Sparkling Sea Friends

Overview

Duration: 20 minutes
Class Size: 20 Preschool Students (Ages 4–5)
Focus Book: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister
Curriculum Areas:

• Visual Arts (ACAVAM107 – Foundation Level)
• Media Arts (ACAMAM054 – Foundation Level)
• Drama (ACADRM027 – Foundation Level)

This session integrates art, media and drama to support the development of creativity, emotional literacy, and storytelling. Drawing from The Rainbow Fish, children explore kindness, sharing, and self-expression through hands-on, play-based learning.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this session, students will:

1. Create a shimmering fish using different materials, showing personal choices in colour and texture (Visual Arts).
2. Use digital media (iPads or classroom tablets) to photograph their creations and explore how pictures can communicate ideas (Media Arts).
3. Participate in a simple dramatic performance using voice and movement to retell a scene from The Rainbow Fish (Drama).

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Success Criteria

Students will be successful when they:

• Select and combine materials to create a unique ‘Rainbow Fish’.
• Use a digital device with a partner to take a photo of their artwork.
• Use voices and body movements to act out the fish giving away its scales.

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Required Resources

• The Rainbow Fish book (read aloud or digital version)
• Pre-cut fish templates (cardboard or thick paper)
• Child-safe glue sticks
• Collage materials: tissue paper, alfoil, sequins, glitter paper (some cut as ‘scales’)
• iPads or tablets (4–5, shared in small groups)
• Blue play cloths or scarves
• Simple under-the-sea soundscape (optional)
• Portable speaker or classroom audio system
• Camera or class tablet for teacher documentation

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Teaching Sequence

1. Introduction (3 minutes)

Curriculum Link: English/Oral Language, Social and Emotional Teaching

• Circle time: revisit The Rainbow Fish, focusing on the part where Rainbow Fish gives away his scales.
• Question: “How did Rainbow Fish feel when he shared? How did the other fish feel?”

Vocabulary Emphasis: share, kind, shiny, sparkly, colourful

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2. Visual Arts – ‘Create Your Fish’ (7 minutes)

Curriculum Link: Visual Arts – ACAVAM107

• Students each receive a fish cut-out.
• They choose their own materials to decorate, focusing on texture and colour. Some shiny “scales” are provided separately to echo the shimmering book illustrations.
• Encourage use of words: bumpy, smooth, shiny, sparkly, soft.

Teacher Prompt:
“Can you choose three things that make your fish special? Maybe it’s shiny like the Rainbow Fish or soft like seaweed!”

Extension for fast finishers: Create a ‘coral reef’ background on blue paper for the fish.

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3. Media Arts – ‘Photo Pals’ (3 minutes)

Curriculum Link: Media Arts – ACAMAM054

• Students work in pairs.
• Each child uses the classroom tablet to take a photo of their partner’s fish creation.
• Encourage framing the fish and choosing background (e.g. blue scarf or underwater toys).

Teacher Note: Use prompting questions such as: “How can we make the picture look like it’s underwater?”

These photos can later be printed or emailed to families.

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4. Drama – ‘Underwater Scene’ (7 minutes)

Curriculum Link: Drama – ACADRM027

• Using scarves and ocean sounds, the class re-enacts the moment when Rainbow Fish gives away scales.
• Each child becomes a fish swimming through the ocean.
• One student holds their sparkly fish up and ‘shares’ shiny scales with others.

Teacher as Facilitator Role:
Narrate softly:
“The Rainbow Fish swam through the sea, where other fish watched in wonder. One by one, she gave away her sparkly scales…”

Movement Focus: Slow, gliding, calm actions. Use body to show emotion—sad face to happy face, lonely to joyful.

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Assessment Opportunities

Throughout the session, observe and note:

• Engagement with art-making: Are students thoughtfully selecting textures and colours?
• Media use: Can they collaborate with a peer to capture a clear photo?
• Role play participation: Are they expressive in movement and voice?

These can feed into Early Years Learning Framework outcomes, especially:

• Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
• Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Materials are open-ended and sensory-friendly to support diverse learners.
• Drama activity is non-verbal, allowing participation from all language levels.
• Visual exemplars of finished fish are available for visual learners.

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Oral language development through shared storytelling.
• Personal and Social Capability: Identifying and expressing feelings through body movement and art.

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Reflection for Next Time

• Were children able to connect emotionally to the Rainbow Fish’s story?
• Were they able to express these emotions physically or visually?
• Consider inviting families to view a mini "Under the Sea" photo gallery or show the dramatization on video as part of learning documentation.

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Teacher Note

This playful, multi-sensory lesson encourages empathy, creativity and collaboration—essential foundations for early childhood development. Using The Rainbow Fish as a springboard allows deep exploration beyond art into social learning and digital communication.

Let students splash through imagination, sparkle with kindness, and shine with growing skills.