God Created the Ocean Lesson Plan
Introduce your children to the magical underwater world with the God Created the Ocean Lesson Plan! Included are so many amazing books and resources to create an interesting and in-depth unit on the ocean! Also your kids can make their own ocean flipbook here!
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The only thing we love more than the ocean in our house is learning about all the amazing creatures and plants God created to live there. I was so excited to plan this unit study because there’s just so much to learn about! From sea creatures and underwater plants to the different oceans and what sets them apart.
This Lesson Plan includes:
- Printable Lesson Plan with Flash Cards
- Scripture Reading
- Vocabulary List
- Books to Read
- Videos to Watch
- Awesome Facts
- Crafts
- Additional Resources
The scripture reading included is always from the King James Bible. For more information on why we are a strictly King James Version only family please visit our about page. Also, we don’t like watching too many videos, but I always include a few short ones for our visual learners!
After teaching children about everything the ocean contains and about how vast and immense it really is, don’t forget to circle around back to God. It is an amazing example to explain to children that God’s power, wisdom and love is as deep and wide as the ocean, only a lot, lot more!
Scripture Reading:
Genesis 1:9
“And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.”
Genesis 1:10
“And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:21-22
“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.”
Vocabulary List:
- ocean – large body of salt water that covers most of the earth’s surface.
- shore – the edge of a body of water.
- tides – the rise and fall of the ocean waters.
- oceanographer – a scientist who studies the ocean and the plants and animals that live in it.
- coral – a very small ocean creature that forms reefs.
- reef – a ridge of rocks, sand and coral near the surface of the water.
- tidal pool – a pool of water remaining on a reef, shore, or beach after the tide has receded.
- gills – organs that allow fish to breathe underwater.
- blubber – the fat of sea mammals, especially whales and seals.
- echolocation – locating objects through the reflection of sound.
Books to Read:
Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea
The beautiful books from The Anatomy Series are our favorite for any lesson. With amazing diagrams and drawings, the Ocean Anatomy book is filled with so much information.
Awesome Ocean Science
This book has a ton of different science experiments in it that demonstrate how all the amazing things that the ocean does works. For example, shaping the shores, echolocation, currents and so much more!
Atlas of Ocean Adventures
This atlas breaks goes ocean by ocean in explaining each sea creature that lives there, a must have for your ocean lesson plan!
Commotion in the Ocean
This fun story book is a great way to break up all the hard ocean fact books. Plus, it’s great for the little ones trying to keep up with all the new creatures they’re learning.
The Big Book of the Blue
Besides having absolutely beautiful illustrations, this book is full of awesome information on so many different sea creatures.
An Octopus Is Amazing
This book was full of super cool facts about octopuses, like how they can change color and grow new arms.
Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef
A cute story for little ones that goes through so many different creatures that live in the ocean.
I’ll Follow the Moon
An adorable story of how sea turtles hatch and follow the moon back to the ocean. Perfect to add a little beginner poetry to the lesson.
Whales
A beautifully illustrated book detailing each whale species and everything about them.
Fish
This is a great book for explaining to kids what happens when too much garbage ends up in the ocean. It explains to them why it’s important to be mindful of our garbage so it doesn’t harm animals and how to do that.
Inky the Octopus
A fun story about an octopus who just wants to live in the ocean and what he has to do to get there.
Deep in the Ocean
Another book with beautiful illustrations, this story details everything this scientific submarine explores on its expedition.
Videos to Watch:
Ocean Animals for Kids | Learn all about the Animals and Plants that Live in the Ocean
A great overview of the information we are soaking in, this video is a great visual tool in an ocean lesson plan.
Sea Turtles 101 | National Geographic
Sea turtles, in my opinion, are one of the coolest animals God created. Learn all the details of what makes them so cool in this short video!
The Five Layers of the Ocean
Lastly, this is a short video to explain the different layers of the ocean and what you can find in each.
Awesome Facts:
- God made over 200,00 species of living things have been identified but most marine life has yet to be discovered.
- the biggest animal that has ever existed is the Blue Whale growing up to 98ft and weighing as much as 130 tons.
- there are underwater volcanos, most of which are in the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean.
- the ocean has five layers, all of which are home to different species that have adapted the each specific environment.
- Octopus can solve problems like opening a jar to get a crab inside or placing a rock in a clam shell so it can eat the clam without it closing.
- Salty ocean water comes from eroding land over time and the minerals that dissolve from it.
Craft:
This Under the Sea Craft is perfect for letting kids get creative while learning about sea creatures! This craft is super simple for those of us moms (me) who aren’t very artsy but still want to encourage their kids to be. And if you are a super artsy mom, you and your kids can use your imagination to make this craft even better!
First just gather your materials and print out the template. Then color each of the creatures and cut them out along with the bible verse and the sand. Next glue the sand and bible verse on. Finally, you can glue on each of your creatures! Told you it was simple.
You can find the directions and template to makes this craft here!
Additional Resources:
Magnetic Ocean Animals Fishing Game
Not only is this a great way to help smaller kids learn the names of all the different sea creatures, you can also use it to make up alphabet and number games too! Hold up letter flashcards and ask the kids to fish for the animal that starts with that sound. Or hold up a number flash card and have them fish out that number of creatures.
Search and Find Beneath the Waves Floor Puzzle
Puzzles are a fun and easy way to get kids brains turning! Search and find is one of our favorite kinds of puzzles. When we’re done putting it together the kids have to practice finding and counting all the creatures on the bottom.
Ocean Raiders Number Sequencing & Addition Game
This board game will have your kids practicing math without even realizing that they are learning at the same time! With two different skill levels to play it’s perfect for both small and older learners.
The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Exploring Oceans
Finally, everyone loves the Magic School Bus! This is a great resource with tons of awesome activities. It’s perfect to get more in depth with all the things to learn about in the ocean. This awesome STEM learning kit is a must have for an ocean lesson plan!
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