Oceans

Seaweed and Dolphin by Ian (crayons and watercolor)

Under the Ocean by Eric (crayons and watercolor)

On our trip to California included visiting the Pacific Ocean.  We listened to, smelled, felt, tasted, and watched the ocean waves.  We observed the tides rise and fall, and watched the sun set over the horizon.

Ocean topics included

• about 70% of the earth is covered by ocean water
• names and locations of the earth's oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic)
• salt water versus fresh water
• coastline, waves, and tides
• ocean floor landscape (mountain peaks and trenches)
• diversity of ocean life and underwater food chains

We created an ocean creature game based on the classic Battleship game, except that players search the ocean for animals (e.g. great white sharks, penguins) instead of shooting at ships.

Books:  Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Coombs;  Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Jenkins;  What Sea Creature Is This?  by Allen;  Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs by Lauber;  Oceans: Underwater Worlds by Salas;  Cat-Fish by Newton;  Exploring the Deep, Dark Sea by Gibbons;  What Lives in a Shell?  by Zoehfeld;  Mister Seahorse by Carle;  Coral Reefs by Gibbons;  Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas by Bang and Chisholm

Reference Books:  Scholastic Atlas of Oceans 

Videos:  The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Ocean Commotion by PBS;  Kratt Bros. Be the Creature: Manatees, Coastal Creatures, and Sharks by National Geographic

Other Materials:   Melissa & Doug Ocean Wonders floor puzzle