Key Stage 1 Carnival of the Animals
Fish

Learn about fish, research their life cycles and habitats and make your own aquarium with fish and underwater plants. Create a pattern of movements to develop a dance and compose and plan the dance story for a performance. Create fish puppets, props and a back drop; make and write invitations and finally perform your imaginative dance story and wait for the compliments!

Session 1 What is a fish?

Objectives

Science

  • Identify and name a variety of common animals.
  • Describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including pets).

Geography

  • Name and locate the world’s 7 continents and 5 oceans.
  • Use world maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans.

Lesson Planning

Identify the features of fish; research the life cycle and habitat; make a simple aquarium with fish and underwater plants.

Teaching Outcomes
To identify what makes a fish a fish and research the life cycle and habitat of fish.
To name and locate the 5 oceans on a world map and globe.

Children will:

  • Learn about the characteristics of fish.
  • Research and create life cycle for fish, including salmon.
  • Research and create life-like habitats for fish, some chn distinguishing between freshwater and saltwater.
  • Name the 5 oceans.

You Will Need

  • Flipchart with large fish outline drawn
  • A3 paper to write list
  • Coloured markers
  • Tiddler The Story Telling Fish by Donaldson and Scheffler
  • Books about fish, oceans and aquariums
  • Cardboard boxes
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Globe and world map

Session 2 Move like a fish

Objectives

PE

  • Perform dances using simple movement patterns.

Lesson Planning

Create, practise and improve a pattern of movements to develop a dance inspired by the music of Saint-Saens.

Teaching Outcomes
To use observation skills to create large fish shapes.

Children will:

  • Try out different movements, operating at different levels, some low near the floor, some high in the air.
  • Work with a partner to develop and mirror movements.
  • Work with a small group, co-operating together to use props and to develop movements to tell the story.
  • Peer review; improve and consolidate movements.

Provided Resources

This session does not require any provided resources.

Provided Resources

This session does not need any provided resources.

Session 3 Look like a fish!

Objectives

Art and Design

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.

Lesson Planning

Create large fish stick puppets, props and back drop; make and write invitations to your class performance on fish shaped invites; compose and plan the dance story for a performance.

Teaching Outcomes
To practise and develop appropriate movements and work together to create dance and movement inspired by the music Saint-Saëns ‘Aquarium’.

Children will:

  • Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products for the forthcoming performance.
  • Suggest ideas to help plan the story for their performance.

Provided Resources

This session does not need any provided resources.

You Will Need

  • Tiddler The Story Telling Fish by Donaldson and Scheffler: multiple copies
  • Information books about fish, the ocean and aquariums
  • Large pieces of fabric such as flat sheets, tablecloths or camouflage netting
  • Large pieces art paper
  • Polystyrene tiles or Styrofoam squares or sponges
  • Strips of card
  • Fish shaped card
  • Collage materials

Weblinks

There are no weblinks for this session.

Session 4 Under the sea!

Objectives

PE

  • Perform dance using simple movement patterns.

Lesson Planning

Children will perform their creative dance using puppets and movement, to invited audience

Teaching Outcomes
To perform a dance, using simple movement patterns and props.

Children will:

  • Perform their creative dance using simple dance movements and props to the music of Saint-Saëns before an invited audience.

Provided Resources

This session does not need any provided resources.

You Will Need

  • Aquarium by Saint-Saëns
  • The resources created in Session 3
  • Pre-prepared speech bubble shapes on stiff paper
  • Webcam or camera to capture images for school website or for a static display.