The ocean is full of beautiful colors....
 
 How about tissue paper collages on fish shapes using a rainbow of different
colors.
 Tissue paper can be cut or torn by the children to make various shapes and
sizes.    OR if you prefer not using the fish shapes, how about tissue paper
collages on paper using the various ocean colors...blues, greens and purples.
In either project, paint on the tissue paper with liquid starch or diluted
school glue to give it a "wet look" as the children create it and then a
stiff texture when it has dried.  The children may want to add fish to this
"ocean".  If so, provide small rubber stamps of fish for the children to
stamp on fish pictures or furnish more tissue paper in other colors for them
to tear and cut their fish shapes ...do either of these when the ocean
picture has dried.
 
 If you want to use this as a sort of a printing experience, you can have the
children peel off  the tissue paper when they have finished painting it on
and while their projects are still wet, and the colors will remain, kind of a
watercolor look...
 
* How about laying out blue celophane and a variety of things to make a
 collage. Maybe you could even just cut waves at the top of the celophane? 
 Just let the children go at it!
 
 Setting out blue and green paint is always a good stand by too!
 
 Dye spaghetti blue and green.  Have paper available for the children.  As
 the children put the spaghetti on the paper (9out of 10 times they will
 squish it), the dye leaves a mark on the paper (but not on the kids!).
 After they have done that they could draw animals that live in the ocean
 if they so choose.
 
 Let's not eat the spaghetti!!

*  Aquarium  
 
 Take 2 paper plates & cut out the inner circle.  Tape blue cellophane or
clear plastic on to the inside of each plate.  Glue fish, shells, sand &
"seaweed" to the inside & then glue paper plate together to make an aquarium.
 
 
 Stuffed Fish
 
 Cut large fish pattern from two pieces of colored cellophane & punch holes
around edge.  Stuff with small pieces of shiny paper & "sew" atound the edge
with ribbon.  OR cut out two fish shapes from grocery sacks & stuff with
newspaper.  Decorate or paint.

* THE WHALES (tune of I'm a little teapot)
  I'm a humpback whale,                         
  I'm very strong.
  I leap about
  And sing a song.
  I like to eat my fill
  In the Northern Sea.
  But in the winter,
  South I flee.
 
  I am a beluga,
  I'm all white.
  From head to tail
  I'm quite a sight.
  You can hear me singing
  Way up north,
  Playing and swimming
  Back and forth.
 
  I'm a mighty orca
  Black and white.
  In the sea 
  I'm a beautiful sight.
  I'm not very big,
  But I am sleek.
    I hunt for my food
  Cause I have teeth.
 
 I'M A BIG WHALE( Clementine)
   I am swimming, I am swimming,
   I am swimming in the sea.
   I'm a big whale and I'm swimming
   I am swimming in the sea.
 
   I am singing , I am singing,
   I am singing in the sea.
   I'm a big whale and I'm singing,
   I am singing in the sea.
    
  I am spouting, I am spouting,
  I am spouting in the sea.
  I'm a big whale and I'm spouting,
  I am spouting in the sea.
    Another project we have done is cut out a figure of a seahorse and
 the children spread glue on and glue on a googly eye.  I let the
 children sprinkle the Seahorse with sand to give it, its texture.

*  *fingerpaint with ocean colors
 *print with sponges shaped like under water creatures
 *children could create any ocean creatures they like with any materials they
like (have scissors, variety of paper, paint, markers, yarn, etc.) available
and put together on a group mural if desired (watercolor wash background
painted together?)
 *octopus painting-just a thought, what if children were asked how an octopus
would paint. . .
 *display photos of ocean life with markers,etc.
 *provide hologram type paper for collage after reading Rainbow Fish