What is it like to be a seahorse? What do they eat? How do they move? How do they raise their young? Learn more about the unique lives of seahorses through movement, literature, hands-on activities and art.
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2nd
Duration: 45 minutes
Supervision Requirements: Parent participation required for website navigation, using printer & scissors to prepare activities.
MN Standards: ???
Materials
- Construction paper (Substitute cereal box cardboard or printer paper if not available)
- Scissors
- A drinking straw
- Coloring materials (crayons, markers, colored pencils, etc.)
- Printer (optional; may recreate printable documents with pencil or pen)
Set Up
Adults: Cut construction paper into squares about the size of postage stamps. Make about 30 pieces.
Print the following images, one copy per class participant.
Seahorse Stomach
Seahorse Habitat
Lesson
1. Seahorse Transformation
The first step to learning about life as a seahorse is to turn into one! Watch the video below to join an Aquarium educator as we explore seahorse body parts.
2. Eat Like a Seahorse
Now that we look like seahorses, we need to learn how to eat like seahorses! Watch the video below and then practice eating like a seahorse on your own.
3. Seahorse Storytime
What’s it like to grow up as a seahorse? Learn about seahorse parenting in the video below with a read-aloud of Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle.
4. Habitat Design
Seahorses need food and shelter in their habitat, the place where they live. We have learned what seahorses like to eat, and we have learned how animals use camouflage to look like other things in their environment. Color the seahorses on your seahorse habitat page (printable image in the Setup section above) and draw habitat around them. Is there enough food in your drawing for all the seahorses? Can your seahorses hide by camouflaging to look like something in the habitat you drew? If you would like some inspiration while you draw, watch the video below to see seahorses living in their habitat at Great Lakes Aquarium.
5. Seahorse Transformation Redux
Thanks for joining us! It’s time to turn back into a human. Watch the video below to review seahorse body parts.
6. Questions & Comments
We’d love your feedback! Please share your experience in a 5-minute survey to let us know how to improve this class for other families.
Questions about this class or about seahorses at Great Lakes Aquarium? Let us know at education@glaquarium.org.