NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher : Sea Turtles

Turtles Times Three

Whole Class Introduction to the Lesson

You will need at least one computer with Internet connectivity and a projection device, a classroom with more than one computer, or access to a computer lab.  This introduction will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Project the following video clips for the whole class. View them in order as listed.

 

Sample Questions:

  • What physical characteristics do you notice about the various turtles that you observe?
  • Describe the different ways that turtles move; how do they use their body parts to help them?
  • Compare and contrast the shells you see in the various species; how do they help each type of turtle to survive?

 

As part of the introduction, you may want to review some of the glossary terms in advance of students going online. At this point you can launch the WebLesson as whole-class activity using a projection device, or you can assign students to work individually or in teams in a computer lab.

 

Rubric

Excellent (30 - 20)

An excellent student response meets all the project requirements and demonstrates that the student absorbed key lesson concepts and gave them thoughtful consideration. The response shows original thinking, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Ideas are organized and clearly articulated according to the proper conventions of writing (at this grade level).

Satisfactory (20 - 10)

A satisfactory student response meets most of the project requirements but overlooks one or more important elements. It reflects a general understanding of the key lesson concepts but shows little depth. The response shows little creativity or originality. Ideas are somewhat disorganized and difficult to follow, and there are numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.

Needs Improvement (10 - 0)

The student response is perfunctory, showing little or no effort. It is unclear if the student thought about or even read any of the lesson content. Ideas are scattered or off-topic. If possible, ask the student to revisit the lesson with a peer or mentor and then rewrite his or her response.

 

WebLesson Sites
Introduction
Turtles are vertebrates that have been in existence for nearly 230 million years. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Some biologists estimate that there are approximately 245 turtle species.

They live in a wide variety of habitats including lakes, rivers, and swamps, oceans and land environments. They come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. Their varying body designs allow them to traverse either dry rocky terrains, or zip through fast currents in the ocean, or lurk among the sea grass beds of brackish areas.
Scenario
As you are learning about turtles, you will have an opportunity to help them by taking what you have learned and helping to educate others about the importance of preservation for the survival of these amazing creatures. Often, turtles are ignored or taken for granted; many people do not realize that they are a threatened animal.
Lesson Pages
We are All Turtles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/turtles-times-three/
Rich Media
All about Reptiles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/reptiles-2/
Rich Media
Sea Turtle Adaptations
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/sea-turtle-adaptations/
Types of Sea Turtles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/sea-turtle-species/
Threats and Conservation
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/threats-and-conservation/
Conclusion & Project
Conclusion
Many view turtles as slow, bulky, and unlikely to survive. You now know that turtles are not only built to survive, they are built to thrive.

Whether turtles that live on the land, in the sea, or in quiet gentle freshwater ponds, their bodies range in size, shape, color... all contributing to enhancing their success in their particular habitat.

Observing turtles in their natural habitat is an exciting opportunity. Next time you get to watch one in action, look for the characteristics that you have learned about in your study of turtles!
Project
You have just finished learning about turtles. You have been hired by an aquatic research group to be in charge of teaching the public about sea turtle nesting and the importance of preserving and protecting their habitat. How would you go about doing this in a way that would reach as many people as possible? What are the most important points that you would stress? What facts can you include?
Glossary
adaptation - An alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, passed down from parents, that improves an individual's ability to survive in its environment
artificial lighting - Light produced by human sources, such as street lights, lights on buildings, and car lights.
beak - The hard covering of the jaws, in turtles consisting of a single plate over each jaw surface.
brackish - Slightly salty, as is the mixture of river water and seawater that occurs at a river's mouth or in a salt marsh.
camouflage - Coloration or patterns that help conceal or disguise something
carapace - The top portion of a turtle's shell.
carnivore - An organism that primarily eats other animals.
clutch - A group of eggs laid at the same time by a single female.
dehydrate - Lose a large amount of water from the body.
ectotherm - An animal whose body temperature varies in accordance with the temperature of its surroundings (cold-blooded).
encroachment - Intruding on, as in humans moving into areas that had been habitat for animals.
endangered - At high risk of extinction.
flippers - The limbs of sea turtles are referred to as flippers, fore (front) and rear (back) flippers.
habitat degradation - Loss of usable living area for animals or plants due to human activity.
hatchling - The stage of life that includes the first several weeks after the turtle leaves its egg, makes its way to the surface, emerges from the sand and crawls to the sea, and begins to swim out into the ocean.
herbivore - An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
hydrodynamic - Having a shape that is easily moved through water.
incubation - The time it takes eggs to develop and be ready to hatch.
invertebrate - An animal with no backbone.
marine - Relating to the sea.
metabolism - The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
omnivore - An animal that eats both plants and animals.
plastron - The bottom portion of a turtle's shell.
predator - Any animal that hunts and eats other organisms.
prey - An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.
reproduction - The act of producing offspring.
scale - The small overlapping plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles, including turtles.
scute - A horny plate that is part of the shell of a turtle.
sever - To separate suddenly.
sexual maturity - Fully developed, adult, old enough to breed.
siltation - The pollution of water by fine particles of silt or clay, often caused by erosion.
temperature dependent sex determination - When the sex of the offspring is determined by the environmental temperature
terrestrial - Relating to land.
thermoregulation - The control of body temperature.
toxin - Poison
traverse - Travel across or through.
vertebrate - An animal (including amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles) with a backbone.
NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher : Sea Turtles

Turtles Times Three

Introduction
Introduction
Turtles are vertebrates that have been in existence for nearly 230 million years. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Some biologists estimate that there are approximately 245 turtle species.

They live in a wide variety of habitats including lakes, rivers, and swamps, oceans and land environments. They come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. Their varying...

Lesson Plan

Whole Class Introduction to the Lesson

You will need at least one computer with Internet connectivity and a projection device, a classroom with more than one computer, or access to a computer lab.  This introduction will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Project the following video clips for the whole class. View them in order as listed.

 

Sample Questions:

  • What physical characteristics do you notice about the various turtles that you observe?
  • Describe the different ways that turtles move; how do they use their body parts to help them?
  • Compare and contrast the shells you see in the various species; how do they help each type of turtle to survive?

 

As part of the introduction, you may want to review some of the glossary terms in advance of students going online. At this point you can launch the WebLesson as whole-class activity using a projection device, or you can assign students to work individually or in teams in a computer lab.

 

Rubric

Excellent (30 - 20)

An excellent student response meets all the project requirements and demonstrates that the student absorbed key lesson concepts and gave them thoughtful consideration. The response shows original thinking, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Ideas are organized and clearly articulated according to the proper conventions of writing (at this grade level).

Satisfactory (20 - 10)

A satisfactory student response meets most of the project requirements but overlooks one or more important elements. It reflects a general understanding of the key lesson concepts but shows little depth. The response shows little creativity or originality. Ideas are somewhat disorganized and difficult to follow, and there are numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.

Needs Improvement (10 - 0)

The student response is perfunctory, showing little or no effort. It is unclear if the student thought about or even read any of the lesson content. Ideas are scattered or off-topic. If possible, ask the student to revisit the lesson with a peer or mentor and then rewrite his or her response.

 

WebLesson Sites
Introduction
Turtles are vertebrates that have been in existence for nearly 230 million years. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Some biologists estimate that there are approximately 245 turtle species.

They live in a wide variety of habitats including lakes, rivers, and swamps, oceans and land environments. They come in a wide range of colors, shapes, and sizes. Their varying body designs allow them to traverse either dry rocky terrains, or zip through fast currents in the ocean, or lurk among the sea grass beds of brackish areas.
Scenario
As you are learning about turtles, you will have an opportunity to help them by taking what you have learned and helping to educate others about the importance of preservation for the survival of these amazing creatures. Often, turtles are ignored or taken for granted; many people do not realize that they are a threatened animal.
Lesson Pages
We are All Turtles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/turtles-times-three/
Rich Media
All about Reptiles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/reptiles-2/
Rich Media
Sea Turtle Adaptations
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/sea-turtle-adaptations/
Types of Sea Turtles
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/sea-turtle-species/
Threats and Conservation
http://seaturtleexploration.com/explore-and-learn/sea-turtle-web-lessons/threats-and-conservation/
Conclusion & Project
Conclusion
Many view turtles as slow, bulky, and unlikely to survive. You now know that turtles are not only built to survive, they are built to thrive.

Whether turtles that live on the land, in the sea, or in quiet gentle freshwater ponds, their bodies range in size, shape, color... all contributing to enhancing their success in their particular habitat.

Observing turtles in their natural habitat is an exciting opportunity. Next time you get to watch one in action, look for the characteristics that you have learned about in your study of turtles!
Project
You have just finished learning about turtles. You have been hired by an aquatic research group to be in charge of teaching the public about sea turtle nesting and the importance of preserving and protecting their habitat. How would you go about doing this in a way that would reach as many people as possible? What are the most important points that you would stress? What facts can you include?
Glossary
adaptation - An alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, passed down from parents, that improves an individual's ability to survive in its environment
artificial lighting - Light produced by human sources, such as street lights, lights on buildings, and car lights.
beak - The hard covering of the jaws, in turtles consisting of a single plate over each jaw surface.
brackish - Slightly salty, as is the mixture of river water and seawater that occurs at a river's mouth or in a salt marsh.
camouflage - Coloration or patterns that help conceal or disguise something
carapace - The top portion of a turtle's shell.
carnivore - An organism that primarily eats other animals.
clutch - A group of eggs laid at the same time by a single female.
dehydrate - Lose a large amount of water from the body.
ectotherm - An animal whose body temperature varies in accordance with the temperature of its surroundings (cold-blooded).
encroachment - Intruding on, as in humans moving into areas that had been habitat for animals.
endangered - At high risk of extinction.
flippers - The limbs of sea turtles are referred to as flippers, fore (front) and rear (back) flippers.
habitat degradation - Loss of usable living area for animals or plants due to human activity.
hatchling - The stage of life that includes the first several weeks after the turtle leaves its egg, makes its way to the surface, emerges from the sand and crawls to the sea, and begins to swim out into the ocean.
herbivore - An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
hydrodynamic - Having a shape that is easily moved through water.
incubation - The time it takes eggs to develop and be ready to hatch.
invertebrate - An animal with no backbone.
marine - Relating to the sea.
metabolism - The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life.
omnivore - An animal that eats both plants and animals.
plastron - The bottom portion of a turtle's shell.
predator - Any animal that hunts and eats other organisms.
prey - An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.
reproduction - The act of producing offspring.
scale - The small overlapping plates protecting the skin of fish and reptiles, including turtles.
scute - A horny plate that is part of the shell of a turtle.
sever - To separate suddenly.
sexual maturity - Fully developed, adult, old enough to breed.
siltation - The pollution of water by fine particles of silt or clay, often caused by erosion.
temperature dependent sex determination - When the sex of the offspring is determined by the environmental temperature
terrestrial - Relating to land.
thermoregulation - The control of body temperature.
toxin - Poison
traverse - Travel across or through.
vertebrate - An animal (including amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles) with a backbone.

Curriculum Standards

NORTH CAROLINA
Bio.2.1.2 Analyze the survival and reproductive success of organisms in terms of behavioral, structural, and reproductive adaptations.
Bio.2.1.3 Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems.
Bio.2.2.1 Infer how human activities (including population growth, pollution, global warming, burning of fossil fuels, habitat destruction and introduction of nonnative species) may impact the environment.
Bio.2.2.2 Explain how the use, protection and conservation of natural resources by humans impact the environment from one generation to the next.
K.L.1.2 Compare characteristics of living and nonliving things in terms of their:
Structure, Growth, Changes, Movement, Basic Needs
1.L.1.2 Give examples of how the needs of different plants and animals can be met by their environments in North Carolina or different places throughout the world.
1.L.1.3 Summarize ways that humans protect their environment and/or improve conditions for the growth of the plants and animals that live there (e.g., reuse or recycle products to avoid littering).
2.L.1.1 Summarize the life cycle of animals:
Birth, Developing into an adult, Reproducing, Aging and death
2.L.2.2 Recognize that there is variation among individuals that are related.

Reference

Additional Refernces

 

 


Extension Activities

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher Lesson Plans

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher has lesson plans designed to go with this weblesson.  For a complete list of lesson plans, click here.

 

Additional Projects

Individual and Group Projects

Here are some projects that can be used after the students have completed the online assignment or as a complement to your lesson. The students can use any media deemed appropriate for the project. 

Final Activity - Whole Class

Choose a turtle species that is endemic (native) to your region. As a class, research this turtle. Visit a local zoo or aquarium or even pet shop that can give you a close-up opportunity to observe this turtle.

As a whole class, collect and organize the research and observations and create a class video that teaches others about this species. Make sure to include information about conservation and preservation.

Present the video to other classrooms and if possible, upload to the school or district Web site to share with parents and administrators.



Questions & Answer Keys

Study Questions and Answer Keys
  1. Turtles shells are an important part of their body. How does the shell help a turtle to survive?
    Answer: The turtle's shell is made of fused bone which provides a hard, tough protective shield that completely surrounds the turtle.
  2. Describe a turtle that you have observed in your area. Describe its color, shape, design, habitat.
    Answer: Answers will vary.
  3. Compare the shell of aquatic and terrestrial turtles.
    Answer: The shells of aquatic turtles tend to be flatter and smoother, thus streamlining their bodies for more efficient swimming. The land turtles do not need to worry about being streamlined, their shells are larger and more of a dome which allows their larger bodies to retreat inside the shells to hide.
  4. What is an ectotherm? List at least two other animals that are ectotherms.
    Answer: An ectotherm is an animal that can not regulate its own internal body temperature and must manipulate its habitat in order to either warm up or cool down its body. Besides turtles, other ectotherms include snakes, lizards, and crocodiles.
  5. Describe how a turtle eats.
    Answer: The turtle has a very strong beak, and no teeth. They are able to break through hard shells of other small animals and they use their beaks to eat their food.
  6. How are humans encroaching on the turtles' natural ecosystems?
    Answer: Humans leave litter which harms the turtles' habitats and can harm them if the turtles try to eat plastics and other debris. Humans also destroy natural habitats with construction and development.
  7. What specific characteristics of the turtle in the video help it to survive?
    Answer: It is a marine turtle so its wide flat flippers and low streamlined shell help it to glide smoothly and quickly through the water.
  8. We know that turtles, like other reptiles, need to breath air. Yet, many turtles can stay underwater for long periods of time. How is this different from humans?
    Answer: Clearly, the lung capacity of an aquatic turtle is much greater, allowing them to spend greater periods of time underwater.
  9. Many of the sea turtles are classified as 'threatened'. What could your class do to raise awareness of the challenges sea turtles face and why it is important we help?
    Answer: Answers will vary.
  10. Choose one type of sea turtle that you would like to observe in nature. Why did you choose this turtle? Describe it.
    Answer: Answers will vary.
  11. Choose two turtle species and list three differences between them.
    Answer: Answers will vary.
  12. What are some of the biggest threats sea turtles face?
    Answer: Hatchlings must travel towards the water in open beach where a number of predators are waiting to prey upon the baby turtles. Also, if the nest is in area of development, the baby can be disoriented by bright lights and head in the wrong direction and to a certain death. Older sea turtles face additional threats.
  13. What can you do to help educate other beach visitors about the loggerhead turtles? How could you convince them to stay away from the nests, as fascinating as they are?
    Answer: Answers will vary.
Quiz Questions & Answers
  1. The shell of the turtle is made up of
    Answer: C. fused bone.
  2. Which physical attribute most likely contributes to the long ranging survival over time of the turtle?
    Answer: C. Their strong shell
  3. What is an adaptation sea turtles have for their aquatic environment?
    Answer: D. All of the above
  4. The tortoise lives primarily
    Answer: D. on land, rarely entering the water.
  5. Aquatic turtles prefer
    Answer: B. freshwater ecosystems.
  6. Turtles live in
    Answer: D. all of the above.
  7. Turtles
    Answer: D. all of the above.
  8. Turtles can be found on every continent except
    Answer: A. Antarctica.
  9. Turtles are
    Answer: C. reptiles.
  10. There are approximately how many species of turtles?
    Answer: D. 250
Project
You have just finished learning about turtles. You have been hired by an aquatic research group to be in charge of teaching the public about sea turtle nesting and the importance of preserving and protecting their habitat. How would you go about doing this in a way that would reach as many people as possible? What are the most important points that you would stress? What facts can you include?
Rubric
Excellent (30 – 20)
An excellent student response meets all the project requirements and demonstrates that the student absorbed key lesson concepts and gave them thoughtful consideration. The response shows original thinking, creativity, and a strong sense of purpose. Ideas are organized and clearly articulated according to the proper conventions of writing (at this grade level).
Satisfactory (20 – 10)
A satisfactory student response meets most of the project requirements but overlooks one or more important elements. It reflects a general understanding of the key lesson concepts but shows little depth. The response shows little creativity or originality. Ideas are somewhat disorganized and difficult to follow, and there are numerous grammatical and mechanical errors.
Needs Improvement (10 – 0)
The student response is perfunctory, showing little or no effort. It is unclear if the student thought about or even read any of the lesson content. Ideas are scattered or off-topic. If possible, ask the student to revisit the lesson with a peer or mentor and then rewrite his or her response.