WOW Game Title: Ocean Exploration 1
Physical Education Game: Parachute Exploration
Content Area: Science
TEKS Focus: Force and Motion
Earth Supports Life
Ecosystems
The Sun and Earth-Weather
Physical Education Unit: Cooperation, Muscular Strength & Flexibility
Grade: 4
Resource: www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/Waves.html
Parachute Ocean Exploration 1 by Pam Atkins
Equipment/Materials: 1-20’or 24’ parachute; drum and mallet (may use whistle)
Set Up: Prior to activity, teacher discusses with students “What causes ocean waves?”
The winds cause waves on the surface of the ocean (and on lakes.) The wind transfers some of its
energy to the water, through friction between the air molecules and the water molecules. Stronger
winds (like storm surges) cause larger waves. Waves of water do not move horizontally, they only
move up and down (a wave does not represent a flow of water.) You can see a demonstration of this
by watching a floating buoy bob up and down with a wave; it does not, however, move horizontally
with the wave.
Activity:
Lay parachute on ground with students evenly distributed around parachute. Prior to students touching
parachute, teach students drum beat cues: 1 beat = hands on parachute and stand up; 2 beats = put
parachute on ground, students sit down and hands in lap; fast repetitive drum beats = students stand
up holding edge of parachute and shake parachute creating “small ocean waves”; slow repetitive
drum beats = students stand up holding edge of parachute and extend arms up and then bend at waist
and knees taking arms all the way down in slow motion creating “giant ocean waves.”
After students are taught the drum beat cues, then teacher beats cues and takes class through an
“ocean wave exploration.” During this exploration, teacher may designate which students are
permitted to go “under the ocean.” When going under students should lay on abdominals with head
down on forearms. Students will experience the wind creating the waves!
Variations:
 When students go “under the ocean” this is a great time for teacher to pull in “What Do You
See?” The teacher can review what sea life has been taught in the classroom, what species are
on the ocean floor, etc.
Review Questions:
Skill Focus: Which muscles did we strengthen while working with the parachute?
Academic Focus: What causes waves? How does climate effect wave action?