Dot Day Art Lesson The Dot Art Project Drawing Back to School Art Activity

This Dot Day Art Project and Growth Mindset Lesson Pack gives elementary teachers and homeschool educators two Dot Day art lessons that celebrate creativity and perseverance. Use it for International Dot Day, the first weeks of school, or any time you are building classroom community through art.

The pack blends visual arts, reading comprehension and social-emotional learning. Students explore the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset through a reading passage, writing prompts at different levels, and art-making that encourages self-expression and risk-taking. Each project has its own PowerPoint tutorial, so you can differentiate, offer choice, or use a different project next year.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “Great resource, well designed, engaging, and easy to use in the classroom!” heather s.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF AND PPT VERSIONS)

• Lesson Plan (2 pages)
• 2 Dot Day Art Tutorials with PowerPoint step-by-steps for both
• Art Examples
• Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset Reading Passage
• Reading Comprehension Questions with answer key
• 3 Writing Prompts at varying levels
• 2 Lesson Hooks on the theme of making a mark and seeing where it takes you
• "When You're Done" Finish the Picture Activity for early finishers
• Printable Coloring Page
• Art Reflection Pages
• Rubric and Self-Assessments
• Artist Statement Template
• Display Sign

HOW TO USE IT

Start with one of the lesson hooks, read the growth mindset passage together, and then teach one of the two art projects using the PowerPoint step-by-step. The writing prompts and reflection pages connect the art back to mindset, and the coloring page and Finish the Picture activity keep younger students and early finishers engaged.

It suits International Dot Day, growth mindset art projects, cross-curricular literacy and SEL lessons, homeschool art, sub plans, the first week of school, and differentiated or mixed-grade art classes.

FAQ

What grades is it for?

Grades 1 to 6. The built-in differentiation suits mixed-grade settings, learning support and varied ability levels.

Can I use it more than once?

Yes. With two art projects and a range of writing and SEL activities, you can use a different project each year or offer both in one year for more choice.

How long does it take?

Most teachers finish the project and literacy parts in 2 to 4 class periods, depending on age, class time and how deep you go into mindset discussions and writing.

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, as part of your art class, homeschool routine, bulletin board display, or for SEL and classroom community building.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, post it on a blog, share it with other teachers or districts (please purchase additional licenses), or sell or distribute this resource.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic