Vincent van Gogh Apple Art Lesson BTS Famous Artist Back to School Art Project

In this Vincent van Gogh Apple Art Lesson, students create a Post-Impressionist apple artwork inspired by van Gogh while exploring layered marks, expressive line and value. They draw the apple, build the leaf and stem, add layered marks, create highlights and shadows, and finish with paint and a swirling background that echoes van Gogh’s expressive look.

This elementary art lesson is written for classroom teachers, art teachers and homeschool educators. Step-by-step support is paired with a poem about Vincent van Gogh, an artist reading page, a Whiteboard Splash discussion prompt and several reflection pages, so students learn art history while they make their artwork.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “This Van Gogh-inspired apple art lesson is a brilliant way to introduce students to art history while encouraging their creativity! The project is well-structured with clear instructions, making it easy to implement. The combination of learning about Van Gogh’s style and creating their own apple-themed masterpiece is both educational and engaging. It’s perfect for 3rd-5th graders, with plenty of room for artistic expression at different skill levels. A wonderful resource to start the school year on a creative note—highly recommend!” Linda R.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Lesson Plan Pages with lesson overview, hook, participation strategy, standards and the full teaching flow
• Poem Hook About Vincent van Gogh
• Artist Reading Page on van Gogh, his style and his legacy
• Whiteboard Splash Discussion Prompt
• Step-by-Step How to Draw Page showing the full process at a glance
• Detailed Step-by-Step Art Making Pages with visual and written directions
• Poster Sample and Example Artwork to print or project
• KWL Chart
• Rubric for creativity, craftsmanship, effort and project criteria
• Art Reflection Pages on elements and principles and the message of the piece
• Compare and Contrast Page: Post-Impressionism and Realism
• Questions and Wonders Page
• Goal Setting Page
• Artwork Reflection Pages on growth, creativity, craftsmanship and effort
• Peer Feedback Page (stars and a wish)
• Artist Statement Page
• Display Support, including a display sign

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN

Students learn about Vincent van Gogh and Post-Impressionism, practice expressive layered mark making and light, medium and dark values, and build reflection, critique, discussion and artist statement writing skills. The step pages guide them through blocking off highlight areas and building darker and medium values.

The resource explains how to prep and teach the lesson: project the PDF, print the student handouts, and use the visual and text steps to reduce confusion. It works for elementary art, famous artist lessons, apple projects, sub plans, bulletin board displays and art history integration.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers who want a complete famous artist lesson with clear teaching support.

How do I teach it?

Project the step-by-step pages for whole-class teaching, use the lesson plan as your demonstration guide, and add the poem, artist reading, Whiteboard Splash, KWL, reflections and artist statement for a full lesson.

Does it include reflection and assessment pages?

Yes. It includes a rubric, KWL chart, art reflection pages, compare and contrast page, questions and wonders page, goal setting page, peer feedback page and artist statement page.

How long does this lesson take?

Usually 2 to 3 classes, depending on student age, class length, skill level, behavior, teaching style and how much time you spend on the artist study, discussion and written reflection.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “Used this with 1st-2nd grade for Johnny Appleseed week. Easy art project.” Heather B.

★★★★ “Super cute way to celebrate September apples and art history lesson to learn about Van Gogh.” Susan F.

★★★★ “This activity was easy to use and the students loved it.” ART is fun

★★★★ “My students enjoyed it!! Thanks for your contribution” Laphonda W.

★★★★ “Really happy with it - excellent resource thank you A+” Learning w.

★★★★ “I love how these not only turned out beautifully, but they incorporated Van Gogh's style. Each child ended up successful and they created a beautiful display. I would love more lessons like this in other artists' styles.” FargoTeacher

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist, educator and resource creator who has been featured on NBC LX News and was the featured educator on the cover of OCO Magazine (October 2025). She designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for classroom teachers, art teachers and homeschool families. 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 it as clip art, website graphics, binder covers or bulletin board decorations. Additional licenses are available for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, put it on your blog, 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