April 2nd, 2012

We are big on reading here at Wrigley Corners.  Last year we received a number of great books (through participating in EcoSchools).  We enjoyed several so much that we thought it might be good to share them.  Sherry Stanbury, a teacher candidate from Queens University volunteered to review and post her thoughts on each and how they might be used by teachers in our board.  We will post these periodically (even though Sherry may no longer be with us here at Wrigley Corners), if anyone reading these blogs has read or used any of these books in their classroom please post a comment below.

“Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out” by April Pulley Sayre

This short story tracks the life of one sea turtle from birth to her reproductive years.  The story outlines several threats encountered by sea turtles over the course of their lives while explicitly stating at the end how humans are helping to ensure their survival.  In addition, the book provides short paragraphs describing each of the 7 species of sea turtle.

“Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out” could be used to teach about sea turtles and their lifecycles, but it could also be used to provoke discussion surrounding human-environment interactions.  Specifically in terms of how humans can help and hinder the safety and prosperity of sea turtles as individuals and as a collective.  Furthermore, the story could be used as a jumping off point for students to write a similar informative short story about a different endangered species.

Recommendation:  Junior-Intermediate

Sherry Stanbury