Creating an engaging and educational experience for students can be as vast and exciting as the ocean. However, it can also feel as overwhelming as trying to comprehend the depths of the ocean.
To help you navigate this potentially daunting task is our Ocean Odyssey Themed Unit. This comprehensive unit uses project based learning and can be completed in one day! Keep reading to explore how to use it in your classroom.
Ocean Theme Lesson Plans
An ocean-themed lesson plan is perfect for capturing students’ imaginations. It also provides a wonderful topic through which to explore several different subjects.
From reading to art, with math and science in between, it is easy for students to access core standards through the lens of the ocean. Moreover, they can do this in one day!
These ocean theme lesson plans are designed to be completed in one school day. This format includes a lesson in each core subject area that builds on one another throughout the day. Moreover, each lesson provides students with a hands on learning experience – reinforcing the project based learning approach.
Here is a sneak peek at how students will explore the ocean through each different subject area:
- Reading: Oceans! (printable or projectable text) and note-taking sheets
- Writing: Ocean animal informational poster
- Math: Plot an ocean route with equations math task and equation worksheets
- Science: Build a submersible STEM project
- Art: Draw glowing creatures in the midnight zone
In addition to the core subject areas, this resource includes additional activities for those days you need a little extra. Ready to dive a bit deeper into each lesson plan? Let’s go!
Ocean Theme Non Fiction Text
Before diving into the first lesson, you will set students up to explore the ocean with a Guiding Question: How can we prepare to embark on an ocean voyage? This guiding question helps focus student learning for the day. It also provides a real world experience through which to view their learning – a key element of project based learning.
Once students have the guiding question, it is time to build background knowledge. This begins with reading about the ocean.
The informational text provided is an informational text we wrote, titled “All About Oceans.” It is designed to be read with the whole class and can be accessed as a printable worksheet or projected digitally. While reading this text, students will learn about the major oceans, ocean zones, and the ocean food chain.
Since students will use this information to continue exploring the ocean throughout the day, they will keep track of the key points using their note taking sheet. In addition to the whole class text, students can learn more about the ocean with the videos linked with the reading.
Ocean Writing Prompts for Kids
With an understanding of the different oceans, the ocean zones, and the ocean food chain, students are ready for the next learning activity. This next lesson plan focuses on writing standards.
Students will engage in writing in a hands on activity where they create an informational poster. This informational poster focuses on ocean animals they and other ocean explorers may encounter on their ocean voyages.
Before creating their informational poster, they have to gather more information. Students will write the information they learn on the provided worksheet. Below is a quick peek at the types of questions and facts students will explore when preparing their posters.
What can the animal do?
What does the animal have?
Where does the animal live?
What does the animal eat?
Who are they eaten by?
Ocean Math Activities
While it is easy to think about how to have students read and write about the ocean, you may wonder how to connect the ocean to math. Moreover, how to make it a hands on learning experience.
The typical direction for making math a real world experience is to have students count using manipulatives that reflect the theme. While this is a great way to connect math with different themes, it is not the only way!
This ocean math activity focuses on the guiding question, How can we prepare to embark on an ocean voyage? The activity asks students to plot an ocean route by using math equations. Don’t worry, everything you need to teach students how to do this is included in the lesson plan!
Ocean STEM Projects
Now that students have explored the ocean through reading, writing, and math, it is time for a science activity. Not just any boring science worksheet though, a STEM project!
Continuing with the idea of how they can prepare to embark on an ocean voyage, students are challenged to think about how they will make the voyage. Specifically, how to make the voyage underwater.
Presented with the challenge to build a submersible that can stay underwater but not sink, students set out to meet the challenge using the engineering process. This process includes several steps, beginning with Exploring vocabulary related to the challenge.
Once kids have the vocabulary to continue their research, they will read (or listen) to an informational text about submersibles. Then, each group will plan what they will build. Finally, they will build what they designed (not to worry, this will be done using common materials found in every first and second grade classroom).
Beyond the initial steps to prepare to build their submersible, students will also be invited to reflect on how well their final design worked.
Ocean Theme Art Activities
At this point in the school day, students will have covered all the core subject areas. All while focusing on how to prepare for a voyage across the ocean. Even though each of the learning experiences above is engaging and hands on, there is still room for a creative learning activity.
The art theme ocean activity continues to follow the guiding question. It invites students to think about the unique creatures they may encounter deep in the ocean, specifically the glowing creatures they might see.
Students will enjoy this opportunity to draw a glowing creature that may seem made up but is a real part of the midnight zone in the ocean.
Ocean activities for elementary students
As you can see, each lesson plan above builds on the one before it – creating a full day of learning around one common theme. While these five lesson plans will be enough for an entire day of learning in most first and second grade classrooms, we always love to provide teachers with options. Therefore, we included several additional ocean themed activities in this resource.
- Ocean Word Search
- Did you know? Ocean Fact Mazes
- Ocean Zones Matching Activity
- Draw an Ocean Food Chain Coordinate Page
- Deep Sea Dash Game Instructions
These additional activities are perfect for extending the ocean theme to the next day or could even be used as a teaser the day before the unit. In addition, they could be added to the one day unit for longer school days or to extend learning for students who finish early. Whether you use them or not, they are yours to use as you see fit.
If you find this one day themed unit works well in your classroom, then check out our other project based learning units! These follow the same one day format at this Ocean Odyssey themed unit.
Each of these mini units is ideal for short school weeks, like the week before winter break. They can also be used to get through a unit quicker when you don’t have a full week. However you use them, we hope they make planning and teaching a little less daunting this year!
