My 4-year-old is learning about our world's oceans. He isn't ready for scary statistics on global warming and photos of what happens to marine animals when they ingest people's trash. What he IS ready for, though, is an introduction to the idea that our oceans need our intervention and the empowerment to believe that yes, he, can make a difference.This "Folder Fun Project" is designed for children preschool to grade 2.
What you'll need:
- blank file folder, preferably a colorful one
- two pieces of blue 8 1/2 x 11 card stock or construction paper
- one piece of beige 8 1/2 x 11 card stock or construction paper
- one piece of colored (your choice) 8 1/2 x 11 card stock or construction paper
- scissors
- glue
- sand or sand paper
- small items of "trash" (i.e. crumpled foil, a used balloon*, newspaper)
- printouts from this lesson
Print out the first two pages of the lesson on blue card stock. (I happened to have Astrobrights Print and Stick on hand, so we saved time on the gluing phase.) Print the third page on any color you like. We chose lime green.
Cut out the heart and dolphin, then put glue on the lower half of the heart following the "wave." You could also use a glue stick. Sprinkle playground sand over the glue and let dry. (If you don't have playground sand, an alternative is to print out a template of the page, then trace the lower heart half onto sandpaper. It's a little less messy and your scissors get a quick sharpen while you're at it!) Cut out then glue on the words "Love Me" anywhere in the top half of the heart.Cut out the rest of the items on the colored page, following the dotted lines. Discuss the shapes of the outlines: rectangle, square, circles. Have the child identify the ocean friends: dolphin, turtle, crab, starfish. Ask questions about the animals and be sure to give the answer if this is all new. How many "arms" does a starfish have? Five. What does a turtle have to protect itself? Its shell. What part of the dolphin is a triangle on its back? A dorsal fin.What do crabs do with their front claws? They pinch! (They're called pincers and crabs use them for defense and to pick thins up like we use our hands.) For a one-to-one comparison, ask the child to finish this sentence: Pincer claws are to a crab are like __________ are to me. Answer: hands.
Glue the blue page with waves to the inside of the file folder on the top half. Glue the beige piece to the bottom half. Use a marker to squiggle waves "joining" the two. Glue the ocean friends wherever you like along the shore (although the dolphin needs to be in the water!). Also glue the file folder name onto the tab.
"Litter" the beach with things you would not leave at any waterway... a piece of foil, string to represent fishing line, a piece of plastic, etc. Discuss how animals sometimes mistake trash for food and can get sick if they ingest it.
Glue the title "Trash hurts our ocean friends" in the title box. Talk about the need to pick up after ourselves and to volunteer to participate in ocean and waterway cleanup efforts.
How do you raise a child who cares for the world? By your example, through discussion, reading, education and, when they're young, by taking advantage of their desire to create and use their artistic skills.
* Use caution when working with balloons. What can happen to our marine friends can happen to children. If swallowed, balloons can get blocked in either the airway or intestines. Be especially watchful if you have small children or pets.
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