deep blue sea school

Simon implored me to create an ocean-themed Kindergarten Kit because he wanted to learn about creatures in the deep. The clip-art in the kit is mostly cute fish, but we read plenty of books about lantern fish, angler fish, and other horrifying creepiness lurking through the abyss!

Sometimes the printing and cutting and laminating is just too much for me. Yes. I said it. Yes. I mean it. The first five days of this unit were nothing but siting on the couch and reading books from the library basket. Can we really do that? Yes. Are the homeschooling printing-cutting-laminating police coming after me? Maybe. 

Since I was feeling lamination lazy, I thought we could do something different with our fish pattern pieces. I asked Simon to draw some waves on a long piece of paper (I used an old roll of fax paper, but you could use some butcher paper cut in half). He sketched some waves (complete with a volcano so the waves could be HUGE — think tsunami . . . think this kid has been read the Eye Wonder Volcano book too many times). 

Then he started his pattern (yellow, yellow, blue, blue, red). Those poor, clueless fish. If they only knew that a volcano was about to erupt. I'm not sure they'd be so smiley. 

The number game (complete with goldfish crackers) was his favorite. He beat me. He beat Elijah. He beat Jason. I think it has to do with the fact that he's the shortest person in this house (and doesn't have to drop the penny from a very high point). 

His word find (another favorite).

Simon's cats {Calico, Snip, Chip, and Stripes} are all huddled around the bowl as Simon prepares some tuna fish filling. 

Lunch time! Idea found at Family Fun

A short science activity . . . 

. . . which led to more sorting using our plastic ocean animals (those who breathe air vs. those who breathe water)

Simon drew a fish with all its fishy parts, and I helped him label it. I found this idea at A Place Called Kindergarten.

To keep things interesting, I put the scissors away and gave Simon a Scotch Gift Wrap Cutter to cut out the left/right fish. 

I love this cardboard fish art (inspired by Deep Space Sparkle). I always enjoy how Simon makes projects his OWN (spiral eye, terrifying teeth!).

Counting his way through the maze.

Classifying the similarities and differences of fish and humans

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So much fun!

You can find even more deep blue sea school ideas on my Pinterest board. 

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