art education – Art with Mrs Filmore

“Draw your own Invention!”1st grade

April 12, 2026 No Comments

This fun and engaging 1st grade art lesson connects directly to STEM concepts, foundational literacy, and a school community event (the 5th grade “Invention Convention”)!

This was a 2 day art lesson -2 (40 minute) art periods. On day 1, we talked about how the 5th graders created their own inventions with their classroom teachers, and had them on display for the whole school to check out. Students then shared their favorite inventions that they saw when visiting the invention convention.

So for the 5th grader Invention Convention, which is a yearly tradition, 1st graders went with their classroom teachers to visit the invention convention earlier that week. They walked around the gym where everything was set up and were given the opportunity to ask questions and hear how their inventions operated and why they were useful! A lot of my first graders had older siblings that took part in the schools invention convention event too. Parents and people in the community were able to see the inventions and talk to the 5th grade inventors one evening at the school as well!

Here are some of the 5th graders inventions below!

Then students were introduced to Rube Goldberg’s illustrations, and learned that Rube Goldberg lived from 1883 – 1970, and that he was an American cartoonist, engineer, and inventor who received the Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for his political cartoons. Rube is best known for his cartoon drawings that depict “Rube Goldberg Machines”, contraptions that were deliberately over-engineered to perform (via a chain reaction) a very simple task in a very complicated way.

FUN FACT! The popular board game, “Mouse Trap”, was modeled after a “Rube Goldberg Machine”.

They then watched this very silly and fun video by http://josephsmachines.com (which my students absolutely LOOVED!)

“Pass the Salt”

https://youtu.be/nORRgU8sGdE?si=sfAAwWtuP7aqn4ca

You should definitely watch this if you haven’t seen it yet. Also visit his YouTube channel for other fun videos!

I particularly liked this one below “what happens to your bags after drop off”

Then I showed students invention drawings (in my Google slides)by previous 1st graders for more inspiration.

Here are my screenshots of my Google slides with directions that I showed my students after.

On day 2, students finished coloring in their inventions and then did a “turn and talk” with their peers, explaining what they created and how their invention worked.

Artwork by my first graders is below the learning goals for the lesson!

Learning Goals:

Students learn about the artist /engineer Rube Goldberg and can identify his artwork

Students can see connections between science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM)

Students can use creative problem solving skills, and visualize a unique invention

Students can translate abstract ideas into a 2D drawing, using lines, shapes and textures to represent functioning parts of their invention

Students can give their invention a unique name, and a written description encouraging creative ownership while creating art that connects with ELA

In connection with the 5th-grade event, students will practice explaining their drawing to peers, developing the “narrator” skills needed for future presentations

Students recognize the school-wide theme of “innovation” and see themselves as part of the same creative community as the older students

Students learn to use real-world events (like the 5th-grade convention) as a springboard for their own artistic exploration

the students artwork above wasn’t finished yet but I had to add it in!

Thanks so much for visiting my website today! I hope you enjoyed these 1st graders creative inventions and try it with your students soon!

Please be sure to check out my previous posts below

NEW YouTube Tutorial “Mixed-Media Cake inspired by Wayne Thiebaud ”

I created my FIRST EVER #shorts video!!! I think I messed up a teeny bit though and added #shorts to the actual video haha when I actually didn’t have to (whatevs…. Not a big deal!)

Springtime Art Lessons

Blackout Poetry – 5th Grade

Winter Northern Lights! 5th Grade Art Lesson

Winter Cardinals -4th grade and Superhero Masks – 2nd grade!

And many MANY others!!! Click under my main menu to find my permanent pages with grade level art lessons and much much more!

Also—- I’ll be posting again soon on the following:

The Art Show (after May)

Kindergarten + 1st grade Self-Portraits

2nd grade “April Showers Brings May Flowers”

3rd grade “Kinetic Piranha’s”

4th grade “Enlarged Flower Drawings”

5th grade “Splattered Paintbrushes”

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NEW YouTube Tutorial “Mixed-Media Cake inspired by Wayne Thiebaud ”

March 29, 2026 No Comments

I hope you enjoy watching my new video! I had a lot of fun making it!

*****NEW! I just added my step-by-step drawing guide (PDF) on how to draw the cake to my TpT store (4/15/26) for only $1.25*****

Link to my TpT is HEREHERE

In my video, I first give an introduction on Wayne Thiebaud and talk about his artwork while showing a variety of his paintings with the titles of the art listed at the bottom, and share some fun facts kids will love! (2 minutes), then during the drawing I show how to hold a ruler correctly when drawing any straight lines—-how to use crayon to create a “barrier” or wall, to prevent watercolors from seeping into other wet sections, —and “wet-wet woops!”Something I came up with when wet paint next to wet paint merges together where you don’t want it to 🙂

Suitable for grades 3-5

******* More on this lesson below the hashtags**********

#WayneThiebaud

#mixedmedia

#watercolortutorial

#elementaryartlessons

#youtubetutorials

#art

#artlessons

#cake

#drawingcakes

#howtodrawacake

#cakelover

#artprojectsforkids

#Artlessonsforkids

#springtimeartlessons#elementaryart

Materials needed:

Good quality white drawing paper (I used 9×12” 80# paper)
Black fine point sharpie permanent marker
Crayons
Ruler
Watercolors
Puffy paint (or oil pastels) for the sprinkles

3 day lesson (40 minute art classes each)

Day 1:

Draw and sharpie cake (include frosting dripping over edge, wavy frosting on top around perimeter, strawberry (or other cake topping like chocolates, candles, or cherries), diagonally striped frosting on the inside, plate, table and 5 vertical stripes for rainbow inside the cake (if you want to include that part) *omit sharpie on those lines

Day 2:

Color strawberry with crayon
Color wavy frosting on top of cake with crayon
Draw a thick line of crayon at edge of frosting drips
Color in the diagonal stripe of inside frosting with crayon
Trace over vertical stripes inside cake (just tracing over lines) to create a “barrier” for paint, with crayons, pressing hard
Color in the plate with crayon
Add crayon tablecloth design / pattern on table
Paint the sides of cake (from drips down) not the inside slice taken out yet
Paint the top of cake and frosting drips

Day 3:

Paint the inside of cake (just be careful near the top and don’t use too much water on your brush) rainbow vertical stripes starting with red at outermost edge of cake going to purple in the center on both sides
Add puffy paint sprinkles on top of cake (or once the top is completely dry) or use oil pastels

LEARNING GOALS:

Students learn about the artist Wayne Thiebaud and can identify his work
Students understand how art and other disciplines, like math can be interdisciplinary and helps generate new ideas and supports creative thinking
Students utilize the elements of art: line, shape, form, space, texture and color to create a cake and can identify those elements in their work
Students can create, identify and define crayon wax resist techniques

*****NEW! I just added my step-by-step drawing guide (PDF) on how to draw the cake to my TpT store (4/15/26) for only $1.25

Link to my TpT is HEREHERE

This handout would be great for any absent students on day 1 of the lesson. Also great for any early finishers on any given day! And useful to add to your sub binder!

I hope you enjoy my new video!!

I know in my last post “Springtime Art Lessons” I mentioned that I’d be creating a new video for 2nd grade “April Showers brings May Flowers” but I just really wanted to create this video first! I will still be creating that one though sometime very soon!

I’m also thinking about creating a YouTube tutorial on Georgia O’Keeffe inspired Enlarged flower drawings (oil pastel) — you can view them under my 4th grade Art Lessons page —-would you be interested in something like that? With a bit of Art history and talking about her art and life in the intro? Let me know your thoughts!

Please check out my new video when you can! Also be sure to check out my post below on “Springtime Art Lessons” —there’s a ton listed from grades K-5 as well as special education with links back to my original posts on many of them that have detailed step-by-step directions with lots of photos. I plan on making a permanent spot for all of those on a dedicated page under my main menu in the next day or so.

Thank you so much for visiting my website today!

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Blackout Poetry – 5th Grade

March 21, 2026 No Comments

First, I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of my subscribers—thank you so much for following along my art room (well…art cart) adventures!

I love sharing all the beautiful creations that my students make and steps for the lessons. I hope that my website is a great resource to all Art educators, K-5 classroom educators, parents, students, and aspiring art teachers alike! And well… anyone really!!

I created this website in late 2014 and it’s been steadily growing ever since. I’ve recently gained over 100 NEW subscribers in just this past month alone- that’s pretty big for me! So, THANK YOU!! (I hope that doesn’t come across as sounding boastful— that’s not me— I just wanted to share my happiness about it and express my gratitude! Art teaching is my passion, and I love sharing what I love to do!

Here are some of my 5th Graders amazing #blackoutpoetry

Many of these are still works in progress, but we are finishing up this lesson this week. I just couldn’t wait to share what they’ve created so far! I hope you enjoy! Steps and directions (with screenshots) that I show my students from my Google slides are below the artwork as well.

”We are always in the process of becoming new

Our minds are exercising “

”I can make a difference”

”Major colors can be taken further into a mound of textures”

“He is over there

She is sitting over there

They now come together”

This student wanted to do a Haiku and found almost all the letters she needed for what she wanted it to say. We used a teeny tiny bit of whiteout to add in one or two letters for it to work. I love her dedication and perseverance to create this. Look at how many letters she had to find?! It’s so simple but so beautiful!

”In the dark, there is light”

“A special space large enough for me to dream

It was something special for me

Just for me”

”Explore life

Make purpose”

”Hope

or opportunity “

”Images create the world

Making images express us and life”

”She is telling

I’m thinking

It’s time to get outside and live out there for as long as you can. I’m out in the backyard with the rest of you”

”Without response. Sinking. Fast and gone.
Flooded.
Shattered”

”Deep in

More vivid imaginations

Will arise”

”We

can’t

control the

universe”

”She copied the wisdom of a higher grade to be big”

”A human means

to touch, explore, and

create the world”

”I dream unique

fascination

I become something special

A new part of history”

Somehow I always manage to screw up the spacing whenever I hang up artwork?!!?Anyone else have this issue?? ? Hahah—-I like the letters punched out that way though! I used one of those old school / hand crank gizmo’s -called a “Cricut cuttlebug” to cut the white paper to create the letters for the board. The bulletin board is black underneath.

These are the my Google slides I show my 5th graders students throughout the process of the lesson—-This is one of my teacher examples below on the LEFT (in the box) and in the following picture BELOW as well.

These are some slides showing some examples of Austin Kleon’s blackout poetry taken from his Instagram account

And these are slides I show my students with previous 5th graders artwork and poems to give them some more inspiration. This was when I taught the lesson using only black sharpie to illustrate their poems (maybe about 10 years ago???!)

This was a 4 day lesson (taking 4- 40 minute art classes)

I thought originally it’d probably take 3 art classes, but then realized on day 3 that students needed a day 4 and I wanted to make sure I gave them the time to finish.
I have always loved incorporating writing with art lessons and I was excited to try this one again after so many years. I honestly am not sure why I stopped for awhile? Im glad I did though! Sometimes I think it’s something inside me nudging me to start writing myself.

Day 1: I showed them the slides above, explaining what blackout poetry is, and telling them about Austin Kleon’s work, and showed them his examples. I also showed them a few examples that I created and then showed them my previous 5th graders examples with their artwork too.

Then I explained how I photocopied a bunch of random pages from books that I had at home, a few books from the school library, as well as an article from a food magazine I had laying around. I randomly selected 3 pages out of the bunch and paper clipped 3 random pages together x30 per class.

I explained to students to look through each page and without reading the entire page, just look for words that jump out at them. Then to choose one page, and start selecting words with their pencil, making sure the words read like a book – from left to right- top to bottom— by drawing large rectangles around each word they wanted to include in their poem.

Once all words were selected in pencil, they traced over all their rectangles around each word with a super fine point sharpie marker.

Then they wrote their entire “found poem” out along the bottom of their paper in pencil. Then placed a sheet of printer paper under their poem paper (to protect their desks) and used a bigger “Fine point” sharpie marker to start blacking out all the other words they didn’t need in their final poem.

After that, on DAY 2–students started to draw a picture on 9×12” 80# paper with pencil that somehow connected to their poems. I explained that they could draw something very abstract (just focusing on lines, shapes and colors) to capture the feeling their poems represented or something more literal. They had a choice of what to color with —either markers, chalk pastels, colored pencils, or crayons.

Learning Goals:

Students can see how art and other disciplines, like English Language Arts can be interdisciplinary and helps generate new ideas and supports creative thinking

Students learn about the artist/writer Austin Kleon and his blackout poetry

Students develop a blend of critical reading, creative writing, and visual art skills

Students can create images that directly support, mirror, or enhance the meaning of their chosen poem

Students explore creative expression, using art to emphasize their found poem to create a personal, artistic piece

Students can reflect on how their chosen words and images express their own thoughts, feelings, or interpretations

Here are some photos of students creating both their poems and artwork!

I’ll be updating this blog post when students are finished with their artwork very soon!
I’m also going to post this under the “5th grade art lessons” page soon at the bottom, where it’ll permanently live.

I’ll ALSO be posting a collection of my SPRINGTIME ART LESSONS within the next couple of days as well FYI – so please be on the lookout out for that!

Also— haha— yep, moooore also’s…. Have you checked out all my site has to offer? Click on the MENU on my home page and see if anything else suits your fancy 😉
I added a NEW PAGE under my menu called “OPEN HOUSE or P/T CONFERENCE NIGHT IDEA” – be sure to check that out!

I’ll be posting SPRINGTIME ART LESSONS sometime this week ( as well as some other new fun art lessons that I haven’t posted before!)

Thank you so much for visiting my website today!

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Winter Northern Lights! 5th Grade Art Lesson

February 15, 2026 2 Comments

WINTER NORTHERN LIGHTS – kids artwork included!

( My teacher example above )

Students artwork below!

This is a NEW art lesson that I created on 12/17/25. I’m SO excited on how these turned out! This is definitely a keeper in my curriculum and kids really loved creating them!! Such a fun process and I’m very proud of my students work (as they are too!)

The only materials needed are 12 x18” black paper ( I like to use Sax brand “Black Colored Art Paper” because of how saturated the color it is, and doesn’t have spotting or inconsistencies within the paper), 6” x 18” black paper, 12 x18” white paper, colored chalk pastels, white chalk pastel, scissors, a glue stick, a toothbrush, a plate for the paint, and white tempera paint.

I knew I wanted to create a fun landscape using chalk pastels for a winter art lesson and kept playing around with ideas in my head for a few days, then started experimenting at school. I really love how the northern lights came out and how the snowy trees pop against the black and all that vibrant color!

This lesson takes (4) 40 minute art classes to complete.
This winter lesson can be created throughout ANY of the winter months! December-January-February….March even! (If you live in New England, March is like the loooongest cold month (besides January of course haha!)

Day 1: Create the Northern Lights

On a sheet of 12×18” white drawing paper, draw 5 random wavy lines across the paper with pencil to create a template for the northern lights. Make sure no lines are overlapping.

Then cut along that first top line and toss that first top section away in the recycling.

Then place the remaining paper (template) on top of the 12×18” black paper, lining up both papers. Then using various colored chalk pastels, draw right on the edge of the white paper -AND- on the black paper, going back and forth to create a thick line and to create a lot of chalk dust. Use a variety of colors and switch colors as you move along the edge of the white paper. Overlap colors where they meet as well. Then once the entire edge is colored, use your finger to smudge upwards from the white paper onto the black paper. (I did try to use a different finger as colors changed here and there, but even if I didn’t and they blended a little, it was completely fine. I guess that really just depends on what effect you’re going for color-wise and what colors you choose.)

Blow on your paper to get rid of any residual chalk dust. Then cut along the second line, toss the top section out, line the two papers up again and apply the chalk along the papers edge in the same way as mentioned above, then smudge upwards. Repeat these steps until it fills the black paper (see photos BELOW). Then use your finger to smudge the bottoms of each line of color created, to soften the lines and blur them out a little bit.

***TIP***To get rid of any smudges / finger prints afterwards, wipe your fingers on a damp paper towel with water (or use a baby wipe) lightly rub your fingers together for a second or two to get rid of excess moisture, then use your slightly dampened (juuuust barely!) finger to wipe away any smudges you don’t want—— that trick really works great!

DAY 2: Add the stars/snow

On day 2, finish creating the northern lights with colored chalk if needed. (Not a lot, but some of my students needed to finish). Then dip a toothbrush into white tempera paint on a plate, (I use Crayola Tempera Premier), not too much! And rub your finger along the toothbrush bristles to help spread it evenly. Then flick all over the black paper with northern lights creating stars in the night sky (– or snow falling, depending on how you see it). Once complete, set aside artwork in the drying rack to dry.

DAY 3: Create the trees

On day 3, students each receive a sheet of black paper cut to 6” x 18”. Using white chalk pastel (no pencil sketching first) create trees by drawing an upside down “v” first for the top of the tree along the left side of your paper (forming each tree LEFT to RIGHT as you draw them).

Then draw lines going up and down only (overlapping the lines as you draw and leaving a jagged edge along the bottom).

Leave some black paper showing in between the next series of tree branches.

Then move onto your next tree. Create trees that are close together (they can actually overlap too) with varying heights all across the paper.

Also blow on the paper after each section of branches are complete to get rid of any residual chalk dust.

DAY 4: Cut out trees and glue on

Finish creating trees if needed. Once complete, cut out the trees as one piece (keeping them all attached near the bottom) but leave a small bit of black paper showing all around each tree as you cut. About a 1/2” all around trees.

Then flip over carefully and glue the back all over with a glue stick (making sure to cover the entire backside, especially the edges).

Then place along the bottom of the black northern lights paper lining the edges up before placing down. Make sure the paper is facing the right way first—-so that the northern lights are trailing UP not down. Press along the very bottom only—where there aren’t any trees—to attach, and then use another CLEAN sheet of 12×18” white paper to then lay on top of the whole thing (sort of roll it on over the trees) and press where the trees are to help reduce any smudging of the trees while gluing into place.

***TIP***To get rid of any smudges / finger prints afterwards, wipe your fingers on a damp paper towel with water (or use a baby wipe) lightly rub your fingers together for a second or two to get rid of excess moisture, then use your slightly dampened (juuuust barely!) finger to wipe away any smudges you don’t want—— again, that trick really works great!

LEARNING GOALS:

Students can create a sense of space within their art, when creating the size and placement of their trees

Students can see how art and other disciplines, like science, can be interdisciplinary and helps generate new ideas and supports creative thinking

Students can demonstrate an understanding on how to blend colors, create texture, and show value changes using chalk pastels

https://youtu.be/w7SMAeyaTM0?feature=shared

Thank you so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed reading this post and try it out with your class at school or at home with your own kids!
Please tag me and refer back to this website if you are sharing your creations on any social media, thank you!

I’ll be posting a NEW art lesson for 5th grade very soon!
If you haven’t already— please consider subscribing to this site below! Thank you ❤️

And to all you teachers out there reading this, I hope you have a great rest of your February break!!! Enjoy!

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New Winter Artwork from Grades K, 1, 2 and 3!

January 19, 2026 2 Comments

First I want to say hello to all my new subscribers 🙂

89 NEW subscribers in the past month! WOW! A BIG thank you and welcome!!

Below is a collection of newly finished winter artwork!

Kindergarten- Snowy Owl Collages

Such a fun lesson that my students really enjoyed! To learn more about these Snowy Owl Collages click on Kindergarten Art Lessons under the main menu and scroll down. These are actually at the top of that page! Detailed lesson directions, photos of steps along the way, and learning goals are posted!

1st Grade – Mixed-Media Snow Globes

To view more Mixed-Media Snow Globes and read how we made them along with step-by-step photos, and learning goals, click on 1st Grade Art Lessons under the main menu and scroll down

2nd Grade – Winter Bears In Sweaters

To view detailed directions, with more photos of student artwork and see the learning goals for this lesson, click on “2nd Grade Art Lessons” under the main menu and scroll down!

3rd Grade – Polar Bears

This is a fun 3 (40 minute) art lesson that has been a huge hit year after year! Black oil pastel, liquid watercolors, and salt

I hope you enjoyed looking at my latest K-3 students artwork! I’ll be making a new post on 8 Valentine’s Day lessons later this week!

Also my 4th graders are currently working on drawing Victorian houses (Victorian Architecture) and 5th are working on “Winter Northern Lights” and I will post photos of students finished artwork here as soon as they finish (which is VERY soon!)

If you haven’t seen it yet, please also check out my previous post below on 5th grade “winter northern lights” which also has my YouTube video! My detailed instructions with step-by-step photos and learning goals are posted under “5th Grade Art Lessons” as well!

Thanks so much for visiting my website today! ❤️

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New YouTube Video “Winter Northern Lights”

January 2, 2026 4 Comments

I just finished making a new YouTube tutorial on this lesson I created! I can’t wait to start teaching this lesson to my 5th graders soon after winter break!
Thank you to all of you for your support and interest (in a previous post I added a poll and asked if anyone would like to see a video on this, and got a tremendous amount of Yes’s!) I appreciate you all so much! I hope you enjoy this video and will use it in your classrooms or at home with your children

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your winter break and have a smooth transition back to teaching (I can’t believe break is almost over?!?!)

❤️

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Winter Art Lessons

November 30, 2025 2 Comments

Below are 22 Winter Art Lessons ranging from K-5th grade and Special Education. These are a variety of winter art lessons that I’ve taught over the years since 2012. I hope that this post will give you some fun winter art lesson ideas to use in your classrooms!

To find each lesson, just go to the main menu and select the grade level that each lesson is from and scroll down the page to view more photos, directions with steps, and the learning goals!

5th GRADE

WINTER NORTHERN LIGHTS

This is a NEW lesson that I created 12/17/25 and just posted a new blog post on it! Please check out the blog post with details on how to create it by typing in Winter Northern Lights in my search box —Or—by visiting my “5th Grade Art Lessons” page in the drop down menu. ***Update: I just added my new YouTube tutorial on this lesson below too!

(Holiday Lights lesson inspo from @artwithmrsnguyen )

4th GRADE

(Lesson idea from LauraLee (@2art.chambers)

(lesson idea from @mrsallainart and @2art.chambers)

3rd GRADE

Below is my YouTube tutorial on the 3D Winter Mugs

(Polar bears lesson inspiration from @2art.chambers)

2nd GRADE

(Winter Bears in Sweaters lesson idea from @2art.chambers)

1st GRADE

The mixed-media snow globe is a 1st grade art lesson that is NEW (started in Nov. 2025) and is still underway. I did a blog post recently on the steps to create it and added photos of students artwork from day 1 so far. I will add a new blog post on the final artwork with more details as well as add it to the 1st grade art lessons page once complete! I also have a snow globe PDF template in my TpT store for $1.50

(I have another version of this winter landscape lesson under Kindergarten art Lessons – with pink paper and snowflakes created with fingertips dipped in paint!)

(Mixed-Media Alphabet Soup lesson idea from @2art.chambers)

KINDERGARTEN

SPECIAL EDUCATION

I hope that you enjoyed looking at these winter art lessons!

I also recently added some fun Q and A to my “About Me” page (under the drop down menu). The Q and A is at the bottom of that page – so check that out if you haven’t yet!

I also added a new “Comments Page” where you can read comments that I collected from all over my websites pages and put all together on one page!

Thank you for visiting my website and be sure to check back for new posts coming up later this week!

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Snowy Owl Collage – Kindergarten

November 16, 2025 No Comments

“Snowy Owl Collage” with Kindergarten started last Thursday at one of my schools (11/13/25)!

I brought this one back out from the vault with a new twist! I decided this time we’re going to add white tempera paint to the branches AND use a toothbrush to flick snowflakes all around the sky! My kindergartners today were like “whaaat? A toothbrush??” Haha a little confused on that one, but they were very excited to be able to flick paint!

So far on this fun 4 day lesson, Kindergarteners learned what a collage was and strengthened their fine motor skills by tearing small pieces of brown paper for the branch ( I drew the outline of the owl and branch ahead of time with a white colored pencil on black Sax brand paper).

We talked about how to glue the back of the torn paper, not the black background paper, (so we don’t put glue where we might not need it), overlapping, as well as texture.

Later on in the lesson, on day 4, they’ll be working on their fine motor skills even more with tracing circles and cutting them out with scissors for the owls eyes, and using a toothbrush to create falling ❄️❄️❄️

By the time they finish these, who knows- – we could very well be seeing some snow falling ourselves! I can’t believe Thanksgiving is already in less than 2 weeks? It feels like it wasn’t that long ago that I was just out walking with a pair of shorts on?!?!

I’ll be posting more details on this lesson with more photos of students working on them, and of their finished work in the next few weeks! (it’ll probably take 4 (40 min. ) art classes to complete. Stay tuned!!

Below are pics from previous years where students used a white crayon to add snow details rather than paint.

Learning Goals:

Continue to strengthen fine motor skills (tearing, gluing, cutting, drawing)
Can create a collage using torn pieces of paper, and define what a collage is
Can define texture and show texture within their artwork
Can define overlapping and show this in their artwork
Connection to science/ Learn about owls

If you are someone new to visiting my website go below to my search tab below and copy and paste

Elementary Art Lessons: A quick glimpse of my website! To view a variety of art lessons in one quick swoop!

Please also check out my most recent blog posts by copying and pasting the title below in my search bar to go directly to that blog post

1 Point Perspective Cityscapes
Mixed-Media Leaf Impressions
Art on a Cart
Dotted Leaf Paintings
Drawing a Victorian House

Also, what YouTube tutorial would you like me to make next? Any suggestions from any of my art lessons you see here on my website …or something else?
or you can drop me a line by adding a comment below!

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“Pumpkin’s Starry Night” – K and 1

November 6, 2025 No Comments

Gahh! These pumpkins are just SO stinkin’ cute! I LOOoove how they turned out, and my students did too! So proud of their hard work and effort. 2 out of my 8 classes finished so far. Here’s some of their finished work- and photos and details on how we made them!
BTW— Please be sure to read some important information at the bottom of this post!

I love all the different facial expressions!

But students didn’t have to include a face in their pumpkin if they didn’t want to

This was a 4 day lesson (40 minutes each art). My YouTube tutorial is posted below the artwork / steps for the lesson.

DAY 1:

This lesson was inspired by “The Starry Night” —Kindergarten and 1st grade students learned about the life and artwork of Vincent van Gogh.

After learning about Vincent van Gogh, I showed students step-by-step under the document camera, how to draw the pumpkin on a 12×12” sheet of 80# white drawing paper. I began with drawing a large “C” on the left side of the paper. Then drawing a backwards “C” on the right side- leaving a little space in between. We then connected the two C’s at the top with a slight curving line, then connected the bottom.

Then we drew the pumpkin’s stem, adding a few bumps at the top and lines inside for texture. After that, we drew a straight line down the middle of the pumpkin, and then curving lines on either side to create more texture, and to make our pumpkins look more rounded. Then students drew the face (if they wanted one) and added a zig-line for the grass (making sure to go OVER the bottom of the pumpkin a little bit to show overlapping).
Then we erased the parts of the pumpkin that was below the zig-zag line. For the final step of day 1, we drew a moon in the sky.

DAY 2:

Students traced over ALL pencil lines with a black crayon making sure to press real hard as they traced. Then students filled in their pumpkin’s eyes and mouth with a black crayon; pressing hard. Students then drew stars in the sky using a yellow crayon (also making sure to press really hard, and to fill in the circles completely).

DAY 3:

Students then painted their sky using black watercolors, creating a crayon-wax resist technique. It never gets old seeing students watch in awe as the paint glides right over the crayon and doesn’t cover it up! Then they painted their grass, pumpkin, stem and moon.

DAY 4:

On the final day, we looked at Vincent’s Starry Night painting again and talked about all the short dashed lines in his work- particularly around each of the stars, and how it made them look like they were twinkling, and how it created a lot of texture throughout.

Students drew short dashed lines in the grass with a dark green crayon, dashed lines with a red-orange crayon inside the pumpkin, and white dashed lines all around the stars; making sure to press down hard as they drew.

Learning Goals:

Students can identify and create various types of line
Students can define texture and show texture within their artwork
Students can define overlapping and show overlapping in their artwork
Students can define and create a crayon-wax resist painting
Students can identify artwork by Vincent van Gogh

I just added 9 NEW Resources (printable PDF sheets for various art lessons) in my TpT store (11/5/25) link is https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/art-with-mrs-filmore

These are the 9 new resources, in case you might be interested!

Fill in the blank sheets of questions for my abstract self-portrait lesson– 2nd grade

Woodland Creatures Step-by-Step Drawing Sheets
Airplane drawing template
Leaf templates/Tracers (FREE!)
Sandra Silberzweig art lesson resource
Artist Statement / Reflection sheet
Mixing Primary Colors Sheet
“I Am” Statements resource sheet
“Finish The Picture” sheets

Please check out my previous most recent posts —

1 point Perspective Cityscapes
Mixed-Media Leaf Impressions
Dotted Leaf Paintings
Art on a Cart

You can also copy the title of any lesson listed above and paste it into my search bar HERE to go to that post.

Thanks so much for visiting my website today!

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”1 Point Perspective Cityscapes”- 5th Grade

November 1, 2025 6 Comments

SO proud of my 5th graders on this lesson! It took 6 to 7 (40 minute) art classes to complete them. (Can’t you just hear all my 5th graders saying “six-sevvven” right now haha)

On the first day of the lesson I explained what perspective meant in art, and showed students some example photos that show 1 point perspective.

Then I showed them the circle template that each student would receive. I drew a large 9” circle by tracing a plate on a sheet of 12×12” paper. Then using a ruler, created little lines along the inside of the circle to mark where students would draw lines using their rulers. I wrote a number at each little line indicating where they should connect their lines.

Students drew their lines connecting to each corresponding number using their rulers making sure to draw lightly. After that they started drawing buildings within each “pie slice” starting at the roofline. They had handouts of buildings to refer to for inspiration while drawing. They could make any building they wanted, and could of course create them from their imagination as well. I explained to create some taller than others, and to make sure that each building touched one another within their circle. I also mentioned to make sure to leave some space in the center for sky.

I also mentioned to make sure any windows drawn inside the buildings go from largest to smallest from the bottom up to show a sense of space and create the illusion that things are getting smaller and are further away from the viewer as they go up towards the vanishing point.

Once everything was drawn, students erased the guidelines created on day 1 that remained in the sky and traced over everything using a fine point sharpie.

After sharpie, students decided on whether they wanted to create a daytime or nighttime sky and created stars and moon or a sun and clouds with pencil. Then began coloring in using alcohol markers, using whatever colors they wanted.

Once finished, (some students finished on day 5, some day 6, and some day 7– but I think I should’ve had more moments of silent art to help them stay focused)— they cut their circle out and glued onto a separate sheet of 12×12” black paper.

These are some works still in progress below —- (my Monday and Tuesday classes are behind everyone else due to holidays and the fact that we started school this year on a Wednesday). I absolutely love the “pencil” store and cool 3D art museum below! My students had some very creative ideas for their buildings!

This is a new art lesson for me this year (2025) and I LOOVE it! I love the fact that it’s a circular design on square paper as well. Lesson idea from art teacher @kerry.daley_artteacher on Instagram. Thank you Kerry for such a cool lesson idea! My students really enjoyed this one!

Please check out my previous most recent posts below if interested!:

“Dotted Leaf Paintings – 4th Grade”
”Mixed-Media Leaf Impressions – 5th Grade”
”Owls at Night” – grades 2+3
”Art on a Cart”
”Pumpkin’s Starry Night” YouTube tutorial
”Drawing a Victorian House”
”Elementary Art Lessons: A quick glimpse of my website!

You can always use my “SEARCH” bar (in the drop down menu) to copy and paste in any of the above post titles to find them quicker as well! Also—- I will be posting finished artwork on k/1 Pumpkin’s Starry Night on Thursday night (11/6/25)! Thank you for visiting my website!