Kindergarten - Discovering Our Blue Planet

Globe Toss

Students explore aquatic environments, noticing water in neighborhoods, oceans, rivers, and more. They begin their discovery with a globe game, learning about “Our Big Blue Planet.”

Location: Classroom, Large Space
Activity Type: Game, Hands-On

What’s in the Jars?

This activity requires a jar of water collected from a local outdoor source (ocean, pond, river) and a jar of land (soil and rocks), and allows children to begin the scientific questioning process.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Water Detectives

Students become “Water Detectives,” exploring and mapping water in their neighborhoods, backyards, and nearby ecosystems. They discover water’s presence in oceans, rivers, ponds, and creeks during a walk near their school.

Location: Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Let’s Make a Map

Students develop a map based on recent “water detective” explorations.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Take a Close Look

Show students the jar of water that they looked at in activity What’s in the Jars? Ask students what they notice about the water in the jar. Students will make an entry in their science notebooks, carefully drawing what they see.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Sea Soup

In this 2-3 day investigation, children explore tiny plants, animals, and nonliving things in water. They listen to a read-aloud, explore learning centers, role play, and create a Sea Soup recipe.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Aquatic Puzzles

Children assemble puzzles to learn about aquatic animals and their life cycles, exploring how living and nonliving things appear in water and how they change as they grow.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Drawing from Description

Children will look closely at the parts of a small aquatic animal with a listening and drawing activity.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

How Does It Look and Feel?

This investigation allows students an opportunity to share their thinking. First, they practice in the classroom and then share their thinking and work as part of a classroom and/or whole school celebration of the Alaska Seas and Watersheds Curriculum.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Our Book about Things in the Water

Students will create a mini-book in pairs, describing the textures of living and nonliving things in water. They will match materials to textures like rough, smooth, or soft, and explain their choices in class.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Making a Mural

Children collaborate to create a mural of an aquatic environment, representing sea creatures and natural elements. They explore textures, colors, and shapes, using descriptive language to explain their artistic choices and share their learning.

Location: Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On

Field Trip to a Local Habitat

Children explore a local habitat, observing living and nonliving things in the water. They use science notebooks to record findings, drawing on prior knowledge and experiences for detailed observations before writing and drawing in their notebooks.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Field Trip, Hands-On

Sharing What We Know

This investigation allows students an opportunity to share their thinking. First, they practice in the classroom and then share their thinking and work as part of a classroom and/or whole school celebration of the Alaska Waters.

Location: Classroom, Large Space, Outside
Activity Type: Hands-On