Expanding Reading: Under the water!

 

Swimmy

By Leo Lionni

Leo Lionni is a great author with very unique stories and illustrations.  This book is especially fun for children to explore underwater animals and try new art skills.  You can help your child love reading by trying a new activity each time you read a new book!

•  A Stamp-ede

Potato Stamping

Much of the art in Swimmy is done by stamping. Stamping can be done using many different materials.

Explore the following stamping methods with your children.

Potato Stamping

This inexpensive stamping methods is fun for students of any age. Create pictures to frame or use brown

parcel paper to create stamped wrapping paper.

Materials:

Large sized potatoes

Paring knife

Pencil to draw out line or cookie cutter to punch shape

Paper

Tempera Paint

Procedure:

Cut potato in half to create the widest surface area

Draw simple design onto the potato and create relief by cutting excess potato away at the sides

Dip in paint and stamp

•   Underwater Dioramas

Swimmy meets many magnificent creatures as he travels through the ocean. Create your own bird's eyeview of the ocean with an underwater diorama.

Materials:

Shoe boxes

Blue Cellophane

Construction paper

Glue

Scissors

Tempera Paint

Small plastic fish or other decorations

Procedure:

Plan out the design of your diorama

Add sea grass, rocks, fishes and waves

Cover the diorama with the blue cellophane

• Fish Sorting

Swimmy meets many different fish as he travels through the ocean, while they all may be little red fish, they would certainly have different qualities. Through sorting different types of goldfish crackers, students will learn about grouping according to a particular quality.

Each child will receive an assortment of goldfish crackers (pretzel, cheddar and plain) and sort the crackers according to color.

After the crackers have been sorted, students will create a bar graph to show the results of their

sorting.

As a group, compare the results of the sort. Was there a particular kind that always had the highest number of fish represented? The lowest?

•  Edible Ocean Treat

Following the directions on a jello box, make blue berry jello and refrigerate in a big bowl until partially set.  In a one ounce clear cup, place 6-8 grapes.  When the jello has partially set, spoon it into the cups over the top of the ocean rocks (grapes). Place gummy fish into the jello and chill.

• Map Time

Look at an atlas and locate the four oceans on a map.  Name the countries that border the oceans.  You could also discuss the difference between salt water and fresh water.