Ocean Unit

[Christina72684]

We are doing 3-4 weeks about Oceans with my 3-5 year olds. I found tons of crafts on Pinterest but wondered if anyone knew of good books, songs, TV shows (we watch them before nap on days they have been good, just during the summer), etc. We're talking about all the animals, coral reefs, waves, water, etc. Thanks in advance!

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

We have moved into the ocean also
My sensory bin and "what is out" right now is on my fb page. MrsSteinelsHouse

books-
Commotion in the Ocean
by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz
Swimmy
by Leo Lionni
Hotter Than a Hotdog
by Stephanie Calmenson
Let It Shine
by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Manatee Winter
by Zoehfeld
Sam the Sea Cow
by Francine Jacobs
The Sand Castle Contest
by Robert Munsch (because I love a Munsch book)
Where's that Fish (Hide & Seek science)
Harry by the Sea
by Gene Zion
The Rainbow Fish
by Marcus Pfister, J. Alison James

I have some non fiction sea, ocean books

[daycarediva]

I just did an ocean theme, too.

My kiddos LOVED surprising sharks (book and book on CD)
Beach themed sensory bin (kinetic sand with sand toys)
Ocean themed sensory bin (blue water, toob of ocean animals, real shells, coral, shark teeth, sand dollars)
We also watch a short show during lunch prep and just went through the discovery pcean stuff on Netflix
We did crafts with the kids pictures printed and added gill slits, and fins (pectoral, tail, dorsal)
we got a class fish
Check out teachers pay teachers.com under prek---- lots of ocean theme ideas, some free others very low cost. I used them for counting activities, a file folder game, and theme jobs and behavior chart.

[Sugar Magnolia]

The Great Sharky Shark is about sharks and has an anti-pollution message.

[MarinaVanessa]

IDK about more activities but here are some cute Sand Dollar cookies.

http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/04/sand-dollar-cookies.html

[SignMeUp]

IDK about more activities but here are some cute Sand Dollar cookies.

http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/04...r-cookies.html

I will pm you my address :: You did make these, right?! ::

[MarinaVanessa]

I will pm you my address :: You did make these, right?! ::

If what you meant by "make" is did I buy sugar cookie dough, sprinkle them with cinnamon, and press sliced almonds on them before putting them in the oven then yes, yes I did. I'll mail you a Pillsburry coupon .

[daycare]

we are doing ours now and will end it with a HUGE pirate treasure chest hunt that will include a field trip/treasure chest throughout the town.

we start at the library where we read a book about what is at the bottom of the ocean and then how pirates became. The book talks about a burried treasure and what you need to find along the way to find the hidden treasure. each stop we get a new clue.

after the reading the one of the librarian's gives us a bottle (I made these ahead of time and brought them to these places) it contains a map.

we read the map and we also get a clue about where out next map/clue will be.

I have been doing this for almost 7 years. The kids look forward to it each and every year. We all dress up at pirates and even walk the plank. I have spent way way too much money over time on this theme, but it is the best one we have and everyone loves it.

Even some of the parents are in on it. I have a few parents that work from home or are at home parents that partake in where we end up to collect the new clue and map.

Sorry I went way off topic...

we did ocean discovery bottles..

fill with sand, sea shells, blue aquarium gravel, small plastic fish, small gems, anything ocean related, then fill with water and glue the top shut.

I make math games out of these for the older kids. Like how many seashells are in your bottle, how many gems, how many fish, etc.

I love this theme. For younger kids we do 4 water tables, fishing nets, ocean boats, fish, sharks, blue water, sand.

[Shell]

IDK about more activities but here are some cute Sand Dollar cookies.

http://www.sugarpiesfood.com/2010/04...r-cookies.html

I have never seen these in all my years of teaching-what an awesome idea!

[spinnymarie]

My first thought was Baby Beluga by Raffi - song and a book about beluga whales (obv)
I have a non-fiction book by Scholastic about the Ocean... called Ocean.
Raffi also does the song Down by the Bay, less factual more silly though.