Autumn Art Lesson Pastel Pumpkin Art Project Fall Art Activity Fall Pumpkin Art

This Pastel Pumpkin Art Project celebrates fall with a hands-on lesson where students use soft pastels or chalk pastels on brown construction paper, blending colors and building depth and texture to create a warm, glowing pumpkin.

It is designed for elementary students and works well for Grades 2 to 6, and can be adapted for younger or older students. With a step-by-step drawing guide and a full visual demonstration, it suits classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers, and ties in with Thanksgiving bulletin boards, harvest or autumn lessons and the Elements of Art.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★★ “Absolutely Fabulous! Great for all levels! Make it more detailed for the older kids, and a bit simpler for the littles.” Susan V.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (30 PAGES, NON-EDITABLE)

• About the Resource with learning objectives, materials and suggested uses
• Lesson Plan (2 pages) in a “Teacher Does/Student Does” format, with materials list and learning outcomes
• Pumpkin Drawing Handout with step-by-step guided drawing
• Art Piece Demonstration Step-by-Step, 18 slides with visuals and text instructions
• Example of Completed Art Piece to show students before they begin
• Rubric for technique, creativity and effort

HOW TO USE IT

Review the lesson plan, gather materials in advance, and photocopy the step-by-step drawing handout and rubric for each student. You may want to make a sample yourself first. Print the example in color and show it before the lesson as your hook.

Project the demonstration slides (on a projector or under a document camera) for students to follow, or use them as your script while you demonstrate. Every step has a visual and a text description, so it is approachable for non-art teachers and homeschooling parents with no art training.

MATERIALS

• Pencil, eraser, black felt or marker
• Brown construction paper
• Soft pastels or chalk pastels
• Copies of the step-by-step handout and rubric (one per student)

FAQ

What grades is it for?

Elementary, and it works well for Grades 2 to 6. It can be adapted for younger or older students.

How long does it take?

Typically 1 to 2 class periods, depending on student age, behavior and how deeply you explore blending. You can draw one day and color the next.

Can I use it for Thanksgiving or seasonal bulletin boards?

Yes. It fits Thanksgiving, harvest themes and autumn bulletin board displays, and the rubric supports assessment.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “Fantastic resource! It was easy to use, well organized, and saved me so much prep time.” Hayley F.

★★★★ “Love this! Such a fun and cute resources. I highly recommend it :)” Brooke M.

★★★★ “Great resources for whole group and small group activities.” Keila S.

★★★★ “These turned out beautifully and easy for students to follow!” Love F.

★★★★ “Great product! Thank you!” Nicole A.

★★★ “My students were very proud of their creations.” Wendy J.

★★★★ “Great” Angie S.

★★★ “Good idea, starting on a darker background and adding shading and highlights as needed. I always seem to forget about this. Anyhow, I love how it gives the pumpkin a warm and realistic feel” Adrianna V.

★★★★ “Very pretty once it is done. Great fall activity.” Jusiel W.

★★★★★ “Great project!” Jamie E.

★★★★★ “even my middle schoolers enjoyed this! thanks!” Kristin A.

★★★★★ “My students loved this activity. I can't wait to get more! I would love to see some more holiday/season designs.” Aimee in Montana

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: use this in creative ways and have as much fun with it as you like. For clip art, you may use the images as clip art, website graphics, binder covers or bulletin board decorations. Additional licenses are available for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: share it with other teachers, administration or districts (admin can buy additional licenses), sell it, give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic