastels) and Scarecrow Art (wax resist with watercolor and crayon)
• 7 Choice-Based Art Projects that build independence and creative problem-solving
• 30 Autumn Drawing Challenges
• End-of-Unit Choice-Based Project where students apply two Elements of Art to create a personal autumn artwork

HOW TO USE IT

Begin with the intro video and lessons, then move through the guided tutorials and choice-based projects. Use the daily drawing challenges as warm-ups, and wrap up with the end-of-unit project, which asks students to reflect and use the Elements of Art.

It fits a fall art curriculum in October or November, seasonal homeschool art, no-prep sub plans and technique exploration during the fall term.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS THIS UNIT COVERS

Grade 2: VA:Cr1.1.2a Brainstorm collaboratively multiple approaches to an art or design problem. VA:Cr1.2.2a Make art or design with various materials and tools to explore personal interests, questions, and curiosity. VA:Cr2.1.2a Experiment with various materials and tools to explore personal interests in a work of art or design. VA:Cr2.2.2a Demonstrate safe procedures for using and cleaning art tools, equipment, and studio spaces. VA:Cr3.1.2a Discuss and reflect with peers about choices made in creating artwork.

Grade 3: VA:Cr1.1.3a Elaborate on an imaginative idea. VA:Cr1.2.3a Apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to investigate personal ideas through the art-making process. VA:Cr2.1.3a Create personally satisfying artwork using a variety of artistic processes and materials. VA:Cr2.2.3a Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and proficient use of materials, tools, and equipment for a variety of artistic processes.

Grade 4: VA:Cr1.1.4a Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. VA:Cr2.1.4a Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches.

Grade 5: VA:Cr1.1.5a Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art-making. VA:Cr1.2.5a Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art. VA:Cr2.1.5a Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice. VA:Cr2.2.5a Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials, tools, and equipment. VA:Cr2.3.5a Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance. VA:Cr3.1.5a Create artist statements using art vocabulary to describe personal choices in artmaking.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Elementary teachers (Grades 2 to 6), homeschool families, art educators and substitute teachers looking for an easy-to-run autumn art unit.

How long will this unit take?

About 2 to 3 weeks, depending on your pacing. Each full tutorial typically takes 2 to 3 classes, and the choice-based activities give you room to extend or shorten lessons.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable and black-line printable.

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

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: reuse this resource each year with your class and purchase additional licenses to share it with other teachers.

YOU MAY NOT: upload the videos or lessons publicly online, share or distribute the files to colleagues without additional licenses, use it in commercial programs like OutSchool, or resell, repost or copy it for free or profit.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic