Teacher: Ms.

Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

Curricular Connections
Big Ideas Essential Questions
What will students remember long after the unit is over? (enduring understandings) What driving questions will frame the learning? (open-ended; connected to Big Ideas)

Science: What is an ocean?

*Plants and animals have observable features. What can be found in an ocean?
ndUndersta

What are the basic needs of sea animals?

Arts Education: Do sea and land animals have the same or different
*People connect to others and share ideas through the basic needs?
arts.

English Language Arts:

*Curiosity and wonder leads us to new discoveries
about ourselves and the world around us.
Do

Core Competencies
Which core competency or competencies will be focused on in this unit?
Communication Creative Thinking Critical Thinking Positive Personal and Cultural Identity Personal Awareness and Responsibility Social Responsibility

Communication:
I can understand and share information about a topic that is important to me. I can work with others to achieve
a common goal; I do my share. I can recount simple experiences and activities and tell something I learned.

Creative Thinking:
I get ideas when I play. I can develop a body of creative work over time in an area I’m interested in or passionate
about. I get ideas when I use my senses to explore. I deliberately learn a lot about something (e.g. by doing
research) so that I am able to generate new ideas or ideas just pop into my head.

Critical Thinking:
I can explore materials and actions. I can experiment with different ways of doing things.

Positive Personal and Cultural Identity:

I can tell what is important to me. I understand how my values shape my choices.

Personal Awareness and Responsibility:

I can imagine and work towards change in myself and the world. I can advocate for myself and my ideas.

Social Responsibility:
I can participate in classroom and group activities to improve the classroom, school community, or natural
world. I can help identify how my actions and the actions of others affect my community and the natural
environment and can work to make positive changes.
Curricular Competencies
Which process skills will students be applying in order to learn the content? List only those that will be assessed.

Science:
*Demonstrate curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world
*Discuss observations
*Share observations and ideas orally

Arts Education:
*Create artistic works collaboratively and as an individual, using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry,
experimentation, and purposeful play
*Experience, document and share creative works in a variety of ways

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

English Language Arts:

*Use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning
*Use development appropriate reading, listening, and viewing strategies
*Explore foundational concepts of print, oral, and visual texts

Science:
I am a scientist. I demonstrated a curiosity and sense of wonder about the world. I can share and discuss my
observations. I can name the basic needs of ocean animals. I can explain some adaptations of ocean plants and
animals.

Arts Education: I am an artist. I can share my ideas through the arts. I can create artistic works using ideas from
my imagination, inquiry, experimentation, and purposeful play. I can experience, document, and share creative
words. I can use symbolism as expressions of meaning. I understand my personal and collective responsibility
associated with creating, experiencing, or sharing in a safe learning environment.

English Language Arts:

I am a reader. I am a listener. I can use developmentally appropriate reading, listening and viewing strategies. I
can use sources of information and prior knowledge to make meaning.

Content
What knowledge will students learn and be assessed on?
Know

Science:
*Basic needs of plants and animals

Assessment
OF Learning AS Learning FOR Learning

Formative
How will information be gathered about what students already know (i.e., pre-assessment/accessing prior knowledge)? What strategies will be used to evaluate student learning
and adjust teaching? Where will students have the opportunity to share their understanding in order to receive feedback, revise and improve?

Students Ability at the Beginning of Unit – In terms of Literacy

Reflective
What opportunities will there be for students to reflect on their thinking and feelings as part of their learning? (e.g., self/peer evaluations, partner talk, goal setting, journaling,
etc.)

*Wonder wall; think, pair, share; I used to think… now I think; see, think, wonder; think, puzzle, explore
Summative
How will students demonstrate their understanding of the curricular connections listed above (e.g., performance task, project, portfolio, test, etc.)? How will the assessment
criteria be communicated to or created with students?

Overall Unit Assessment:

*Ocean animal habitat diorama plus brainstorm chart and sentence – viewed without students and then with

Unit At a Glance
Unit Plan Introduction: When I create my unit plans, I do not like to write a strict plan with numbered lessons. I like to
create a freer flowing unit plan with lessons group by ideas and focuses. By doing this, I am
providing myself more freedom to shift and change the direction of my unit to match the
needs and interests of my students. I strongly believe in focusing on engaging in teachable
moments and I find creating strict lesson plans keep me from doing this.

Key ideas:
Where oceans are found on Earth, What kind of water is in the ocean, different layers of the
ocean, specific animals that live in the ocean, jobs people have related to the ocean
Regular Activities that are Themed to Match the Unit:
Planning Essentials: *Community circle and journal – What is your favourite sea animal? Draw and write the name
 Extensions and

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

adaptations of your favourite animal and what you like about it

 Aligns with *Poems during calendar– In the Ocean – read together – shared reading strategy to teach
assessment
 Timelines
concept of print
*Big buddy reading about the ocean and ocean animals as well as building brainstorming sheet
Learning Opportunities: and diorama
 Cross-curricular *Daily yes or no questions based on unit theme
connections
*Ocean exploration centres:
 Aboriginal
perspectives  Water Table organized to look like the ocean and Sand table organized to look the
 Inquiry beach
 Technology  Magnifying glass and shells
 Place-based,  Properties of water – Salt versus regular water – plastic bottles with water – create
community learning
vortexes
 Sustainability and
environmental  Marine Biologist dramatic play centre
awareness  Coral Reef Building Structures Centre – need sea animal stuffies and photos of coral
 Visual literacy reefs
 Nonfiction books about ocean and sea animals
Other Considerations:
 Differentiated *Literacy Centres – organized by table and rotate by day – created to match the theme of the
learning unit – examples of activities:
 Student grouping  I spy vocabulary – students given a list and photo of different sea animals, zones etc. –
 Student voice and students need to find them in non-fiction books
choice
 Anxiety
 Sorting – sort objects and/or photos based on various categories – different zones, sea
animals, sea plants etc.
 Syllable grouping – students provide objects/images related to the unit – with chart
that has been separated in 4 parts – each part given a number (1, 2,3,4) – i.e. a photo
of water would go into part named 2 representing 2 syllables in the word
 Small group reading – I sit in and assist students in reading a book together – each
student would have their own book
 Stamping – students provided key words on a list related to unit – students use letter
stamps to create the words given to them on the list

Hook or Closing:
*Watch live cams at the Vancouver Aquarium https://www.vanaqua.org/live-cams

Lessons and Activities:

First Lesson/Pre-lesson: Setting the foundation for the unit
*Brainstorm – key words and ideas students know about oceans – this will be built upon as we
move through the unit
*Wonder wall – used to assist in the direction of the inquiry project – students brainstorm
questions that they have on sticky notes and then these are placed on the wonder wall

Other Lessons:
Ocean focused lessons: Occurs before animal-focused lessons
*Map exploration – where oceans are found on Earth
*Salt- water tap water experiment – learn about the differences between the two types –
What kind of water is in the ocean (and the properties of saltwater)
 Salt and Tap Water Experiment https://www.greenkidcrafts.com/salt-water-
experiment/
*Watch video about the oceanic zones and then complete the ocean zones in a jar activity –
materials must be prepared early
 YouTube Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ArwPfNgSKE
 Ocean Zones Jar https://www.icanteachmychild.com/make-ocean-zones-jar/
*Saving the ocean theme activities - Book read alouds plus discussion or activity – read books

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

or playing videos about the ocean

 “The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs” by Kate Messner
 A Whale’s Tale YouTube Video https://youtu.be/xFPoIU5iiYQ
 How to Care for the Ocean National Geographic YouTube Video -
https://youtu.be/vjOmyNA4wZ8
 Collect trash from the ocean – show to students complete a trash sort – Where does
this belong? How is it harming the environment and the animals that live there?
 Nature walk to river located close to school – explain how rivers are connected to the
ocean – let’s collect the trash around the river so it doesn’t get into the ocean

Animal focused lessons: Occurs after ocean-focused lessons

*Book read alouds plus discussion or activity - Read books about ocean animals and jobs
related to the ocean animals
 “The Big Book of the Blue” by Yuval Zommer – Answers questions about different sea
creatures and the ocean
*Literacy Centres in the morning – 20 minutes a day - each table focuses on one zone and the
animals located in that zone – focus on for a week (the rest of the time literacy centres as
stated above in regular activities themed to match unit
*Animal Case Study – includes where the animal lives (oceanic zone and ocean) – use shared
reading strategies – use the projector to read the book and then mirror it up on the tv – use
finger to point our words to teach concepts about print (directionality, one to one
correspondence, letter vs. word etc.) – mirror and show students how to read the book and
gain key information - Students select one out of these three books:
 Paniaq, Herve. (2017). Animals Illustrated: Walrus. (B. Shannon, Illus.). Inhabit Media.
 Awa, Solomon. (2016). Animals Illustrated: Narwhal. (H. Lim, Illus.). Inhabit Media.
 Karpik, Joanasie. (2018). Animals Illustrated: Bowhead Whale. (S. Uehara, Illus.).
Inhabit Media.
*Learn from the “Animals of the Salish Sea: Coast Salish Native Art Colouring and Learning
Book” – this book contains many different animals drawn by indigenous artists - assist students
in deciding which animals they want to focus on for their diorama project -student select one
image and colour it in – images placed on the walls of the classroom
*Large wall poster – the different layers of the ocean (oceanic zones) – as students decide
what animal they want to use for final project they draw/paint their animal and add it to the
large wall poster/ chart – show student chart
*Book explorations:
 students become marine biologists - students research and learn about different types
of animals found in the ocean – students pick one to and then compete a diorama of
the ocean habitat and animal – students provided one week to find an animal
 students work together with their big buddies to collect the information about the
animal – buddies each get a piece of paper for their brainstorm – key words related to
that animal and information about it – buddies also work together to create the
dioramas – separate time provided for students to work on their dioramas by
themselves as well – brainstorm included with assessment of diorama
 during rest time after lunch – roughly half an hour – teacher completed small group
support – assist students in finding an animal – assist students in reading the text
through the images and key words – small group reading of books as well – collect
information about each of the animal that the students are completing

Final Lessons:
*Galley walk – “trip to the aquarium” – students take turns walking around and learning about
the different animals and their habitats – once done, students come back and complete a
sentence. Sentence ideas and options “The ocean is important because…”, “I love the ocean

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

because…” etc.

Fieldtrip:
*Trip to the Vancouver Aquarium (visit if possible)
First Peoples Principles *Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. – connected to read aloud
of Learning about how to save coral reefs and the overarching them of the unit – how to protect the ocean
and the creatures that live there
*Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge. – indigenous resources (books) used –
case study books written by indigenous authors – includes information related to these
animals and their connection to indigenous livelihood in specific communities
*Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story. - – indigenous resources (books) used –
case study books written by indigenous authors – includes information related to these
animals and their connection to indigenous livelihood in specific communities
*Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on
connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place). – students learn about the
world around them – assists in inspiring a reverence and love of nature – indigenous resources
include the relationship between various animals and indigenous communities
Family Engagement and *A letter will be sent to families introducing the unit before the unit starts – including what we
Communication are learning – i.e. core competencies, curriculum and content
*Families are invited to share any knowledge that have around the ocean and marine animals
– i.e. jobs
*Families provided documentation of students learning through Fresh Grade – photos of
students work, and activities being completed in the classroom
*At home reading program - books will be themed to the unit – i.e. about the ocean, sea life
and related content – students read these books with families at home and then once read
twice, students can select another book from the at home reading book bin – in letter to
families, families explained how we will learn techniques to read the book and gain
information – i.e. look at title, bolded works, pictures etc.

Resources
- Loose parts include sea glass, rocks, sand, driftwood, ocean animals, shells, trash commonly found on the
beach
- Books about different types of ocean animals https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2019/09/3-
stunning-kids-books-about-the-ocean.html ; https://www.weareteachers.com/best-ocean-books-for-kids/ ;
https://childhood101.com/ocean-books-for-kids/ ;
https://books.growingwithscience.com/2013/07/06/ocean-science-themed-books/
- Great ideas about different ocean activities and poems https://www.preschool-plan-it.com/ocean-life.html
- Live Cam for aquarium and ocean https://www.vanaqua.org/live-cams
- Shoe boxes to use a diorama
- Various art materials to use for the diorama – paint, clay, paper, etc.
- YouTube videos about the ocean – oceanic zones video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ArwPfNgSKE
- Visit the beach and collect trash found as well as other materials such as driftwood shells etc.
- Ocean Zones Jar https://www.icanteachmychild.com/make-ocean-zones-jar/
- Salt and Tap Water Experiment https://www.greenkidcrafts.com/salt-water-experiment/
- Ocean Non Fiction Literacy Center Activities inspiration - https://www.kindergartenworks.com/kindergarten-
teaching-ideas/ocean-non-fiction-literacy-center-activity/
- Animal Illustrated books about ocean animals – this includes walrus, narwhale and bowhead whale book –
these non-fiction books are written by indigenous elders.
- Animals of the Salish Sea: Coast Salish Native Art Colouring and Learning Book – print out various pages for art
activity
- A Whale’s Tale YouTube Video https://youtu.be/xFPoIU5iiYQ
- How to Care for the Ocean National Geographic YouTube Video - https://youtu.be/vjOmyNA4wZ8

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola

Teacher: Ms. Norvell Unit Title: Oceans Grade: Kindergarten

Learning Services, SD #40 DRAFT L Kim, J Angiola