Reading Objective: Learn how a dog uses his nose to help save the eggs of endangered sea turtles.Next Generation Science Standards ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth SystemsNational Science Education Standards Life Science: Organisms and environmentsVocabulary: sea turtle, bury, danger, hatch

Before ReadingBuild Background Knowledge: Turtle Eggs• Bring in an egg to show students. Lead a discussion about what animals come from eggs. Students will probably discuss birds (or just chickens).

• Suggest other animals, including insects, perhaps referencing The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston, Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones by Ruth Heller, or Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg by Mia Posada.

• Ask, “What would happen if this egg were to fall down?” Explain that eggs are fragile. That’s why mother animals often lay their eggs in safe places like nests. What happens when eggs aren’t safe? Those baby animals are in danger!

During Reading Ask and Answer Detail Questions (RI.K.1/RI.1.1)• This article provides a question-and-answer format for the question “Who can help?”

• Begin with the “Who can help?” question, and show students the answer in the article (“Ridley helped!”). Then ask, “What other questions can we answer using the article? Can we answer ‘How did Ridley help?’” Continue posing questions and guide students to answer them using the article. Then have students ask their own questions for classmates to answer.

After ReadingSTEM Activity: Save Turtles, Recycle Plastic Bags!

Students may know that plastic shopping bags are bad

for the environment, but they might not know why. Explain that plastic bags can blow into the ocean. There, sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, a favorite turtle snack. Turtles hurt their digestive systems by eating the bags. It’s a big problem—but your students can help!

• Challenge your students to plan and execute a class-wide or even school-wide plastic bag recycling drive. • Students can make signs and pamphlets about plastic bag recycling to share with the school or their families. • Then bring in used plastic bags from home, and count up the total.• Optional: Your students can sort the bags by size or color and make a chart of what they collected.• Drop off all of the plastic bags at a plastic-film recycling location (see www.plasticfilmrecycling.org for local spots). Congratulations all around for helping to save sea turtles!

Fun Facts to Share!• Sea turtles have been around since the time of the

dinosaurs. • While other turtles can pull their heads inside their

shells, sea turtles can’t do that. • Sea turtles can hold their breath for several hours. But

eventually they must swim to the surface to breathe.

TEACHER’S GUIDEK-1 • May/June 2017Science Spin ®

LESSON PLAN

A Supplement to Scholastic Inc.SPIN1TE-MAY17

Online Resourceswww.scholastic.com/sciencespink-1 Video: The Life of a Sea Turtle Game: Can You Save the Sea Turtles?

To reach the editor, email sciencespinK1@scholastic.com.

Editor’s Note: Donna Shaver was a kid who had never seen an ocean or a sea turtle when she volunteered on Padre Island in 1980. Dr. Shaver fell in love with sea turtles and has devoted her life to protecting them. We never know what’s going to inspire a student. But the results can be amazing. —Erin Kelly

Name: Science Spin ®

RI.1.7 Use visuals

Different types of turtles make different tracks. Scientists can tell which type of turtle visited a beach by looking at the tracks. Look at the turtle tracks guide. Then look at the beach map. Can you tell where the turtles were going?

Turtle Tracks

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1. Which turtle went to the ball?

O Loggerhead Turtle O Green Sea Turtle

2. Which turtle laid eggs in a nest?

O Loggerhead Turtle O Green Sea Turtle

3. Which turtle went to the chair?

O Loggerhead Turtle O Green Sea Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

Green Sea Turtle

Turtle Tracks Guide