Sea Turtles

The intent is to have 5th grade teachers in Florida (and elsewhere) integrate these lessons into their regular curriculum. 

The curriculum consists of a book, One in a Thousand: Those Amazing Sea Turtles, with lesson plans to accompany each of the ten chapters. Teachers are free to download the book and either print it (85 pages) or make it available to students electronically (as a pdf file). The book can also be purchased in a printed version from the UF/IFAS Extension Bookstore (quantity discounts are available).

Each lesson contains a vocabulary list for the chapter, which is suggested for use as word wall words.

Reading & Instructional Materials

• Sea Turtle Curriculum Overview

Students will learn about basic sea turtle biology.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Lesson 1: Sea Turtle Biology
• Video of Chapter 1 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn about the characteristics of the seven species of sea turtles.

Students will design their own dichotomous key to differentiate four different types of coins.

Students will use a dichotomous key to identify a sea turtle that is assigned to them.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 2: How Do Scientists Identify Turtles
• Video of Chapter 2 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will design a timeline showing the relative timing of events in sea turtle history.

Students will compare sea turtle and human anatomy.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 3: Sea Turtle Evolution & Anatomy
• Video of Chapter 3 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn how storms and temperature can affect developing sea turtle embryos

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 4: How Does The Environment Affect Sea Turtle Nests
• Video of Chapter 4 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn about the range of natural threats to sea turtles during their entire life history (egg to adult).

Students will apply their new knowledge by writing an “autobiography” from the point of view of a sea turtle.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 5: Growing Up As A Sea Turtle
• Sea Turtle Lesson 5 Survival PowerPoint
• Video of Chapter 5 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn about some of the many ways that human activities have impacted sea turtle populations worldwide.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 6: How Do Human Activities Affect Sea Turtles
• Video of Chapter 6 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn about natural threats to sea turtles, including climate change and harmful algal blooms.

Reading & Instructional Materials: 

• Sea Turtle Lesson 7: Natural Threats To Sea Turtles
• Video of Chapter 7 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn about laws that protect sea turtles, and ways that countries sometimes need to take special actions to help sea turtles survive.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 8: How Do We Protect Sea Turtles
• Video of Chapter 8 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will learn how scientists track sea turtles’ movements in the ocean.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 9: Turtle Tracking
• Video of Chapter 9 read by Dr. McGuire

Students will be able to understand that sea turtles can become sick and injured and that there are ways people can help them.

Reading & Instructional Materials:

• Sea Turtle Lesson 10: Helping Sick Or Injured Sea Turtles
• Video of Chapter 10 read by Dr. McGuire