Cross Curricular Planning: Seaside

Many skills and concepts can be taught through a single activity or series of theme-based activities. In this post I share ideas on how to teach young children who are blind or visually impaired or students with multiple disabilities about numeracy, literacy, geography, science and history.

For other cross-curricular theme-based approach activities, see some of my other posts: http://www.pathstoliteracy.org/users/gwyn52

Numeracy

Collect pebbles & shells, and sort by similar and different, large and small.
Estimate capacity of different sized buckets to hold sand, water.
Make shapes with sand using different buckets and moulds.
Count number of shovels of sand to fill bucket.
Make patterns with shells.
Count on and back, in 2’s, 5’s 10’s etc

Literacy

Find sounds that remind us of the seaside.
Write a story about a day out at the seaside.
Have a picnic on the beach!
Make a list and taste foods that you might eat at the beach.
Assemble the things you might take for a day out on the beach. Use for role play.
Listen to songs about the seaside.

Geography

Animals, birds and fish that live near or in the sea
Location of seaside on map in relation to where child lives
Distance to seaside from school, from home, from town
Type of natural materials found on the beach
Type of activities that take place at the seaside
Frisbee, cricket, football, swimming, sailing

Science

Experiment with sand and water: Talk about and use language to describe what is happening.
Mix sand with water.
Make hole in sand and fill with water.
Make channel for water to flow through sand.
Use sand to make models and to mould shapes.
Make patterns in sand.
Experiment with sand wheel.
Talk about the type of weather at seaside.
Discuss clothes suitable for the beach, clothes to protect from the sun.
Play with model boats and float on water.
Sort items for the beach into textures that feel similar and different.