This year, our class wanted to focus their persuasive writing unit and annual class fund raiser on helping turtles. A project of this sort would meet Grade 5 curriculum expectations in Language (researching, writing and media literacy), Science (Conservation of Energy and Resources), Math (counting money) and Social Studies (First Nations turtle symbolism). We consulted with staff from the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre (KTTC), in Peterborough, and they gave us some ideas for our letters.
The Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre is a fourteen year old Canadian registered charity that rescues, rehabilitates and returns to the wild over 1,000 turtles per year. The centre also engages in wild and released turtle population research, conservation initiatives such as establishing "eco-passages" that allow turtles to cross under busy roadways, and education outreach.
We reviewed this poster, showing the species of turtles that live in Ontario. Did you know that seven out of eight species of Ontario turtles are at risk?!
http://saveconcordwest.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/ontario_turtles.jpg
------------------------------------------------------------------
These videos and websites provided us with more information about turtles in Ontario:
- Algonquin Provincial Park: Ontario Turtles at Risk
http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/ontario-turtles-at-risk.php
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources: Turtles at Risk
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Species/2ColumnSubPage/MNR_SAR_TURTLES_AT_RISK_EN.html
- Short Promotional Video (2014): Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre
http://vimeo.com/90466167#at=0
- Longer Video About the Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre's Work (2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5zXtvtuTE0
- Haliburton Highlands Land Trust/Wilberforce E.S.: Turtle Talk (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC5LQA0JDts
- The Road to Extinction: A call to end the snapping turtle hunt
http://kawarthaturtle.org/blog/2012/02/21/snapping-turtle-on-the-road-to-extinction/
- Ojibway Creation Story: Turtle Island
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etn92Ms8plo Opens in a new window
- Incredible World Canada: Ultimate Turtle Survival Game
http://www.incredibleworld.ca/images/stories/videos/swf/TurtleGame.php Opens in a new window
After studying these resources, the class decided we should write to our local MPP (Conservative leader Patrick Brown), and ask him to urge the government to ban the hunting of Snapping Turtles for food. People are allowed to take up to two turtles per day, between mid-July and mid-September in Southern and Central Ontario, and at any time of the year in Northern Ontario, even though Snapping Turtles are listed as "Special Concern" by both the Federal and Ontario governments.
The education coordinator at KTTC offered to give us a tour of the turtle hospital, via Skype, and to answer any questions students had about turtles, prior to writing our letters. We had so much fun talking to Lauren, and meeting the turtles at the centre!
Next, it was time to write letters! Students started off by listing their arguments against allowing a turtle hunt:
They turned their pre-writing plans into rough drafts:
They obtained peer feedback, to help them improve their drafts, and then created "good copies" to send to Mr. Brown.
These are samples of student letters:
We are looking forward to receiving a response from Mr. Brown. We hope he will take what we wrote to heart and help the Snapping Turtles!
Our next blog post will feature our class fundraiser: Market Day 4 Turtles!
--------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for visiting our class BLOG. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to e-mail me (Margaret Black): mblack@scdsb.on.ca or to add a comment to this page.