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“Pumpkin’s Starry Night” – K and 1

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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

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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!

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“Owls at Night” – grades 2 + 3

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Loving these SWEET owls by my 2nd and 3rd grade students! In the past, I’ve only taught this to my 2nd graders, but I never did the lesson last year- so I had 3rd graders do them as well.

This was a 3 day lesson (40 minute art classes each)

DAY 1

I showed them step-by-step under the document camera how to draw the owl on a sheet of 9×12” 80# drawing paper with pencil.

DAY 2

Then they colored them in (just the moon, owl, and branch with leaves) with crayons, making sure to press down hard as they colored. They could color in the owl with whatever colors they wanted .
Then they added stars to the sky with a yellow crayon pressing hard, and outlined everything except the stars with a black crayon pressing hard as they outlined.

DAY 3

Then they painted the sky black with watercolors going right over their stars, creating a crayon wax resist.

I love how they all come out so different even though they are all drawing the same thing!

Would you be interested in a YouTube tutorial on this lesson?

Thank you for visiting my website! I will be posting another one today

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”Pumpkin’s Starry Night” YouTube tutorial

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This crayon wax-resist painting lesson is inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night”. It’s a 22 minute video and is suitable for grades K-3. I discuss his work briefly and also talk about various types of line, overlapping, texture, and crayon wax resist in the video.

I am currently teaching this lesson to my Kindergarten and 1st grade classes, and will be posting their artwork soon!

I’d love to hear your feedback on the video and hope that you can use it in your classroom soon!

Please check out my previous post below on another YouTube tutorial on Victorian architecture!

ALSO- I just added a NEW page titled “ART ROOM RULES AND ROUTINES” to my drop down menu on the main page.

UPDATE: Here are some of my K and 1 students artwork in progress! 2 of my classes got to paint on Thursday 10/23/25, and I LOOOOooove how they are coming out so far! It was Kindergartens FIRST time painting with me in art too!
They still need to add another layer of crayon details over their painting next week to complete them, but I couldn’t wait to share!

This lesson can still be created after Halloween (just don’t have your students draw a face!)

Look at these adorable pumpkins! My students really paid attention and erased the pumpkin bottoms where the grass is in order to show overlapping. I’m so proud of my Kindergarten and 1st grade students!

I will be posting their final artwork this Thursday evening 10/30/25! I can’t wait to share their beautiful artwork- they’ve been putting in a lot of hard work and effort into their Pumpkin’s Starry Night paintings!

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SPLATTER PAINTED GHOSTS/ BATS / PUMPKINS! 

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My first graders had so much fun creating these! It only took 2 (40 minute) art classes to make them too. 

Day 1 

First, I created these pumpkin, moon, and ghost template tracers made from heavyweight Manila tagboard. I created about 25 tracers each. 

Students chose their tracer and taped it with a masking tape loop (I helped with that step) on 3 areas of the back of the tracer onto a sheet of white 80# drawing paper. 

Then students splatter painted whatever colors they wanted on top of their paper using watercolors. I told them to cover their paper with a lot of splatterpaint, and to splatterpaint close to the edges of their tracer especially. This makes sure the image comes out clear once the tracer is removed. 

Once finished, the paintings were put into the drying rack. 

Day 2

I carefully took off the tracers on each paper (it’s a good idea to actually press the tape loops on a bit of cotton beforehand so the tape won’t be AS sticky and tear the paper) I learned that the hard way, as some of the tape loops tore their papers a tiny bit in some areas. 

We talked about positive / negative space. If a student chose a moon tracer, they cut out a bat from black paper (that they traced a bat on using my tracer) and glued it on their painting. 


Students then drew faces if they had a pumpkin or a ghost with a black sharpie marker to add final details!

Such a fun and quick lesson that my students LOVED! Lesson idea from @artsyblevs 

LEARNING GOALS: 

  • students can define and identify positive and negative space within their artwork
  • students can create artwork using various painting techniques

This was a lesson I did last October (2024) but I never added it to my website until now. The first 3 images from the top are my teacher examples, and the rest are by my students.

NEW artwork and lessons to come VERY soon!

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K and 1 FALL LEAVES

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My students in grades K and 1st created these beautifully vibrant leaves for the fall trees I made on my schools bulletin board recently! It took just 1 art class (40 minutes) to create.

I did this a couple years back and I’m always SO impressed at how bright and vivid the colors come out! And how rarely any leaves end up being brown or muddy!

We used Roylco brand diffusing leaves (you can purchase these on Amazon in packs of 80 leaves -3 different leaf varieties). I’ll also share a pic of how I did the bulletin board one year with the leaves as a wreath for the holiday season below.

Kids colored on their leaf (1 per student) with any colors of the rainbow they wanted (plus teal and pink) with bingo daubers until the entire leaf was colored in. Before they colored, we talked about colors and discussed what two primary colors make secondary colors. I was VERY impressed with my kindergarten students knowledge on this!!

Once they finished coloring, I sprayed their leaf (while on top of a messy mat) with a water spray bottle (about 4-5 sprays) about 12” away from their leaf. Students loved seeing the water spread the ink and watching their colors blend!

After letting the leaves dry in the drying rack black veins were added using oil pastel, then I stapled them on the 3 trees I created earlier. I made them out of crinkling brown construction paper strips and stapling them together.

I love how the trees came out and how it brightens up the hallway for fall!

I’m planning on using the remaining leaves that didn’t fit on the trees, to decorate the edges of my second bulletin board for other “fall” artwork soon!

Here’s a photo of how I used the leaves a couple years ago for the winter holiday!

Thank you SOO very much for following my blog and visiting my website! I know I haven’t been posting on the regular lately but I definitely plan on it this year!!

I have lots of new art lessons that my students are currently working on and I’m EXCITED to share them with you very soon, so be sure to check back and check your email for updates!

Also please be sure to visit my YouTube channel, and subscribe (I was just checking my videos this morning and was surprised and happy to see that my OpArt drawing tutorial video has over 185k views!!!) for more art video tutorials and read-a-loud stories! And you can follow me on Instagram @mammalovespeaches for additional art lessons and ideas!

Thank you so much

This is my 13th year teaching art! 12th year at my current district and 13th year overall!

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24 NEW LESSONS ADDED!!

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I just added 24 new art lessons for grades K – 5! This is the first year in my district to teach art to Kindergarten as well! 

They have been added to the bottoms of each page under each grade level page (see under menu options). Lessons include steps, photos, and learning goals. 

These are the new lessons added: 

Kindergarten 

  • Paper diffusing leaves w/ marker and water 
  • Leaf rubbings w/ textured frame 
  • Bugs in a jar 
  • “Little cloud “ inspired by Eric Carle
  • Organic and geometric shapes Robot 

1st grade 

  • Fall tree drawing 
  • Lines makes shapes “house”
  • Sunflower drawing inspired by Vincent Van Gogh 

2nd grade 

  • April showers brings May flowers
  • Pumpkin tinfoil prints
  • Owls at night 
  • Snowman in perspective 
  • Superhero masks 

3rd grade 

  • 3D heart
  • Sunflowers inspired by Vincent Van Gogh
  • Spider monkey inspired by Frida Kahlo 

4th grade 

  • Patterned pumpkin with oil pastel 
  • Dotted leaf paintings inspired by Brandon Rollin 
  • Spooky eyeball drawings
  • Symmetrical name creature 
  • Box of chocolates
  • Tiger paintings inspired by Henri Rousseau

5th grade 

  • Finish the picture
  • A love yourself drawing 

Please follow our art room adventures …(well, more like art on a cart for one of my schools!) AND

@mammalovespeaches on Instagram! Thanks for following! More to come!

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RESEARCHING A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST – 5th Grade

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This lesson took about (4) 40 minute art classes to complete.

On day 1 I discussed with students the many different art careers out there available, then showed them a great video on all the different art related careers out there someone could do for inspiration for this lesson. I wish I could just post the video i showed my students for you here, but for some reason it wont let me embed the video from YouTube. If you search ”MHRD – Careers in Art” you can watch it there.

After the video students were shown a huge variety of various contemporary artists in my Google slides. Then, using their laptops, students logged into my art classroom in Google, and were able to review the slides of artists. Each slide showed 1-3 photos of their artwork, and a small description of the kind of artwork they created. I hyperlinked the photo of the artist to either their blog, their website, an article, or to Wikipedia about the artist.

From there, students took some time researching artists that intrigued them, then selected one artist to focus on.

Days 2-4 were spent thinking about that artists style, and/or what materials they used to create their art with and draw a picture related to and inspired by that artists work. Students looked at ceramicists, photographers, painters, illustrators, fashion designers, interior designers, architects, graphic designers, animators, installation artists, jewelers, video game designers, weavers etc. I also wanted to make sure I included just as many female artists as male artists and to include artists from a variety of cultural backgrounds.

Students then drew using pencil, colored pencils, markers and/or crayons.

On the final day, students filled out a sheet with questions on why they chose that artist and what facts they learned about their chosen artist. Students did such an amazing job on researching independently, and coming up with their own creations and drawing artwork inspired by their chosen artist! Students really enjoyed this lesson and I’m hoping doing this lesson will inspire them to research and learn about additional artists on their own time. I wish I took more photos of their artwork, but check out some of their work below!


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3D PAPER SCULPTURES – 1ST AND 2ND GRADE INSPIRED BY CHARLES MCGEE

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This lesson took ( 2 ) 40 minute art classes to create.

Students learned about the artist Charles McGee and we discussed his artwork. We discussed how we’d be utilizing the elements of art, line, shape, and form to create our sculptures. Then students received a sheet of copy paper with 4 lines pre-drawn and photocopied for the class.

Then using a black sharpie marker, students drew a different pattern in each section, creating 5 sections.


DAY 2

Then on day 2, students cut out each section with scissors.

Students then flipped over each strip, and folded back the ends. They then glued the flaps with a glue stick and positioned the flaps on a piece of 8×8” white cardstock paper and pressed for 5 seconds. Students could place each strip wherever they wanted creating height by placing the flaps closer together, and then gluing on other sections on top of previous ones. They had a lot of fun creating these fun and interesting sculptures!

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