Ocean Literacy Boat Camp

NO.:9427Suzanne Kress

KindergartenDr. John C. Page School

My Day…I teach half day kindergarten so my time is short. My classroom is center based so I usually have a whole group meeting in the morning then transition into centers.

Overall concept: Islands: What is an island? What is an island made up of? Are there different types of islands? What lives on an island? 

LessonsIslands-Barrier Islands-Plum IslandIslands -Plum Island- Tide PoolsIslands -Plum Island – Shorebirds

Plum IslandGrade: KLength of Time: 1 week, Approx 5 hours per week, 1 hour per day.Concept:

Islands Barrier Island ……… Plum Island

An Island is defined as “a piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water.

A Barrier Island is defined as “a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland of a coast.Islands

Standards Addressed:Mass. State Standards:

Science1. Recognize that water, rocks, soil, and living organisms are found on the earth’s surface.2. Sort objects by observable properties such as size, shape, color, weight and texture. Math1. Collect, sort, organize, and draw conclusions about data using concrete objects, pictures, numbers, and graphs.2. Identify, reproduce, describe, extend and create color, rhythmic, shape, number, and letter repeating patterns with simple attributes, e.g., ABABAB… ELA3.1: Give oral presentation about personal experiences or interests, using clear enunciation and adequate volume.3.2: Maintain focus on the topic. Social StudiesK.4: Use correctly words and phrases that indicate location and direction, such as up, down, far, left, right, straight, back, behind, and in front of. 

Ocean Literacy Principles:

5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.

6. The oceans and humans are inextricably linked.

My kindergarten class does not go on field trips so I will do everything in the classroom.

Objectives:The first week, we will look at what an island is and discuss if any of us have ever been to an island. Many of the children in my kindergarten class have been to Plum Island and will be able to discuss various features that are on an island; such as sand, rocks, shells, trees, etc. Some of my children have never been to Plum Island and may not know what an island looks like.

Week One  Island Tours: Features of an Island 

Materials: 

1 blue sheet of paper to represent the water around and island.2 brown pieces of paper; 1 cut into long narrow strip (island), the other piece cut more like a main landform.2 paper boats.A basket full of items to play a guessing game about what you can find on an island. Some of the items in the basket you would find on an island, some you may not find.Book: The Little Island by Margaret Wise Brown

Focus Question: What is an island?

Engagement:I will have the students come to the rug area (whole group time). The children will notice the big blue paper and the two strips of brown paper laid on top of the blue paper one in front of the other. I will put the brown paper that represents the mainland at the edge of the blue paper and I will ask the following question: What do you think this represents or is?  I will read the book, The little Island, by Margaret Wise Brown and re-ask the question at the end.  

Islands in the World

Exploration:Introduce the activity. Tell the students that I have a basket full of items; some belong on an island and some do not. Can they guess which items belong? If the item belongs on the island the student will put it into the paper boat and drive it over to the island from the mainland. Keep track of items on a white board so children have a visual. Two columns marked “Island Features” and “Not Island Features.” Rules: A quiet hand will be picked and the student has to be sitting. For each item guessed correctly a marble will be added to the marble jar. 

Explanation:Ask students to think about the items that are found on an island. Is there another word that they use to describe a place that has similar features, (I am looking for the word beach). Tell the students that many beaches have similar features as islands. Some beaches are islands that are connected to the mainland by a bridge just like Plum Island. Has anyone been to Plum Island beach? 

Elaboration:Encourage the students to use prior knowledge of their experiences at Plum Island or any other beach that they have visited. Can they tell me some features they have seen? Did they notice anything about the water? Have they gone to the island at different times when the tides are different? What do they notice about the beach at different tides? To build upon what they have learned about islands I have made our centers for the week based on features of an island. The children explore a different center each day. We use our five senses to explore. All centers are differentiated to developmentally satisfy all learners.

Literacy Work Stations

 

Red GroupMath- A. Island Features Bingo- Have a paper with four rows of three. In each space have a different word such as sand, rock, clams, water, starfish and drift wood. Make three different sets of different word cards so each child has different words to listen for. B. Sorting shells and graphing how many of each. Use clam, razor, mussel, and moon snail. Have different amounts in baggies for the children to count, sort, then graph. 

Blue GroupScience- A. Exploring rocks found on an island. What is sand made of? Look under a magnifying glass to see sands features. Is sand made from rocks? Explore some rocks and draw them in your science journal. Answer these questions Are they smooth or rough?What color are they?Are they big or small?

B. Island Water Taste Test – Each child gets a small paper cup of salt water, (tap water with salt in it). Have them take a small sip. What does it taste like? Write about it in your journal. 

Yellow GroupSocial Studies – A. Make your own island -Using foam trays, sand paper, and collage materials for rocks, water, shells, etc.  B. Computers-I Spy Treasure Hunt (Island Discovery Game) by Scholastic

Green Group 

Writing - A. Journal Writing – Using the sentence starter “Three features that an island has are__________, ____________, and __________.”  The children will read their journals at the end of centers. Then the audience members (rest of class) get to ask two questions. The speaker answers in a complete sentence.  B. Sand Writing – Using a cookie tray with a small amount of sand in it the students write island sight words.  Sand, tide, crab, water, rocks, clams, birds

White Group 

Art – A. Paint a shell using water color paints.  B. Listening Center- Somewhere in the Ocean by Jennifer Ward and T.J. Marsh

Evaluation:After the children read their journals to the class at the end of the day ,talk to them and ask them to name something they learned today about the features of an island. Ever y day there should be different answers because the children are moving around to someplace new each day. Keep track of what the children tell you on a piece of chart paper. CHECK LISTDo they know: _____ An island is a piece of land surrounded by water. _____ A barrier island is a island that protects a main land _____ Plum Island is a barrier island that helps protect Newburyport. _____ There are many living organisms that live on an island.