Project Immersion: Make An Oceanarium

Grades K-5: Make An Oceanarium

Objective Students will share ideas and creative input in designing a "oceanarium" resource area for the classroom.

Materials Almost anything will do. Colored paper, markers, magazines (that can be cut up), pictures and so on.

Time Frame Variable

Teacher Background See Conservation in the Background Information Section.
This activity draws upon a breadth of material from the entire curriculum. You can make use of any ideas or information found in the Teacher Background to propel this activity. This activity works well as an introductory one for units on marine life and oceans.

Dive In! What do you know about marine mammals and whales? How would you like to see a whale? What would you write about one?

Process You and your class are going to create a mini-oceanarium in a corner of the class. The idea is to have students fill this space with their ideas, drawings, and pictures of marine mammals, especially whales and dolphins.
Encourage students to bring in any pictures or magazines they may have at home, making sure that it is clear they have to get permission, as some of these may be cut up. If you can arrange a library trip to get students looking at pictures and literature on whales or watching a video, these all work very well.
If possible, put large pieces of paper on the wall in this area so that students can create a scene of an ocean setting. Other items could be smaller pictures of single whales, dolphins and short stories or poems about whales. Students should be encouraged to be creative.
The idea here is to have students create as much of the material as possible and thereby draw out what they know and what they think they know about whales and dolphins.

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Objective	Students will share ideas and creative input in designing a "oceanarium" resource area for the classroom.

Materials	Almost anything will do. Colored paper, markers, magazines (that can be cut up), pictures and so on.

Time Frame	Variable

Teacher Background	See Conservation in the Background Information Section. This activity draws upon a breadth of material from the entire curriculum. You can make use of any ideas or information found in the Teacher Background to propel this activity. This activity works well as an introductory one for units on marine life and oceans.

Dive In!	What do you know about marine mammals and whales? How would you like to see a whale? What would you write about one?

Process	You and your class are going to create a mini-oceanarium in a corner of the class. The idea is to have students fill this space with their ideas, drawings, and pictures of marine mammals, especially whales and dolphins. Encourage students to bring in any pictures or magazines they may have at home, making sure that it is clear they have to get permission, as some of these may be cut up. If you can arrange a library trip to get students looking at pictures and literature on whales or watching a video, these all work very well. If possible, put large pieces of paper on the wall in this area so that students can create a scene of an ocean setting. Other items could be smaller pictures of single whales, dolphins and short stories or poems about whales. Students should be encouraged to be creative. The idea here is to have students create as much of the material as possible and thereby draw out what they know and what they think they know about whales and dolphins.