Under the Sea

Art/Science Activity

WHAT YOU NEED

• Crayons, colored pencils, markers
• Crepe paper (blue, green, red, yellow, pink)
• Paper plates
• Construction paper
• Index cards
• Yarn or string
• Books or magazines with pictures or illustrations of fish

WHAT TO DO

1. Tell children that over the next week they will all work together to turn the classroom into an undersea environment and teach each other more about the creatures that live in the sea.

2. Discuss with children the different kinds of sea creatures they have learned about so far and ask them to choose their favorites. On the board or chart paper, list each child's name and favorite sea creature. Then explain to children that during the next week they are to find out as much as they can about their favorite sea creature so they can tell the class about it at the end of the week. Suggest to children that they write interesting facts about their sea creature on index cards. Children may also want to make illustrations to help them describe their favorite sea creature. Provide books and magazines for the children to look through and arrange for them to have some research time in the school library.

3. Then begin to decorate the classroom by hanging blue and green crepe paper across the room to create the sea water. Then have children draw and cut out a picture of their favorite fish or other sea creature. Make sure that children decorate both sides of their fish. Then hang the fish from the ceiling or display them around the classroom walls. Continue to create an undersea world in the classroom by using some or all of the following ideas.

   • Children can make jellyfish by coloring paper plates and hanging red, yellow, and/or pink crepe paper tentacles from the plates. Hang the jellyfish from the ceiling so they look like they are floating in the water.

   • Brainstorm with children things that might be found on the ocean floor, such as a coral reef, an octopus cave, a sunken ship, a lobster trap. You can decorate, or simply refer to, areas in your classroom as these undersea landmarks. For example, the reading corner may become a coral reef (pipe cleaners can be used to make coral), a bookshelf could become a sunken ship.

   • Invite children to bring in any sea shells they may have at home to display around the room. You may want to bring in some tapes of ocean sounds to play in the background during the week.

4. At the end of the week have children share with each other what they have learned about their favorite sea creature. You may want to celebrate with a special snack, such as saltwater taffy or crackers shaped like fish.

TEACHING OPTIONS
You may want to expand this activity into a project that extends over two weeks, giving children more time to do research and to better decorate the room.