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Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle WebQuest

Introduction

This WebQuest began as a "summer" project. It involved a "family field trip" to Padre Island National Seashore, University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas, and the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, Texas. We headed down to Corpus Christi one Sunday in July of 2002 hoping to observe and film a sea turtle hatchling release at the Padre Island National Seashore. We had been listening for updates on the sea turtle release on the Sea Turtle Hotline. The hatchlings were released early Sunday evening as they went into a "frenzy" (increased activity) and had to be released earlier than planned. Although disappointed in not seeing the release, we improvised and took advantage of other ways to learn about sea turtles. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute has a rehabilitation facility. Donna was kind enough to show us "the Ark" and allowed 4 adults to take plenty of photographs and learn about the work done at the ark. Here we saw many species of sea turtles from baby Kemp's Ridley strandlings, Hawksbill Turtles, to Loggerhead turtles in rehabilitation tanks. Our next stop was the Padre Island National Seashore. Rangers at the visitor center proved invaluable in collecting information and learning more. New books were purchased and several flyers detailing information on sea turtles were given to us. Contact with the USGS also proved beneficial with more written information and some valuable photographs of hatchlings and Ridley turtles nesting. These photos are found on the photo_usgs page. Our last stop on our way home was the Texas State Aquarium. Here we found several adult sea turtles in the Turtle Bend exhibit. Our whirlwind field trip yielded many photographs and MPEG videos which have been posted in the Digital Gallery.

Learners

This lesson is anchored in fourth grade science and involves social studies, geography and language arts.
While Northside ISD teaches Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles in grade four, this unit is by no means something only fourth graders can do. You will find this applicable to multiple ages. See the teacher's resources below for teaching guides from other web sites geared to several ages.

Objective:

This Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle WebQuest is designed to encourage students to learn about the most endangered sea turtle and determine what action can be taken to help these animals survive. This WebQuest is designed to address the curriculum requirements of 4th Grade Science as they relate to survival through adaptations in the oceans ecosystem. Students will understand the interdependence of organisms within an ecosystem and the adaptations that an organism must make in order to survive. Students will understand the responsibility of humankind to protect and preserve the earth, its resources, and all living things in order to maintain the balance of life.

Technology Skills: Basic word processing, previous exposure to desktop publishing, basic awareness of PowerPoint would be helpful.

Curriculum Standards

This WebQuest is designed to address the curriculum requirements of 4th Grade Science as they relate to survival through adaptations in the oceans ecosystem. Learning experiences and activities relate to the following NISD Standards:

Process

The lesson is organized with a task for students to complete. Students will work in groups of four. Within each group students will select a "Specialist" job. These jobs include: adaptations specialist, behavior specialist, migration specialist, and environmental specialist. (These terms are pulled from the NISD curriculum as part of the vocabulary students need for this unit.

Big6 skills are embedded within each specialist job of the WebQuest. Big6 is a process to help students organize for research and solve an information problem (visit the Big6 website for more information). The Big6 website for kids provides students with an easy-to-understand explanation of how to use the six steps. We have created a Big6 Organizer for each specialist job. The organizer is designed to provide students with questions to guide their research process, resources to help them, and self-evaluation.

Students need access to the computer lab with Internet connections. It will involve more than one class period as students will need time to work through the web sites and other resources that are available for each job.

In designing templates and basic designs for products we are attempting to support the learner through the process and not have the technology play the central role. We believe that the content should drive the student's product. If given the task of helping others learn more about the plight of the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle and determining how they can take action, we feel that students' interest and learning will move to higher levels of critical thinking.
This is designed as an interdisciplinary unit.

The success of group work is dependent on a clear understanding that each group member has their own area to research and must contribute what they learn back to their group members. Once students have researched, time must be allowed for groups to share and discuss what is learned. The next step is to take what is known and determine what action they can take to protect and preserve. How have other humans impacted the life of the sea turtle in negative and positive ways? What recommendations will they have for others? Students will choose the product they create. Choices range from children's picture book to share with their buddy class (lower primary grade class), a newsletter for distribution to others, PowerPoint, brochure, or student web pages. The group selects one type of product to create. An extension for these products would be to attend a PTA meeting, set up a display area and share with others what they now know about this Texas visitor.

As a culminating activity, all students will write a persuasive letter to the Governor of Texas. The link below gives you specific details on how to write the letter (note: the web page refers to an email but NISD students will write a letter).
http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=40

Copyright rules must be followed and all sources for information must be cited correctly. Original work is encouraged. Student may also use photographs from the digital gallery. Sources exist here for showcasing adaptations, life cycle, nesting, jellyfish (food of sea turtles), marine debris (plastics which resemble jellyfish) and more.

Resources Needed

Click on this link for list of book and video resources.

What's needed to implement this lesson:

Lab setting with access to Internet, Inspiration, PowerPoint, (Hyperstudio could also be used), Microsoft Publisher (for creation of newsletter and brochures), Microsoft Excel, Kid Pix (drawing program)

In this webquest, both Librarian and Campus Instructional Technologist are providing support for the 4th grade classes as they work through the webquest. The Librarian will share library resources (print, encyclopedias, periodicals, books). Campus Instructional Technologist will share the on-line resources in collaboration with the classroom teacher.

Evaluation

Teacher observation and discussion with students in addition to the use of the rubric will evaluate the webquest.

Click on this link below for the rubric for group work and group's product.

Rubrics for Student Products
Book	Brochure	Newsletter	PowerPoint	Web Page

Conclusion

Through the process of completing this Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle WebQuest, the learner will learn about the most endangered sea turtle, the life cycle of the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, and determine what action he or she will take to help the sea turtle's survival. Learners will understand that sea turtles survive to this date through adaptations. The interdependence of organisms within an ecosystem is impacted by humans and other factors. Through this experience the learner will evaluate the positive and negative impact of human activity on the ocean system.

Credits & References

Photo Credit in Flash Animation: Ridley Nesting Turtle Photograph Courtesy of USGS Photo

Please credit photographs and MPEG video:

Credit any images used from the photo_usgs web page as USGS Photo. These photographs were sent to us from the USGS with the direction to credit USGS. Click on this link to see the photo_usgs page.
Courtesy of Elisa Magee@ Northside ISD, San Antonio, Texas and provide a link back to the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle WebQuest Home Page at http://www.nisd.net/blattman/links/4/sea_turtle/1_kemps_ridley_webquest.htm

Updated August 2003
Based on a template from The WebQuest Page.

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