Writing About Ocean Animals - Flashlight Fish

Do you find that your children love to learn about ocean creatures? Share a few books or informative websites with them and they'll be captivated! The ocean has some of the most fascinating and mysterious creatures on Earth. They come in all shapes and sizes, and they live in a wide variety of habitats, from the shallows of the coastal waters to the deepest parts of the ocean. Why not learn about a new marine animal each week with your class.

Over in the Pond Coloring Club I have a free drawing page for a Flashlight Fish. Draw it after you've done some shared reading about this very cool little creature. 

If you'd like to encourage your students to write about what they have learnt, I have some practical writing scaffolds in this printable pack. They can help your students learn to organize their information and provide structure - giving confidence to your emergent writers. 

I've included a range of pages to help you cater for writers at different levels. They will draw first and then review some information you've gathered together (make a chart of simple key facts from your reading) to finish each sentence. Have them read it through several times before they write, making sure it makes sense and gives quality information. 

Here are some more ideas for how to incorporate ocean creatures into your classroom:

Read books about ocean creatures. 

There are many great books for students of all ages that feature ocean creatures. These books can help students to learn about the different types of ocean creatures, their habitats, and their behavior. 

Earth's Incredible Oceans by Jess French is in our home library. 

Watch videos about ocean creatures. 

There are also many great videos about ocean creatures available online. These videos can help students to see ocean creatures in their natural habitat and learn about their behavior.

Here are some to get you started.

Take a field trip to an aquarium or marine center. 

If you're lucky enough to have one in your area, this is a great way for students to see ocean creatures up close and learn about them from experts.

10 Ocean Creatures to Learn About:

Here are 10 ocean creatures you could learn about over the coming weeks with your students during reading or literacy time:

1. Giant squid: This colossal cephalopod can grow up to 43 feet long and weigh over 2,200 pounds.
2. Anglerfish: This deep-sea fish has a bioluminescent lure that attracts prey to its gaping maw.
3. Dumbo octopus: This adorable octopus has large, ear-like fins that help it swim.
4. Sea dragon: This marine fish has long, flowing appendages that resemble seaweed.
5. Mantis shrimp: This crustacean has powerful claws that can strike with the force of a bullet.
6. Blue whale: This is the largest animal on Earth, reaching up to 100 feet long and weighing over 200 tons.
7. Portuguese man o' war: This jellyfish-like creature is actually a colony of four different animals.
8. Sea turtle: These ancient reptiles have been swimming the Earth's oceans for over 100 million years.
9. Electric eel: This fish can generate powerful electric shocks to stun its prey.
10. Nautilus: This cephalopod has a beautiful spiral shell that it uses for protection.

Print this pack of drawing and writing pages to make an underwater wonderland  class book as you complete a page or two each week!