Art lessons – Art with Mrs Filmore

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“Mixed Media Bouquet of Flowers” by 4th grade

May 17, 2026 No Comments

Finished artwork is 9×12″ with an 11 x 14″ white paper border.

This 5 day ( 40 min. each class) mixed media art lesson focuses on 6 of the 7 Elements of Art; Form, Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value. This art lesson is inspired from a combination of two art teachers- Laura athttps://www.paintedpaperart.com and @amymcreynolds on Instagram with some variation.

You may have seen this lesson before on my 5th grade art lessons page. It’s basically the same lesson except in 4th grade we used 10 year old, up-cycled messy mats for either the vase or table rather than bubble wrap printing! I love the texture, beautiful mark making and fun pops of color with these messy mats!

Here’s a few from 5th grade with the bubble wrap printing.

To see my full blog post on the 5th graders mixed media bouquet of flowers artwork with bubble wrap printing, you can click on my link HERE

This is the first year I decided to teach it to 4th grade ( at just one of my two schools because I only teach ONE 4th grade class there). I would love to teach it to my 4th graders at my other school, but I’m on a cart over there (4 days a week) and I have FOUR 4th grade classes, so it’d be a bit much. Between the clay, storing the clay flowers to dry, the splatter painting, painting the clay flowers, all the cut paper and glue and hot gluing of all those clay flowers…it’d be a real challenge off a cart!

BUT…that being said…I’m really glad I did teach it to one class, and my students had a blast creating them! AND they’ll be displayed alongside all my other 4th graders artwork (Enlarged flower drawings inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe) at the newly annual “4th grade spring showcase celebration” that specialists (art/music/P.E.) put on in a couple of weeks! This 4th grade spring showcase started just last year, and last year I displayed all 4th graders Victorian houses.

For this lesson we used white Model Magic clay, splatter painting with watercolors on 80# white paper, tempera paints to paint the clay flowers, flower’s stems and leaves, colored railroad poster board paper, up-cycled messy mats, and scissors and glue sticks.

DAY 1

Students splatter painted with watercolors on one 12×18” 80# white drawing paper each. They could use any colors they wanted. This painting would then be used for either their table or for their vase later on. That painting day was fun but SUPER messy haha, as you’ll see in the photos below!

DAY 2

Students each received a 1 ounce small packet of white model magic to create 5 flower heads. To make 5 flowers, we used two 1 ounce packets in total, but we started off with just one so I wouldn’t have to wrap any left over clay or throw it out.

I demonstrated under the document camera ways to create a bunch of different flowers, but students could make any kind they wanted as well.

I showed students how to roll a small chunk of clay into a small circle, about the size of a ping pong ball, then flatten the ball with their palm (to about the thickness of an oreo cookie), then using scissors, cut small triangular sections out all the way around and then shape the remaining sections with your fingers to create the flowers petals.

From there they used their fingers to shape and point the ends if they wanted, or leave them more straight on the ends. They could also cut up into each petal at the end and create a fringed edge. Then the leftover clay from the triangle cut outs were balled up and flattened a bit to make the flowers center. They could poke little dots in the flowers centers too for added texture with a pencil as well.

Other balls of clay were made into tulips, buy repeating the same steps as above, but then stretching the circle out a bit to an oval, then cutting two triangles out from the top to make three points for the top of the tulip.

I also showed how to layer one finished flower on top of another to add more dimension, circle “button” flowers, and roses. To make the roses, take a very small amount of clay and create a ball, flatten it out so it’s fairly thin, and shape into a small oval. Then roll the clay into itself starting at one end to make the roses center (where petals are the tightest). Then take tiny amounts of clay, roll into small balls (the size of a pea) and flatten with your finger in your palm to make additional rose petals, and attach to the rose in layers all the way around.

Students could create a variety of 5 flowers, or they could be a combination of repeating just a few! Students were very creative and came up with some fun “pac-man” shaped flowers, delicate lavender, and other unique flowers!

I asked the cafeteria staff if I could buy a bunch of styrofoam lunch trays for this lesson and they were so nice to just let me take an entire sleeve (probably 100 trays!)

The clay sticks to paper plates and many other surfaces so it’s important to use a non stick surface for this lesson. You could use tinfoil over a plate which would work too. I like the fact that the lunch trays have 5 individual compartments though, so the flowers don’t touch each other and stick to one another as they dry. Then kids just wrote their names with a sharpie along the edge of the tray. Highly recommend styrofoam lunch trays for this!!! Plus- they easily fit in the drying rack being on the trays, without hurting any of the flowers!

Flowers were stashed away in the drying rack to harden until the next art class. To completely harden it takes a couple of days depending on the thickness of the clay.

DAYS 3 – 4

Students painted their flowers with liquid tempera paint. This took 2 art classes to finish painting all 5 flowers because a bunch of kids were absent on day one of painting, and some kids just needed more time.

I put the paints in ice cube trays (you can buy these silicone ice cube trays with hard plastic lids on Amazon as seen below), to separate colors and for ease of sharing at tables.

I had to give some of my tempera paint brushes haircuts for this lesson. I thought I had smaller tempera brushes somewhere in my art room but I didn’t. So…I improvised!

Students could paint their flowers any colors they wanted! I added the whole rainbow of colors as well as mixed blue and green paint to make teal, and red and white paint to make pink.

Kids started on the petals first, leaving the center last, in order to hold them while painting. They rinsed their brush well in water and wiped on a paper towel between changing colors. Some students decided to paint their flowers with the whole rainbow of colors!

DAY 5

On the final day students assembled everything together!

To prep —after school one day, I cut the railroad poster board paper into 9×12” sheets from 22”x28”sheets (giving me 4 -9×12” sheets per large sheet). Then I hot glued all students 5 flowers onto each sheet of 9×12″. One year I did this lesson and the pack included light pink paper, but this time it did not FYI.

Teachers out there reading this- this took a bit of time (a little over an hour per class of 27 students). I picked out the color for the paper, wrote each students name on the back and had 2 hot glue guns going as I worked. After, I placed all their papers with flowers in a large cardboard mason box to disperse in class later.

I also cut their 12×18” splatter paintings in half to 9×12” and paper clipped together. Then I cut beautiful old (10 years old?) messy mats into 9×12” sheets to use as either the vase or table.

I also created 5 different vase templates for students to trace over either their splatter painted papers or the cut messy mats. I think including a tracer was helpful, since getting the sizing right to fit the vase under their flowers might have been a bit tricky.

I just added these 5 vase templates in my TpT store for only $2! My TpT store is HERE!

Students also each received a 4”x9” tagboard template to use to trace over either paper for their table. Last time I did this lesson with 5th graders, I had them use rulers to measure for their table and then cut. But this year with 4th graders I just wanted to make sure we were able to complete the lesson on day 5. Plus using the table tracer allows kids to select an area from wherever they want on their paper, rather than just measuring from the bottom of the paper.

First students choose a section from one of their splatter painted papers or from a section of a messy mat sheet to create their table, using their table tracer. Once that was cut and glued into place they used one of the vase tracers to trace on either paper.

I suggested they use both papers (one for the table and a different one for the vase) for more visual interest, but they could use the same paper if they really wanted.

For a final step, students used 2 different shades of green liquid tempera paint (a dark green and a lighter minty green) to paint flower stems and leaves.

They all turned out so lovely! I love the variety of flowers, textures, colors AND unique artistic decisions!!

LEARNING GOALS:

Students can define mixed media

Students can demonstrate 3D sculpting by manipulating, rolling, and attaching Model Magic to create form and dimension

Students can apply the elements of art; Line, Shape, Color, Form, Texture and Value in their artwork and explain where they used them

I’m thinking I might make a YouTube tutorial on this lesson—or at the very least, on how to make clay flowers. Before I do though, I’m curious to know if it’s something people would be interested in—if you’d be interested in watching it please send me an email (through the contact section on my website on my “contact” page) or you can DM me through Instagram.

Please check out some of my previous posts by clicking on the links below!

4th grade “Enlarged Flower Drawings” and 5th grade “Splattered Paintbrushes”!

Mixed Media Cake inspired by Wayne Thiebaud

Mixed Media Watercolor Self-Portraits – 5th grade

One point Perspective Cityscapes – 5th Grade

NEW YouTube Art Tutorial! “April Showers Brings May Flowers” -2nd Grade

2nd Grade “Thinking of Summer Self-Portraits” and 1st Grade “Dream Houses”

Winter Northern Lights! 5th grade Art Lesson

Blackout poetry – 5th Grade

Draw your own Inventions – 1st Grade

KINETIC ARTWORK BY 3RD GRADE!

GRID DRAWINGS inspired by Chuck Close! -5th GRADE

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

(The masks would be a great 1-2 day project for the end of the year art lesson! Kids LOOOVE making their own unique masks and could be for any grade level! And I have 4 PDF Printable mask templates in my TpT store for only $2.50!)

The link below goes directly to my “Springtime Art Lessons” page (39 art lessons listed w/ pics!)

https://www.artwithmrsfilmore.com/springtime-art-lessons/

Thanks so much for visiting my site today! I’ll be posting again soon on 5th graders “Mixed Media Watercolor Self-Portraits” as well as “K and 1 Self-Portraits”!

My TpT store is HERE!

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4th grade “Enlarged Flower Drawings” and 5th grade “Splattered Paintbrushes”!

May 10, 2026 No Comments

*****UPDATE: NEW BLOG POST WILL BE ADDED THIS WEEKEND 5/16-5/17 (most likely Sunday) AS WELL AS A NEW TpT RESOURCE—- PLEASE CHECK BACK THEN! SUBSCRIBE BELOW (it’s free!) TO GET EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS 🙂

I know that these lessons have been listed under my 4th and 5th grade pages for awhile now- but I haven’t posted either of them as a NEW blog post since 2018 and 2022! AND I wanted to share all the beautiful new artwork my students created!

***I also don’t teach either of these lessons -year after year- mainly because I sometimes want to try out a new lesson during the time frame when I’d typically teach it.

ALL ARTWORK BELOW IS BY MY STUDENTS. No teacher examples.

ENLARGED FLOWER DRAWINGS inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe

I absolutely LOVE the texture in the one below!

Students learned about the artist Georgia O’Keeffe, and viewed examples of her flower paintings. We talked about the scale (size) of her work and that her flower paintings were so large because she thought flowers were incredibly beautiful and wanted people to notice them! She loved to create close-up paintings of flowers. I told my 4th graders that looking at her flower paintings is like looking at a flower with a magnifying glass.

We also reviewed what abstract artwork is (artwork that focuses on mainly lines, shapes and colors), which is how Georgia O’Keeffe depicted a lot of her flowers in her work. She focused on just small sections of a flower –instead of the entire flower in a lot of her work, therefore abstracting the image. (Notably, not all of her flower paintings are abstract, but many are).

DAY 1:

I showed students multiple examples of her flower paintings through a Google slideshow presentation and discussed her work and background.

Students learned some fun facts about Georgia too!

Did you know that In her 70s and 80s, she took several rafting trips down the Colorado River?

In 1959, at the age of 71, she spent three months flying around the world, visiting countries like Japan, India, and Italy. This trip inspired her series of “Sky Above Clouds” paintings!

She made over 200 flower paintings during her lifetime.

And in 1928, six of her calla lily paintings sold for $25,000, which was the largest amount ever paid at the time for a group of paintings by a living American artist.

I then showed students some photos of 4th grade students finished flower drawings from previous years, as well as my own examples.

After — I demonstrated under the doc camera how to focus in on one area of a flower by blocking out the rest, using a view finder (I made these ahead of time by cutting out black square pieces of construction paper with a small (about 2×2″ square) cut out in the middle.)

Students could choose a flower image from 6 different flower prints that I brought.

Students were instructed to select an area of their flower picture with their viewfinder, so its petals touched or ran off at least 3 sides of their viewfinder.

Students then practiced drawing and enlarging small sections of their chosen flowers on 1 sheet of 9×12” paper. They did this 3 times, each flower drawing within a different square on their paper.

They had a choice of choosing 3 different flower images OR drawing from 1 flower image but focusing in on different areas of the flower each time, or a combination of the above.

DAYS 2-3:

Students then selected 1 photo of a flower for their final drawing. They then taped their viewfinder down over their chosen flower photo so it wouldn’t move.

They observed their flower closely, and enlarged the selected viewable section of their flower on 11×11” 80# white drawing paper, making sure that their flower petals ran off or touched at least 3 of the 4 sides of their paper, while considering the composition.

Once drawn, students colored in using oil pastels. Students had a choice of coloring in their flower any colors they wanted!!

In previous years, I had students color in their flowers trying to best match their flowers colors in the photo. This time —the only rule with color I had was, was to switch to a different color when there was a transition of color in their flower photo. Also, If their was a bit of background showing in their composition, (some students selected areas of their flower that only showed the flower– without any background) they needed to color it in with any one chosen color for contrast.

I also talked about cleaning any oil pastels with a paper towel if needed. Sometimes other colors get on the oil pastels from repeated use— when overlapping colors and blending especially—and I showed them how to fold the paper towel in half twice (to make it stronger) and then after placing the oil pastel tip inside the center to twist it as you press on the tip with your other hand – to clean off any other colors. My students LOOVED that cleaning tip!

I had 3 large boxes with various colors total that I would bring on my cart for each class. Kids could go up to the boxes at the front of the classroom to select whatever colors they wanted.

DAY 4:

Final day for coloring in, and then for a final step, students created a bit of depth within their flower by adding shadows around the edges of their flowers petals with a black oil pastel, then smudging in the direction it was drawn with their finger. This creates a soft blurry line – creating a shadow effect.

Adding black for shading with oil pastels can be a pretty tricky step, as it can easily smudge into others areas where you might not want it to, but I think students did a wonderful job adding that element to their artwork!!

I absolutely LOVE these flowers!!

Learning Goals:

Students can use a viewfinder to narrow their field of vision

Students learn about the life and artwork of painter Georgia O’Keeffe and can identify her work

Students can define and identify abstract artwork

Students can use their observational drawing skills to draw an enlarged flower

Students can blend colors together using their finger

Students can create depth within artwork by drawing overlapping petals and adding shading

SPLATTERED PAINTBRUSHES -5th Grade

This lesson idea is from art teacher Lauralee Chambers —@2art.chambers on Instagram.

This is always such a fun lesson to teach my 5th graders! It takes about (3) 40 minute art classes to complete.

DAY 1

We discussed how we would be utilizing the Elements of Art; Line, Shape, Color, Texture, and Value to create these paintings.

After showing students various finished artwork by my previous students, and my own teacher examples, I gave students a double-sided sheet of various paintbrush drawings that I drew – to observe and use as a reference while drawing their paintbrushes.

***BTW- I have a link to my TpT page below that has the paintbrush sheets (PDF) for a free download!

Students then drew at least 6 large paintbrushes (they could draw up to 7) on 12×18” 80# paper with pencil.

I asked them to enlarge the paintbrushes, no tracing, and in their drawings I asked that the following be included: at least 2 of the brushes had to overlap one another, at least 2 be drawn diagonally, and at least 1 drawn so the bristles pointed downward. Students could add also their own brush details within the handles.

Once all drawn in pencil, students traced over all their pencil lines with an ultra fine point black sharpie.

I showed students how to use the straight edge of their paintbrushes handout paper to create the paintbrush bristles. We did this by putting the edge of the handout paper up against the end of their paintbrush handle (in the drawing where the bristles would come out), to protect the rest of their paint brush when going over the lines with sharpie.

DAY 2

Students finished drawing and sharpieing over all their lines if needed, then used a black oil pastel to draw a thick line along only one side of each brush. Only on all the brushes left sides -OR- only on all the brushes right sides. I explained to students we were trying to create the illusion that there was only one light source and the light projected onto their brushes was creating a shadow.

Then using one finger gently smudge the oil pastel going in the same direction it was drawn in, to blur the line and to create a soft shadow.

DAY 3

On the final day students used watercolors to create the splatter effect.

We used tempera paint brushes for this because of the stiffness of the brushes bristles. It allows the paint to be flicked better, and with more precision, as opposed to using watercolor brushes, which has a softer/flimsier bristle.

I showed them how to use a tempera brush to apply the paint only halfway up each brush, leaving a jagged edge. Then we dipped the same brush back into the same color paint, and pulled back the bristles to flick the paint close to their papers for splatter coming from each brush.

I absolutely LOVE how they all came out and students had a lot of fun creating them —-albeit a bit messy (especially being on a cart for 3 out of my 4 classes!!)

***Visit my TpT store to get your FREE COPY of the paint brushes handouts I’ve drawn below! ***

filmore (link to my TpT store)

LEARNING GOALS:

Students can use observational drawing skills to create three dimensional looking paintbrushes
Students can identify and define the elements of Art LiNE, SHAPE, COLOR, VALUE + TEXTURE
Students can show overlapping and can create an interesting composition
Students can create splatter with watercolors using various painting techniques

Thanks so much for visiting my site today! Please enter your email address below to subscribe for FREE!! You will receive an email notification each time that I post! (Usually once a week)

Please also check out some of my previous posts below! 3 of them include YouTube tutorials as well!

Mixed Media Cake inspired by Wayne Thiebaud

Mixed Media Watercolor Self-Portraits – 5th Grade

One point Perspective Cityscapes – 5th Grade

NEW YouTube Art Tutorial! “April Showers Brings May Flowers” -2nd Grade

Winter Northern Lights! 5th grade Art Lesson

Blackout poetry – 5th Grade

Draw your own Inventions – 1st Grade

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NEW YouTube Art Tutorial! “April Showers Brings May Flowers” -2nd Grade

May 3, 2026 No Comments

The group of 4 pics below are my teacher examples (students artwork below!)

I have a FREE hand drawn umbrella template (PDF) in my TpT (Teachers pay Teachers) store to download and print for this lesson!

You can get my FREE umbrella template at https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/art-with-mrs-filmore

BTW- in case you’re not a teacher, did you know that anyone can create a TpT buyer account. It’s EASY and completely FREE! Creating an account to browse and download resources is free and open to all.

*****I recommend printing the umbrella out on 9×12” 80# white drawing paper (which is what I used), tagboard or cardstock for this lesson. But it could be printed as an 8.5” x 11” on any of those papers too *****

Steps on how we made these and the learning goals for the lesson are below students artwork!

Students Artwork below

These few below are from last year (I deleted my previous April Showers brings May Flowers lesson with pics in my 2nd grade page, because I wanted to edit how I wrote it and update this lesson— so I’m including these here!)

This lesson is one of my favorites for springtime, and could easily work with 1st or 3rd grade as well! It takes 3 (40 min.) art classes to complete— although I’ve had some classes finish up in just 2 art classes!

STEPS FOR THE LESSON:

Students each received a 9×12” 80# sheet of drawing paper with the umbrella pre-printed. I drew the umbrella by hand with pencil then traced over with black sharpie and photocopied x35 for each class (extras are always a must just in case kids need a new sheet).

Then students followed along with me as I drew under the document camera showing them how to create the raincoat, shorts, legs and rain boots in pencil.

Once that was complete, we drew a curved line for the hill, and a few clouds in the sky. I explained how clouds can be created by drawing a connected lowercase letter “m”.

Students had lots of choices for their drawings. They could add other details like a sun peeking out from a cloud, or along the horizon line (with a face or no face), lightning bolts coming from the clouds for a stormy setting, their pet sitting beside them, and any designs or patterns within their clothing. Then we traced over everything except for the line for the hill, with a black sharpie.

Then students colored in the person and umbrella with crayon —making sure to press really hard as they colored so the colors would be vibrant! I told students they could use any colors they wanted, and could draw any designs within their umbrella and clothes. (In my video I show how to create the rainbow “tie-dye” look for the umbrella, like in my first photo up top). They also colored in their sun, rainbow and lightning bolts if they added them, making sure to press hard as they colored.

Students then drew flowers in their hill with crayons ( no pencil first. ) I showed students how to draw 3 different flowers. I demonstrated how to draw simple tulips (by drawing the letter U and then a capital letter W at the top, a simple daisy shaped flower (a small circle in the center, then a bumpy line all around) and a simple “button flower” (drawing a small circle, coloring it in, then another circle around it and coloring that in with a different color.

I told students (and say this in my video too— ) that they can create their own type of flower as well!

Then they drew flowers all around the hill with whatever colored crayons they wanted, pressing hard as they colored.

After the flowers, students used two shades of green crayons; a lighter lime green (we used Crayola’s “yellow-green”) and a darker forest green (we used the Crayola crayon just called “green”) and while holding both crayons in the same hand —a bit tricky! But they got the hang of it!—they drew grass blades all over the hill, right over the flowers, letting the lines overlap and go diagonal at times, making sure to press hard as they drew. I also explained to create blades of grass going a bit beyond the hill line we drew earlier. We talked about how creating the grass adds a ton of texture to our art too!

I like to have kids hold two crayons at once during this process so that #1 it goes faster, and #2 it forces them to cover the hills with overlapping lines. I also like the 2 shades of green rather than just one, for more color and variety. It’s also a great way to increase fine motor control as well!

I did explain to students (as well as in my video) that if they had a difficult time holding 2 crayons at once and drawing the grass, that they could certainly just use one crayon at a time. But this wasn’t really an issue—-in all 4 of my 2nd grade classes, only a few students used one crayon at a time, and both ways work fine!

Then using a white crayon we created rain in the sky by drawing diagonal lines (making sure to press VERY hard, since we’d be painting over the rain with watercolors —creating a crayon wax-resist technique )

We talked about how although you can’t really see where you’re putting the rain drops —since it’s white on white—you can actually see the waxy sheen/ texture it has on the paper when you tilt your paper in the light. See pic below

Then, using a wet-on-wet technique, I demonstrated how to add only water with a paintbrush to the sky right over all the rain.

Students had a choice of painting either an all blue sky, a sunset sky (using yellow first closest to the horizon line, then orange, then red and then blue) or a stormy sky (using blue and purple). (I demonstrate all these varieties in my YouTube video as well).

I explained to use mostly water on their brush than paint, and to dip their paintbrush tip into the water a few times after getting paint on their brush, to get rid of excess paint. (***This is explained in my video as well. I also show how to get rid of any “pools” of paint too!)

Students painted their sky over their raindrops, creating a crayon-wax-resist. It never gets old seeing students excited to see their raindrops magically appear! They LOVE that part!

Then students used the wet-on-wet technique again for the hill. They wet the entire hill with only water first. Then painted over their hills (right over the grass and flowers) using green watercolors.

Such a beautiful and colorful art lesson for springtime!!

Here’s some fun pics of my students creating their beautiful paintings! Learning Goals are posted below the pics!

LEARNING GOALS:

Students can define and create a wet-on-wet technique with watercolors

Students can create, define and identify texture within their artwork

Students can utilize and identify the elements of art: LINE, SHAPE, and COLOR to create their art

Students can define and create a crayon-wax-resist painting

To get a FREE PDF umbrella template visit my TpT store in the link below!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/art-with-mrs-filmore

Please also check out some of my previous posts below!

(Clicking on the link will bring you right to that post! )

Mixed Media Cake inspired by Wayne Thiebaud

Mixed Media Watercolor Self-Portraits – 5th Grade

One point Perspective Cityscapes – 5th Grade

Blackout poetry – 5th Grade

Draw your own Inventions – 1st Grade

Winter Northern Lights! 5th grade Art Lesson

I also added a page “springtime art lessons” recently, that have 39 springtime art lessons all in one place, with pics and links to my original posts with detailed steps. That can be found under the main menu OR you can just click Here!

******Visit my page “Art Instruction Videos” (under the main menu) to view all 12 of my Youtube video tutorials!******

Thank you so much for visiting my website today! I’ll be posting again soon 🙂

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“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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Springtime Art Lessons

March 26, 2026 No Comments

These lessons are listed in order by grade level from 5th grade to Kindergarten and then Special Education

All pictures shown are of my students artwork only (no teacher examples)

Almost any of these lessons could be used for the grade above or grade below as well!

I’ve included my links (where I could) that go directly to each post about that particular lesson, which include very detailed steps and step-by-step photos. This will make it much quicker and easier for you to find the directions for each springtime art lesson!

Please be sure to check out my drop down MENU to view all that I have to offer on my website (especially if you’re someone new to my site!) There’s lots to look at and I added NEW pages recently! —-one of which is titled “ OPEN HOUSE or P/T CONFERENCE NIGHT IDEA” —-

I’m planning on adding another new page within the next few weeks as well!

Ok, here’s my list of Springtime Art Lessons!!

5TH GRADE

MIXED MEDIA BIRDS NESTS!

MIXED MEDIA BIRD NESTS- 5TH GRADE!

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 5th Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions with photos of students artwork

MIXED-MEDIA BOUQUET OF FLOWERS

5th Grade- Mixed-Media Bouquet of Flowers

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 5th Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions with photos of students artwork.

This year I’m having my 4th graders, at one of my schools (the school where I have an art room ) make these for the Art Show coming up in May 2026! Instead of having them create the bubble wrap prints for either their vase or table, I’m having them “up-cycle” the art room messy mats! Honestly, the messy mats are their OWN work of art at this point!! I’m really REALLY excited about it!!! They will still create splatter paintings for either their vase or table too!

4TH GRADE

ENLARGED FLOWER DRAWINGS INSPIRED BY GEORGIA O’KEEFE

4th Grade Enlarged Flowers and 5th Grade Falling For Foreshortening

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 4th Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions with photos of students artwork. The 4th grade Art Lessons page has additional (different) photos of student artwork than the link too

COLLABORATIVE ENLARGED FLOWER DRAWING- Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe

4th Grade -COLLABORATIVE FLOWER DRAWING!

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 4th Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions with photos of students artwork.

DANDELION PUFFS

Dandelion Puffs – 4th Grade

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 4th Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions with photos of students artwork.

RADIAL SYMMETRY PRINTMAKING

Rainbows are always happening in springtime! Plus it’s SOOOo colorful so I figured why not add this one to the springtime collection!

The detailed steps (and photos for EACH step) are under the lesson on my 4th Grade Art Lessons page already—so no need to add in a link or type anything in my search box!

Also, here is my YouTube tutorial on this lesson!

3RD GRADE

SUNSET SILHOUETTES

I could see creating silhouettes of grass and flowers (drawn large along the bottom up close/ low view point) with flying bumble bees or butterflies as a fun way to heighten the springtime feel for this one!

The sunset colors just has the vibes of warmer months so I wanted to include this fun lesson in the mix!

Please go to my 3rd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork.

SUNFLOWERS INSPIRED BY VINCENT VAN GOGH

Please go to my 3rd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork.

2ND GRADE

ABSTRACT SELF PORTRAITS!

There were 2 different times I posted about this lesson— so ergo— 2 links! The second link is where I had kids add neon oil pastels onto their painted backgrounds, and to their black + white photos if they wanted! 🙂

ABSTRACT SELF-PORTRAITS -2nd Grade

2ND GRADE ABSTRACT SELF-PORTRAITS!

I wanted to include this lesson because #1 it’s awesome, and one of my favorites! And #2, it could easily have a springtime feel added to it!

I could definitely see having kids draw simple flower heads layered on top of their dried paintings (just swatches of paint with different colors as the background)— OR —have kids draw flower heads (just an outline) all over their paper with crayons or oil pastels pressing hard first, THEN paint over them with watercolors (creating a crayon wax-resist or oil pastel resist) before applying their photos and text! That would be a great springtime edition of this lesson! I would maybe just have kids draw the flower heads really large (as kids always tend to want to draw small) to make them fun and more noticeable. Just an idea!

You can download the sheet with questions that kids fill out for this lesson in my TpT store below!

TpT store link https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/art-with-mrs-filmore

BIRCH TREE LANDSCAPES

Birch Tree Landscapes- 2nd Grade

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions (still with photos)!

Here is my link to my TpT store to get the woodland creatures step-by-step drawing packet for this lesson Woodland Creatures Step-by-step drawing sheets

3D WATER LILIES Inspired by Claude Monet!

3D Water Lilies Inspired by Claude Monet! 2nd Grade

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions (still with photos)!

HERE is my link to my TpT store to download the tracing template for the 3 petals (large, medium and small) for this lesson

My YouTube video tutorial on this lesson is below!

https://youtu.be/132KQyRR2d0?feature=shared

SPRINGTIME BUNNY, BEAR OR FOX!

SPRINGTIME BUNNY, BEAR OR FOX! 2nd Grade

SPRINGTIME BUNNIES AND BEAR CUBS- 2ND GRADE!

Please click on the 2 links above to go directly to my original posts to view detailed steps with step-by-step photos on this lesson! There is a link to get a free bunny template through the first post as well! Or you can go onto my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions (still with some photos)!

$2.99 DOWNLOADABLE PDF BEAR CUB TEMPLATE ON MY TpT PAGE HERE

MONET INSPIRED BRIDGE PAINTINGS

Please go to my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see photos of students artwork.

Below is a YouTube link to show your students a video about Monet, which I love! It’s narrated by a cute 8 year old girl and she has the sweetest voice! My students LOVED watching it!

https://youtu.be/r9O1c6Not6U?feature=shared

FIELD OF FLOWERS PAINTING

Please go to my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork.

APRIL SHOWERS BRINGS MAY FLOWERS

Please go to my 2nd Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

I’m going to create a YouTube tutorial on this lesson soon too!

I will also be adding my umbrella PDF template to my TpT store so you can download and print one to copy and use in your classrooms! I will update this post once that’s all set and add it to my 2nd grade page as well.

1ST GRADE

HOT AIR BALLOON COLLAGE

This lesson is too cute to not add in the mix! And let’s be honest —it is “springtime-esque”— I know I’d prefer riding in one of these in warmer temps! Plus I love how sweet they are (I have been told by many parents how much they love them and what a keepsake they are 💞and students loved making them!)

Please go to my 1st Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

WATERMELON WEAVINGS

WATERMELON WEAVINGS! – 1ST GRADE

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 1st Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions (still with photos- just not as detailed)

TANGLEBIRD COLLAGE

Please go to my 1st Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

3D LINE SCULPTURES!

1st Grade 3D Line Sculptures!

My students LOOVE this lesson! It’s so bright and colorful for a springtime display and kids learn how to create an amazing sculpture just out of simple construction paper!

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to view detailed steps with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my 1st Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the condensed directions (still with photos- just not as detailed)

SUNFLOWER DRAWING INSPIRED BY VINCENT VAN GOGH

Please go to my 1st Grade Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

KINDERGARTEN

BUGS IN A JAR

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

LITTLE CLOUD

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

BIRDS ON A WIRE

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

SELF-PORTRAITS WITH RAINBOW LINES

How adorable are these self-portraits??! I love the contrast too!

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

MIXED-MEDIA BRIDGES INSPIRED BY CLAUDE MONET

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork! This one is also listed under my Special Education page.

APRIL SHOWERS

Please go to my Kindergarten Art Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork! This one is also listed under my Special Education page.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Any of the following art lessons can be taught to Kindergarten or 1st grade as well!

SNAILS, FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES OH MY!

SNAILS, FLOWERS AND BUTTERFLIES OH MY!

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to read how we made these with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the directions there

MIXED-MEDIA HANDS HOLDING FLOWERS

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

PRINTMAKING –VASE OF FLOWERS!

PRINTMAKING –VASE OF FLOWERS!

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to read how we made these with step-by-step photos on this lesson. Or you can go onto my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the directions

SHAVING CREAM MARBLED PRINTS

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

MIXED-MEDIA CLAY BUTTERFLIES

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

FLOATING CHALK PRINTS

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork! This lesson would be great to create textured papers to collage with!

MIXED-MEDIA RAINBOW COLLAGES

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

CLAY BIRDS IN NESTS

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

SYMMETRICAL BUTTERFLIES

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork! Similar to the butterflies above but we used liquid tempera paint for the butterfly for this one!

LADYBUGS

Please go to my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the lesson, read how we made them and see additional photos of students artwork!

COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS

COFFEE FILTER FLOWER

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to read how we made these and view the photo of the lesson. Or you can go onto my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the directions there

MIXED-MEDIA FLOWERS

Mixed-Media Flowers! Special Education

Please click on the link above to go directly to my original post to read detailed directions on how we made these and view the steps with photos of the lesson! Or you can go onto my Special Education Lessons page and scroll down to view the directions there!

Also, Just for fun — check out this old stop motion animation I made with my 5th graders WAAAAY back in 2012 when I was student teaching! There are 3 short animations total —back-to-back—with a pause in between. They made the music with the music teacher for this video! So cool! These kiddos are now 24 years old?!?! Yikes?!!

Link below

OLDIE But GOODIE!

Be sure to check out my other recent posts below on:

Winter Northern Lights!

Blackout Poetry

Winter Cardinals

Thank you so much for visiting my website today! I hope you enjoyed reading this post, and will bookmark it for future reference to come back to these art lessons. Please consider subscribing below if you haven’t already ❤️ You’ll receive an email notification each time I post something new!

I will be posting something NEW (never before posted! ) art lesson here very very soon! 😀

P.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 😉

There’s lots to look at and I added NEW pages recently! —-one of which is titled “ OPEN HOUSE or P/T CONFERENCE NIGHT IDEA” —-

I’m planning on adding another new page within the next few weeks as well!

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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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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

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

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