Turtle Protectors at the the Pacific School in Davenport, California”
WiLDCOAST director J. Nichols recently visited the Pacific School in Davenport, California, to talk to third grade students about saving sea turtles. Many of the kids were delighted to learn that the highly endangered leatherback sea turtle frequents the Pacific Ocean in the Monterey Bay area, just across the street from their school.
After listening to an informative and fun talk about what they can do to help sea turtles survive, the kids did a math/art project and painted replicas of sea turtle shells. They sent J. these thank you notes:
Dear Mr. Nichols, Thank you for coming to our class. I told my grandma to not eat shrimp and she stopped. I told a few people about how turtles can die if you litter. They all stopped. I told some more people about how they catch swordfish and shrimp. Oh yeah, we also had an art project and we drew a turtle shell. I made mine purple, yellow, and blue I hope you come again.
From,
Asia
Dear J, Hi my name is Shea and I’m writing to thank you for teaching my class some fascinating things about sea turtles! I’ve so far told my mom and dad and I plan to tell my grandpa because he loves to eat swordfish! Thank you for coming.
Your friend Shea
“Turtle love is coming your way!” says all the sea turtles.
Dear Mr. Nichols, I really liked the slide show and the big plastic sea turtle. If I wasn’t a vegetarian I would never eat shrimp, swordfish, and sea turtle. It’s sad even thinking about the sea turtles dying.
From,
Libby
Dear Mr. Nichols, I liked your visit. I liked the slide show. I liked the sculpture of the sea turtle. I agree – don’t litter, talk about littering, and pick up the trash on the beach.
From,
Ben
Dear J. Nichols, Than you for coming to talk to us about sea turtles. I learned some interesting facts about them. We did an art project that involved sea turtle shells. I thought that your visit was fun. Here are some facts that I can remember: 1.Don’t litter, 2. Network, 3. Try not to eat shrimp or swordfish, 4. Don’t eat sea turtles. I hope that the sea turtles will be saved.
From,
Robin
New curriculum-based black turtle activity
Susanna Musick of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science created a hands-on activity called “Vida de la Tortuga”. Real life data on sea turtles in Baja California is used; students are given concrete examples of how their actions can save sea turtles from extinction. For upper elementary school students.
wildcoastenglish1.pdf / wildcoastespanol.pdf
WiLDCOAST visits Ocean's Day at Coronado's Silver Strand Elementary School
On February 6, 2004 WiLDCOAST participated in the Silver Strand Elementary School's Ocean's Day. Local marine education outlets such a the Natural History Museum, Lifeguard Association and WiLDCOAST gathered in the Silver Strand's cafeteria to display ocean educational material and engage the students in marine science activities.
Lindsey Peavey and WiLDCOAST volunteer Rachel Tuck brought the new sea turtle activity "La Vida de la Tortuga" (The Life of a Black Sea Turtle), created by Susanna Musick of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, to life with the help of hundreds of kids grades K-5. Students colored individual turtles at the WiLDCOAST table while learning all about the endangered green sea turtles inhabiting South San Diego Bay. They learned what turtles eat, predators they encounter in the ocean, the dangers posed by humans and ways each student can save turtles from extinction by helping to keep the oceans clean and San Diego Bay healthy. They studied the green sea turtle model, along with miniature models of all five species of sea turtles found in Eastern Pacific waters, a jellyfish, great white shark and an orca.
All newly certified turtle protectors, each student vows to do their part in helping support sea turtle conservation and the preservation of their habitats. Urging others not to eat these amazing creatures, reusing and recycling plastic bags and not releasing balloons into the open air to ensure they won't end up floating in the ocean are just some of the solutions these students came up with to aid in the fight to keep sea turtles alive.
Silver Strand students love San Diego Bay's endangered green sea turtles!
To download a PDF version of the activity La Vida de la Tortuga in English,visit: http://www.vims.edu/bridge/wildcoastenglish1.pdf
