*music* Three Little Fish Sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice" Three little fish, three little fish (hold up three fingers) See how they swim, see how they swim (make swimming motion with arms) Round and Round and fast they go ("swim" fast - sing fast) Now they are going very slow ("swim" slow-also sign slow) Three little fish, three little fish (hold up 3 fingers again) (This song teaches matching words with actions, Auditory skills, and motor skills (fine and gross)) *Arts and Crafts* HAIRY HARRY What you need: styrofoam cup or paper cup (recycle) :) scissors construction paper markers glue buttons (or cut them out of paper for young children) potting soil rye grass seed Steps: 1. Have the children cut eyes, ears, mouths, nose, etc...out of construction paper and glue in place on their cup. Let them also use markers to color on the cup. Let them use buttons to embellish or anything else you may have lying around. 2. Have the children fill their cups about 2/3 full of potting soil. Then plant the rye grass seeds in the soil. Place the cups in a sunny place and water regularly. 3. Hairy Harry will begin to grow "hair" in about seven days. * The Beach Set the scene: Have the children paint a sun and clouds to hang from the classroom ceiling Fill your water table with wet sand, shovels, shells, and pails to make sand castles Make an "ocean" by marking off an area in your classroom with blue tape Props: Beach chairs Beach Towels Empty suntan lotion bottles Old sunglasses Old swimsuits the children can put on over their clothes Beach Toys * SAND MOSAICS MATERIALS: Scissors Black or other dark-colored construction paper Shoe box or other shallow box llid White glue Sand and assorted shells Depending on where you live, beach sand comes in a variety of hues--tan, pink, gold, even black or white. The child can use whatever shades she/he finds at the beach for this gluing project--a sort of natural version of glitter designs (except unlike glitter, your supply of sand is practically inexhaustible). Cut a sheet of construction paper so that it fits inside the box lid--this will be the child's portable canvas. To make a picture, she/he can draw with the tip of the glue bottle, then sprinkle on loose sand. Once the sand is dry, shake off the excess by gently tapping the side of the lid. For added detail, she/he can glue on shells, pebbles, sea glass or any other not-too-aromatic finds. * FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND MATERIALS: Plaster of paris Small bucket Freshwater 4-inch lengths of string or wire (for hangers, if desired) Choose a site to cast your molds---even damp sand in a sandbox will do. The moist, hard-packed sand near--but not too near!--the water's edge works best. Have the child firmly press both feet into the sand. The prints should be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. If the child can't press down that hard, he can use his finger to dig down into the print, following its shape. Mix up the plaster, according to the directions on the package, so that it has a thick, creamy consistency. Pour the wet plaster gently into the footprints. If you want to make hangers, tie a knot about a half inch in from each end of your pieces of string or wire. As the plaster begins to harden, push the knotted ends into the plaster and let dry. After 20 to 25 minutes, gently dig the footprints out of the molds and brush away any excess sand. Set sole-side up in the sun for about an hour to let harden. * For our ocean theme, the children and I put together a "beach" in the dramatic play area. We painted blue water on butcher paper and surrounded our dramatic play area with it. The children added fish and other ocean life using a variety of materials (it was an open art activity. I just put out lots of "junk" materials and said, "Let's make some things that live in the ocean") We added a cooler, play fruit and drinks, sunglasses, beach towels, goggles, pails and shovels. We put a small tub of sand with lots of shells to look at. I also added some life jackets. The children have a great time pretending they're at the beach. Often, they grab some paper and pencils to write to each other, or they grab a book about the ocean to read in this area. I almost forgot - we also put empty suntan lotion bottles to the area also. * Ocean jar Supplies: Baby food jars Hot glue Blue food coloring vegatable oil seashells and anythig else you can find. Combine a few seashells, some food coloring, a little oil in a baby food jar with water. Seal jar with glue. The kids shake it to mix the oil and water and then watch what happens. * You could make kites... you could cut out fish shapes from grocery stores sacks and stuff them to make a puffy fish.... Make sun catchers.....As a group- play with a beach ball and dont let it touch the floor... get a sand box with sand and bury seashells and let them hunt for shells... Discuss how many oceans there are....4...... talk about the continents and the earth..... make windsocks... * WINDSOCKS styrofoam cup large one works great- i think about 16oz crepe paper streamers- 6 colors yarn glue sharp pencil take the cup and poke 6 holes in the end of the cup.... Cut strips of streamers about 15 ins long. Roll the end to make a pointed tip.. Poke throw hole and put glue on tip and stick to inside of cup. Do this will all six color strips. Poke a hole on the side to cup and put another hole opposite to that. Take some extra crepe paper and glue on outside cup-- doesnt matter what it looks like... tie yarn through holes on side and fly cup when dry!! * With a pre-k class I put down light blue const. paper to make the water and edged it with tan for sand. After my ocean was done each child drew fish in the ocean . I put paper fish that had a letter on the front and attached paper clips to the back, in our ocean. I made four fishing poles with magnets for hooks. We went fishing and when they caught a fish they had to give use a beach word that began with the letter on the fish. We did oceans during Feb. as a contrast to the weather but we still all wore our beach clothes. We played with beach balls and served snack in pails. A few posters from AAA were hung on the walls to give us a warm feeling. Qur craft was sand pictures. * We had the beach theme this week. We made beach in a bottle. The children all brought in plastic water bottles. They put in about 1 inch of sand, some crushed or small sea shells, They then used a funnel to add water and then colored the water blue. A fish shaped fishing lore was added and we glued the caps on. The kids really enjoyed this. We did edible aquariums using graham crackers, colored cream cheese, goldfish and cheerios. We cut fish out of poster board and then the children used watered down modge podge and attached tissue papeer squares. Magnets can be added to the back. They're beautiful. I also read Curious clownfish, rainbow fish. Our show and tell consisted of bringing beach items, we got quite a variety. * Cut a large fish pattern from two peices of colored cellophane, and punch holes around the edges. Stuff with small peices of hollagram or shiney paper, and "sew" around the edges with ribbon. Very cute! * Beach Concentration Game (Matching Game) Make up several cards about the beach. For example, coral reef, beach, clam, wave, starfish, island, surf board, dolphin, beach ball, umbrella, etc. * Make a Plaster of Paris mini beach Need: Paper bowl, one cup plaster of PAris, 1/3 cup sand (plus extra), water spoon, tiny seashells (twigs and other nature objects), small fabric for towel, and miniature umbrella. Put the plaster and sand in the bowl, add water and stir with spoon until mixed. Create a beach scene on top of the plaster by sprinkling with the extra sand. Add tiny shells (and other nature objects), 'beach towel' fabric scrap and umbrella. Let it dry. Remove it from the bowl and use it as a paperweight. * Sandwich Sailboats Need: Hot dog buns (separated), tuna or chicken salad, lettuce leaves, and plastic straws. Use a sharp knife to cut out the inside of the buns, 1/2" from edges (careful not to cut through bottoms). Let children fill the buns with the salad. Help each child thread straw through the lettuce leaf and place in the salad to make the sail. Enjoy! * Banana Boat Salad Need: Bananas, jam or jelly, cottage cheese, lettuce, and cherries. Peel a banana and use a plastic knife to cut the banana in half lengthwise. Place the banana on the lettuce leaves in a bowl. Top it with cottage cheese, jam, and a cherry. Enjoy!! * Make Sunglasses Cut sunglasses shape out of cardboard. Glue on colored saran wrap to make lenses. * Sand Castles If you have a sandbox, wet down the sand and build sand castles. * Pretend to be swimming in the ocean. Jump over imaginary waves, pretend to surf, listen to Beach Boys while doing this. Don't forget the sunblock!! * You could put shells in the sandbox and have them dig for the shells as if they were at the seashore. While playing in the sandbox if you could make a tape of the sounds of the ocean to play in the background for mood music it may help. Another important element of the beach theme would be to talk about water safety as well as wearing suntan lotion to protect our skin from harsh rays. * Another cute fish idea is to take bubble wrap and cut out two fish shapes and glue both pieces together leaving an opening to stuff. Fill the fish ith colored tissue paper and then seal the opening. Hang these from the ceiling and you have a room full of beautiful rainbow fish! * Today our kids made pails out of styrofoam cups and pipe cleaners. They decorated the outside with cut-out ocean animals and a little glitter. Tomorrow, I am going to bring shells for them to clean and let them take a few home in their pails. * you could make an aquaruim... Take 2 paper plates and cut the inner circle out... tape blue cellophane to on to the inside of each plate. Glue or tape fish and seaweed to inside and then tape outside paper plates together thus making an aquarium. * Buy fish stamps... We made ocean pictures using fish stamps on construction paper.. * Eat gummy fish for snacks * make a sand castle - buy shovel and sand pails and let them play in the sand. * I saw in a magazine where you get a large pan and put sand in it an then have the child put either their foot print or hand print in the sand, then pour plaster paris in the print the child has made . This needs to set for about 25 minutes also they can collect sea shells and let them paint designs in them. * another idea is take the blue jello and put gummy sharks and fishies in it and top with cool whip. or You take Pepperidge farms goldfish crackers,peanut butter and pretzel sticks. put peanut butter on pretzel an try to catch a cracker fishy. * I Went Swimming in the Ocean (Tune: I've Been Working on the Railroad) I went swimming in the ocean On a summer day. I went swimming in the ocean And kicked, and splashed and played. Ofter lunch we looked for seashells I found three or four You can hold one up to your ear And hear the ocean roar. Hear the ocean roar Hear the ocean roar. You can hear the ocean Roar, roar, roar. Hear the ocean roar Hear the ocean roar Hear the ocean roar, roar, roar. *Sandy Numbers Print hollow numbers on squares of paper. Have kids fill in with glue & sprinkle with colored sand. Then have kids close their eyes & feel numbers to try & name it. * Go Fish Make 6 inch fish from construction paper & write different numerals on each. Attach a paper clip to the nose of each fish. Tie a magnet to a 3 foot string which is tied to a clip. Spread out fish & fish. Variation: Punch a hole in the front of each fish, pass a twist-em through the hole, and bend it into a loop. Can use table as dock or big box as a boat. * Beach Ball! Write a different numeral (using a permanent marker) on each section of an inflated ball. Toss or roll ball to a child. Have him name & show one of the numbers & give an activity - such as clapping, jumping, ect. for the group to do. Another idea is to have each child name the two numbers closest to his hands. Write them on a board, count out the manipulatives, decide which is grater, or add them together. * Dramatic play - (this center, often called "housekeeping" will probably be the focal point of the room.) Bring a small wading pool into the classroom, and add lounge chairs (kid-size, preferably), empty sun screen bottles, a cooler with cups for pretend drinks, life preservers or "floaties", and a beach umbrella, stuck in sand in a 5-gallon bucket. Add sea shells to the top of the sand in the bucket. The children can pretend to be at the beach, and swim in the "ocean"...with life jackets on, of course! * Water table - add plastic boats and fish to the water table. Tint the water blue with food coloring. * Sand table - put sandbox sand in the sand table along with sea shells. Let the children play in dry sand one day, and wet the sand the next. Add scoops and buckets so the children can sort and count the sea shells. * Block Area - put a large piece of blue bulletin-board paper on the floor to make a pond. Have the children build "docks" out into the water with the blocks. You can add a home-made fishing game with construction paper fish (make them different colors for a color identification activity, or put numerals or letters on them for number or letter identification for older children.). The fish should each have a paper clip for a mouth, and the child will have a dowel rod with string attached to the end. On the other end of the string, attach a magnet. The children can catch the fish out of the pond. Watch out for fishing rods being used as weapons, however! If this might be a problem, just give the children a piece of yarn with a magnet on the end to use for their fishing. * Book corner - Fill it with seasonal books.....SPOT GOES TO THE BEACH, JUST GRANDMA AND ME, SWIMMY, BIG AL, etc., etc. * End the week with "water play day" outside. Take the pool outside and put water in it, take the water table outside and put bubble solution in it with a bunch of wands, let the children bring squirt guns, and set up a sprinkler in the grass....don't forget to slather on the sunscreen before, during, and after all their play, and don't attempt this without LOTS of adult supervision. * Theme: Fun in the Sun Letter: Rr Number: 15 Shape: Circle (Sun) Projects: Xeroxed copies of fun things to do @ the beach. Wash the doll clothes. Paint the fence with brushes & water. Sun Fading, put toys on dark blue contruction paper and put in the sun. When you remove the object the paper under it will have stayed dark and the paper will be faded. This usually only takes an hour or so depending on the sun. Sun Collage: have the children cut out pictures of people doing things out in the sun.