Tuesday, July 2, 2013

"Under the Sea" Week







The next "unit" or themed week that my mom did with us while growing up was "Under the Sea" Week. My son and I had a blast this month following in my mom's footsteps as we celebrated a week filled with "Under the Sea" adventure and activities. Take a look! 





1. “Go For a Dip” Lunch

This lunch is comprised entirely of things you can dip! From veggies dipped in ranch to fish sticks dipped in tartar sauce.  Gather your kids and get dipping with your own "Go For a Dip" Lunch! And afterwards, go for a real dip in a swimming pool or the ocean!


Veggies Dipped in Ranch

Fish Sticks Dipped in Tartar Sauce

         
Fresh Fruit Dipped in Fruit Dip



Chips Dipped in Salsa



                   Buffalo Wings Dipped in Blue Cheese Dressing


Pigs in a Blanket Dipped in Ketchup and Mustard

         And Don't forget to "FLOAT" for dessert with RootBeer Floats!


Other Ideas of things to Dip: 

Breadsticks or Mozzarella Sticks dipped in Marinara Sauce
Potato Chips dipped in Clam or Sour Cream Dip
Chicken Nuggets in BBQ sauce
Pita Chips in Spinach Dip or Hummus
 Cookies dipped in Milk






 2. Visit an Aquarium
What better way to experience the Sea than to visit an aquarium!  


and Read Mercer Mayer's "Going to the Sea Park!"





3. Eat Sand!

Every year we make these delicious Sand Pail Desserts for our "Under the Sea" Week. They are sooo good!



1 12 oz. box Nilla Wafers
1 8 oz. container Cool Whip
2 3 oz. packages cream cheese softened
1 4 oz. package vanilla or butterscotch instant pudding mix
1 1/2 C Milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crush Nilla Wafers with a potato masher or in a food processor to make "sand." With a mixer combine Cool Whip, cream cheese, pudding mix, milk and vanilla.  Line the bottom of a clean beach pail with 1/5 cracker crumbs. Top with 1/3 pudding mixture. Continue layering ending with crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 30 min. 

Thought these were cute ideas too!:














4. Have Under the Sea Art Time


I got these stickers and activity books for my little guy. He's super into coloring and stickers so he had a blast!

Some other ideas:






"Sand" (Cloud) Dough Recipe

Real Sand Dough Recipe






5. Eat Fish!
Go for seafood, grill up some fish, or make these delicious shrimp tacos! 


1. Combine about 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or sour cream), 3 tablespoons mayo, 3 tbsp. milk, and 1/2  tsp. cumin. Cover and refrigerate. 

2. Lightly grill about 6-8 corn tortillas until warm and slightly toasted. I use just a little oil to lightly crisp them. Set aside. 

3. Toss 30-40 large shelled, tail-off shrimp in some melted butter, kosher salt, fresh lime juice and minced garlic all to taste. When nicely coated, grill shrimp until pink. (Skewering shrimp may make it easier to grill them).  

4. Place about 4 to 5 shrimp in a warm tortilla. Top with sour cream/yogurt mixture, shredded cabbage and fresh green tomatilla or red salsa. 







6. Learn About the Ocean:


Fish Reports
Visit the library to check-out books on sea life (fish, whales, crabs, coral reefs, etc.). Have your kids each pick a specific ocean creature to learn about and write a "report" on. Take turns sharing your findings with each other!
OR 
Learn and talk about ocean conservation and the efforts you can take in helping to keep our oceans clean and safe!


Recite Seaside Poetry

One of my most treasured memories of our Under the Sea Week were the moments spent curled up on the couch next to my mom as she read aloud to us famous poems about the sea. What is remarkable, however, is that not only did my mom choose to read and discuss such poems with us, being as weighty and complex as they are,  but that she also helped us to learn to recite them. Today I can still rehearse the words to most of these profound verses and I am thankful that at such a young age my mother did not shy away from introducing such deep and meaningful literature to us. 

 Some of my favorites are:


Crossing the Bar, by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Annabel Lee, by Edgar Allan Poe
At the Sea Side, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Casabianca, by Felicia Dorothea Hemans
A Good Play, by Robert Louis Stevenson
What are Heavy?, by Christina Rosetti



My mom got most of the poems she read to us from a book called "A Child's Treasury of Seaside Verse" which is a wonderful collection of some of the most famous poems about the sea. The poems are coupled with gorgeous Victorian paintings and together are a feast for the soul and senses. I'd definitely recommended sharing this book with your own children. 





7. Watch Finding Nemo and 
Eat "Fishy" Crackers








8. Sing Songs About the Sea

"I Wish I Were a Fish" 
"By the Beautiful Sea," by Atteridge and Caroll 
"Under the Sea," from the Little Mermaid





9. Have a Fishy Family Home Evening

The point of this family night discussion is to point out the fact that Heavenly Father cares about EACH and everyone of his children. 

Open by singing  "All Creatures of Our God and King" 
 LDS Hymnbook #62

Then read and discuss the following two stories:

The Testimony of a Scientist by Dr. Sherwood B. Idso
A beautiful story about how a dying fish taught a skeptical scientist something about the nature of God and His love for mankind.

and

One At a Time 
Or better known as "The Starfish Story"

...
 { As a side note, another great story to share with your family is:
The Red Starfish by Troy L. Love - about overcoming hardships.}
...

Afterwards,   Play a Game of Go Fish together!






 And eat Edible Aquariums while you play!




Make blue Jell-o according to package directions. Pour into clear plastic cups. Refrigerate until slightly set (about 20 min.) Remove and place gummy fish into Jell-o. (Jell-o should be thick enough to suspend the fish without them sinking but liquid enough you can still insert them easily.)



And last but not least. . .



10. Read Books About the Sea

Some of our favorites: 

















Thanks for taking a look! See you next time for some more "Summer Magic" fun!!

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