Check out this creative and engaging multi-sensory crab study. I share all the wonderful and simple resources we used to make learning memorable for all ages. Remember to download a free Crab Notebook, found at the end of this post!
On one of our family vacations, we stood on the beach, watching the vast ocean sing its powerful song. All of a sudden, we spotted a sprightly seagull drop something directly from its bill. With curiosity, my children, husband, and I all ran to the shoreline to see the creature that came crashing on the wet sand. Our abrupt arrival spooked the seagull. As this bird flew away and patiently hovered over us, we quickly realized we had interrupted its tasty dinner of Dungeness crab! We examined the sea bird’s feisty meal and after research, learned that seagulls use a technique called “dropping”. Upon catching their prey, they drop the crab from their bills to crack the outer shell. This makes the meat more easily accessible for seagulls to eat. This exciting experience stirred many questions among my little learners. “What are crabs? How many legs do they have? What other animals eat crabs?” With these wonderful questions in mind, we took the opportunity to study these “scavengers of the sea”!
In Which a Crab Study Begins…
Hands-on Nature Study
I love it when my children lead the way in our nature studies. Studying nature involves slowing down and observing with patience the marvels set before us. While walking along the beach, my son found parts of a crab: the chelae, cephalothorax, and pereiopods. He pieced the portions together like a puzzle, then drew the crustacean in his nature notebook. While he sketched and researched, my son discovered that the pincers of a crab are used to fight, so he asked if they fought like ninjas. Maybe so?
Incorporating Art
To paint our crustacean friends, we dipped our toes in the sand with Nana at Chalk Pastel Art and painted three cute red crabs. The chipper red crabs with courageous pincers captivated my son and he loved the scenic colors of red, yellow, and blue. After watching his big brother finish the lesson, my three year old took a deep dive into the world of pastels and painted his own red crabs while following Nana’s lead! This was his very first chalk pastel art lesson.
Crab Sandwiches
C is for crab and croissants! We love to incorporate food into our studies! I found a super simple way to make crab shaped sandwiches on Betty Crocker’s website. It doesn’t take a lot of time to create and the cute crabs add fun and summer memories. I just whipped up a bowl of tuna, then followed the recipe! Aren’t the sandwiches so adorable? It looks as if they are smiling for the camera. My littles and bigs both enjoyed this scrumptious meal.
Multi-sensory Play dough
Play dough invites my children to use their imagination, keeps their hands busy, and is calming. They shaped red play dough into clever little crabs to add to our study. While my three year old made his crab invention, I heard him counting the legs and using those fine motor skills to create these funny little creatures.
Out to Sea
It’s quite encouraging to witness the older generation teach the younger. My teens and tween had the opportunity to go out to sea (just in the bay area) with their great uncle and dad. They learned to fish for Dungeness crab, measure crab, and clean them. This was quite an experience for everyone and an exciting way to bring our crustaceous crab study to a close.
Some of the best homeschool studies have been those that are unplanned. I am so thankful we were able to watch Mrs. Seagull drop her tasty dinner for us to see. Mrs. Seagull’s willingness to share for just a few moments, spurred on a world of candid learning and memories for a lifetime!
Are you interested in a crab study? Download Crustaceous Crabs A Nature Study Notebook for free! In it you will find beautiful watercolor illustrations, questions for research, important crab vocabulary words, a place to take notes, sketch, color, and so much more! This notebook is a crab-tastic addition to a crab study!
More Hands-on Ocean Themed Resources
https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/u-is-for-under-the-sea/
https://journeyhomeschoolacademy.com/14-amazing-ocean-activities-and-projects-for-kids/
https://naturestudyhomeschool.com/?s=ocean
https://thecurriculumchoice.com/coral-kingdom-review/
https://chalkpastel.com/ocean-study-for-homeschool/
https://chalkpastel.com/chalk-pastels-shark-art-for-kids/
https://chalkpastel.com/shark-homeschool-study/
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