Young ones often enjoy school units related to dinosaurs. After your little ones have learned a bit about dinosaurs, turn them into archaeologists with your sand and water table. Into the sand side, bury some small plastic dinosaur bones and teeth. Put a shovel or cup in the sand so they have something with which to "dig." When they find bones, they may dip them into the water to rinse them off and set them aside. Alternatively, you could eliminate the water and just fill both sides with sand and bones so more children may do this activity at once.
Most times when kids make something with sand, it has to be left behind wherever they are. With this activity from Family Fun, they'll be able to make sand creations that can last. In addition, the kids can make anything that corresponds to the unit you're currently studying. Ahead of time (probably at home), you'll need to mix 1 cup of sand, 1/2 cup of cornstarch and 1 tsp. of alum together in a saucepan. Add about 3/4 cup of water and stir this together until the cornstarch dissolves, then cook this over medium to low heat while stirring. Once the dough has thickened and takes on the consistency of play dough (about 3 minutes), remove it from the pot and store in an air-tight container. This recipe makes enough for one child to play with or two kids with a little less "clay," so you may want to make several batches or enlist the help of parent volunteers who are willing to make some at home and bring it in. Pour all batches of clay into your sand and water table, and let the kids have fun sculpting and molding the clay into any shapes or designs they want. When they're done, store their creations on a shelf where they'll be safe to dry for one week, then allow the kids to take them home.
While visiting a real ocean may not be feasible for your class, you can turn your sand and water table into a mini "ocean" with this activity that will correspond with any ocean unit. You'll need to fill the water side with water, then add blue food coloring until it is the shade you want. Add plastic ocean animals to the water, such as crabs, seahorses, fish, sharks, whales and dolphins. You can then add seashells to the sand side and then cover them with enough sand to fill the area, along with shell-collecting supplies such as pie pans with holes cut in them and shovels. If you're feeling brave, consider adding the shells and sand to both sides. Add just enough sand to fill the sides about halfway, then fill the rest of the space with the colored water and ocean animals. This way may be a little messy, but it'll be more like the real ocean and your kids may enjoy it.