Thursday, June 23, 2011

Craft Project, Loggerhead Turtle


This loggerhead is getting a helping hand in the sand,
but if you see a real turtle on the beach, stand clear
and do not disturb their nests.

SeaWorld Pictures has released their first film, "Turtle: The Incredible Journey." It's the story of a turtle from her birthplace on a Florida beach through the perilous, yet wondrous trip she makes to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and back.

Directed by Nick Stringer (“National Geographic Explorer”, “Meerkat Manor”) and narrated by "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" actress Miranda Richardson, "Turtle" explores the 10,000-to-1 odds she faces in order for to start her own family 25 years later where she, herself, first hatched.

You can make your own little Loggerhead and pretend you are taking that incredible journey in your backyard sandbox!

This Craft Project is designed for grade school children, but can be modified for younger children.*

What you'll need:
  • one piece of brown 8 1/2 x 11, or 12-inch square card stock or construction paper
  • one piece of beige 8 1/2 x 11, or 12-inch square card stock or construction paper 
  • 5 metal brads
  • scissors
  • glue*
  • chalk
  • markers or crayons
  • printouts from this lesson
Print out the two pages of the lesson to use as a template. Cut the carapace, or  shell, out of brown paper and the head and flippers out of beige. (I used DoubleMates paper.) 

Use chalk to draw the turtle's shell plates, or "scutes," on the brown paper. Enhance geometric concepts by discussing the 6-sided hexagon shape on the shell. Ask questions about other shapes. How many sides does a square have? Four. What shape has three sides? A triangle.

Decorate the flippers and face with brown or reddish-colored markers or crayons. 

If you'd like, draw on the underside of the turtle to show the scutes from all angles!

Use metal brads to secure the flippers and head to the shell so you can help them crawl in the sand out to the ocean! 
Discuss the journey turtles go through from their nest on the beach to the other side of the ocean. Ask: What dangers do you think they face? Possible answers include: predators, fishing line, being caught by fishermen, water too cold, etc.
Teach children the dangers of discarding plastic in or near waterways. Encourage them to tell fishermen friends to make sure that if they accidentally catch a turtle to cut the line as close as possible to his or her mouth to give the best chance for survival. 

Have fun with your pint-sized marine biologist as you learn, together, about turtles and their incredible journey!

*Younger children can glue the head and flippers to the pieces cut out by an adult.





Loggerhead Turtle Journey





3 comments:

  1. Wow this looks like a good project to do with my grandson!

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  2. A clever project that also helps raise awareness for the sea turtles. Very nice.

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  3. Hello! I love this craft!:) I was wondering if I could feature it on my site, with other sea turtle crafts? The site is www.kidworldcitizen.org and I share educational lessons to help teach kids about the world. Please let me know if you give permission to share a picture and a link (no instructions- I will direct them to your page for instructions). Thanks:). kidworldcitizen (at) gmail (dot) com

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