3 Activities for Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish is a classic.  In case you haven't read it, it's about the Rainbow Fish, the most beautiful fish in the ocean because of his shining silver scales.  He's lonely, though, and eventually learns that while sharing his scales with the other fish makes him less beautiful, it also makes him more happy.
 

We did three activities to go along with this book (hope you've got yourself some tin foil!)

1. Craft

I drew a simple fish shape and the kids used tin foil scales, glitter glue, googly eyes, and markers to decorate them.  They also used the bingo markers to make "bubbles".

rainbow fish activity

2. Retelling

I attached some colored and tinfoil scales to clothespins and clipped them to my two little rainbow fish.  We read the book and then I encouraged them to trade scales.  (We have a way to go in the sharing department around here.)  If you were doing this with a larger group of children, you could designate one child as the rainbow fish and only give the shiny scales to that child.  As you read, the rainbow fish could give his or her shiny scales to the other fish.

rainbow fish activity

3. Play

I cut four different colored fishes from construction paper and made one the rainbow fish by adding different colored scales.  Each got six matching scales except the rainbow fish, which got tinfoil scales. (I laminated everything but you wouldn't have to.)

rainbow fish activity

I put a small piece of magnetic tape to the back of each scale and taped the fish to the refrigerator.  Now the kids can either match the scales to the fish or distribute the shiny scales to each of the fish.
rainbow fish activity


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16 comments:

  1. Very clever magnetic fish, looks like a lot of fun.

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  2. This book is such a good lesson for children. You ideas to go with the book are wonderful and really get to the idea if sharing in a fun and child centered way. Carolyn

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  3. These are great activities to extend this cherished book! I love the retelling. It is so cute!

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  4. Such great activities for Rainbow Fish. The clothespin scales are ingenious!! Pinning this!

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  5. i love #2! i could see a whole class of kiddos doing this! am totally pinning this!

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  6. Sounds a lovely story and great ideas you have from it.

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  7. Love love love these ideas for rainbow fish! :)

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  8. I'm going to have to do something with the clothespins during storytime. I do a matching game with every class each week. I don't know if I can wait for a Rainbow Fish theme...

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  9. what a lovely way to dive deeper into a book. Thanks for sharing this on Kids Co-op

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  10. I love your retelling activity. Your crafts are awesome too. Thank you for linking to Read.Explore.Learn.

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  11. I love your retelling idea! What a great way to bring a story to life!

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  12. Aaaah so cute. I really like the clothes peg scales! How fun!

    Thank you for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

    Maggy & Alissa

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  13. Thank you so much for linking up at Homeschooling on the Cheap! last week! Your link was the #3 most clicked link on the link up!

    I loved your idea and really appreciate your support! Stop over and see your feature.

    http://3boysandadog.com/deals/2012/homeschooling-on-the-cheap-05032012/

    Kelli

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  14. Such fantastic ideas! Thank you SO much for sharing at the Summer Reading Adventure party at Mom On Timeout!

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  15. I love the idea for retelling. I will be using that in my narrative sessions come September (it was our last day at school today in UK, planning next term already!) A great website, thank you :-)

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I love to hear when somebody can use an idea!

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