R EADING I S F UNDAMENTAL S T ORY S AMPLER. Sea Turtles F OR C HILDREN A GES 5-12

Transcription

1 R EADING I S F UNDAMENTAL S T ORY S AMPLER Sea Turtles F OR C HILDREN A GES 5-12

2 Support for Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. comes from corporations, foundations, government, and other national service organizations. RIF is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and has been accorded tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to RIF are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Reading Is Fundamental, RIF, and the logo design showing the open book with a smiling face on it and the words Reading Is Fundamental underneath it are all registered service marks of Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading Is Fundamental, Inc Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Suite 400 Washington, D.C Toll free: Web site: Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. All rights reserved.

3 Introduction What Is a Story Sampler? A Story Sampler makes books come alive for children. It is a book-based thematic approach to reading designed to engage children in the book experience. Each Story Sampler includes hands-on, cross-curricular activities for books that are linked by a common theme. Why Use a Story Sampler? Motivational activities are an important part of every Reading Is Fundamental program. And these motivational activities are an easy way to excite children s interest in reading and help them associate books and reading with positive experiences and that means fun! The ideas you will find in each Story Sampler show you how to build anticipation and excitement in your RIF programs. Scores of studies show that students learn more and do better in school when their parents are involved in their education. Different types of hands-on activities enable all children to learn in different ways. Particular questions before, during and after read aloud activities can develop high order thinking skills. Family members can encourage children to become life-long readers by reading aloud with them everyday. Reading aloud to children is one of the most effective ways to support language and literacy development. Children who are read to from infancy associate reading with pleasant, warm feelings. When you invite children to participate in reading, ask open-ended questions that promote creative thinking and learning, and plan activities and experiences that allow children to expand their understanding of the story, you help them develop a love of reading. What Are the Standard Elements of a Story Sampler? Each section of the Story Sampler includes a featured book plus additional titles and resources.* The activities that accompany each section will help you develop a literacy-rich environment that contributes significantly to a child s enjoyment of reading. The standard elements in the Story Sampler include: Questions to ask Things to do Family involvement Community connections *The ISBN listed indicates a specific edition of the book. However, other editions may also be available through the public library or other publishers. Who Should Use a Story Sampler and Where? Some Story Samplers are age-specific, but most can be adapted to a broad range of ages. Teachers, families, and child-care providers can use them in classrooms, community centers, homes, and in Head Start sites. And most importantly, parents can extend the story beyond the classroom with home-based projects and field trips. Story Samplers can forge relationships and shared experiences within the family and the community. Through the family, children can be introduced to many kinds of books. Books can explain and reinforce concepts; allow children to build positive self-images; stimulate discussions and thinking; increase children s understanding of various concepts; and expand their imagination. The age range for a Story Sampler is indicated at the beginning of each set of activities. 1

4 When and How Should I Use a Story Sampler? Story Samplers can be used within or as a supplement to a curriculum or an after-school program. They can be part of reading challenges, reading weeks, and family involvement events. Your imagination and the interests of the children who participate in the RIF program will help determine the best way to use the Story Sampler. Enjoy and have fun! Tips for Reading Aloud Before You Read a Story Make sure everyone is comfortable Show the cover and read the title and author of the book Ask the children about the cover Suggest things the children can look or listen for during the story During a Story Change your voice to fit the mood or action Move your finger under the words as you read them Show the pictures and talk about the book as you read Add information or change words to help kids understand more words and explain the meaning of a new word Ask children to make predications about the plot, the characters, and the setting Share your own thoughts about the story Follow the cues of the children After You Read a Story Ask questions about what happened in the story Encourage the group to relate the story to their own experiences Ask children how they might feel or act if they were one of the characters Encourage children to share their thoughts about the story and pictures Extend the story with an activity or another book Sea Turtles A STORY SAMPLER FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-12 SEA TURTLE LIFE CYCLE Into the Sea by Brenda Z Guiberson, Henry Holt, 1996 ISBN: The Boy Who Talked with Animals from The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl, Viking Press, 1988 ISBN: HABITAT The Magic School Bus Hops Home: A Book About Animal Habitats by Patricia Relf, Scholastic Trade, 1995 ISBN: One Small Square Coral Reef by Donald M. Silver, McGraw-Hill, 1997 ISBN: MIGRATION The Journey of a Turtle by Carolyn Scrace, Watts, 2000 ISBN: X Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi by Phyllis Shalant, Dutton Children s Books, 2000 ISBN: CONSERVATION And Still the Turtle Watched by Sheila MacGill-Callahan, Dial Books for Young Readers, 1991 ISBN: The Turtle Watchers by Pamela Powell, Penguin, 1994 ISBN:

5 Sea Turtle Life Cycle CHILDREN AGES 5-8 Into the Sea by Brenda Z Guiberson Henry Holt, 1996 ISBN: Tap, tap. Scritch. The tiny sea turtle is the last hatchling to break out of her leathery egg and so begins the life of the sea turtle. This beautifully illustrated book describes in great detail the sea turtle s life cycle as well as it s habitat, the food it eats and the other sea creatures that it lives among. What To Do Before Reading the Story There are many ways to introduce the topic of Sea Turtles; however, with young children, it is often helpful to begin with how it relates to their lives. Begin by reading the title of the book and get the conversation started by asking some or all of the following questions: Has anyone here ever been to the ocean or the beach? What did you see when you were there? Did you go in the water? What did the sand, water and the bottom of the ocean feel like? Did you play in the sand or dig holes and make sand castles? Did you see any fish or crabs or other sea creatures? Has anyone ever been on a boat out in the ocean? What kinds of things did you see from the boat? What did it feel like to be on the boat? Show the children the cover of the book and ask them about the picture. Point out that the illustration is of an underwater scene and that the sea creature they are looking at is a Sea Turtle. Begin reading the story, but try not to skip showing the title page, you may want to come back to it after the story and ask the children to talk about it! Things To Talk About During the Story The first page mentions that the baby sea turtle is not much bigger than a large bottle cap, if you do not have a bottle cap handy, hold up your fingers to show how small the sea turtle is when it is first born. Each page tells an interesting fact about the sea turtle. With the children s help, try to find and record a fact from each page either while you are reading or once you have finished the story. There are many other sea creatures mentioned or shown in the story, talk about what else the kids see on each page. The pictures in the story help illustrate great details about the sea turtle to point out as you read, such as: the view of the turtle floating on the surface slightly camouflaged by the sunlight that is hitting the water, or the tiny pink tag on the turtle that is used by researchers, or even the tracks made in the sand when the sea turtle comes up on the beach to lay her eggs. As you read, use the illustrations to emphasize the descriptions by the author. 3

6 A Day in the Life.. Make a mural of A Day in the Life of a Sea Turtle! Gather some large bulletin board butcher paper and divide it into sections of the turtle s day. Ask the children which facts they think would be important to include in the mural and write them in next to the children s accompanying illustrations. Having the sea turtle books handy will allow the children to use them as resources for their project. What s in a Name? At the very end of the book, Into the Sea, there is a page titled Fast in the Sea, Slow on the Sand that discusses the slow and steady decline of the sea turtle population and which also depicts seven different types of sea turtles. Several of the other sea turtle books on the Additional Titles list also provide helpful descriptions of the different species of sea turtles. Using the illustrations and the descriptions in the books, ask the children to draw the various kinds of sea turtles that still exist today. Create books or posters from the drawings featuring the endangered species or use the information from the Sea Turtle Survival League s web site to discuss how the turtles got their names as well as many other interesting facts about the turtles. What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story Into the Sea has so many wonderful details about the sea turtle it may be hard to retain all of them from one read through, you may want to go back after you have finished reading and take a closer look at each page. Use large chart paper to write down all the facts about sea turtles that you and the children can find. While you are going on your fact-finding hunt, check out some of the books from the Additional Titles list. Sea Turtles are reptiles. Reptiles are cold-blooded vertebrates (animals with a backbone) who breathe air. Most have scaly skin (the turtle s scales form a shell), which allow the reptiles to retain water and avoid drying out. Discuss what other creatures fit into this reptile category and find out what they do or do not have in common with the sea turtle. Each species of sea turtle looks and behaves differently, but they share several common characteristics: their shells consist of an upper part (carapace) and a lower section (plastron), the ribs of all turtles are blended to their shell, making it impossible for turtles to leave their shell. Sea turtles, unlike other turtles, cannot withdraw their heads and limbs into their shell. They do however, have four paddle shaped limbs called flippers that enable them to fly through the water. They do not have teeth, but their jaws have beaks that are tailored a particular way depending on what they eat. You cannot see the sea turtle s ears when you look at them, but they have eardrums covered by skin, they hear best at low frequencies and their sense of smell is excellent. Their vision underwater is good, but they become nearsighted when they leave the water. Step Up to the Scale! One of the neat aspects of the featured story, Into the Sea,is that it chronicles the growth of the sea turtle both in the text and in the pictures by comparing it to the size of other sea creatures. Revisit the book and use your fingers, arms and legs with the children in order to get a sense of the size of the sea turtle at each stage of its life. Have the children compare their weight (or length) to that of the various kinds of sea turtles. Bring in a scale and see how many children it takes to equal the weight of an adult size turtle. Family Involvement If you live near an aquarium go on a family visit to see the fish! Depending on the size and scope of the aquarium, it may or may not have sea turtles, but you can certainly get a feel for sea life and check out all the cool fish and coral. If you cannot get to an aquarium, try a local pet store, although they may not have sea turtles, they will probably have small land turtles that the children can take a look at and hold. The pet storeowner might be helpful in finding out what it takes to care for a turtle. Make some sea turtle cookies! Buy some icing, decorative toppings such as raisins, chips or sprinkles and grab some pre-made cookie dough or make your own. Using a cookie cutter or just your fingers, mold the dough into a turtle shape. Ice and decorate the cookies to look like one of the sea turtle species, bake and enjoy! 4

7 Community Connection Invite a local veterinarian, conservationist or marine biologist to talk about an aspect that may be related to sea turtles, either the care of them or perhaps the preservation of their environment. Additional Titles Sea Turtles by Gail Gibbons, Holiday House, 1995 ISBN: X In her usual simple and straightforward format, Gail Gibbons describes good solid information about sea turtles as well as some of the dangers to their survival. Turtles and Snails (First Discovery Books) by Gallimard Jeunesse, Scholastic Trade, 1998 ISBN: Colorful, transparent pages offer lots of interesting information about different types of turtles and snails. Look Out for Turtles by Melvin Berger, HarperCollins, 1992 ISBN: Look out for turtles, all kinds of turtles! Melvin Berger introduces different species of turtles with fun detailed illustrations. The Magic School Bus Gets Cold Feet: A Book About Warm and Cold - Blooded Animals by Tracey West, Scholastic Trade, 1997 ISBN: Liz, the classroom lizard, is missing and all the children think she has been kidnapped, but Ms. Frizzle knows the truth! Instead of telling the children where Liz has gone, she lets the kids figure it out the scientific way. Follow the Moon by Sarah Weeks, HarperCollins Juvenile Books, 1995 ISBN: Bright beachfront lights can easily disorient a baby sea turtle on her way to the ocean. The story by Sarah Weeks tells of a young boy who helps a little lost sea turtle back to her natural habitat. The Turtle and the Moon by Charles Turner, Penguin, 1996 ISBN: A nice story about a turtle that plays with the moon s reflection in the water, beautifully illustrated. Turtle Bay by Saviour Pirotta, Farrar, 1997 ISBN: A story of friendship between an old man and a young boy that involves the nesting of sea turtles in Japan. What Newt Could Do for Turtle by Jonathan London, Candlewick Press, 1996 ISBN: A turtle and a newt may make an unlikely pair but they become best of friends. Shy Little Turtle by Howard Goldsmith, McGraw-Hill, 1997 ISBN: X Coming out of his shell helps shy little turtle discover the world around him. CHILDREN AGES 8-12 The Boy Who Talked with Animals from The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl Viking Press, 1988 ISBN: Roald Dahl is an incredible story teller well known for many of his stories like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and Matilda to name a few, but in this book, he shares several short stories that are a combination of fact and fiction. One of the stories, The Boy Who Talked with Animals, is about a little boy who saves a sea turtle from becoming a meal for the local tourists of the West Indies. 5

8 What To Do Before Reading the Story Many of the children will not only be familiar with Roald Dahl s stories but will be eager to dive right in and start reading. Introduce the story as part of a collection of short stories and either read aloud to the group or have them read along as you read. Because the title does not give away the subject of sea turtles, you may not want to mention it at all. Simply start reading and address the topic using the questions in the After the Story section. Things To Talk About During the Story The narrator begins by telling the reader of his visit to Jamaica, an island in the West Indies. If the children are not familiar with the location of the island, pull out a map and point it out. Briefly discuss the climate, local population and ask if anyone in your group has ever been to the West Indies. The guests on the hotel s beach are fighting about who will get the turtle and what they will do with it. Ask your readers how they feel about all the characters that are described. Point out the language that Dahl uses to paint a picture of the scene and its inhabitants. (His writing seems to show a bit of disdain for the tourists.) Ask the group why they think the hotel manager agrees to sell the turtle to the little boy s father, is it for the money or is he intrigued by the fact that the boy can calm the turtle by talking to it? What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story There are many ways to begin talking about sea turtles from this story, but the first is to mention that the turtle in the story is probably a sea turtle. Explain to the children that although the story is most likely fictional, you are fairly confident that the main character is a sea turtle because of several details that were mentioned in the story. A Fact Finding Mission Before telling the group what clues were given to make you think that it is a sea turtle, have them do a little detective work on their own. Gather some of the books from the Additional Titles list and ask them to collect a few major facts about sea turtles, then call their attention to the story and ask what they think drew you to your conclusion. Migration location of the West Indies, ocean habitat, its large size, the description of thick flippers, not claws, and the mention by the author of the turtle s probable old age are a few of the details that seem to point to the fact that it is a sea turtle. If your group is still curious after they have done a little sleuthing, have them become scientists and find out how sea turtles are classified. Are You a Believer? Older children are usually aware of the difference between reality and fantasy and have a better sense of where they are in time. Roald Dahl s story of The Boy Who Talked with Animals is an interesting place for older readers to begin discussing the subject of sea turtles because of their more advanced comprehension level. However, it can also be a good opportunity for some creative writing to take place. Ask the kids to imagine that they are either the little boy or the turtle. Either on their own or in pairs, ask them to script a conversation between the two characters. What would the turtle say? What would the young boy say to the turtle? If you have a chance, have the group act out their dialogues. Family Involvement Roald Dahl has written many fantasy filled, silly stories and some of them have been made into movies. Rent Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or James and the Giant Peach and sit with some popcorn and enjoy the adventure with the whole family! Play Sea Turtle-Pictionary! Download the game from the Sea Turtle Survival League s web site Community Connection Write for some additional information on sea turtles. Contact the Florida Department of Natural Resources,Division of Marine Resources, Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 Eighth Avenue, S.E., St. Petersburg, FL 33701, or try the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, 300 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133, (800) 859-SAVE. Additional Titles Honu by Marion Coste, University of Hawaii, 1994 ISBN: A good book for somewhat older readers that offers details about a green sea turtle. Sea Turtles by Jeff Ripple, Voyageur Press, 1996 ISBN: Recommended as a fantastic introduction to sea turtles, the book has amazing photographs to capture the reader. Turtles by Anita Baskin-Salzberg & Allen Salzberg, Watts Franklin, 1998 ISBN: A great resource book for all readers that provides photographs and clear, concise information about different types of turtles. Sea Turtles by Lorraine A. Jay, Creative Publishing International, 2000 ISBN: Lorraine Jay provides the most recent research findings on sea turtles as well as a helpful index and an Internet site list. 6

9 Habitat CHILDREN AGES 5-8 The Magic School Bus Hops Home: A Book About Animal Habitats by Patricia Relf Scholastic Trade, 1995 ISBN: Ms. Frizzle is up to her adventurous ways of teaching once again. When Wanda s best friend Bella the bullfrog disappears, the children take a ride on the Magic School Bus to find out where she has gone. Hop on board as they find out all about animal habitats. Things To Talk About During the Story Although the story stars Bella the bullfrog, the book covers the main features of animal habitats. As you read, extract the components of habitats such as environment, food, changes in habitat made by the animal or particular preferences of the animal. Point out how Ms. Frizzle and her class are transformed in order to experience life as a frog! Discuss some of the challenges that they face as they go on their search and rescue mission for Bella. What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story Ask the children if they have ever seen any animals, reptiles or birds in their natural habitat. Ask them to describe what they have seen and if the habitat was disturbed by anything. Talk about the habitats of humans. What kinds of needs do we have and how are some people s habitats different from others. Discuss how climate, occupation and the part of the country can affect these differences, but also how human preferences can determine habitat as well. Because the book does not feature sea turtles, take the habitat components that you and the children have extracted from the story and try to fill in the same information for sea turtles. The books from the Additional Titles list should be quite helpful in completing this task. What To Do Before Reading the Story If the children are not familiar with the Magic School Bus series, you may want to provide a little background on the crazy antics of Ms. Frizzle! There are many topics that the series covers as well as the videos that are also available to show the children. Ask the children if they know what the word habitat means. (The neighborhood in which a group of plants and animals live and interact.) 7

10 In addition to the ocean habitat of the sea turtles, males and females also spend a small part of their life on the beach when they are born and the females return during the nesting period. Sea turtles usually return to the same beach where they were born to nest their own eggs. Only the females nest and most often they lay and bury their eggs at night. Discuss this interesting process with the children as well as the fact that the habitats in which they nest are becoming endangered due to coastal armoring, beach nourishment and pollution. 3-Dimensional Displays Use the additional titles resources and have the children collect shoeboxes or plastic box containers to make colorful dioramas. Use clay, paint, markers, pebbles, twigs, and whatever else you can find that might simulate a sea turtles habitat. Give them plenty of time to create their habitats and leave the books out so that the kids can refer to the illustrations and the information. Leave the three dimensional constructions out for display or have the children present them to the group. Ask them to point out things that they have included that are particular to the sea turtles environment. Another less time consuming 3-D option is to make mobiles depicting the sea turtles environment. Look Ma, No Teeth! Included in the subject of habitat is the matter of food. Discuss what sea turtles, depending on the species, like to eat (seaweed, fish, crabs and jellyfish). Ask the children if any of them have ever seen or tasted any of these items. Have a taste test! Try to get some seaweed or some fish for the kids to taste. If you are not able to find these items, grab some gummy candy fish and ask the kids to try eating it without their teeth. Since sea turtles do not have teeth, they bite and tear their food with their strong jaws, ask the kids to try this process of consuming their food; they may have fun pretending to be sea turtles! Family Involvement Try your own habitat study! Get together with your whole family and take a look at your home, what kinds of things are part of your habitat? What is necessary for you to survive and what is a habitat preference? Discuss why you live where you do, take a look at the structure of your home; is it particular to the climate or part of the country you live in? Distinct species of sea turtles like to eat different things. Their mouths and jaws are built in different ways in order to consume the food they prefer. Unlike sea turtles, humans have teeth that help them chew food and taste buds to determine which foods they choose to eat. Make a list of all the foods you and your family like to eat. Find out which are made or grown locally and which come from another part of the country or the world. Does your habitat determine if you are able to get certain foods and does that influence where you choose to live? Take a walk through the local market or grocery store and find out what foods are indigenous to your habitat. Taste or cook some of the goodies you find! Community Connection If you happen to live near the ocean, take a walk along the beach and become a beach detective! Look for signs of pollution; pick up garbage that you find on the beach. Check to see if there are any large buildings or hotels that have bright lights shining at night that might mislead the hatchlings away from the ocean, ask the local businesses to turn off or dim their lights during the nesting season. Additional Titles This Is the Sea That Feeds Us by Robert F. Baldwin, Dawn Publishing, 1998 ISBN: X A 1999 Teacher s Choice List of the International Reading Association, this book tells young children about sea life in verse. Across the Big Blue Sea: An Ocean Wildlife Book by Jakki Wood, National Geographic Society, 1998 ISBN: The story chronicles a small toy boat and all that it encounters as it sails to California, Australia and to the Indian Ocean. All Kinds of Habitats by Sally Hewitt, Children s Press, 1999 ISBN: A book for young readers that explores several different kinds of environments that are home to animals and plants. The Magic School Bus on the Ocean Floor by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degan, Scholastic, 1992 ISBN: There is nothing like a hot school day to make the children in Ms. Frizzle s class want to go swimming and Ms. Frizzle wants to take one of her famous class trips. Join the adventurous teacher and her pupils as they venture to the bottom of the ocean. A Swim Through the Sea by Kristin Joy Pratt, Dawn Publications, 1994 ISBN: If Seamore the seahorse, who lives beneath the sea, one day went exploring, what do you think he d see? Read this beautifully illustrated book and find out! A B Sea by Bobbie Kalman, Crabtree Publishing, 1995 ISBN: Similar to the listing above, this book offers an alphabetized guide through the sea. Crinkleroots Guide to Knowing Animal Habitats by Jim Arnosky, Simon & Schuster Children s, 2000 ISBN: A fun, colorfully illustrated guide to animal habitats, including wetlands, cornfields, grasslands and woodlands. 8

11 CHILDREN AGES 8-12 One Small Square Coral Reef by Donald M. Silver McGraw-Hill, 1997 ISBN: The One Small Square series by Donald Silver are colorful, informative and fun to read. Young and older children will find these books a great source of information and learn plenty about the various aquatic environments. What To Do Before Reading the Story The book begins with the author making a comparison between the coral reef and the circus. Discuss the reasons why the author may begin the book by making that comparison. Ask the group what they already know about coral reefs and seashores. Point out that coral reefs and seashores, in addition to the vast ocean, are the natural habitat for many different animals and fish, the sea turtle being one of them. Things To Talk About During the Story The book has great illustrations and detailed descriptions of the creatures and plants that thrive underwater. The text also describes some of the dangers that the sea creatures face on a daily basis. What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story Although this book only features a sea turtle on one page, it covers in detail some of the world the sea turtle inhabits. After you have finished reading about the coral reef, try some of the books from the Additional Titles list to enrich a discussion about the sea turtle s habitat. Add to the discussion some of the facts from the Sea Turtle Survival League s web site such as: Sea turtles are solitary creatures for the most part. They tend to remain under water for a large part of the time that they are at sea and only interact with other sea turtles when they intend to mate. Sea turtles eat and rest on and off throughout a typical day. They can sleep floating on the surface of the water or tucked away under reefs or rocky areas. Sea turtles can migrate hundreds or even thousands of miles when they are not nesting or mating. The book discusses the concept of damage to the environment only briefly; however, you may want to touch on this subject with the children as it pertains to the habitat and survival of the sea turtles. In addition to the ocean habitat of the sea turtles, they also spend a small part of their life on the beach. Sea turtles often return to the same beach where they were born to nest their own eggs. Only the females nest and most often they lay and bury their eggs at night. Discuss the process of constructing the nest, laying and burying the eggs, incubation and the emergence from the nest of the baby sea turtles as well as the fact that the habitats in which they nest are becoming endangered due to coastal armoring, beach nourishment and pollution. 9

12 Family Involvement Take a look inside your garage or under your sink. Tally up the amount of motor oil, lawn fertilizers, cleaning supplies and paints that contain chemicals, and see if you can try to reduce the use of these chemicals. Toxins and chemicals that are not disposed of properly sometimes end up washing up on beaches or coastal lagoons. The pollution then harms the inhabitants of the waters and the beaches. Community Connection Write a letter to the local newspaper informing the community of the importance of protecting the sea turtles habitat. Encourage readers to do their part by keeping the oceans and the beaches clean. If you happen to live near a beach community, ask the people with beach front lights to keep them off during nesting season and to keep the beaches free of coastal armoring or anything that might prevent the sea turtles from successfully nesting. Additional Titles On the Trail of Sea Turtles (Barron s Educational Series) by Bernard De Wetter, Incorporated, 1999 ISBN: This book serves as a guide to those who want to follow and observe sea turtles. It also provides great information about the sea turtle s anatomy, feeding habitats, global location and ecological status. Sea Turtles by Emilie U. Lepthien, Children s Press, 1997 ISBN: Yet another sea turtle book that offers good information for somewhat older readers. Feeding On a Food Chain! Part of what determines an animal s habitat is the availability of the food that it consumes. Sea turtles like to eat seaweed, fish, crabs and jellyfish, discuss what the sea turtle likes to eat and how and where they can find these things. Unfortunately, there are also predators that like to eat the sea turtles themselves, create a food chain and see where all the different sea creatures fit in. Picky, Picky, Picky. Habitat Preferences Each species of sea turtles eats, sleeps, mates and swims in different areas. Have the kids do a bit of research and find out more about the specific habitats of each type of sea turtle. (Loggerhead, Green turtles, Hawksbills, Kemp s Ridley, Olive Ridleys, Flatbacks, and Leatherbacks) HINT: The Sea Turtle s Survival League and the book Turtles by Anita Baskin-Salzberg & Allen Salzberg offer easy to find information about the specific habitats of the various species. One Small Square Seashore by Donald M. Silver, McGraw-Hill, 1993 ISBN: The One Small Square series by Donald Silver is colorful, informative and fun to read. Young and older children will find these books a great source of information and learn plenty about the various aquatic environments. MacMillan Animal Encyclopedia for Children by Roger Few, Simon & Schuster Children s, 1991 ISBN: A beginning reference book that tells of 11 major habitats and the various animals that live there. Adapting to the Environment by Fulvio Cerfolli, Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers, 1998 ISBN: The title tells it all, this book describes how animals in different regions adapt to their environment in order to survive. 10

13 Migration CHILDREN AGES 5-8 The Journey of a Turtle by Carolyn Scrace Watts, 2000 ISBN: X Part of a series of books on animal migration, Carolyn Scrace does a great job of describing the travels as well as the development of the green turtle. What To Do Before Reading the Story Explain to the children that some animals are born, grow and remain in the same place all their lives; however, certain animals move to different places throughout their existence. This journey is called migration. Ask the children to make some predictions as to the reasons why an animal might need to move around. (habitat, climate/ weather, food availability, reproduction, endangered survival) Ask the children why sea turtles in particular, might migrate and where they might go on their journey. Introduce the story following the brief discussion. Things To Talk About During the Story Because the book is a non-fiction book and serves as a resource for information on sea turtles, show the kids the table of contents in the beginning of the book. Read a few of the topics from the list and the corresponding pages. If the children are not familiar with the use of the table of contents, explain how informational books are often organized so that the reader can go to a specific page to find out what he/she needs to know. The story has wonderful illustrations and fairly large print, great for beginning readers. The book mentions that turtles leave their feeding grounds when the weather gets colder, ask the children if they know of any other animals that also migrate when the weather changes. Ask them why they think the animals might move on when the weather changes. Where are the turtles headed on their journey? Why do some of the turtles not complete their migration? (The illustrations on the very last page may provide some hints.) What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story Use the map at the back of the book to take a look at where most sea turtles migrate. Discuss the characteristics of that area of the world and why it is a good home for the sea turtles. The end of the book also contains a page of Turtle Words that will be helpful to review with young children. Sea Turtle Survival League Visit the Sea Turtle Survival League web page, and try out some of the great activities and worksheets that you can download and print off the Internet. Worksheet #1 is an illustrated maze that features some of the dangers that a young sea turtle might encounter. Children need to help with the turtle s migration process by figuring out how to get the turtle back to a safe habitat. Use the web site to track some of the turtles or to take a look at photographs of the process that scientists and conservationists use to track the sea turtles migration. 11

14 Watch Out! Try a little role-playing. Have some of the children pretend to be sea turtles acting out the sea turtle life cycle. Ask some of the other children to pretend to be natural predators of the sea turtle like crabs, birds and snakes or man-made threats to the sea turtles such as nets or chemical pollution, and then ask some of the other children to pretend to be food for the sea turtles. Children love to be melodramatic, get them into the mood by adding some striking classical music or perhaps the infamous Jaws theme while they perform. Family Involvement Sea turtles migrate to mate, nest and lay their eggs. They usually return to the same breeding grounds and females usually lay their eggs on the same beach where they were born. Young children love to hear the story about when and where they were born. Migrate to the place where your child was born and describe what it was like the day they came into the world. Like the sea turtles, parents with more than one child also often give birth in the same place! Sea turtles also migrate to find food in new feeding grounds. Does your family ever make a special trip for a favorite meal? Follow your taste buds to your most loved restaurant and enjoy a fun family outing. Community Connection If you happen to live near a beach community where sea turtles nest, try to find out when they nest and on what part of the beach. Sometimes local conservationists or scientists will have this information and will organize a nighttime watch of the nesting and hatching process. Check with a local conservationist group to see if they offer organized turtle walks. Additional Titles Sea Turtle Journey: The Story of a Loggerhead Turtle by Lorraine A. Jay, Trudy Corporations, 1995 ISBN: This pocketsize book describes the journey of a loggerhead sea turtle from birth to the nesting of her very own eggs. Animals on the Move (Rookie Read-About Science) by Allan Fowler, Children s Press, 2000 ISBN: Why and how do animals migrate? Find out in this book from the Rookie Read About collection. Animal Journeys (Nature Club) by Joyce Pope, Troll Assoc, 1993 ISBN: Just like people, animals make preparations for their journeys too, children will find out more about the migration process by reading Joyce Pope s Animal Journeys. CHILDREN AGES 8-12 Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi by Phyllis Shalant Dutton Children s Books, ISBN: Although Bartleby is not a sea turtle, this light and somewhat humanlike story addresses the scary as well as thrilling challenges that a turtle might come up against while entering a brand new world and trying to reach a particular destination. What To Do Before Reading the Story Read the title of the story to the group and point out where the Mississippi River is on a map of the United States. Then point out where most sea turtles migrate to and from their natural habitat. The children will then see that sea turtles are not found in the Mississippi River. (The Mississippi River is a freshwater body of water and sea turtles live in saltwater.) Ask the kids then why the title is called Bartleby of the Mighty Mississippi? The story is not only fictional, but it is also about a turtle not a sea turtle. Read the inside leaf of the book so that the children can gain a better sense of what the story is about and then ask them to make some predictions about the story. Things To Talk About During the Story Bartleby starts out as a pet of three little, somewhat irresponsible boys. He is not taken care of in the most desirable way and ends up being left by the local pond near the family s house. Since he has never been an outdoor pet, he must learn how to adapt to his new environment. As you read, ask the kids to keep in mind the fact that Bartleby is not a sea turtle. Make some comparisons with Bartleby s new habitat, food choices and the dangers to his survival that a typical sea turtle would encounter. 12

15 Talk about some of the things that Bartleby is learning and brainstorm some things that a sea turtle might have to adapt to if put in a similar situation. Remember sea turtles cannot be pets because they are protected by law! What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story In addition to a story about a turtle, this is also a story about a friendship that develops and how one friend risks his life for the other. Although this does not directly deal with the topic of sea turtles, you may want to have a discussion about what happens to Bartleby and his friend Seezer. Ask the group about some of the challenges that Bartleby faces as he tries, unrealistically, to make it to the mighty Mississippi. Then discuss some of the challenges that sea turtles face as they attempt to migrate. Both of the latter discussions may lead to the conclusion that we need to respect animals and help protect them against the many dangers, natural and man-made, that they face. The Mighty Mississippi or Bust! Do a little research on the places sea turtles migrate. What is it about the climate, the water, the beaches or the prey that make it easy for the sea turtles to mate, nest or feed? Finding Your Place in the World. Sea turtles have to overcome certain obstacles when they attempt to migrate. Despite strong currents, a lack of visible landmarks, limited vision, and the fact that they can only lift their heads a few inches out of the water, sea turtles navigate thousands of miles and often return to the exact same beach where they were born. This extraordinary ability has baffled scientists until recently. Now it is believed that sea turtles are able to detect the angle and the intensity of the earth s magnetic field. Although it is a theory that has yet to be proven, experiments suggest that the sea turtles are able to determine latitude and longitude and thus find any particular location in the world. Find out more about how researchers have come to this conclusion using satellite telemetry. Follow the Turtles! Check out the Sea Turtle Educational Tracking Program on the Internet Discuss why being able to track the sea turtles would be beneficial to their survival. Try the longitude/latitude activity to plot the turtle locations. Family Involvement Owning and caring for a pet can be more responsibility than most children realize. Visit your local library to check out some books on the animal that your children may want and find out more about the food they like to eat, their behavior and their preferred habitat. Your local pet storeowner may also have some interesting information to share with your family about your future pet. Community Connection Take a look around your local community. Have most of the people who live there always lived there or have they migrated from somewhere else? Find out about what it is that attracts people to your community. Is it the climate, the food, the local tourist attractions or something else? If there are animals, reptiles or birds that are particular to your community, find out why they tend to migrate, what is it that draws them to the area? Additional Titles They Swim the Seas: The Mystery of Animal Migration by Seymour Simon, Browndeer Press, 1998 ISBN: X Seymour Simon has written about a variety of topics and always in a clear, well-detailed manner that captures the attention of children. In this particular book, Simon describes mysterious creatures and their habitats and migratory tendencies. Animal Journeys: Life Cycles and Migrations (Animals in the Wild) by Susanne Riha, Blackbirch Marketing, 1999 ISBN: In addition to turtles, this colorful spread features the life cycles of several animals. Sea Turtles: The Watcher s Guide by M. Timothy O keefe, Larsen s Outdoor Publishing, 1995 ISBN: Conservationists, scientists and researchers have been observing the sea turtles for years in order to find out more about such a splendid creature, with the help of this guide, now you can be an expert observer too! Search for the Great Turtle Mother by Jack Rudloe, Pineapple Press Inc, 1995 ISBN: The author of this book discusses the possible role of rocks and magnetism in the migration of the sea turtle. 13

16 Conservation CHILDREN AGES 5-8 And Still the Turtle Watched by Sheila MacGill-Callahan Dial Books for Young Readers, 1991 ISBN: A long time ago, before there were cars, airplanes, artificially made food or paint, a turtle was carved in stone by a Native American. As the years pass, the turtle watches as people pollute the earth, waste the natural resources and threaten his existence by destroying the land. Nevertheless the turtle survives all the negative influences. The story emphasizes all the environmental changes that have endangered the earth over the years, yet it can also be used to highlight how long the turtle has sustained life on earth. 14

17 What To Do Before Reading the Story Ask the children how long they think sea turtles have been roaming the earth. Briefly discuss what kinds of changes have occurred that would affect the existence of the turtle. The story opens with a Native American carving a rock into the shape of a turtle, if you are able, share actual hand carved items with the children to give them a sense of what they feel and look like. If not, grab some books with photographs of carvings for the kids to see. Things To Talk About During the Story Explain the passage of time throughout the story, discuss some of the reasons why fewer people visited the turtle, why the trees that surround him are cut down, why the white water turns brown or why the turtle begins to weep. Ask the children about the gentleman who comes along and sees the turtle underneath all the graffiti and has him brought to a garden. Why does he rescue the turtle? What are people called that rescue animals? Or that try to preserve the environment? The turtle is cleaned up towards the end of the story, talk about how this can be done. Discuss where the turtle lives now and why he is kept there. What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story The story s main focus is the environment and how it has been threatened by all the harmful changes to the earth over the years. Discuss the topic of the environment and how it connects to the endangered state of the sea turtles as well as its longevity here on earth. Use the book by Gail Gibbons, Prehistoric Animals,to point out that the turtle is one of the prehistoric animals that lived millions of years ago and that still exists today. The first few pages of the book Sea Turtles, also by Gail Gibbons, describes how sea turtles lived over 200 million years ago when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth. It also explains how over time, sea turtles have evolved into smaller creatures than they used to be millions of years ago. Discuss the process of adapting to the environment over time. Use the book by Aliki, Fossils Tell of Long Ago, in order to explain how we are able to learn about the type of sea turtles that lived during the prehistoric age. Family Involvement The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and The Indiana Academy / Ball State University academy/ have partnered to create a series of electronic field trips, one of which is The Mystery Migration: Tracking Sea Turtles.Check out trips.html to find out the dates and times when you can take a tour and follow the sea turtles. Sit down with an older family member and talk about how the environment has changed during their lifetime. Ask them if they feel the changes have been good or bad and how they have adapted to them. Ask them what they would, if they could, do to change the environment for the better. Community Connection Take a look around your community. Do you see graffiti, pollution or waste? Write letters to your local officials, create newsletters to distribute in your community or create posters to hang in local businesses windows to help raise awareness of the dangers that not only sea turtles face when their environment is changed or destroyed, but that affect humans as well. Raising awareness may help to change people s behavior and thus help the conservation of the sea turtles and the lives of people in your community. Additional Titles Tammy Turtle: A Tale of Saving Sea Turtles by Suzanne Tate, Nags Head Art, Inc., 1995 ISBN: A cute story that follows the life of a sea turtle from hatching out of her leathery shell to nesting her own young on the same beach where she was born. Endangered Animals (First Discovery Books) by Wendy Barish, Scholastic Trade, 1997 ISBN: World Water Watch by Michelle Koch, Mulberry Books, 1999 ISBN: A sweet and simple book that devotes a few pages to sea turtles and the threats to their survival. Making History With Your Hand! Use Plaster of Paris or clay to make imprints of various things in your environment or of the children s hands or feet. When the molds have dried, explain how this process is somewhat similar to the imprints and fossils that were left by creatures in the prehistoric age. Paleontologists use these fossils to learn about prehistoric animals as well as the evolution of various species like the sea turtle. 15

18 CHILDREN AGES 8-12 The Turtle Watchers by Pamela Powell Penguin, 1994 ISBN: Three sisters watch and protect as a leatherback sea turtle lays her eggs on the beach near their home. They must guard the eggs from natural as well as man-made threats to the baby sea turtles survival. What To Do Before Reading the Story The cover of the book shows three girls watching the sand with a flashlight. If you look closely, you can see that the sand has little bumps and by reading the title, the reader can guess that the small moving bumps are sea turtles. The caption at the bottom of the cover reads It s up to three girls to make sure an endangered species survives. As you point out all the details that the cover provides to the group of children, ask them if they know what it means to be an endangered species? Spend some time discussing what it means for an animal to be an endangered species. What are some of the causes of endangerment? What animals are currently considered endangered? What are some animals that were at one time an endangered species, that are now extinct? Get a little more specific and ask the children why sea turtles might be an endangered species? Why has the population of the sea turtles been decreasing over the years? Remind the kids that sea turtles have been around for millions of years, and have evolved and adapted to the environment in order to survive. Briefly discuss how they have changed over the years. Read aloud or have the children read the back of the book in order to find out what threatens the survival of the sea turtles in this story. Things To Talk About During the Story Ask the children where the story takes place? If you have already talked about the habitat and migratory habits of the sea turtles then point out to the group that the beginning scene in the story is not out of the ordinary for the environment in which the three sisters live in. Show the children on a map where the story is taking place and briefly discuss the climate and culture of the Caribbean. The book opens with three little girls watching the sand with anticipation. They have begged their mother for permission to stay up and watch the sea turtle lay her eggs. The night is filled with excitement as the girls shine their flashlight and watch as the almost extinct leatherback crawls up on the beach, digs a deep and narrow hole and lays over a hundred eggs, covers the hole up and waddles back to the sea. The girls sleep well having witnessed this wonderful event, but they wake to find that their developing baby sea turtles are in danger and they must help to protect them from harm. As you read along with the children, collect facts about the sea turtle that the three sisters gather on their S.O.S. mission. What other twists develop as the plot to save the turtles thickens? Who becomes the villain and is there a villain that becomes a hero? What You Can Do When You Finish Reading the Story What kind of clever thinking do the girls do in order to save the sea turtles? Aside from the poachers, what are some of the other threats to the sea turtle s survival? Natural and man-made? The children in the story are very brave in their efforts to save the turtles, what kinds of things do they do? What kinds of things could you and the children do in order to save an endangered species like the sea turtle? The story also describes the beginning of a newly discovered friendship with Mister Henderson, how and why does this happen? In addition to the danger that the poachers create, the island also carries mysterious legends of the past. How do the sisters handle the island ghost stories and why does the author include this particular detail in the story? How does Mister Henderson s deceased wife factor in to the sea turtle s plight? Adopt a Turtle! Adopt a turtle to help support sea turtle conservation. Use the Sea Turtle Survival League s web site to get an application to adopt a turtle. The fee usually ranges between $25 and $30. Bake cupcakes that look like sea turtles and sell them, create beautiful water color posters and auction them off to the highest bidder or draw the outline of a giant sea turtle and fill it with different color wood chips that can be sold for a few cents each. Holding a fundraiser of some sort should bring in enough for your class, school or group of children to adopt a sea turtle. 16

19 Family Involvement The crisis of the sea turtles brings together the sisters in this story with an old man they fear. As their friendship develops, the girls get to know the older man and are able to put to rest an eerie legend that has persisted through the years. Are there scary stories or particular legends that have been passed down in your family? Storytelling is a great way to share some history or just some plain old fun with family members. Retell some stories that you know or make up one that will grab your child s attention and make them want to hear more! Community Connection Invite a local environmentalist or conservationist or if you live near a university, a professor of environmental studies to speak about the impact we as humans have on our planet. Ask the guest to speak about what threatens our environment as well as the sea turtles and what we can do about it. The following web sites have excellent resources and offer great ways to get involved either on a local or a national level: Sea Turtle Restoration Project This particular web site provides fantastic links to other organizations that deal with sea turtle issues and conservation and environmental issues. Turtle Trax This web site presents an abundance of information on sea turtles and ways to track the migration of several currently tagged sea turtles. Caribbean Conservation Corporation This web site recommends many different activities as well as a wealth of information on sea turtle habitats, migration, threats to survival, conservation and the nesting process. Additional Titles Start an Awareness Campaign! The three little sisters in the story make a tremendous effort to save the turtle eggs, but they realize that they cannot protect every sea turtle clutch of eggs. In an effort to save even more sea turtles, they begin an awareness campaign targeting the local tourists who buy the crafts that are made from the shell of the sea turtle. Begin an awareness campaign with your group of children. Discuss the different levels at which action can be taken such as federal, state and local. Decide which audience you want to target and what message you want to send and make a plan of action. Write letters, create a catchy slogan, paint posters or perhaps have a sit-in on the beach that will raise awareness regarding the plight of the sea turtles. Sea Turtles: Past and Present (Prehistoric Animals and Their Modern Day Relatives) by Marianne Johnston, Rosen Publishing Group, 2000 ISBN: Tracks in the Sand by Loreen Leedy, Doubleday & Company, Incorporated, 1993 ISBN: X The Windward Road: Adventures of a Naturalist on Remote Caribbean Shores by Archie Carr, University Press of Florida, 1979, ISBN: Decline of the Sea Turtles: Causes and Prevention. National Research Council, National Academy Press, 1990 ISBN: X

20 RIF S MISSION Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) develops and delivers children s and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading and motivate older children to read. Through a national network of teachers, parents, and community volunteers, RIF programs provide books and other essential literacy resources to children at no cost to them or their families. RIF s highest priority is the nation s neediest children, from infancy to age 11. ABOUT RIF Founded in 1966 in Washington, D.C., RIF is the nation s oldest and largest nonprofit children s literacy organization, with programs operating nationwide in 16,500 schools, child-care centers, libraries, hospitals, clinics, migrant worker camps, Head Start and Even Start programs, homeless shelters, and detention centers. RIF serves more than 3.5 million children through a network of more than 240,000 volunteers. Two-thirds of the children served by RIF have economic or learning needs that put them at risk of failing to achieve basic educational goals. Through a contract with the U.S. Department of Education, RIF provides federal matching funds to thousands of school and community-based organizations that sponsor RIF programs. RIF also receives private support from hundreds of corporations and foundations, thousands of local organizations and businesses, and countless individuals. RIF distributes about 13 million books a year. By the end of 2000, RIF will have placed more than 200 million books in the hands and homes of America s children. Reading Is Fundamental, Inc Connecticut Avenue, N. W., Suite 400 Washington, D.C Toll free: Web site: Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. All rights reserved.