KS1 Topic: Oceans and Seas Block B: Atlantic Underwater World
Through a range of exciting activities, find out about the fascinating life of the Atlantic Ocean. Develop
an understanding of how life is adapted to living in the Atlantic. Understand waterproofing, study how
pattern is used for camouflage and understand about food chains. Finally create a sculpture of the
many ocean creatures and plants researched.
Block B: Underwater Worlds:
the Atlantic Ocean
[4 sessions]
By the end of this block you
will have achieved the
following outcomes:
Session 1: Geography,
Science and Art
The Atlantic: Under the
Waves
Role-play exploring the
seabed; Use ‘sea cave’ feely
boxes to investigate using
sense of touch; Create a selfportrait as a scuba diver.
Main Outcome: Art
Other outcomes: Science, Geography and Maths


Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and
design techniques.
 Use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.
 Use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas,
experiences and imagination.
 Develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern,
texture, line, shape, form and space.
 Ask simple questions and recognise that they can be answered in different
ways.
 Observe closely, using simple equipment.
 Perform simple tests.
 Use their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.
 Gather and record data to help in answering questions.
 Identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including
micro-habitats.
 Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and
describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds
of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.
 Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using
the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of
food.
 Find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for
survival (water, food and air).
 Develop contextual knowledge of the location of globally significant places,
both terrestrial and marine, including their defining physical and human
characteristics and how these provide a geographical context for
understanding the actions of processes.
 Use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key physical features, including
‘beach’, ‘cliff’, ‘coast’, ‘forest’, ‘hill’, ‘mountain’, ‘sea’, ‘ocean’, ‘river’, ‘soil’,
‘valley’, ‘vegetation’, ‘season’ and ‘weather’.
 Recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes.
 Identify and describe the properties of 3-D shapes.
Children will
 Develop an understanding of the landscapes of the Atlantic Ocean’s seabed
through role play and paired talk.
 Draw upon the sense of touch to make observations and predictions as to the
identity of a variety of everyday materials hidden within ‘sea cave’ feely
boxes.
 Listen to whale and dolphin songs as examples of how animals communicate
beneath the waves.
 Create self-portraits as scuba divers, using photographs and simple
decoupage techniques.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
The links to the websites and the contents of the web pages associated with such links specified on this list (hereafter collectively referred to as the ‘Links’)
have been checked by Hamilton Trust (being the operating name of the registered charity, William Rowan Hamilton Trust) and to the best of Hamilton
Trust’s knowledge, are correct and accurate at the time of publication. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other terms and conditions on the Hamilton
Trust website, you acknowledge that Hamilton Trust has no control over such Links and indeed, the owners of such Links may have removed such Links,
changed such Links and/or contents associated with such Links. Therefore, it is your sole responsibility to verify any of the Links which you wish you use.
Hamilton Trust excludes all responsibility and liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of any Links.
KS1 Topic: Oceans and Seas Block B: Atlantic Underwater World
Session 2: Science and Art
What Lives in the Atlantic
Ocean?
Develop understanding of
how sea life is adapted to
living in the Atlantic;
Experiment with oil and
water to understand about
waterproofing; Create a
collage to show how sea
creatures use pattern to
camouflage themselves.
Session 3: Science and Art
What to Eat in the Atlantic
Understand about food
chains connecting the plants
and animals in the Atlantic;
Construct own painted food
chains.
Session 4: Art and Maths
Atlantic Life Sculptures
Create a sculpture of the
marine life found in the
Atlantic Ocean.
Children will
 Develop understanding of the terms ‘adapted’ and ‘adaptation’ through an
exploration of sea life in the Atlantic.
 Observe a simple experiment with oil and water to see how the oily
substance in a seabird’s feathers repels water.
 Understand the term ‘camouflage’ and explain why creatures need to be
camouflaged to survive in the Atlantic.
 Create a collage to demonstrate how sea creatures use patterning to
camouflage themselves.
Children will
 Understand that plants and animals in the Atlantic Ocean are linked in food
chains.
 Appreciate that food chains begin with green plants and end with large
predators.
 Rearrange an incorrectly sequenced food chain into its correct order.
 Create a plausible food chain, drawing on knowledge of flora and fauna in the
Atlantic.
 Read and use the terms ‘carnivore’, ‘herbivore’, ‘predator’ and ‘prey’ in
relation to ocean food chains.
 Construct food chains using painted cardboard sea creatures.
Children will
 Construct 3-D sculptures of marine life, drawing upon their knowledge of the
Atlantic Ocean, its inhabitants and their food chains.
 Understand and express the difference between 2-D and 3-D shapes and
artworks.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
The links to the websites and the contents of the web pages associated with such links specified on this list (hereafter collectively referred to as the ‘Links’)
have been checked by Hamilton Trust (being the operating name of the registered charity, William Rowan Hamilton Trust) and to the best of Hamilton
Trust’s knowledge, are correct and accurate at the time of publication. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other terms and conditions on the Hamilton
Trust website, you acknowledge that Hamilton Trust has no control over such Links and indeed, the owners of such Links may have removed such Links,
changed such Links and/or contents associated with such Links. Therefore, it is your sole responsibility to verify any of the Links which you wish you use.
Hamilton Trust excludes all responsibility and liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of any Links.
KS1 Topic: Oceans and Seas Block B: Atlantic Underwater World
Resources
Session 1
Provided: Scuba Diver Image; Sea Caves Prediction Chart; How to Make a Scuba Diver Portrait.
You will need: Craft materials as listed on How to Make a Scuba Diver Portrait; Atlas / globe; Digital
camera and printer; 4 feely boxes decorated as sea caves; 4 sea-related mystery objects (e.g. shells, toy
fish).
Session 2
Provided: Atlantic Marine Life; Gull; How to Make Camouflaged Creatures; Atlantic Silhouettes, printed
on A3 or A4 paper; Experiment Record Chart.
You will need: Patterned scrapbook paper or wallpaper; Scissors; Glue; Large jar with lid; Food
colouring; Cooking oil.
Session 3
Provided: Marine Life (7 images); Atlantic Silhouettes (from Session 2).
You will need: Thick cardboard; Marker pens; Scissors; String; Sticky tape.
Session 4
Provided: End of Block quiz questions.
You will need: Atlantic Marine Life Sculpture image; Thick cardboard; Pens and pencils; Scissors; Paints
and brushes; Glue and masking tape; Googly eyes; Buttons and sequins; Ice cream or other tubs/boxes
with gravel, stones or sand for weighting; Slim florists canes, sticks or dowelling.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users.
The links to the websites and the contents of the web pages associated with such links specified on this list (hereafter collectively referred to as the ‘Links’)
have been checked by Hamilton Trust (being the operating name of the registered charity, William Rowan Hamilton Trust) and to the best of Hamilton
Trust’s knowledge, are correct and accurate at the time of publication. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other terms and conditions on the Hamilton
Trust website, you acknowledge that Hamilton Trust has no control over such Links and indeed, the owners of such Links may have removed such Links,
changed such Links and/or contents associated with such Links. Therefore, it is your sole responsibility to verify any of the Links which you wish you use.
Hamilton Trust excludes all responsibility and liability for any loss or damage arising from the use of any Links.