TURTLES ON THE BEACH IN COSTA RICA AT NIGHT

James W. Lennert

Preview of the Main Ideas

Young children love animals. A common topic of children's literature is the turtle. It is important that children become aware of the plight of endangered species such as turtles. The way in which information is presented to young children will directly affect their ability to process that information and write about what they have learned in the classroom. The geographic learning activity on sea turtles attempts to focus on children's interest in turtles and on their fascination with distant places throughout the world. This whole language learning activity, targeted at children in the early elementary school, asks children to draw and color pictures of turtles in their natural environment, and to write about what they have learned about turtles.

Connection with the Curriculum

This whole language activity can be used in geography, environmental studies, and other social studies classes.

Teaching Level: Grades K-4

Objectives Classification Outline (Also see objectives classification matrix below.)

Objective #1: The student will be able to investigate turtles, to determine their specific characteristics, and to identify their global distribution.

Essential Element: The world in spatial terms.

Standard #1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

Knowledge Statement #3: How to display spatial information on maps and other geographic representations.

Skill Set #4: Analyzing geographic information.

Skill #1: Use maps to observe and interpret geographic relationships.

Theme: Location

Objective #2: The student will develop a word list related to turtles, learn about turtles through a variety of print and audio visual materials, and embark upon an imaginary journey to a beach in Costa Rica.

Essential Element: Places and Regions.

Standard #4: Physical and human characteristics of places.

Knowledge Statement #1: The physical characteristics of places.

Skill Set #5: Answering geographic questions

Skill #2: Use methods of geographic inquiry top acquire geographic information, draw conclusions, and make generalizations.

Theme: Place.

Objective #3: The student will write about, draw, and color pictures about turtles; explain that turtles are an endangered species; and demonstrate concern for turtles and their struggle to survive.

Essential Element: Environment and Society.

Standard #14: How human actions modify the physical environment.

Knowledge Statement #3: That the physical environment can both accommodate and be endangered by human activities.

Skill Set #1: Answering geographic questions.

Skill #3: Apply geographic models, generalizations, and theories to the analysis, interpretation, and presentation of geographic information.

Theme: Human-Environment interaction.

Materials

1.      One Ping-Pong ball for each student (to serve as "turtle eggs").

2.      A quantity of sand is needed sufficient to cover the "turtle eggs."

3.      A plastic sheet is needed under the sand to allow for easy clean-up when the activity is completed.

4.      An audiotape of surf and noises associated with the seashore (gulls, whales, etc.) will contribute to a special mood when the imaginary trip to the beach begins.

5.      A flashlight will create "the moon" and illuminate a book for reading in the dimly lit classroom.

6.      A large stuffed toy turtle perched on a mound of sand under a cloth covering when the activity begins.

Suggestions for Teaching the Lesson

Opening the Lesson

Both teacher and children join together in an attempt to learn as much as possible about turtles. Through children's literature, audio, and visual materials, library investigation, and the compilation of a vocabulary dealing with turtles, the entire classroom becomes focused in the pursuit of knowledge concerning turtles. Children are told that one day they will take a "classroom fieldtrip" to a "beach in a far-off country" to see (hopefully) sea turtles laying their eggs on a beach in Costa Rica at night.

Developing the Lesson

1.         The activity begins in a dimly lit (to dark) classroom with children seated on the classroom floor around a sheet with something mysterious underneath. Children are asked to pretend that they are going to take a journey to the country of Costa Rica. As an audiotape of the sounds of the seashore play for several moments in the quiet dimly lit classroom, suddenly a flashlight illuminates the ceiling and simulates a full moon. The flashlight also illuminates the reading of a picture book on turtles, read in spinach, the language of Costa Rica. After the book is read, the classroom is made brighter to simulate sunrise; and the sheet is removed to reveal a toy stuffed turtle resting on a mound of sand.

2.         After the initial excitement of sighting the turtles subsides, the children are asked to "pretend as hard as they can" that they are really on a beach in Costa Rica. The children are cautioned to be as quiet as possible because the turtle has just laid her eggs in a nest underneath the sand. The children are also told to be as quiet as possible in order to hear the sound of turtles trying to break loose from their shells and crawl through the sand to the surface.

3.         A child volunteers "to help" the mother turtle move away from the nest and "return to the sea." Children are asked again to listen carefully for the sound of baby turtles. The first child who truly "hears" is invited to come closer to the nest with the teacher. The children are told that everyone will be given an opportunity to slowly and carefully dig in the sand with their finger in order to find and hold a turtle egg. Once everyone has excavated an egg. All eggs will be carefully returned to the nest, at the exact depth, in the same location, and once again covered with sand. The children are also assured that this will not cause a problem for the baby turtle nor will it bother the mother, for once the mother turtle lays her eggs, she will never again care for her babies.

4.         After the children are finished excavating the nest, they are encouraged to return to their desks to draw and color a picture and to write about what they experienced in their minds on a turtle beach in Costa Rica.

Concluding the Lesson

This whole language geographic learning activity creates an atmosphere that easily leads to a creative writing activity. It combines literature, geography, the study of turtles, and a child's imagination into an unforgettable classroom experience. It is also hoped that this activity will cerate a lifelong interest in and concern for turtles. Children are encouraged to think about ways in which people can help and protect turtles throughout the world. Children are asked to think about what the world would be like if there were no more turtles, and why the world is a better place because we still have turtles.

Extending the Lesson

1.      Turtles anywhere in the world can be studied, and it is not necessary to read the book on turtles in Spanish.

2.      Children will have a wonderful time creating turtles out of clay.

3.      Children create travel posters of turtle beaches in Costa Rica and other beached around the world.

4.      Have children speculate as to where turtles go and what they do while they are at sea.

5.      At the end of the school day, hie a small ceramic turtle somewhere in the classroom. Tell the children that there is a problem. One baby turtle did not make it to the ocean and is lost somewhere in the classroom. The children are told to return the lost turtle to the teacher and the teacher will put the turtle in "the ocean" after school.

Assessing Student Learning

1.      The ability of children to write about what they experience is constantly evaluated by teachers in the early elementary school.

2.      A simple test on what children have learned about turtles can be constructed.

3.      Have children create their own map of where to find turtles in the oceans and beaches around the world.

4.      Have children create a list of what they know about turtles and another list of everything they want to know about turtles.

Additional Reading

The Cousteau Society. Tortugas. Madrid: Saber 1992. Or any children's literature in Spanish about turtles.

GEOGRAPHY STANDARDS CLASSIFICATION MATRIX – GRADES           K-4   

Title:          Turtles:  On the Beach in Costa Rica at Night                Author:          James W. Lennert

Note:  See also Objectives Classification Outline in the lesson.

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