Ocean: Day Two

At the Shore:
Sand, Shells, and Seaweed

Purpose:
To introduce children to things we can find on the ocean's shore such as: sand, shells, seaweed (and other plants), drift wood, glass, etc.

Materials:
ocean books
ocean waves painting (from day one's lesson)
shell coloring pages
paper
crayons
paint
yarn
sponge

Learning Activities:
1. Start by reading one or more ocean books. Point out the parts of the ocean: water, waves, sand, etc. "Yesterday we learned about ocean water and the waves in the ocean. Today we're going to learn about things we can find at the oceans' edge, the shore."

2. Get child's painting of ocean waves (from day one) and paint or color the bottom of the paper with brown/yellow to represent sand.

3. Let children color sea shells while you talk about what they are. Example: "Shells are homes to small sea creatures. They are washed up on the sand by the ocean waves. Only the strongest shells make it to the shore without breaking." Cut out shells and use them in this finger play activity:


Shell Finger Play:

5 little sea shells (hold up 5 fingers)
lying on the shore (move hands horizontally to represent sea sitting on the sand)
SWISH went the waves (act out a big wave)
and then there were 4. (hold up 4 fingers)

4 little sea shells (hold up 4 fingers)
cozy as can be (put arms together and rock, like rocking a baby)
SWISH went the waves (act out a big wave)
and then there were 3 (hold up 3 fingers)

3 little sea shells (hold up 3 fingers)
all pearly new (open hands like blinking lights)
SWISH went the waves (act out a big wave)
and then there were 2 (hold up 2 fingers)

2 little sea shells (hold up 2 fingers)
sleeping in the sun (place head on hands, like asleep)
SWISH went the waves (act out a big wave)
and then there was 1 (hold up 1 finger)

2 little sea shell (hold up 1 finger)
all alone (hold fists up to eyes, pretending to cry)
So, I whispered SHHHHHHHH! (put 1 finger to mouth)
and carried it home (cup hands together, pretending to carry a shell.)

glue the shells onto the sand of your ocean wave picture. (you could also talk about other non-living objects found at the shore: glass, wood, trash, etc)

4. Tell children about plants in the sea. Along the shore, we usually see grass and palm trees. Another plant we see at the shore is seaweed. Talk about seaweed and how it can be found growing on the ocean floor, floating in the water, and near the shore.

Add to yesterday's song: (with appropriate actions)

"Waves in the Ocean" (to the tune of "Wheels on the Bus")

Waves in the ocean go up and down,
up and down,
up and down.
Waves in the ocean go up and down,
all day long.

Seaweed in the ocean floats in and out,
in and out,
in and out.
Seaweed in the ocean floats in and out,
all day long.

Seaweed Art:

• Fold a piece of paper in half. Dip yarn in green paint. Place yarn down on the paper, folding it in half. Gently place hand on top of the paper as you pull the string out. Repeat with green or brown. Let dry. When dry, cut out the "seaweed," and glue it onto your ocean picture.

• Let children sponge-paint or draw with green/yellow on a paper. Cut out seaweed shapes from that paper. Add these to ocean picture.

Summary:
Show completed picture to children and discuss all the parts of the ocean you've learned about so far. Review songs/finger plays.


Enrichment:
1. Word Wall

2. Shell Art:

• decorate real shells with google eyes or glitter.
• dip shells in paint and use as stamps on paper.
• place paper over shells; color over with crayons to make a shell rub.
• Make shell "homes" out of empty milk cartons
• shell necklaces.

3. Make an ocean sensory center:
fill a small tub with sand, salty water, shells, driftwood, seaweed (found at health or pet stores) OR canned spinach to represent seaweed, etc. Place tub on towels and let children take a "trip" to the shore and step into the "ocean."