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Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth's surface and even in the plains and on mountaintops, sea fossils can be found. They are a major means of transportation as well as a source of food. The oceans also purify our air and influence of weather. This all emphasizes the importance of teaching students about the sea. One of the best ways to teach is through experience, but many can't directly experience the oceans on a daily basis, but ocean craft ideas will help, and can decorate the homes!

Seashells are the most common ocean creature and craft idea that people think about, and they come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. They can also be fashioned into jewelry, hung as Christmas decorations or used to create mobiles and wind chimes, all done in the classroom by young children, but there is a vast range of other things in the ocean than mollusks!

All children have heard of coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is the only living creature that can be seen from outer space. There are literally thousands of different types of corals and parts of coral reefs are easy to find. Do not collect them from the sea, just pick up pieces from the shore. They can be made into funny animals,mounted in clay and used for ring holders (Finger Coral is appropriate for this), or just made into abstract art.

Sea Fans are "soft corals" and frequently was ashore in the Caribbean. They can be collected along with small pieces of driftwood and then made into decorations. They are excellent earring holders, can be made into sign boards, or even sued as "wire matting for "peg boards".

The driftwood can be cleaned and polished and used for for a wide range of things. There is driftwood sculpture, some quite elaborate. With straighter pieces, make picture frames and then have the students draw sea scenes and mount them. Give each student several pieces of driftwood ask what they can see in it!

Sea Urchins also provide ocean craft items. The spines are interesting and some are very thick (Check out the Pencil Urchin). They can be mixed with shells and beach glass to create some wonderful dioramas. The inside is a "White Ball" and can make "snowmen"; or Christmas Ball..

The choices for ocean craft ideas is vast. There are fish scales that can be made into earrings (The Trunk fish works best for this), sand dollars for painting and even interesting fish bones. What ever you use, make sure nothing was killed to provide it and that it isn't endangered! Enjoy and learn about the oceans.

Learn more about this author, James Johnson.
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