What to Art Lessons to Plan NOW for a Smooth September in your Classroom
Discover engaging and easy-to-use September art lesson plans for every grade level. Get back-to-school ready with creative, low-prep art projects and ideas that make planning effortless—your September art plans are DONE ✅.
September can feel like the busiest time of year for teachers—new routines, fresh faces, and endless planning. But when it comes to your art lessons, you don’t have to start from scratch. I’ve put together everything you need to make your September art plans stress-free and engaging so you can focus less on scrambling for ideas and more on enjoying those first weeks with your students. From seasonal projects to skill-building lessons, you’ll have a full toolkit of creative plans ready to go—your September art plans are DONE ✅.
Quick Art Lessons to have on Hand
I like to make sure that I have some quick Art lessons to have on hand always. These should be art lessons that are easy to do and can use a range of art mediums (flexibility!). The reason is that, things just come up in the year.
Maybe an art lesson doesn’t take as long as you expect it to. Maybe you get sick unexpectedly. Maybe you have a bunch of fast finishers. Maybe you have an unexpectedly shorter block and you won’t have time for what you thought you wanted to do. Maybe there’s going to be testing. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure and that is that things come up during the year at school.
Plan ahead of this unpredictability with art lessons that are ready to go! Create a bunch of worksheets and art projects and have them ready to use for whenever you need them. If your stuck for ideas, think about reflecting artist styles from art history or the elements of art. Exploring line, shape, and value is always a good for to. .
If you need a resource that is fully planned, grab my 31 Quick and Easy Art Lessons and Worksheets
Art Sub Plans: have Your Sub Tub ready ahead of time!
We never expect to be away. Especially so early in the year when you’re building routines and relationships and doing ALL the things. Plus, there is an ENTIRE year to get this done right?
Well, no.
Illness, bad weather, and unexpected events pop up, well… Unexpectedly. So this is one of those things you need to prepare right away. You need to have this done no later than the end of September, preferably before September even happens.
Create some quick art lessons with lesson plans that can be done either with easy to use art supplies, like crayons and markers, or are so flexible they can use anything. I would also throw in some go to worksheets like grid draws or directed draws and some art themed picture books. Make sure everything has lesson plans, or even have some go-to day plans already prepared.
Next, create a binder with your class lists, routines, rules and expectations, where to find things, who to talk to if they need help, any students with medical needs or allergies, attendance sheets, grading sheets, school map, where to go for evacuation, you name it. Have it all done and put it all in a tub so you’re ready to go should you need to be away.
If you want one pre-prepared, grab it here.
Color Theory Art Lessons
Have a plan to teach color theory before you head into September. Color theory is a great starting point for the year when it comes to teaching visual arts. I would start off with discussing primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Discuss color schemes such as monochromatic, warm and cool colors, analogous colors, and neutrals. You can even create art lessons or activities that use these color schemes!
Next, do a color wheel lesson. This is an absolute go-to. Then have them practice color mixing and creating tints, tones, and shades.
Finally, create an art lesson that explores the use of color as the focal point of the design.
If you would like some must-have color worksheets, grab them here.
Elements of Art:
Once you have your plan for teaching color theory, create a plan for teaching the elements of art to your students. If you have no idea how to approach teaching visual arts, then start here.
The elements of art are the foundations for creating an artwork. There are 7 elements of art and they include line, color, value, shape, form, shape, and texture (and this is the order in which I like to teach them too as it goes from the easiest concept to understand to the most challenging one to create).
The elements of art are used to create a work of art, whether it is two or three dimensional. As they’re the foundations of art making, you can simply spend an entire year just teaching these and artworks that reflect them if you wanted to.
If you are looking for Elements of Art Worksheets for primary, grab them here.
If you are looking for Elements of Art Worksheets for older students, grab them here.
If you want 60 worksheets art lessons for teaching ALL the Elements of Art with your lesson plans done, click here.
Principles of Design
Another concept you can introduce to your students is the Principles of Design. The Principles of Design are the guidelines artists and designers use to organize the elements of art in their work, creating balance, interest, and meaning. These principles include balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, and variety. Together, they help students understand how to arrange lines, shapes, colors, textures, and space to create visually compelling art.
To teach them, you might start with simple, hands-on activities—such as having students create collages that focus on balance (symmetrical vs. asymmetrical), or use contrasting colors and textures to explore emphasis and variety. Another engaging approach is a gallery walk, where students look at famous artworks and identify which principle stands out most, followed by a class discussion.
For younger students, turning the principles into mini art challenges—like designing a repeating doodle to practice rhythm or creating a quick abstract drawing that uses contrast—can make the concepts playful and memorable.
For principles of design worksheets for primary students, click here.
If you want principles of design worksheets for older students, grab them here.
Autumn Grid Drawings
Grid drawing is a powerful teaching tool because it helps students slow down and really see what they are drawing, building observation skills, focus, and confidence. By breaking a complex image into smaller, manageable squares, students can more easily capture proportions and details, which reduces frustration and makes drawing feel achievable for all skill levels. It also develops patience and perseverance, as students work square by square to complete the larger picture.
To make grid drawing fun and seasonal, you can bring in autumn-themed images such as pumpkins, scarecrows, owls, acorns, or colorful fall leaves. Students can practice grid drawing a large pumpkin to use as the centerpiece of a harvest display or recreate a detailed fall leaf with its intricate veins. You might even have students draw parts of a larger autumn landscape (like a barn with hay bales or a tree with falling leaves) and then combine their pieces into a collaborative class mural.
This approach not only teaches technical drawing skills but also ties artmaking into the season, creating beautiful fall-inspired classroom displays.
If you want some fun, Autumn cartoon style grid Drawing worksheets, grab them here.
If you want black and white, photo Autumn themed grid draws for your middle and high school students, then grab them here.
Perspective Drawing Art Lessons
Teaching perspective in art is essential because it helps students understand how to create depth, space, and dimension in their drawings and paintings. Perspective is all about how we represent three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, and introducing it early in the school year—like in September—sets a strong foundation for the rest of the year’s artmaking.
Planning ahead ensures you gradually build skills, moving from simple one-point perspective exercises to more complex two- and three-point perspective as students progress. By scaffolding these lessons, you’re not only teaching technical drawing skills but also encouraging problem-solving, critical thinking, and confidence as students realize they can create realistic spaces and objects. Thoughtful planning also makes it easier to weave perspective into cross-curricular projects, like illustrating a scene from a story or creating maps and cityscapes that connect to social studies.
When creating a plan for teaching perspective, start with defining what it is in simple terms—teaching students about horizon lines, vanishing points, and how objects get smaller as they move back in space. Early lessons might include drawing a road that disappears into the horizon or designing a row of lockers in a hallway using one-point perspective. As students grasp the basics, you can move into two-point perspective with buildings and city blocks, or challenge older students with three-point perspective for dramatic angles like looking up at skyscrapers.
Fun art lesson ideas include making a fall-themed street scene with pumpkins lined up on a sidewalk, or designing an autumn carnival with tents, rides, and pathways that all use vanishing points. You can also encourage creativity by letting students draw fantasy worlds or dream houses in perspective, combining technical accuracy with imagination. Planning lessons step-by-step ensures students don’t feel overwhelmed, while still giving them space to play and explore with this vital art concept.
If you would like some easy to use perspective art lessons and worksheets, grab them here.
Van Gogh Pumpkin Art Lesson
A fun and creative autumn art lesson idea is to have students create a pumpkin artwork in the style of Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. Begin by showing them examples of Van Gogh’s swirling brushstrokes, bold colors, and expressive movement in the sky. Then, invite students to draw or paint a pumpkin as the central subject, but instead of placing it in a plain background, have them design a sky filled with swirling lines, dashes, and vibrant contrasting colors, just like Van Gogh’s iconic painting. They can experiment with oil pastels, tempera paint, or even crayons to layer colors and build texture. This lesson teaches students about post-impressionist techniques, movement, and rhythm while giving a seasonal twist, resulting in a display-worthy project that blends art history with autumn creativity.
If you want a pre-made Van Gogh Autumn Pumpkin art lesson plan, grab it here.
Middle School Art Curriculum
Planning a middle school art curriculum is about creating a roadmap that balances skill-building, creativity, and exposure to a wide range of techniques and artists. Middle schoolers thrive when they are challenged with new ideas while still given room to explore their personal voice, so a well-thought-out plan should weave together the Elements of Art, Principles of Design, art history connections, and hands-on projects. A strong curriculum includes a mix of drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and digital art opportunities to keep students engaged and excited. Planning ahead ensures you can scaffold skills—starting the year with foundational concepts like line, shape, and value, then gradually layering on more complex skills such as perspective, color theory, and mixed-media projects. This structure helps students feel successful at every stage and ensures their learning builds naturally throughout the year.
Having that curriculum completed by the end of September is essential because it gives you a clear direction before the school year picks up speed. Once October hits, the demands of grading, seasonal events, and classroom management can easily take over, leaving little time for big-picture planning. By finalizing your curriculum early, you can focus more on teaching and less on scrambling week-to-week for lessons. It also allows you to align your projects with seasonal themes, school-wide events, or cross-curricular opportunities in advance. A September deadline ensures that by the time your students are settling into routines, you are already organized, confident, and ready to guide them through a year of thoughtful, creative, and skill-rich artmaking. This early planning sets the tone for a smoother, more intentional year—one where you can enjoy the teaching process and your students can flourish artistically.
If you’d like a pre-made Middle School Art Curriculum that explores both themes and the Elements of Art, grab it here.
Elementary Art Curriculum
Planning an elementary art curriculum means creating a year-long structure that nurtures creativity while building a foundation in the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. At this level, students benefit from hands-on, playful lessons that encourage exploration of color, line, shape, and texture, while gradually introducing techniques such as painting, collage, clay, and mixed media. A strong plan should also include connections to art history and diverse artists, allowing children to see themselves reflected in the art world. By mapping out the year in advance, you can ensure lessons build on each other, moving from simple projects in the fall that focus on routines and basic skills, to more complex projects in the winter and spring that encourage creativity and independence. Having a structured plan keeps students engaged with variety while also making sure core skills are revisited and reinforced throughout the year.
It’s especially important to have your elementary curriculum completed by the end of September because young learners thrive on consistency and routine. With a plan in place, you’ll feel confident guiding students through projects without scrambling to come up with last-minute ideas, and you can better prepare materials in advance for smooth classroom management. September is also the month where classroom routines are being established, so if your curriculum is ready early, you can focus on teaching procedures, fostering creativity, and building classroom community rather than worrying about what to teach next. By finalizing your plan before October, you’re setting yourself up for a joyful, stress-free year where students can explore art in meaningful, skillful, and imaginative ways while you enjoy the process of teaching.
If you would like a grab and go art curriculum for elementary, grab it here.
Final Thoughts
Planning your art curriculum—whether for elementary or middle school—is one of the most important steps you can take to set yourself and your students up for success. By the time September ends, having a clear map of where you want your students to go ensures that you’ll feel organized, confident, and ready for anything the year throws at you. It gives your classroom structure, but also leaves room for creativity, exploration, and seasonal projects that make art meaningful and fun. Students thrive when they know what to expect and can see themselves progressing, and a solid plan helps you create that learning journey.
Art is more than just projects—it’s about building skills, nurturing creative voices, and helping kids see the world differently. With thoughtful planning, you can make sure each lesson isn’t just an isolated activity, but part of a bigger story where students discover new techniques, explore art history, and find their own artistic identity. By investing the time up front, you’re giving yourself the freedom to enjoy teaching, focus on inspiring your students, and create a classroom where art feels exciting, joyful, and full of possibilities all year long.
About Ms Artastic
Ms Artastic is run by Canadian artist and educator Kathleen McGiveron, who is passionate about making art education accessible, inspiring, and stress-free for teachers and homeschooling families. With years of experience in the classroom and a deep love for creativity, she designs engaging, ready-to-use art resources that help students of all ages build skills, explore their imagination, and connect with the world of art.
In her TeachersPayTeachers Store, Ms Artastic offers hundreds of resources—from fully planned art units and seasonal projects to sketchbook prompts, art history lessons, and assessment tools. Each resource is carefully crafted to save teachers time while still delivering meaningful, high-quality art experiences for students. Whether you’re looking to teach the Elements of Art, integrate art into core subjects, or spark joy in the classroom with creative projects, Ms Artastic has everything you need to bring art to life with confidence and ease.
Recommendations:
If you’re looking for resources to help you plan or teach either at home or in your classroom, then check out these resources to help you get ahead!
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