Autumn Acorn Warm Colors Art Project with Literacy & Reflection Activities (Grades K–3)

Bring the warmth of autumn into your classroom or homeschool with this Autumn Acorn Warm Colors Art Project. Designed for Grades K–3, this complete art lesson plan introduces the element of art: color through warm colors (red, orange, yellow) while guiding students step by step to create a vibrant acorn-themed artwork. With drawing, painting, literacy tie-ins, and reflection activities, this is more than just a seasonal craft—it’s an interdisciplinary resource that connects art, literacy, science, and social-emotional learning.

Teaching warm colors can be tricky, but this resource makes it seamless. Students learn how warm colors express mood, energy, and seasonal change, then apply that knowledge to their own acorn artwork. Along the way, they’ll read a short autumn story (The Acorn’s Fall), practice reading comprehension, build sight word fluency, and reflect on their learning through kid-friendly art reflections. The result? A beautiful display-ready project and deeper understanding of both art concepts and seasonal science.

Perfect for classrooms, substitutes, or homeschool families, this lesson adapts to different teaching environments. All materials are clearly outlined, visuals are included for demonstrations, and differentiated literacy activities make it flexible for young learners. By the end of the project, students will have built creative confidence, literacy skills, and personal expression—all while celebrating the season of fall.

This Resource Includes (Non-Editable):

• Complete Lesson Plan with objectives, standards, and instructions

• Mediums & Materials Guide (oil pastels, watercolor or tempera paint, brushes, paper, water)

• Lesson Hook: Acorn Puzzle to spark predictions and curiosity

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

• Teacher Guide: Warm Colors with anchor chart explanation

• About Warm Colors Reading (connections to nature, emotions, autumn)

• How-to-Draw an Acorn step-by-step guide

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

• Poster Sample of the finished artwork for display

• KWL Chart: Acorns & Autumn

• Reading Passage: The Acorn’s Fall (short seasonal story)

• Reading Comprehension Worksheets with answer key

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

• Word Bank of Tricky Words (acorn, autumn, warm colors)

• Writing Prompts:

  • Opinion: Do you like autumn leaves better on the tree or on the ground?

  • Narrative: Imagine you are an acorn in autumn—what happens to you?

• Compare & Contrast T-Chart (Acorn vs. Leaf in Autumn with key)

• Art Reflections & SEL Worksheets: Artist’s Statement, 3 Stars & a Wish, The Message, Questions & Wonders, SEASONS magazine cover, Feelings reflection, Top 3, Star It! favorite part reflection

• Creative Extensions: Symmetry practice, acorn line art, acorn zen doodle, Draw It! prompt

• Assessment Rubric (creativity, craftsmanship, responsibility)

• Critical Thinking Question Bank for discussion and reflection

• Bulletin Board Display Sign for showcasing work

• Gallery Walk Guide for peer sharing and group reflection

Standards & Core Connections:

• National Core Arts Standards: imaginative idea development, responsible material use, craftsmanship

• ELA Standards: retelling, comprehension, vocabulary, narrative writing, opinion writing

• Science Links: acorns as oak tree seeds, seasonal change in autumn