Leaves are changing, the days are getting crisp and you’re likely deep into art-making in your classroom. Take this last month before the flurry of the holidays sets in to create art that celebrates diverse cultures, the fall season and Halloween fun. 

Honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day

October 9th in the United States is observed as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Indigenous People are those who are native to a specific place, or in other words, lived in a place before others, such as settlers arrived. 

While infusing Indigenous voices into your art room is a great practice all year long, observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a great reminder of the rich contributions Indigenous people make, both past and present.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite children’s books written by Indigenous authors. Beginning a lesson with a book is always a great way to begin a lesson and spark conversation.

Access more resources on Indigenous People’s Day plus a discussion guide that you can use as a springboard for disucssion with with your students.

Seasonal Projects

Fall is in full swing now and Halloween is just around the corner. We’ve gathered together tips and templates for some of our favorite Fall and Halloween lessons, including leaves, ghosts, cozy cats and more in our October Freebie Pack. Links to each lesson are included within the document. 

Download the October Freebie Pack by clicking the yellow button below! 

Celebrate Día de los Muertos, (Day of the Dead) during the first two days of November.

Focused on honoring the memories of passed families and friends by praying, offering items and building altars for their loved ones’ spiritual journeys, this is a true celebration, rather than a somber affair. 

Consider the Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls lesson for a simple, but beautiful painting based on the sugar skulls used during the holiday. 

Or for Halloween-specific projects, check out our Halloween Spark-tacular, featuring full-length videos and downloadable templates for three not-so-spooky lessons that are sure to be a treat, not a trick in your classroom. 

Each project will cover elements like SHAPE, LINE, PATTERN, & SYMMETRY, all while keeping your students engaged and creative for a full class session.

October-themed art activities:

• 9: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• September 15 – October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
• 31: Halloween

October artist birthdays :

• Katsushika Hokusai (his birthdate is debated, but most date it in October)
• 8: Faith Ringgold 
• 25: Pablo Picasso
• 27: Roy Lichtenstein