K-1 Ocean Animals Quiz Activity Instructions:

Depending on the level of the students, you can have them tell you the answers out loud (after raising their hand), or have them write the answers down, copying the words from the dictionary. If you like, you can keep score of which person (or group) finds the most answers.

This is a dictionary "scavenger hunt," a simple activity for children who are starting to be familiar with the alphabet and the sounds the letters make.

The students will do their work at a computer (or in small groups of 2 to 3 students at a computer). The teacher asks the students (some of) the questions listed below.

To answer the questions, the students must go to the right page in the dictionary by clicking on the correct letter at the top of the Little Explorers page. They will then look at the pictures on the page to answer the question.

1. An ocean is a large body of salt water. What is another word for ocean? This word starts with an "S." Answer: Sea

2. This animal starts with an "S." What is the name of a mammal that lives in the ocean and on the beach? Like other mammals, they breathe air. They swim with flippers and eat fish. Answer: Seal or Sea lion

3. This animal starts with an "S." It lives on the sea floor and moves very slowly using its long legs. It has a hard, spiny skin. What is it called? Answer: Sea Star or Starfish

4. This ocean animal starts with an "S." It is a type of fish that doesn't have real bones - it has a softer kind of bone, called cartilage. Many people are scared of these fish. What are they called? Answer: Shark

5. This animal starts with an "S." It swims in the seas and has 10 legs. When it is in danger, it can squirt out black ink to confuse its enemies. What is it called? Answer: Squid

6. This animal starts with an "S." It is related to sharks, but has a very flat body. It can sting its enemies. What is it called? Answer: Stingray

7. This animal starts with an "F." It is a very common type of animal that swims in the ocean. It breathes with gills, and some of them swim in "schools" (large groups). What is it called? Answer: Fish

8. This animal starts with a "T." It is a common, fast-swimming fish that many people really like to eat. What is it called? Answer: Tuna

9. This mammal starts with a "W." It lives in cold oceans and on the shore. It breathes air and has very long tusks (the large teeth in the front of its mouth). Answer: Walrus

10. This animal starts with a "W." It is a huge mammal that swims in the oceans. It breathes air through blowholes. What is it called? Answer: Whale

11. This animal starts with a "W." It is the biggest fish in the world. It is a type of shark that only eats tiny organisms that float in the sea. What is it called?Answer: Whale shark

12. This animal starts with an "L." It is a hard-shelled animal that walks along the bottom of the sea. What is it called? Answer: Lobster

13. This ocean animal starts with an "O." There are suction cups on each of the 8 legs of this animal. What is this animal called? Answer: Octopus

14. This animal starts with an "O." It is a type of whale that is black and white and has big teeth. Answer: Orca

15. This whale starts with a "K." What is another name for the black and white toothed whale in the last question? Answer: Killer Whale

16. This animal starts with a "D." It is a very intelligent sea mammal that has a long snout and many teeth. These playful animals can be very friendly to people. Answer: Dolphin

17. This word starts with a "P." What is a group of whales called? Answer: Pod

18. This word starts with a "P." There are tons of tiny animals and plants that float in the ocean. These organisms are at the bottom of the food web and are eaten by many other animals, including the giant whales. What are they called? Answer: Plankton

19. This animal starts with a "B." It is the biggest animal that has ever lived on Earth and is a type of whale. What is it called? Answer: Blue whale

20. This big, scary shark starts with a "G." It has white skin and many sharp teeth. Although people are very afraid of it, it hardly ever attacks people. What is it called? Answer: Great White Shark