Bring colour, shape and winter magic into your upper primary Art & Design classroom with this creative Kandinsky-inspired Winter Trees lesson pack.

This engaging resource introduces students to Wassily Kandinsky, his use of colour, shape and emotion, and his famous concentric circle artworks. Students learn to identify warm and cool colours, explore abstract shapes, and then create their own winter tree decorated with Kandinsky-style circle ornaments.

Designed for Upper Primary, this resource is ideal for Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6, KS2, elementary art, winter art projects, colour theory lessons, or an introduction to abstract art.

The resource includes two editable PowerPoint lessons. Lesson 1 introduces Kandinsky, warm and cool colours, and shape practice. Lesson 2 guides students through creating their own Kandinsky-inspired winter tree using circles, colour choices and simple sky shapes such as triangles, stars and snowflakes.

What Students Will Learn

Students will:

Learn about Kandinsky and how he used colour and shape
Identify warm and cool colours
Explore circles, triangles, squares and abstract shapes
Create Kandinsky-style concentric circles
Design their own winter tree artwork
Add decorative sky shapes such as stars, triangles and snowflakes
Use colour to show mood and feeling

Included in This Resource
2 editable PowerPoint lessons
Kandinsky artist introduction
Warm and cool colour slides
Shape and colour discussion prompts
Student-friendly learning objectives
Sketchbook practice task
Final winter tree art task
Exit ticket / plenary prompts
Clear visual instructions for upper primary learners

Perfect For
Upper Primary Art & Design
Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6
KS2 Art
Elementary art lessons
Winter art projects
Kandinsky artist study
Colour theory lessons
Warm and cool colour activities
Abstract art projects
Seasonal classroom displays
Cover lessons or ready-to-teach art activities

Materials Needed
Paper or sketchbooks
Pencils
Watercolours, paint sticks, crayons or colouring pencils
Brushes and water pots if using paint
Black pen or pencil for details, optional

Why Teachers Will Love It

This is a simple, colourful and easy-to-follow project that introduces upper primary students to abstract art in a fun and accessible way. The final outcomes make a beautiful winter classroom display, while helping students build confidence with colour, shape, pattern and creative decision-making.