ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Ocean Floor Exploration Explicit / Intentional teaching: Pattern Scratching

Introduction:
Children will experiment with different Mat session: The children will explore the patterns of sea
textures of dirt mediums of the ocean floor. The educator will read shells, dried seaweed, sea glass, and sand
Mud, red dirt, sand, clay, rocks and water ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ by covering the objects with butchers paper
will be set up in a large bucket/container for by Giles Andreae or foil and using scratching and rubbing
students to explore the different mediums. https://www.booktopia.com.au/commotion-in-the- techniques over the paper to uncover the
ocean-giles-andreae/prod9781841211015.html
Equipment will be given such as sifts, cups, patterns.
and sand pit tools. These tools will allow Tools used: crayons, sticks, pencils.
the children to experiment the different
Questions to ask during reading:  What else under the sea has
weights, thickness of the grains, and what patterns?
 Where is the book set?
mediums hold shape better than others. 
Questions asked include:  What lives in the ocean?
Which one is the thickest?  What do you find in the sea?
What one holds its shape?  Have you been in the ocean before?
What does it feel like?  What can you remember what the
Is there a change in colour? ocean smelled like?
 Or what it sounded like?
 Or what it felt like?
 Or what it tasted like? https://patch.com/virginia/greateralexandria/bp—leaf-rubbings-explore-texture-and-color
 What did it look like?

After reading questions:

 What do we find in the sea?
 What did they look like?
 Where do they live?
https://mommyevolution.com/mud-sensory-play-the-ultimate-toddler-
playdate/

Fish Craft
Children will each use paper plate s to
construct and decorate fish. The educator
will model how to fold the paper plate into a
fish shape. They will use the correct
scientific language while modelling, for
example, I will fold paper plate to make the
body of the fish, etc.
A range of materials will be supplied for the
student to use, such as, colouring utensils,
streamers, foil, buttons, plastic spoons, and
glue.
Key Questions:
 Where is the fish’s mouth?
 What are these called? – fins/
scales/ tail.
https://craftsbyamanda.com/paper-plate-tropical-fish/
Conclusion:
The educator will bring the students in a
circle. The educator will describe a non-
living or living object from the ocean and
get the children to guess what it could be.
The children will be given one clue at a
time. The educator will use the correct
scientific language to describe the objects.
Objectives:
Children will attempt to use scientific
language to describe their sensory
experience.
Children will manage tools to explore
features of the ocean.
ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD
Seaweed Sensory Table
The sensory table will allow the children to
taste, touch, smell, hear and look at sea
weed in wet and dry states.
Taste:
A board will be on display showing each
child’s face. The board will ask the children
if they liked the taste of sea weed or not.
The children will take their name and place
it under ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi
Touch/Sound/Smell:
Two buckets will be set up on the floor.
One will have dry seaweed the other wet.
Children will get the opportunity to handle
both, by holding or stepping in each
container. They will be asked:
 What do they sound like?
 What do they smell like?
 How do they feel? Do they feel
different?
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/185069865920749787/?lp=true

Sight:
This station will have a range of drawing
and colouring utensils to draw seaweed.

https://pixabay.com/photos/oekaki-drawing-children-graffiti-2009817/

This activity can be split into separate

stations depending on the capability of the
children. It can also be split up over a few
weeks. For example, the children will still
explore seaweed, however, the activities
within the table will change.
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Cleaning shells Octopus Home

Children will use a range of cleaning tools Children will use playdoh to construct
such as tooth brushes and sponges to burrows and holes that can represent an
clean the sea shells. Through this play octopuses home.
children will use fine motor skills, while Children will discuss if they have seen an
looking at the differences, similarities of sea octopus, and where, what it looked like,
shells. The educator will use scientific was it hiding, etc
language to describe the features.
Key questions:
 What does this shell feel like?
 What is the difference in colour?
 This one looks flat, while this is
curved.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Home_made_play_dough.jpg
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Assessing and Recording: (What are we assessing? How are we assessing? How are we reporting?).
What is being assessed?
 Children will attempt to use scientific language to describe their sensory experience.
 Children will manage tools to explore features of the ocean.

How is it assessed:
 Teacher observations.

How is it reported:
 Anecdotal notes
 Photos of child’s work with anecdotal notes attached.

EYLF
Outcome 5 : Children are effective communicators.
 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes.
o Evident when children respond verbally and non-verbally to what they see, hear, touch, feel and taste.
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing.
 Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.
o Manipulate equipment and manage tools to explore their world with increasing competence and skill.

Science Involved:
 Children explore how sea creatures move.
 Children explore where octopuses live.
 Children examine non-living objects from the sea, through their sensors.
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Resources:
1. Collage table 4. Pattern scratchings
 Magnified glasses  Foil
 Tweezers  Pencils
 Containers  Tooth picks
 Tongs  Crayons
 Sea shells  Butchers paper
 Sand  Sea weed
 Sea weed  Sea shells
 Sea glass  Sea glass
 Mirrors  Sand
5. Seaweed sensory table
2. Rainbow Fish Craft  Dried seaweed
 Paper plates  Wet seaweed
 Glue  Water
 Crayons  Paper
 Oil pastels/ wet and dry  Colouring utensils
 Cellophane  Eatable seaweed.
 Sand
 Water colour
 Coloured paper

3. Cleaning Shells
 Tooth brushes
 Sponges
 Water
 Containers
 Shells
 Blue dye
 Scoop nets
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Science Assessment
Date:
Assessor: Miss Stock
Objectives:
 Children will attempt to use scientific language to describe their sensory experience.
 Children will manage tools to explore features of the ocean.

Student Objective 1: Objective 2 Comment

Educator Reflection: (What went well? What needs improvement? What concept needs revisiting? Who needs extending /
enabling?)
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 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

Photo / Annotated Notes:

Date:
Assessor:
Photo of completed task: Notes: What was seen? (Non bias)

Additional Comments: (What does the observation tell you? What has the child achieved, What does the child know).
 ACTIVITY PLANNER 2 - 5 YEAR OLD

References:

Andreae, G. (1999). Commotion in the ocean. London, GB: Hachette Children's Group.

Campbell, C., & Jobling, W., Howitt, C. (2018). Science in Early Childhood 3rd Edition. Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University
Press.

Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2009). Belonging, being and becoming: The early
years learning framework. Barton, ACT: Commonwealth of Australia.