Ocean Animal Moves

Overview

In this 30-minute sensory-rich lesson, preschool students will explore and imitate the movements of different marine animals. Through guided movement and partner sharing, students will discover how marine animals move in their ocean habitat. This lesson supports diverse learning needs and aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh by focusing on experiential learning, inclusion, and simple science concepts suitable for early childhood.

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Imitate how marine animals move through water.
• Use my body to express different animal movements.
• Share and describe these movements with a friend.

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Success Criteria

• Students move their bodies in ways that reflect specific marine animals (e.g., swimming like a fish, floating like a jellyfish).
• Students demonstrate awareness of how different animals move in water.
• Students communicate their favourite movement with a partner in simple words or gestures.

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Curriculum Links (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

Learning Area: Science - Understanding Planet Earth and Beyond / Living World (early level concepts)
Relevant Strand and Content Focus:

• Explore the local environment and natural phenomena.
• Develop awareness of how living things adapt to their surroundings through movement and behaviour.
• Engage in sensory experiences to connect with natural world concepts through movement and play.

Key Competencies:

• Managing Self (body control and awareness)
• Relating to Others (sharing experiences, partner interactions)
• Participating and Contributing (engagement in group activities)

Learning Progression:
The lesson develops early scientific understanding by sensory exploration and simple observation emphasizing personal experience and language development around natural phenomena.

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Students

• 10 preschool students
• Many are autistic and sensory learners requiring multi-sensory, movement-based learning and clear, simple instructions.

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Resources

• Large open space (classroom or hall)
• Soft mats for floor activities
• Pictures or tactile models of marine animals (fish, dolphin, octopus, sea turtle, jellyfish)
• Visual schedule with pictures for steps of the activity
• Dyslexia-friendly laminated cards with simple animal names and images
• Optional: calming sensory items like weighted lap pads or noise-cancelling headphones for students who need them

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Lesson Structure and Timing

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation & Support
0-5 mins	Warm-up & Introduction	Gather in a circle; show pictures of marine animals and briefly name each. Use simple language.	Use visual supports, clear voice tones. Allow students to touch tactile models. Use sign or gestures for key vocabulary.
5-15 mins	Movement Exploration	Teacher models how a fish swims, dolphin jumps, octopus waves arms, jellyfish floats, sea turtle crawls.	Use exaggerated actions, demonstrate slowly. Encourage all students to participate at their own pace. Use mats for safety.
15-22 mins	Partner Share & Copy	Pair students; one moves like an animal, partner copies and then they swap. Use simple prompts, e.g. “Can you swim like a fish?”	Pair more verbal with less verbal students to enable modelling. Provide quiet areas if overwhelmed. Use hand-over-hand if needed.
22-27 mins	Group Movement Game: Ocean Flow	Group move “like the ocean” – flow gently with arms, float, wiggle like waves and animals in water.	Use calming music or sound effects of the ocean. Allow students to stop and have a break if needed.
27-30 mins	Reflection & Cool-down	Sit down and talk about favourite movements. Show the picture cards and ask “Which animal did you like moving like?”	Use sentence starters, gestures, or drawings; allow non-verbal responses or show thumbs up/down.

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Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners

• Use multi-sensory inputs: visual (pictures), auditory (ocean sounds), tactile (models), and kinesthetic (movement).
• Provide predictable structure with visual schedule.
• Offer choices in animal movements to empower students.
• Use clear, concrete language with repetition.
• Allow students to engage at their own physical and social comfort level.
• Provide calming breaks and sensory supports as needed.

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Extension Activities (For Advanced Learners)

• Invite students to create imaginative new marine animal movements and explain how it moves (encourages creativity and verbal skills).
• Use story sequencing with picture cards to order marine animals by size or movement type.
• Explore simple cause and effect: “What happens if a fish can’t swim well?”

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Assessment

• Observe and note student participation and ability to imitate movements.
• Listen for use of animal names or descriptive words during partner sharing.
• Check students’ comfort and engagement levels.
• Use checklist to track cooperation in pairs and reflection responses.

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This lesson embraces the New Zealand Curriculum's vision of inclusive, engaging, and relevant learning, supporting holistic development of preschoolers in a special needs context with sensory, cognitive and communication consideration.