Welcome to the Ocean Life Morning Time Session!
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Schedule
Recommended Books
Prayer & Scripture Memorization
For Bible reading, we will make suggestions for your morning time reading. However, if you’d prefer a more in-depth schedule, we recommend checking out various plans that will help you read the Bible through.
For a one-year plan, we recommend YouVersion’s One Year Bible: https://www.bible.com/readingplans/60. You can also listen to it being read aloud on the app.
Download a two-year reading plan from the Gospel Coalition here:
https://media.thegospelcoalition.org/static-blogs/tgc/files/2010/12/TGC-Two-Year-Bible-ReadingPlan1.pdf
If you prefer to go even slower, Ambleside Online offers three, four, and five-year Bible reading
plans: https://www.amblesideonline.org/L/Lbiblesch.html
This session, we will learn Psalm 93 and focus on writing and memorizing Mark 4:35-41 and Psalm 107:23-30.
Artist Study
We have chosen four artists for this session, along with four ocean-themed artworks (one per artist). They are:
- Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633), Rembrandt van Rijn
- Watson and the Shark (1778), John Singleton Copley
- The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831), Katsushika Hokusai
- Waves Breaking Against the Wind (1840), J.M.W. Turner
Composer Study
We have no featured composer for this session, but have picked out an assortment of ocean-themed classical music (with links to each) to listen to. They are:
- La Mer by Claude Debussy
- The Sea by Frank Bridge
- Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage by Ludwig Van Beethoven
- A Sea Symphony by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Listen to each piece below:
La Mer, by Claude Debussy
The Sea, by Frank Bridge
Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, by Ludwig van Beethoven
A Sea Symphony, by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Hymn/Folk Song
Hymn
“Eternal Father, Strong to Save” is a cherished hymn that has offered comfort and courage to sailors, their families, and many others through the years who have faced the powerful forces of the sea. The hymn began as a poem, written in the nineteenth century by William Whiting. Shortly after the poem was written, a church musician named John Bacchus Dykes composed the accompanying tune, “Melita.”
Over time, the song became closely associated with naval traditions in both the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy, and additional verses were added to form their own versions of the song. For many sailors, this hymn became a source of strength during long journeys and dangerous storms. Today, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” continues to be sung around the world. It reminds us that, no matter how big the waves of life may feel, we can call on God for strength and peace.
Listen to the music and sing along with it below:
Eternal Father, Strong to Save (The Navy Hymn)
Folk Song
“The Fish in the Sea” is a traditional folk song that has been sung for generations by sailors, fishermen, and coastal communities. Its exact origins are difficult to trace, though it likely began as a Scottish fisherman’s song. This is common with many folk songs, because the lyrics and melodies were passed from person to person through daily life rather than being written down. What we do know is that this song belongs to the rich tradition of sea shanties and work songs that helped sailors keep rhythm while hauling lines, rowing, or completing long, tiring tasks on the water. Sailors often changed the verses to match their own experiences or to add some lighthearted fun, and the song would be passed throughout the crew, each man adding a verse about a different fish. Today, “The Fish in the Sea” is still enjoyed for its cheerful rhythm and its glimpse into maritime history.
Listen and sing along with it below:
Fish in the Sea
Poetry
We’ve included six poems that evoke the beauty of the ocean for your kids and teens to read, listen to, memorize, and recite. They are:
- Sea Fever by John Masefield
- After the Sea-Ship by Walt Whitman
- The Sound of the Sea by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Calm at Sea by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- The Prosperous Voyage by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
For copywork, we have included Zaner-Bloser style handwriting sheets for primary, elementary, and cursive, as well as college-ruled for older students. The poems we have chosen are:
- Sea Fever by John Masefield
- After the Sea-Ship by Walt Whitman
- The Sound of the Sea by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Copywork
Tea Times
In this session, we are giving you four ocean-themed recipes for our hospitality tea: Shark in the Water Cheesecake, Fish M&M Cupcakes, Frosted Starfish Cookies, and Ocean Wave Crinkle Cookies.
We will also have three Storytime Teas and a Fable Teatime:
Storytime Tea: The Sea King’s Victory by Andrew Lang
Storytime Tea: The Fish-Girl by Andrew Lang
Storytime Tea: The Sea King’s Gift by Andrew Lang
Fable Teatime: “The Shipwrecked Man and the Sea” by Aesop
Nature Study
Each Friday morning, you will go through two of our nature cards. They are labeled in the upper right corner with the corresponding week. These are short, factual cards with images to help your child become familiar with objects in the natural world.
As you progress through our sessions, you may find it handy to keep your past nature cards in a binder for easy reference when your children come across a familiar object. These seeds you are planting will grow into a wonderful garden of knowledge for your children in years to come.
As you explore nature outside your home, watch and listen for newly discovered delights. And as a bonus, watch the informative videos below to discover more about the lives of creatures under the sea! We have included content warnings for younger viewers, but please pre-screen these and/or watch with parental supervision to determine what your children will be comfortable with!
The Incredible Lives of Dolphins
Masterminds: Secrets of the Octopus
Supersized Sharks (Content warning: Depicts sharks hunting- some blood and shots of sharks grabbing prey/eating. Younger viewers may prefer the shark video below this one.)
Sharks! Weird but True
Are Whales Smarter Than We Think? (Content warning: Shows the death of a beached killer whale. To skip, skip from 31:00-34:27.)
Our Planet: High Seas (Content warning: Shot/mention of squids breeding. To skip, skip from 39:20-39:40.)
Real Isopod Hours with Coyote Peterson
Handicraft
In this session, we are creating an adorable seashell trinket dish out of clay! Step-by-step instructions and images have been included to make things simple and clear. This is a great use for any seashells you have collected on nature walks or vacation!
Art Lesson
Coral reefs are often called the “rainforests of the sea.” They are built by tiny animals called “coral polyps,” which are similar to anemones and jellyfish. Like vibrant, underwater cities, coral reefs are full of bright and colorful fish: clownfish, angelfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, sea turtles, and many more aquatic creatures.
In this lesson, we will explore the colors and shapes of a coral reef, creating a vibrant underwater scene inspired by one of nature’s most beautiful ecosystems. Among the coral and sea plants, we will also draw a few fish found in a coral reef. A template has been provided that includes a few select fish; however, students can experiment with all kinds of different fish. Below are images of fish Olivia uses in the lesson, as well as a link to a website with images of even more fish to choose from.
Or visit this website to check out more fish typically found in a coral reef!
Supplies List
- 9 X 12 inch watercolor paper
- assorted markers (we used Ohuhu markers!)
- assorted watercolors
- black pen or sharpie
Solfa
Charlotte Mason incorporated solfa lessons twice a week for about 10 minutes each. These lessons are intended to be repeated and you can stay on any lesson for as long as you like. Here is the YouTube channel Lara and her boys enjoy and recommends for practicing solfa, Children of the Open Air:
Brush Drawing
Brush drawing builds motor and observation skills. We have included a link to videos by Bestowing the Brush below which are great for all ages to learn together:
