World oceans day

Summary information

Preparation:

• Pupils in a class work together to paint a large picture of animals in the ocean to put on display for the assembly.
• Have pupils look at pictures of marine life in books or online sites (for suggestions see below) and choose one to draw and colour.
• Have each pupil choose a different creature to add variety to the painting.
• Pupils cut out their pictures and paste them in different spots on a roll of large paper.
• Alternatively individual paintings of ocean creatures produced by all the children in the class could be displayed instead.

Have children volunteers practise reading out poems and presentations (see below) in advance of the assembly.

Resources needed:

• Roll of large paper, crayons or paint and glue for pupils in one class to create a large picture of animals in the ocean. Access to sites showing pictures of sea life that pupils can view to choose the animals they wish to paint. Attractive pictures can be found at: www.fotosearch.com/photodisc/volume-112-sea-life/PHD465/
  www.photolib.noaa.gov/animals/
  www.seasky.org/sea.html
• Access to background information at www.wwf.org.uk/marine
• Access to WWF Canon library photos Images 1-6:

1.Coral reef, Fiji. Credit WWF-Canon/Cat HOLLOWAY. Image no. 105316.
2.Humpback whale with its young. CREDIT: © WWF-Canon/Erkki SIIRILÄ
Image no. 36310
3.Swordfish. Credit WWF-Canon/James W. LATOURETTE. Image no. 2160.
4.Cod in bucket. Credit WWF-Canon/CAT HOLLOWAY. Image no. 50819.
5.Hector’s dolphin calf killed in gillnet WWF-Canon/Stephen DAWSON Image no. 55143
6.Plastic bags on beach, Zanzibar WWF-Canon/Martin HARVEY Image no. 108912

• A digital projector (optional)
• Flipchart and marker pen or interactive white board

Procedure:

• Have on display the large painting or individual paintings of ocean life produced by a class in advance of the assembly.
• Ask children what they can see in the paintings. These show the amazing variety of animals in the sea and how colourful and beautiful many of them are. Over three-quarters of all life on Earth is found in the sea.
• Have children volunteers read out two of the following poems:

Slippery Sam
Slippery Sam was a slippery seal
And a slippery seal was he;
He slithered and slid to the sandy shore
Then he slipped back into the sea.

The Antarctic Food Chain
(to the tune of “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”)
Itsy, bitsy, plankton
Floating in the sea.
Along comes the krill
and eats it easily.
Next comes the penguin
and the leopard seal,
The antarctic killer whale
finishes up the meal!

Sea Animals
What do you see in the sea?
Animals moving free!
Snails and whales
Using their tails.
Seals and eels
Looking for meals.
Catfish, flatfish
Chasing fat fish.
What do you see in the sea?
Animals moving free!

Sea Shell
Sea shell, sea shell,
Sing a song for me;
Sing about the ocean,
Tell me about the sea.
Sea shell, sea shell,
When I hold you near,
I can hear the ocean
Whispering in my ear.

Source: www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems21.html

• Show children photos of life in the ocean using the digital projector or make printouts of the photos to give out to children. Use the photos to illustrate short presentations (see below) by children volunteers about ocean life and threats to its survival.

1.Coral reefs are very special places, some of the most beautiful on Earth and are home to a much greater number of types of creatures than the open ocean.

2.There are amazing animals like this enormous humpback whale that have long, beautiful songs.

3.The swordfish is one of the fastest fish in the ocean and can reach speeds faster than the speed limit on the motorway!

4.Unfortunately some fish like these cod have been fished too much and their numbers are much smaller now.

5.Fishing nets catch and kill many animals such as dolphins and turtles by accident.

6.Harmful substances in the sea are one of the most dangerous threats to ocean life. There are huge amounts of plastic bags and bottles.

More and more harmful substances, such as from washing powder, washing-up liquid, waste oils are getting into the sea. Most of them come from the land. All of the waste-water that goes down the sink in our homes and schools reaches the sea in time.

Reflection

Ask the children to think for a few minutes about how they can help to stop pollution reaching the sea. Brainstorm a list with the children and write the ideas on a flipchart or interactive white board.

• Try not to use plastic bags. If you have any use them again instead of throwing them away.
• Try to persuade your family to cut down on use of harmful chemicals at home and in the garden. You can do this by asking your family to buy environmentally friendly washing powder and washing up liquid and not to use harmful chemicals in the garden.
• Cut down on the amount of waste you and your family produce by re-using and recycling as much as you can.
• Don’t leave litter on the beach when on holiday.
• Take part in an organised litter clean-up on the beach.

Now introduce children to the World Oceans Day celebration and encourage them to take part. Ask them for their ideas on activities.

Here are some suggestions:
Organise an Oceans Day fair with ocean-themed games and activities
Have a sandcastle building contest with ocean prizes
Have a beach treasure hunt
Join in a beach clean up organised by
Have a colouring contest or art competition about how to help protect life in the oceans.
Raise funds for conservation of the seas by holding a disco and charging an entry fee, or sell items on a stall such as cakes, biscuits or cards or gift tags that you have made.
Host a race with prizes and T shirts on the World Oceans Day theme.

Additional resources:

Pupils:
WWF GoWild photos and oceans information www.wwf.org.uk/gowild/happeninghabitats/oceans.asp

Animal printouts and information www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/oceanlife.shtml

Fish journey online game about sea pollution www.wwf.org.hk/eng/education/ttrain/ihintfish.html

Recycling
www.recyclezone.org.uk

Information for older children under Middle School, habitats and oceans at www.panda.org./news_facts/education/

Canadian Wildlife Federation
Ideas on how to celebrate World Oceans Day, everyday ways to help oceans, interesting facts and quotes on oceans www.cwf-fcf.org/

WWF video of the blue whale (2minutes) at:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/bluewhales.mpg

Photos of whales, dolphins, marine turtles and life on coral reefs from www.worldlife.org or at www.panda.org under Multimedia library, WWF-Canon Photogallery, Gallery list: Cetaceans, Saving our Global Voyagers (marine turtles) and Fragile Beauty of Coral Reefs.

Teachers:
Additional poems

Sea Creatures
Come along, come with me,
Take a dive in the deep blue sea.
Put on your gear, let's explore
All the way to the ocean floor!
See that snail wrapped in cursl?
Look! An oyster wearing pearls!
Watch the octopus oh so dark,
But don't you dare to pet the shark!
Dive on down, seaward bound,
Motion in the ocean is all around!
Dive on down, seaward bound.
Motion in the ocean is all around.
Now we're very far below,
The lantern fish are all aglow.
Is that a tiny shock you feel?
You just met an electric eel!
Giant blue whales start to stir,
Bigger than dinosaurs ever were!
Wave good-bye to the squid and sponge,
This is the end of our deep-sea plunge!
Dive on down, seaward bound,
Motion in the ocean is all around!
Dive on down, seaward bound.
Motion in the ocean is all around.

By Meish Goldish
Source: www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems21.html

My Magic Shell
Pink shells, white shells, and
shells coloured blue;
Smooth shells, crinkled shells,
old shells and new;
Striped shells, and plain
shells lift by the tide;
My shell is magic - the sea
sings inside.

Source: www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems21.html

The Ocean Project. Great ideas for activities to celebrate World Oceans Day.
theoceanproject.org/news/oceanday.html

WWF US. Additional background information
www.worldwildlife.org/oceans/index.cfm

Marine Conservation Society
www.mcsuk.org
UK charity working for the marine environment and its wildlife.

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