Cactus & Succulent Watercolor Art Project (5th Grade)

Need a fun cactus and succulent watercolor art project for 5th grade? Teach elementary kids about visual movement (principles of design) with this summer art activity. Kids paint a succulent garden with liquid watercolors and sharpie markers while exploring the art of Marsden Hartley and other famous artists.

Ready-to-go PowerPoints, drawing worksheets, and a step-by-step art lesson plan makes teaching watercolor projects at the end of the year much easier!

You’ll start with an art history PowerPoint that introduces 5th graders to Marsden Hartley’s abstract paintings. Your class will learn about his love for Maine and his travels through Europe and the American southwest. And they’ll discuss how Hartley and other famous artists like Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent, and Edvard Munch used line, shape, and color to create visual movement.

Next, your class will sketch succulents and cacti using doodle and directed drawing art worksheets. They’ll have a choice to either draw one large succulent garden in a single pot or create a series of overlapping planter pots. Two PowerPoint slideshows will guide them through the entire process!

Then they paint their picture with liquid watercolors emphasizing color as a way to create visual movement. Your class will practice painting techniques like flat wash, graded wash, wet on wet, wet on dry, dropped colors, and blending techniques. Separate handouts help guide children to gather art materials and paint with ease.

If you’re new to teaching art to 5th grade, my lesson plan walks you through exactly what to say and ask during the art history portion. But you can always make it your own!

You Will Receive

• 1 Non-Editable PDF – Succulents & Cacti Watercolor Art Project
• 3 Non-Editable PowerPoint Slideshows – Visual Movement in Art (Art History Presentation) and 2 Step-by-Step Art Project Guides for Single Pot and Multi-Planter Pot Projects

What’s Inside My Cactus & Succulent Watercolor Art Project

• Lesson Intro & Teacher Directions for Making Your Own Liquid Watercolor Paints
• 6-Page Art Lesson Plan
• 2 Liquid Watercolor Handouts (Gathering Painting Materials and Painting with Liquid Watercolors)
• 2 Step-by-Step Guides for Students and Substitute Teachers
• Watercolor Techniques Worksheet
• Teacher Sample of 6 Watercolor Techniques
• 3 Succulent, Cactus, and Planter Pot Doodles Worksheet
• 14 Directed Drawing Succulent & Cactus Art Worksheets
• Self-Assessment Rubric
• Art Grading Rubric

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