Road School Resources: Thematic Unit: Oceans

Ocean Theme

Oceans is a fun unit of study. If you are lucky enough to be near the shore in your travels, the hands-on experiences are numerous. I'll add to this periodically, but here is an overview of how you might use the theme, Oceans, across the curriculum.

Start with a K-W-L chart, or discussion about what kids know about the ocean. Chart these ideas, whether they are right or wrong, that won't matter at this point. Refer to them as you explore the theme. What ideas were correct? What were misconceptions?

Reading

There are many fiction and non-ficiton texts out there to choose from to incorporate reading into your theme. With various fiction texts kids can:

free read; read aloud; predict stories; summarize; respond in a reading notebook; compare/contrast fictional elements with fact; retell the story by performing a play; make connections to the story {text-text (how it connects to other stories), text-self (how it connects with the reader), and text-world (how it connects with the world around you)}; discuss story elements {character, setting, plot, problem, solution}.

Vocabulary

Study ocean vocabulary. For younger kiddos, start with a poem, read together daily, circle ocean words, write on white boards, index cards, sticky notes, in notebooks, practice every day. Older kids can focus on non-fiction vocabulary and use a graphic organizer like those below.

Writing

Write a letter to a character; respond to an event; write a report about a marine animal; write a letter t a company that helps/hurts the environment; list the species of animals found in the ocean; journal about trips to the ocean; record observations, questions, and hypotheses about ocean-related topics.

Science

The world's oceans; ocean animals; ocean animal habitats; conservation; fish dissection; ocean experiments using the scientific method; collect, sort, observe, record ocean shells, animals, and plants in a science log (will add a printable log soon); endangered marine mammals; single-celled animals; visit an aquarium; talk to a scuba diver; Is it a Fish? (study ocean creatures to classify if they are fish or not); study sonar, study NaCl and waves; tsunamis; hurricanes. More...

Social Studies

Map the world's oceans; continents that border oceans; oceans and commerce/food/recreation; foods made from seaweed; communities found along the shores. More...

Math

Ocean depths; ocean temperatures; Fibonacci numbers and shells; ocean-themed math worksheets and problem solving (many out there); graph favorite marine animal, fish lengths, number of fins, what you see at the aquarium, etc.; Go Fish; More...

Art