Explore Marine Life Preschool-Early Elementary Unit Study

• Ice Dye Kit (Create Your Own Ocean Pillows): Use a fun, ice-dyeing technique to decorate two themed pillowcases—one with a mermaid scale design and one that says “Wake Up and Make Waves.” A colorful way to kick off your ocean adventure!
• Printing Practice Mats: Strengthen early writing skills with traceable ocean words using a dry erase marker. Great for fine motor development and letter recognition.
• I Sea 10! Math Game (Learning Resources®): A sea-themed card game that builds number recognition, addition skills, and turn-taking—all while playing with ocean creatures!
• Exploring Ocean Animals & Fact Cards: Match detailed animal figures with real science facts to learn how ocean creatures live, move, and survive in their watery homes.
• How Big Are Ocean Animals? (Size & Measurement Activity): Use a measuring tape and chalk to visualize and compare your size to real ocean animals. A hands-on introduction to non-standard measurement and scientific inquiry.
• Ocean Wave Art: Create a sunset seascape using Model Magic, watercolor, and mixed media techniques. Add an orca tail and ocean foam for a dynamic 3D masterpiece.
• Color Diffusing Sea Shapes: Watch vibrant watercolors blend and spread on sea-themed shapes. A calming, open-ended art experience with a beautiful result.
• Coral I-Spy Activity: Discover coral reef facts and use your dry erase marker to complete a visual scavenger hunt that reinforces early science and observation skills.
• Creating Coral Sculptures: Use leftover clay to sculpt twisty, bubbly, and branching corals—perfect for imaginative play or adding to your diorama.
• Go Fish! Card Game (Ocean Edition): Practice matching, memory, and social skills with a playful ocean animal twist on the classic card game.
• Sea Otter Directed Drawing: Follow step-by-step instructions to draw and paint a sea otter using crayons and watercolor. Encourages focus, creativity, and animal science connections.
• Explore Magic Sand: Conduct a simple science experiment to observe how special sand behaves in water—then explore sensory play as you test, scoop, and touch.
• Kinetic Sand Castle Set: Encourage hands-on, imaginative building with soft, moldable kinetic sand and sea-themed tools.
• Saltwater Shells: Create a Sea Turtle: Paint a watercolor sea turtle shell, then cut and assemble a full turtle using simple shapes and green paper. Learn about sea turtle anatomy and artistic expression.
• Sea Turtle Life Cycle Diorama: Use Model Magic, tissue paper, and your Knowledge Crates box to build a 3D scene that shows the life stages of a sea turtle—from eggs to ocean swimmer.

Books Included with Your Crate:

• The Ocean is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk – A clever, illustrated book that explains how important the ocean is to our planet and everything on it.
• Dolphins (National Geographic Kids) – A nonfiction reader packed with photos and facts about one of the ocean’s smartest creatures.
• National Geographic Kids Ocean Animals Collection – A high-interest chapter book featuring sea otters, manatees, and weird sea creatures.
• Little Turtle by Gisela Bohórquez – A beautifully illustrated story that follows a baby turtle’s journey from beach to sea.
• National Geographic Ocean Animals Sticker Activity Book – Full of fun puzzles and facts that reinforce learning across the entire unit.