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Ocean Science
Contact_FullName: Lish Contact_FullName: Leslie
Contact_Email: date:: 05/02/02 Area: Ocean - Science Idea: Environmental Science Purpose: To teach the children to take care of their environment Materials: rubber bands and 6 pack plastic rings Activity: Give each child a small rubber band and instruct them to put it around their pinky finger and their thumb. Then ask them to try to remove it. It should be difficult or impossible to remove. Explain to the children about the plastic rings and how sea creatures get them stuck around their bodies and beaks etc., and teach them how to throw them away properly (by cutting the circles) and teach them the dangers of littering.
Contact_FullName: Diane Contact_Email: tolmand@shaw.ca date:: 03/03/02 Area: Science/ocean Idea: In our water table we use it for various theme related ideas. When doing our ocean theme I filled the table 1/4 full of sand then added many different kinds of shells, plastic crabs, small plastic medicine cups (to make small sand castles) I also put in tablespoons (for shovels). The children had a great time searching for shells. When the theme was over I had the children search for all the shells and place them in a tub of warm soapy water and toothbrushes, where they helped me clean up the shells to be put away.
ideaDiving Fish - I take a clear 2 liter bottle and draw (with perm. markers) on the outside (seaweed, waves, etc) I then fill the bottle with cold water. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 T. baking soda to the bottle. It is then time to add the "fish" . Drop about a dozen raisins into the bottle and be ready to watch! The raisins will collect bubbles all around them from the vinegar and baking soda chemical reaction - so they will FLOAT to the top, the air bubbles will pop and they will sink back down to get more bubbles. It is great! My class thinks that this is a real magic trick! It will last for about 20 minutes or so, maybe longer.
3-12-01We had a day where we focused on octopuses. We read books on octopuses and then we made an octopus using purple construction paper. I precut figure eight shapes (for body of octopus-older students could cut it themselves). I then cut out eight strips of paper (1x4 inches). The children counted out how many tentacles an octopus has and then chose that many strips of paper. They glued the strips to the bottom of the body and then colored a face on the opposite side. It looked cute and the kids had a lot of imaginative play with them.
7-25-00My two year olds loved this- For beach week we each brought in clear 12 oz. bottles. We added sand, a small bit of water and small sea shells. Our kids love to turn these on their side and watch the ocean waves. We glued on the lids then taped them with colored tape.
7-16-00Plastic Bag Jellyfish Here's a way to demonstrate a jellyfish to your class. Supplies needed: 2 clear plastic bags (no Ziplocs) any size, food coloring, rubber band or twist tie. Fill one plastic bag about 1/2 full with water and add a little food coloring. The colored water is the jelly, the bag is the skin. Open the bag and carefully put the 2nd bag inside the 1st...this is the stomach. Add a little water inside this bag to help it hold its shape. Now, draw the mouths of the bags together and put the rubber band on tightly. (The 2 skins of a jellyfish meet at the lips, and this is the only opening to the body.) Grab bags at the rubber band and turn them over, resting the weight on your hand. Now you have an example of a jellyfish with short mouth arms, but no tentacles. You can let the children hold it carefully to feel what it's like. It feels very much like a jellyfish. You can also put it in a bowl of water and watch it float. My kids absolutely love it!!
7-12-00This is a little complicated but worth the effort. You need a clear jar, water, salt, a couple of live adult brine shrimp (check the pet store), and a goldfish. Ask children which they think is heavier -- salt or fresh water. Make a salt water solution and dye it with food coloring. Fill the jar half full of salt solution. Next, VERY SLOWLY fill the remainder of the jar with tap water. This can be dyed a different color from the salt water. The children will be able to see that the slat water is heavier -- it stays in the bottom half of the jar. Gently release the brine shrimp and goldfish into the jar. The shrimp will quickly find the salt water area, while the fish stays in the freshwater "zone". This helps children understand that aquatic animals are adapted for fresh or salt water. Note: Use only goldfish and brine shrimp for this experiment; they are hardy enough not to be harmed by salt/freshwater.
7-9-00For a wonderful outside (or use the halls of your center) lesson in measurement, buy a 100 ft. rope or twine. Tell the children that the ball of twine that you have is the same size as the largest mammal in the ocean--The Blue Whale. Take the children to a place that will stretch 100 ft, and have them pull the twine until they reach the end. They will be squealing at seeing how large a 100 ft. Blue Whale is. Expand with predictions: How many children would it take to make a blue whale? How many blocks? How many paper plates? Could a Blue Whale fit in your car? Your house? etc..
5-20-00Oil and Water Need: cooking oil (Wesson oil), water, water table or small bucket, plastic ocean animals. Tell the children about the oil tankers that cross the ocean. For whatever reason there is a leak - the oil leaks into the water. But the oil does not mix with water - and it is very dangerous to the sea animals. It covers the animals so they can't breathe and will eventually die. Put the oil into the tub of water - then add the plastic animals. Each child should get an animal - ask them to clean the animal. Supply cotton, Kleenex, paper towels - the children will understand how difficult it is to clean oil off.
Date: 3-30-00To create a more interesting water play table, put various plastic fish and underwater animals in the water. Put in rocks, small boats for fishing, shells, objects that might be used for tunnels for the fish. You can also put a little sand at the bottom to give the feeling of the bottom of the ocean. Oh and of course some small plastic plants. Create and ocean and talk about the ocean and the various life connected to the ocean as well as the importance of the ocean to us humans.
Date: 3-22-00Swimming Fish Materials: (for each child) a coat hanger, fish pattern, fishing line, scissors, crayons/markers, tape, two small magnets Bend a coat hanger so that it makes a diamond shape, then bend the hook down so that it is inside the diamond. (It is probably a good idea to do this before hand because it's a little difficult.) Give each student a copy of a fish shape to color. After it is colored, tape a small magnet to the bottom of the fish. Also, tape another small magnet to the bottom of the hangar. Hang the fish from the hook inside the hanger with a piece of fishing line. The fish should hang just above the other magnet. The action between the two magnets makes them twist and turn as if they are swimming.
Date: 12-21-00Every year we do an ocean theme. We live at the end of a inlet and our town is used as a deep sea port, therefore it is very difficult to find a safe place to take the children to experience the ocean. Last year I got a large jar and filled it with sea water and gathered rocks, snails, barnacles, seaweed and some small kelp. The children loved it but it didn't last long as the water didn't circulate. This year I haunted the second hand stores and found a filter unit, water aerator and a 10 gallon tank. This is even better because we have a larger surface area to observe and I replenish the water right our ocean front. The children love to watch the snails move and discovered that something actually lives in the barnacle shell. With the bigger tank I can have more items from the ocean shore. I am hopping to catch a few bullheads to put into the tank as well, maybe even some small crabs. Date: 12-21-00This is to show your students that warm water rises. Fill a clear container of water with cold water. Add hot water with blue food coloring in it to show the children warm water rises. You can expand by telling them that's how some fish live. for instance whales can live in the deep ocean while a smaller fish would live at the top where the water is warmer. ideaPlace sea shells and sand in the science area with books, and magnifying glasses, pencils and paper, and let the children discover the different types of shells there are. I also put in large shells that were broken, they have many different layers that the children can examine. Date: 9-9-99
Date: 7-25-99We created the ocean with a clear plastic peanut butter jar, water, mineral oil and blue food coloring. The children can move the jar to make waves. Also, peanut butter jar, small shells, small rocks and water when shaken vigorously will make sand. Name:
Date: 2-3-99We make individual ocean in jars. We let the kids spoon some sand into a babyfood jar. We have some sea shells they can add as well as some plastic sea shape creatures. You could add some very small plants as well. Then we add the water and hot glue(teacher's job) the lid on. This is one way to use up those donated baby food jars, the only drawback being they are glass. 9-14-98 Name: Laura E-Mail: LGGorman I like to put dried whole seaweed in our water table. I buy it from a Japanese grocery store. Once wet, the seaweed feels like it never left the ocean! Plus the water table smell like the ocean. 9-14-98 Name: Jackie E-Mail: ChipNDip@Fiam.net In the sand table, Add a large jar of gold glitter, and sea shells. Your Munchkins will think that they are at the beach, even in the middle of the winter! Surfs up! 7-17-98 Name: Suzanne E-Mail: suecmic@aol.com While exploring our class ocean unit, I blow up some small latex balloons, draw eyes, fish fins and scales with permanent marker and toss them into the water table. The children practice scooping the balloons in small fish nets (which you can buy anywhere fish are sold). This really helps the younger children to be gentle, because they don't want to pop the balloons (I mean fish)! 7-4-98 Name: Amye E-Mail: MissAmye@juno.com Under The Sea Science Sensory Center: Water Table The children love this activity! What I do is cut fish and starfish shapes from sponges and put them in the water table! The children have a great time making the fish swim, squeezing the water from the sponges, and "taking care of their fish." Sensory Center: Sand Table The children also love this activity as well! I put about 20 seashells in the 6-14-98 Name: Adrienne E-Mail: GloryLight@AOL.com Wave Bottles - Using a plastic soda bottle (any size) you can make waves right in your classroom! Fill the bottle half way with water that has been tinted with blue food coloring. Next fill the bottle the rest of the way with vegetable oil. Secure the bottle's cap tightly. Children can create and investigate waves by tipping and tilting the bottle! 6-13-98 Name: Kari E-Mail: markkari@gateway.net Sand/Water Table: For an ocean unit, or just for fun, purchase a bag of shark teeth from Ben Franklin, bury them in the sand table, & let students sift sand to find them. (On a recent vacation, I found real shark teeth fossils by sifting sand in Florida.) 6-13-98 Name: Alysse E-Mail: rainwhenidie@hotmail.com Observing: Have available different types and sizes of shells and a magnifying glass. Encourage child to look closely at shells, smell then, listen to them...The shells could later be used for sorting or matching. 6-13-98 Name: Alysse E-Mail: rainwhenidie@hotmail.com Marine Water Table: In the water table place different marine animals. Let the children explore each animal, talking about its' name and the sound it makes. 6-13-98 Name: Julie E-Mail: jogg@netset.com Magical Mermaid Potion Make blue 6-10-98 Name: Linda E-Mail: LinMWhite@AOL.com Natural Science or a specific habitat study: The Habitat Box Use a small flat box, about the size of a shirt box is ideal. Visit on your own the habitat that you will be studying and pick of samples of things the children might expect to see. Example: Beach habitat - sand, small shells, smooth stones, kelp, 6-10-98 Name: Linda E-Mail: LinMWhite@AOL.com Science: salt water vs. fresh First have a sample or both salt and tap water. Have the children smell and taste a little of each. Have them try floating experiments on each kind to see if there is any difference. Then fill an ice cube tray half with fresh water and half with salt. Put it in the freezer and check periodically to see what happens! Talk about what is different about the smell and taste, and what might make salt water take so long to freeze. 6-9-98 Sea Water: Even if you do not live by an ocean, you can still show your class that there is LOTS of salt in sea water. In a large, see thru pitcher If you are lucky enough to live by an ocean, you can do this with real ocean water.
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