Autumn Pumpkin Art Project with Reading, Writing & Reflection Activities (Grades 2–5)

Pumpkins are the heart of autumn, and this Autumn Pumpkin Art Project is the perfect way to celebrate the season in your classroom or homeschool. Designed for Grades 2–5, this complete art lesson plan blends drawing, painting, science, literacy, and reflection so students not only create beautiful, display-ready pumpkin artwork but also build knowledge across subjects.

If you’ve ever wanted a fall art project that’s seasonal, standards-aligned, and easy to teach, this is it. Students will explore the pumpkin life cycle, pollination, and harvest, practice literacy skills through comprehension, opinion writing, and narrative storytelling, and gain artistic confidence by following a step-by-step drawing and painting tutorial using watercolor or tempera paint cakes.

This isn’t just a craft—it’s an interdisciplinary art resource that saves you prep time while offering students meaningful engagement. With built-in puzzles, KWL charts, critical thinking questions, and gallery walk activities, this lesson transforms autumn into a chance to connect science, literacy, and personal expression with creativity.

By the end of this project, your students will have:

• Painted a vibrant autumn pumpkin artwork

• Explored the pumpkin life cycle and pollination process

• Read and responded to pumpkin-themed texts

• Written reflections, narratives, and artist’s statements

• Shared and celebrated their work through gallery walks and displays

This Resource Includes (Non-Editable):

• Complete Lesson Plan with objectives, standards, and teacher instructions

• Materials Guide: watercolor paints or tempera paint cakes, thick paper, brushes, water

• Lesson Hook: Picture Puzzle for curiosity and predictions

• Participation Strategies: Think-Pair-Share + Whiteboard Splash

• How-to-Draw a Pumpkin (illustrated guide)

• Step-by-Step Painting Tutorial (visual + text)

• Poster Sample of finished project

• KWL Chart: Pumpkins for scaffolding knowledge

• Informational Reading Passage on sprouting, pollination, growth, and harvest

• Narrative Reading: The Story of a Pumpkin (from seed to harvest)

• Reading Comprehension Worksheets with differentiated questions + answer key

• Sight Word List & Activities (warmups, games, treasure hunts, tallies)

• Word Bank of Tricky Words (sprout, pollination, cycle, harvest)

• Writing Prompts: opinion + narrative

• Compare & Contrast Activity (pumpkins vs. other plants with answer key)

• Art Reflections: Artist’s Statement, 3 Stars & a Wish, The Message, Reflection Sheets, Questions & Wonders log

• Creative Extensions: T-shirt design, symmetry sheets, postcard art, emphasis project, pumpkin line art, zen doodle activity

• Assessment Rubric (creativity, craftsmanship, effort, responsibility)

• Critical Thinking Question Bank (art + meaning discussions)

• Bulletin Board Display Sign for showcasing finished work

• Gallery Walk Guide for structured reflection and sharing