Theme Thursday: Under the Sea

Good morning! Last week we visited the ocean and learned about all the animals who live in and near the water.

Song: Good Morning Dear Earth

Song: We Clap and Say Hello

Discussion: As I introduced the theme I opened it up for discussion and asked what could we find under the water? Fish, mermaids and frogs were all suggested and the moment someone said "turtle" we jumped right into...

Poem: I Had a Little Turtle

Book: Fabulous Fishesby Susan Stockdale

Fingerplay: 5 Little Fishies

5 little fishes swimming in the sea

The first one said "Oh what can we see?"

The second one said "I think I see a tail"

The third one said "It must be a whale!"

The fourth fish said "I bet she's looking for her lunch"

And the fifth one said "She could eat us in one munch!"

Five little fishies swimming side by side

said all together "We'd better go hide!"

Rhyme: Big, Big, Big

Flannel: Five Green and Speckled Frogs

Song: Shake the Sillies Out

Book: Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle

Flannel: Chomp like a Shark

Song: Turn Around from Getting to know Myself

Make and Take Craft: Jellyfish

Although we didn't read about any jellyfish during story time, the chance to make our own colorful creatures with streaming ribbons was too much to pass up.

Supplies:

-paper plates, cut in half

-tissue paper cut into large squares

-glue sticks

-crayons

-ribbon or crepe paper cut into 7 inch pieces

-hole punch (optional)

Process: 

For my example I sharpied on large eyes before proceeding. I don't think it added much and didn't do it for the rest of the plates, but that's something that can always be added after the glue dried.

After story time we gathered around the table where I spread the tissue paper pieces out over the entire table and handed each child/caregiver team one half paper plate per child. If they wanted to decorate the paper plate by coloring they could, or they could glue tissue paper over the front of it. 

My plan had been for the kids to simply glue the colorful ribbons on the back of the plate, but one nanny requested that I lug out the 3 hole punch (we don't have a single hole punch!) and make holes in the plate for them to tie the ribbon through. Although I stand by my original conception that the ribbon would in fact stay with just the gluesticks, I ended up really liking the hole punch idea since it limited the number of ribbons each kid could use and ensured that there were enough to go around.

Time: Prep took about 10 minutes, add a little bit extra to that if you plan on hole punching the plates, and the craft took about 20.

Example craft, close up

Example craft with ribbons a-streaming

This little bugger and his dad got to the ribbons before I could give them exactly 3 hole punches.

This craft went over extremely well and I heard a lot of parents talking about hanging them up near their child's bed. I think the flowing ribbon is something newer and more interesting, and the tissue paper collages are reminiscent of Eric Carle's illustrations so it's perfect that we read Mister Seahorse earlier in the day.