Swimming Towards the End of Summer: Oceans and Whales

The Sea Fairy
by Warwick Goble

Are you looking for some fun additions to finish off your summer programs with the little ones? Here are some songs, fingerplays and story stretches about whales and the ocean to help cool them off during the last hot days of summer!

There are also additional links for two separate blog posts with more fun and some lesson plans, games and activities for the older children.

SONG

A Sea Song (Sung to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus)

The waves at the beach go up and down, up and down, up and down.
The waves at the beach go up and down all day long.

The lobsters on the beach go snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap.
The lobsters on the beach go snap, snap,snap all day long.

The crabs on the beach go back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
The crabs on the beach go back and forth all day long.

The clams on the beach will open and shut, open and shut, open and shut.
The clams on the beach will open and shut all day long.

The jellyfish they go wibble, wobble, wibble,wibble, wobble, wibble, wibble, wobble, wibble.
The jellyfish they go wibble, wobble, wibble all day long.

FINGERPLAYS

A Whale Is Not as Small as Us

A whale is not as small as us (shake head and finger)
Most whales are bigger than a bus! (stretch arms out wide)
A whale is not like a fish in the sea (shake head and finger)
A whale breathes air like you and me.(take deep breath)
A whale can't walk upon the ground (shake head and finger)
A whale must swim to get around (make swimming motions)
A whale is a mammal just like you and me, (nod head and point to self and children)
But his home is in the deep blue sea! (make wave motions with hand)

I Walked to the Beach

I walked to the beach, (Swing arms and walk in place)
And what did I see? (Put hands over eyes, looking)
A lot of little fish, (Place hands together, wiggle)
Looking at me! (Point to self)
I jumped into the water, (Jump)
And splashed all around. (Put palms down; make splashing motions.)
The fish swam away, (Place hands together; wiggle)
And didn't make a sound! (Put fingers to lips)  

STORY STRETCH

Ocean Motion  (To the tune of Hokey Pokey)

You put your crab claws in,
You take your crab claws out,
You put your crab claws in,
And you snap them all about....
You do the ocean motion and you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about! (Make wave motions with the hands as you turn around)

Swish your eel's tail in..out....sting it all about
Show your shark's teeth...bite them all about
Put your star fish up......down......flop it all around (spread hand wide to be the star fish)
Reach your octopus arms out..in....hug them all around (hug self)
Put your clown fish stripes on...off...swim all around.

The Whales (To the tune of I'm a Little Teapot)

I'm a humpback whale,
I'm very strong.
I leap about
and sing a song.
I like to eat my fill
In the Northern Sea.
But in the winter,
South I flee.

I am a beluga,
I'm all white.
From head to tail
I'm quite a sight.
You can hear me singing
Way up north,
Playing and swimming
Back and forth.

I'm a mighty orca
Black and white.
In the sea I'm a beautiful sight.
I'm not very big, but I am sleek.
I hunt for my food
Cause I have teeth.

Another blog post connected to my lapsit program with songs and fingerplays.

Let’s Swim with the Fishes!

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/05/lets-swim-with-fishes.html

And another to celebrate World Water Day.

Water, Water Everywhere

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/03/water-water-everywhere.html

 

GAMES, ACTIVITIES AND LESSON PLANS

Mr. Donn.org – Ocean information and lots of links here to keep you and your students swimming along for the year.

http://geography.mrdonn.org/oceans.html

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.