THE OCEAN IN APRIL
TEACHERS
Research and bring to the monthly planning meeting any ocean ideas or activities including the supply list to our monthly planning meeting on 03/14/2012.
Prepare ideas and your room décor for the OCEAN IN APRIL THEME. Please utilize the storage closet supplies before creating your supply list.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE OCEAN IN APRIL
Fact: Our world is covered by more ocean water than by land, yet only a small portion of that water is available for use. Enlarge and reproduce a world map. Write the name of each ocean in the correct spot on the map and help children say each ocean name. Show the children how much of the world is covered by the ocean. Each classroom will receive a nice globe on a stand as a classroom gift for the month.
SO SALTY!
Read to children I Wonder Why the Sea is Salty: and other questions about the oceans. Read other ocean books that you have researched.
WHY DOES THE SALT EGG FLOAT? With the children perform this experiment. Fill two jars with water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of kosher salt to one jar. Label the jar "Salt Water." Place a hard-boiled egg into each jar and compare what happens. Continue adding salt to the salt water until the egg floats in the middle of the jar. (Adding salt to the water makes the water denser than the egg, which allows the water to hold up the egg.)
SEEING SEA STARS
Provide each child an opportunity to use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut a star from a slice of whole wheat bread. Help children spread their stars with all fruit spread, students can enjoy a tasty sea star snack!
Draw a sea star shape onto a sheet of blue paper, one for each child. Instruct children to apply glue onto the inside of the sea star shape. Then let them sprinkle dry oatmeal onto the glue. When the glue dries, shake off excess oatmeal and invite children to draw seaweed and little fish on their blue oceans.
STUDYING SAND
Fill a large plastic jar with small rocks, shells, sand, and water. Tightly screw on the jar's lid. Encourage children to shake the jar as you explain that sand is formed over many years as rocks grind against each other and against shells.
WHAT MAKES WAVES?
Explain simply that wind blowing across the water is what makes waves occur. Demonstrate this by filling a shallow pan with 2-3 inches of water. Next place a table fan about 1 foot from the narrowest side of the pan. Let the fan blow at a low speed and let children predict what will happen. Ask: Were there waves? Did the water bunch up at the far end of the pan? Try speeding up the fan. Discuss the connection between wind and waves.
UNDER THE SEA
Provide picture books about the ocean world and the animals that live there. Invite each child to research the books to find his/her favorite ocean animal. Encourage each child to think about why he/she chose the animal. Next, invite children to draw pictures of their chosen animals and help them cut out the animals. Each child can then hold up his/her animal, tell its name, and why he/she chose it. Finally, hang pictures against a backdrop of green and blue crepe paper to complete your classroom underwater scene.
GLOBAL TOSS
Toss the blow up globe to the children sitting in a circle, whoever catches the globe gets to move to the center and re toss the globe. When the children catch the globes have them look where their hands are. Keep track of how many times they land in the ocean or on land.
OCEANS AND POLLUTION
Fill a wading pool with sand and have a trash can sitting beside the pool. Bury paper fish, plants, and other ocean animals that the children have created prior to this activity. Also bury trash, spice it up a little with an old shoe or other unique item that the kids would think is funny. Have the children sit around the pool and trash can. The children will take turns digging out trash and ocean life from the sand. Have the children throw the trash in the trash can. This will be an outside activity. We will save the wading pool and add some potting soil so that the kids can plant rose rock in the pool for the summer.
WHAT DO WE EAT THAT COMES FROM THE OCEAN
Gather various foods such as fish, shrimp and ice cream and explain how these foods originate from the ocean or have ingredients that come from the ocean. Show raw, processed, etc. Have a scoop of ice cream for each of the children and allow them to choose a topping of their choice for an ice cream sundae afternoon snack.
OCEAN FLOWERS
Show the children various ocean flowers and display the flowers where the children can see them. Have the children create their own ocean flowers with finger paint mixed with white glue and display them for the children. We will provide you with a high quality card stock for the activity. Please take very good care of these flowers. We will save the flowers and place them in frames for Mother’s Day.
Teachers and support staff, thank you for all your caring and hard work. GOG BLESS