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	Pre-School - The Sea (more ideas)

THEME:  Under The Sea     There are many wild and wonderful creatures living in the ocean. Some of my  favorites include the octopus, jellyfish and crustaceans.

Movement   Jellyfish Jiggle   Jellyfish have no bones at all. They are like a big blob of jelly and they are shaped like an open umbrella.   They swim by expanding their bodies like an open umbrella and then closing up again rapidly. This squeezes water from under the jellyfish and causes him to move upwards. When he stops moving, he falls to the bottom of the ocean. You will need some slow, beautiful music for this dance. Show the children pictures of a jellyfish. When you put on the music, move the way you imagine a jellyfish might move. The children will follow along. Expand your arms and push them down. As you do, float up to your tiptoes. Then, stop moving and fall to your knees slowly. Outside   Octopus!   The teacher is the octopus. She kneels in the middle of a rope circle. All of the children are a school of fish and must swim to their mother on the other side of the ocean. The octopus says, "Come little fish. Swim to the other side. I won't hurt you." The fish must swim through the rope circle and past the octopus. If a fish makes it past the octopus without being touched, he is safe. If he is touched, he must become one of the octopus' tentacles and join with the octopus in his quest to eat the fish. The octopus must stay on his knees.   All of the fish can swim by at once or they can swim by one by one. Play until all of the children have been touched.

Circle Time Ideas   Five Scrumptious Shrimp   Five scrumptious shrimp burrowed in the mud   Hiding from their predators in the slimy crud   Along came a fish as quiet as he could   GULP!   Four scrumptious shrimp burrowed in the mud.... Good Book   Down In The Sea - The Jellyfish  by L. Patricia Kite / Albert Whitman & Co.   Another Good Book   The Tickle Octopus   by Audrey Wood / Harcourt Brace  Creative Art   Moon Jellies   Moon jellies are truly the most beautiful creatures I've ever seen. Try to find a picture of one to display at the table.   Things you will need:   one sheet of opalescent tissue paper per child   scissors   yarn   paper napkins   glow in the dark paint (or white)   glittery, white collage materials   These will be beautiful. Let each child crumble up some paper napkins and put them in the middle of the tissue. Then, let them gather the sides of the tissue up and tie a piece of yarn around the middle so that the napkin forms the shape of the moon jelly body. Encourage them to use the scissors to cut the fringe into strips. Give them freedom with the paint and collage materials to transform their moon jellies into individual works of art.

Messy Table   Ooey Gooey Jellyfish   A jellyfish is not really a fish. Remember, all fish have backbones and jellyfish have no bones at all. Make up a batch of slime for this activity. Let the children smoosh and gush the slime pretending that it is a real jellyfish. You can add small fish to the table for the jellyfish to eat. Slime Recipe:   You will need:   8 oz. white glue   2 cups of water halved   Liquid tempura paint   1 1/2 tsp. Borax Powder   1 medium bowl   1 large bowl   In a medium bowl, combine the glue, 1 cup of the water, and several drops of paint. Stir this constantly. In a large bowl, combine the remaining water and the Borax Powder. Stir this until the powder is dissolved. Pour the glue mixture into the Borax mixture. Stir constantly  until a glob forms. (Caution: Borax can be dangerous if consumed or gotten into eyes. Please have an adult supervising at all times when playing with Slime.)

Ocean Stories   Encourage the children to dictate stories with an ocean theme. Very young children can answer this question:   If you could be anything in the ocean, what would you want to be?   Older students can write a story using one of the following story starters:   Once upon a time there was an octopus who couldn't find a thing to wear.   Once upon a time there was a friendly shark who couldn't find a friend.   There once was a crab who got his leg stuck between the ocean rocks.   There once was a jellyfish who wished he was a real fish.   One day, a boy swam to the bottom of the ocean and played tag with a school of fish.   Give the children the chance to illustrate their stories with markers and crayons.

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