Turtles

AREA SETUP

(Open thematic poster-Turtles) Print, laminate, and decorate the walls of your daycare with all kinds of posters.

Educa-theme-Turtles

(Open educa-theme-Turtles) Print and laminate the different elements representing the theme. Use them to present the theme to your group (and children’s parents) while decorating your daycare.

Stickers-Turtles

(Open stickers-Turtles) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create a collection of unique stickers. Use them to reward children throughout the theme.

Educa-decorate-Turtles
(Open educa-decorate-Turtles) Print, laminate, and cut out the illustrations. Use them to decorate your walls or hang them from the ceiling.

My turtle floor

(Open educa-decorate-Turtles) Print and have children color or decorate the turtles. Cut them out and press them on the floor using adhesive paper. Use the illustrations to delimit various areas or to create a path connecting different areas or simply to decorate you daycare for the duration of the theme.

Garland-Turtles

(Open garland-Turtles) Print. Have children decorate the garland. Cut it out and hang it within your daycare or near your daycare entrance. Hang plastic turtles from the ceiling throughout the daycare. Hide some among the toys children play with most.

Turtle balloons

(Open turtle balloons) Print several copies of the document on heavy paper. Cut out the items. Inflate several green balloons. Glue 4 legs, a head, and a tail on each balloon to create turtles. Hang them from your daycare ceiling using invisible thread.

Swimming with sea turtles

(Open model-Sea turtle) Print the model and trace it several times on black cardboard or Fun Foam sheets. Cut out the turtles. Hang a piece of lightweight blue fabric horizontally just below your daycare ceiling and set the turtles on it. Children will feel like they are swimming in the ocean with the sea turtles when they look up.

SPECIAL TOOLS

This tool was created in response to a special request received. (Open group identification-Turtles) Print. Use the illustrations and charts to decorate your daycare and identify children's items. (Open poster-Birthday turtle) Print and display on a wall or in your circle time area. Use the poster to remember and celebrate birthdays monthly.

CIRCLE TIME

Organize a trip to your local pet shop before introducing the theme to your group. Invite them to guess which type of animal you will be talking about while they are observing the animals.

Animated discussion-Turtles

(Open picture game-Turtles) Print and laminate the pictures in the format you prefer. Use them to spark a conversation with the children in your group and to ask them questions.

A treasure hunt to discover the theme

(Open educa-decorate-Turtles) Print and laminate. Set the illustrations on items throughout your daycare. Invite children to search for them. Name the items and invite children to guess the theme.

Poni discovers and presents-Turtles
(Open Poni discovers and presents-Turtles) Print and laminate the cards. Using a Poni puppet or another puppet children are familiar with, present the different types of turtles to your group.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Turtles) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or thematic bin.

ACTIVITY SHEETS

(Open activity sheets-Turtles) Print and follow instructions.

WRITING ACTIVITIES

Stationery-Turtles

(Open stationery-Turtles) Print and use the stationery to communicate with parents, in your reading and writing area, or to identify your thematic bins. (Open writing activities-T like turtle) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educa-nuudles-Turtles

(Open educa-nuudles-Turtles) Print for each child. Have children color the sheet and use Magic Nuudles to give it a three-dimensional look. Variation: You don't have Magic Nuudles? Have children fill the spaces designed for Magic Nuudles with bingo markers or stickers. To order Magic Nuudles:

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS-Turtles

Construction/building blocks

• Offer green and brown blocks...the colors found in marshes and forests.
• Forest animals.
• Reptiles and frogs.
• Objects found in nature such as tree branches, pine needles, pinecones, etc.

Arts & crafts

• Various shapes cut out of construction paper that can be used to create different reptiles.
• An easel and paint for painting reptiles.
• Paper plates that can be used to create turtles.
• Ropes and paint for coil-shaped creations.

Role play

• The pet shop: cages, an aquarium, plastic plants, plastic animals, empty pet food boxes and containers, etc.
• A marsh or forest: Arrange plastic plants to represent a marsh or forest. Add plastic animals and reptiles.
• Costume bin: safari-type clothing, a hat, binoculars, etc.

Manipulation:

• Memory game involving pictures of reptiles (educatall picture games).
• Memory game, lotto game, or other board game involving reptiles.
• Green and brown modeling dough for shaping reptiles and their habitat.
• Puzzles related to the theme.
• Multicolored beads for creating colourful snakes.

Drawing:

• Coloring pages related to the theme.
• Creative coloring activities.
• Offer green or brown paper instead of plain white paper.
• Offer crayons that are not normally available such as waxed crayons or colored pencils.
• Stencils for tracing reptile shapes.

Pre-reading:

• Books about reptiles and their world.
• A Franklin the Turtle movie.
• A picture book with pictures of different reptiles. Old National Geographic magazines are packed with great pictures.
• A poster representing different reptiles.

Pre-writing:

• Activity sheets related to the theme.
• Mazes.
• Connect the dot activities.
• Explore the letter R like reptile, T like turtle, etc.

Music and motor skills:

• An obstacle course throughout which children must collect (or avoid) reptiles.
• Use instruments to reproduce a rattlesnake sound.

Science:

• Transform a sensory bin to represent a vivarium. Simply add soil, gravel, water, tree branches, etc. along with a few plastic reptiles.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards

Use the cards to spark a conversation with your group or in your reading and writing area. They may also be used to identify your thematic bins. (Open word flashcards-Turtles) (Open giant word flashcards-Turtles) Print. turtle, shell, green, ocean, beach, vivarium, eggs, hare, scale, slow, marsh, sand

Let’s chat

Print and laminate the theme’s word flashcards. Have each child pick a word. They can take turns presenting their word to the group (ex. shell). Discuss each item and ask children questions to see what they know about the theme.

Educa-chatterbox-Turtles

(Open educa-chatterbox-Turtles) Print and laminate the cards. To create your chatterbox, you will need an empty shoebox or a small bin that you can decorate as you see fit. Fill it with tiny objects, illustrations, pictures, and accessories related to your theme. To help you, we have created a series of cards that you may use. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for their lunch, have them take turns picking a card or object out of your chatterbox and naming the corresponding item.

Attendance sea turtles

Completely cover one section of a daycare wall with blue paper to represent the ocean. Use chalk to draw bubbles (tiny circles) here and there. Give each child a green paper plate and invite them to draw a grid (like a tic-tac-toe game) inside their plate to represent a turtle shell. Next, they must cut 4 turtle legs and a turtle tail out of green Fun Foam and glue them under their plate. For their turtle head, give each child a picture of himself or herself and ask them to cut out their face, giving it the shape of a turtle head. They must glue it under their plate. Provide adhesive putty that children can use to press their sea turtle in the “ocean” as they arrive each day. Not only will this scene decorate your daycare, but it will also represent an attendance chart. Remove the turtles as children leave at the end of the day.

ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS

Game-This is my spot-Turtles
(Open game-This is my spot-Turtles) Print two copies. Laminate and cut out the cards. Glue one copy of each card on the table using adhesive paper. Drop the copies in a bag. Children take turns picking a card to determine their spot at the table for the day. You may also use the cards to determine naptime spots or for your task train.

My turtle path
(Open my turtle path) Print, laminate, and secure the illustrations on the floor to create a path which leads to areas frequently visited by children such as the bathroom or cloakroom. If you prefer, the illustrations may also be used to delimit your various workshops.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Lacing-Turtles
(Open lacing-Turtles) Print, laminate, and punch holes where indicated. Give children a shoelace or ribbon they can use to lace the shapes.

Turtle race
Use adhesive tape to define a start and finish line. Show children how they can round their back to represent a turtle's shell. For this race, the winner will be the last child to cross the finish line.

Modeling dough activity placemats-Turtles

(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Turtles) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

String activities-Turtles

(Open string activities-Turtles) Print for each child. Children trace the lines with white glue and then press string or ribbon in the glue.

Turtle hunt

(Open tiny turtles) Print, laminate, and cut out. Set turtles on items throughout your daycare. If you prefer, organize a turtle hunt in your yard by setting them on items outdoors. Children collect the turtles in a butterfly net or bucket.

Fill the turtle shell

(Open fill the turtle shell) Print and laminate a turtle for each child. You will have to have collected a large number of soft drink bottle caps prior to this activity. Invite children to glue the caps upside down inside the shell. Next, provide ice cube tongs and encourage children to use them to set a green pompom inside each bottle cap.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Turtle game
(Open game-Turtles) Print and laminate. Before children arrive, hide turtles in your sandbox. Encourage children to shout "Turtle!" each time they find a turtle. The other children will rush over to see it.

Tiny turtles
Invite children to move about very slowly on their hands and knees.

MUSICAL AND RHYTHMIC ACTIVITIES

Turtle tambourines
Pour rice in a paper plate. Place another plate on top and staple the two paper plates together. Have children paint their turtle. When the paint is dry, they can add a head and legs. Children will love to parade around your daycare or neighbourhood with their turtle tambourines.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Turtle shell patterns and designs

(Open turtle shell patterns and designs) Print both pages for each child. Children must cut out the circles that are on the second page, associate each one to the correct turtle and glue them in place using a glue stick.

Turtle shell shapes lotto game

(Open lotto game-Turtle shell shapes) Print a turtle shell for each child. Print and laminate the wheel as well as the needle that is to be inserted in the center. If you do not have buttons corresponding to the various shapes, be sure to print, laminate, and cut out the small shapes for each child. Children take turns spinning the needle and adding the corresponding shape to their turtle shell. The first child to have collected all the shapes required to decorate his shell wins. Encourage children to name the shapes as they play.

Turtle count

(Open turtle count) Print and laminate an aquarium and 10 small turtles for each child. Children must cut out their turtles. They take turns rolling a die to determine how many turtles they may set in their aquarium. The first child who has added all his turtles to his aquarium wins.

Game-Four turtles

(Open game-Four turtles) Print, glue the cards on opaque cardboard and cut them out. Arrange all the cards upside down on the floor or table (so you can’t see the illustrations). Children take turns rolling a die. Every time a child rolls a “1”, he can turn a card. If he doesn’t already have this turtle in front of him, he keeps it and places it in front of him for everyone to see. The first child who has collected all four turtles wins.

Inventing turtles

(Open inventing turtles) Print, laminate, and cut each page in half. Set all the pieces on a table and let children mix and match them to create unique turtles using the heads and bodies. They don’t have to use pieces that are made to go together.

Counting cards-Turtles

(Open counting cards-Turtles) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of wooden clothespins on which you can paint or draw numbers 1 to 9. Children count the items on each card and place the corresponding clothespin on the correct number.

Educ-pairs-Turtles
(Open educ-pairs-Turtles) Print. Children must draw a line to connect identical illustrations or color them the same color. For durable, eco-friendly use, laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Educ-trace-Turtles
(Open educ-trace-Turtles) Print for each child. Children must trace each line with the correct color and then color the corresponding item using the same color.

Educ-same and different-Turtles
(Open educ-same and different-Turtles) Print and laminate for durable, eco-friendly use. Children must circle the illustration that is different in each row.

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Floating turtles

(Open floating turtle) Print and cut out the model. Invite children to trace it on a green Fun Foam sheet. Have them cut out their turtle. Encourage them to glue 2 small wiggly eyes on their turtle’s head. Give each child a small individual applesauce container and have them paint it using green poster paint. Let dry. Once the paint is dry, they can glue it upside down in the center of their turtle’s body to represent its shell. The use of hot glue is recommended for this step. Fill a kiddie pool or large bin with water. Children will love watching their turtle float on the water’s surface.

EARLY SCIENCE/MANIPULATION/EXPLORATION

Warm-blooded, cold-blooded
Explain to your group how reptiles are cold-blooded, unlike mammals (like us!) that are warm-blooded. Explore a variety of different hot and cold items such as water, the air from a hairdryer, a towel that just came out of a dryer, etc.

Hard like a shell
Explore hard and soft objects to help children understand the difference. Have them tap the objects with a stick and pay attention to the different sounds produced and the force of the impact.

CULINARY ACTIVITIES

"Ritz" turtle
Give each child a "Ritz" cracker. Let them spread cream cheese (or peanut butter if there are no nut allergies in your group) on it. Provide pretzels they can use to represent a head, legs, and a tail. Let children eat their turtle when they are done.

ARTS & CRAFTS

Styrofoam turtle shells

Collect several empty Styrofoam meat trays. Cut an oval shape out of each one and provide small wooden sticks. Show children how they can press the tip of a stick on the ovals to draw a checkered design, zigzags, dots, etc. Set a plastic tablecloth on your table and invite children to apply green poster paint all over the turtle shells. Next, they flip them over and press them on a white paper banner. Let dry. Children can draw legs, a head, and a tail to complete each turtle. Display on a wall.

Masks-Turtles

(Open masks-Turtles) Print and set the documents in the center of a table. Let children create unique turtle masks using a variety of arts & crafts materials. Use string to tie each child’s mask behind his head.

Glasses-Turtles

(Open glasses-Turtles) Print the model for each child. Invite them to color and cut out their glasses. Provide small adhesive glitter that they can press on their frame. They will enjoy wearing their glasses for walks in your neighborhood.

My hat-Turtles

(Open my hat-Turtles) Print and cut out. Children glue the items on a green-colored paper headband.

Models-Turtles
(Open models-Turtles) Print. Use the models as a starting point for various crafts and projects.

Puppets-Turtles
(Open puppets-Turtles) Print the models on heavy paper. Have children cut them out and decorate them. Attach Popsicle sticks to the back of each model to make puppets.

Stencils-Turtles
(Open stencils-Turtles) Print and cut out the stencils. Children can use them to trace or paint items related to the theme.

My mini turtle
(Open my mini turtle) Print, cut out, and color the pieces. Use them to transform empty toilet paper rolls to make them look like turtles. Hang them from the ceiling.

Filter turtle
Give each child a coffee filter. Turn it upside down (bottom at the top). Have them glue pieces of construction paper on it to represent a turtle's scales. Once dry, encourage them to draw eyes (or glue wiggly eyes) to complete their turtle.

Turtle mobile
Print a few turtle models and have children paint them using sponges. Make a little hole at the top of each turtle and thread a piece of string through so you can hang them from the ceiling.

My 3D turtle
(Open turtle model) Print the front and back of the turtle's shell. Have children color and decorate the pieces as they wish. When they are done, assemble the two parts by stapling the contour of the shell, leaving the top open so children can stuff the shell with newspaper or cotton balls. Glue the head and legs on the body.

I am learning to draw-A turtle
(Open I am learning to draw-A turtle) Print and laminate the model sheet. Invite children to practice their drawing technique on the model sheet. When they are ready, they can try to draw a turtle on their own.

Coloring pages-Turtles
(Open coloring pages theme-Turtles) Print for each child.

SONGS & RHYMES

(Open songs & rhymes-The little turtle)

The little turtle

By: Patricia Morrison

Sung to: The wheels on the bus

The little turtle's head pops in and out, in and out, in and out
The little turtle's head pops in and out of its shell
(children raise their shoulders and then stretch out their neck)

The little turtle's legs move oh so slow, oh so slow, oh so slow
The little turtle's legs move oh so slow on the sand
(children move their hands very slowly)

The little turtle's shell is a carapace, carapace, carapace
The little turtle's shell's called a carapace, it's hard as rock
(children knock on the floor)

Have fun!

The Educatall team