Unit Plan Framework

Theme: Under the Sea

Age Range: Preschool Unit Goal:
Children will engage in a cross curricular unit that focuses on the ocean. As a culminating activity, children will create an aquarium in a bag.

Common Core Standards/Foundations Met:

M.1.10 Touch in sequence, one at a time M.5.21 Sort objects into long and short. M.5.22 Identify similarities and differences in objects. M.6.19 Sort a group of objects by more than one way. SC.1.22 Investigate and talk about the Characteristics of matter (e.g., liquids and Solids, smooth and rough, bend-not bend) SC.1.23 Describe differences and similarities in various physical environments. ELA.1.2 Actively attend to things that an adult is showing. ELA.2.6 Point to a letter when asked. ELA.2.39 Match the same letter in different styles (e.g., signs, books, newspaper).

Changes in the environment:

(Dramatic play, block area, items added, display areas) Dramatic play- blue fabric for the ocean, streamers for seaweed, shells, sand(box), buckets, nets, fish, shovels, sifters, books, pictures, Block area- shells, fish, and buckets Display areas- seaweed, blue fabric, nets, and books

Book List (at least 5, in APA annotated format) Annotated means you will also need a short 2-3 sentence summary of each book.
Kirk, E. (2012). My Shell Book. Smithsonian Institution. This book is about all the different types of shells that someone may find on a beach. It has fun facts for the children and is very easily understood with short sentence structures. Berks, M. (2012). Seashells by the Seashore. Dawn Publications. This book is about all the different types of shells and what might live in them. This book also comes with cutouts that you can tear out for the children to practice which shell is which. Ganen, Anita. (2010). Planet Animal: Under the Sea. Carlton Books. This book is about all of the different animals that may be under the sea. This books allows children to engage in conversation about the animals, their habitat, and what they may eat. Tallanco, Tony. (2003). Ultimate Hidden Pictures: Under the Sea. This books is about all the different items that may be under the sea. It allows children look and find the pictures that are hidden from them. Carle, Eric. (2004). Mister Seahorse. Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. This book is about how seahorses lay eggs and how other sea creatures carry their babies.

Wave bottles- Add water, oil, and food coloring in a bottle to make waves. Obj: Children will be able to successfully make a bottle with water and oil in it to make waves that look like the ocean waves.

Sensory table- Observe the two different types of tables with salt water items that would be found under the sea and the purified water. Obj: Children will be able to draw the different materials that they felt in the salt water table and the purified water table.

Adding/Counting Shells- Count the shells that are present in the bucket for each child. Obj: Children will be able to count and add the shells that are in each of their buckets. Sorting Shellssort by color, size, and shape Obj: Children will be able to sort shells seeds by 3 attributes; color, shape, and size and explain reasons for sorting the way they have.

Science Activities

Math Activities

Under the Sea

Other Activities Literacy Specific Activities
Silly Lobsters- Make your own lobster My Shell Book- Writing Obj: Children will be able to draw and write each shell that they put into their own book. Culminating Activity Ocean in a BagChildren will each bring in a baggie to help create an ocean in a bag with other materials that I will supply. Obj: Children will be able to actively engage with other classmates to make an ocean in a bag using prior knowledge about the things that are in the ocean. Obj: Children will be able to design their own lobster out of their hands and feet prints.

Hidden Pictures:Under the Sea- finding pictures in the book and knowing what they are. Obj: Children will be able to recognize each picture and tell what they are.

Mr. Seahorse- Read book and add words to out word wall. Obj: Children will be able to learn new words and place them on our word wall under the right letter that the word begins with.