This month’s activity focuses on the importance of knowing and understanding the world around us, as well as the importance of taking action to resolve an issue. 

The downloadable PDF The Turtle Who Growled: A true story about how the power of knowledge saved a life is a translation of an actual event written by ARCHELON’s Projects Co-ordinator and Zakynthos Project Leader Smaro Touliatou. The story is suitable for young learners at A2/B1 level, and there is a suggestion for a discussion which could be adapted for learners at more advanced levels as well.

Regardless of the class level, this activity (as is true for all other activities) will be more meaningful to students if they share any information they learn with others. The ‘presentation’ could be anything from informational posters hung in the school hall (or perhaps the town hall), a power point presentation given to other classes or groups (for example, at a local senior citizens’ centre), etc.

Whitney the Water Drop

This month’s activity focuses on the problem of environmental pollution in general and encourages students to take action to protect the planet.

The downloadable two-page PDF Whitney the Water Drop is a translation of an original story by ARCHELON’s Projects Co-ordinator and Zakynthos Project Leader Smaro Touliatou.
The story is suitable for young learners at A2/B1 level. The second page contains some suggested questions to check whether students have understood the story, and also contains a list of key vocabulary which can be used according to the needs of your class.

Regardless of the class level, this activity (as is true for all other activities) will be more meaningful to students if they share any information they learn with others. The ‘presentation’ could be anything from informational posters hung in the school hall (or perhaps the town hall), a power point presentation given to other classes or groups (for example, at a local senior citizens’ centre), etc.

This month’s activity draws attention to the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on things like its history/how it was formed, its geographical location, its characteristics, etc.

The downloadable two-page PDF The Mediterranean: A unique sea can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the level of your class and its needs, for example:

• students find out more about the many countries/continents which border the Mediterranean after they have filled in the country/continent names of the on the map provided
• students do additional research about the items mentioned in the text, e.g. animal and/or plant species found only in Greece, geological history of the Mediterranean, etc.
• students visit the seaturtle.org website and track the travels of specific turtles, using the information to learn more about sea turtle migration
• students do research to find out about cooperative projects to protect the Sea which have been/are being carried out by countries boarding the Mediterranean (i.e. the goals, how projects are funded/carried out, their success, etc.)
• students do research about local/EU/international laws to protect the Sea (e.g. fishing regulations, avoiding oil spills and dumping of wastes, etc.)
• students do research to learn about the proposed exploration for oil and gas resources in the area, what threats they might pose to the environment, etc.

Regardless of the class level, this activity (as is true for all other activities) will be more meaningful to students if they share any information they learn with others. The ‘presentation’ could be anything from informational posters hung in the school hall (or perhaps the town hall), a power point presentation given to other classes or groups (for example, at a local senior citizens’ centre), etc.

This month’s activity draws attention to the dangers sea turtles face during their travels through the seas due to their contact with humans.

The downloadable PDF Sea turtles in danger! includes a reading activity for young learners up to B1 level. It also encourages students to learn what happens to an injured sea turtle after it is has been rescued by visiting the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre and/or the ARCHELON website. Finally, it provides some information about what they can do to help sea turtles.

Ideally, after reading the information and doing the activities, students’ awareness of this issue will be raised and, with the encouragement of their teachers, will be motivated to learn and do more to help all the species of endangered sea turtles, which live in all the seas on our planet and nest in many different parts of the world.

This month’s activity draws attention to the marine environment and the problems caused to it and the sea creatures who live in it by a variety of factors, such as sea pollution, environmental destruction, and contemporary fishing technologies. It also includes links to information designed to help us, as consumers, make wise choices about the fish we buy and eat, in order to do our part to ensure a sustainable future for the marine environment.

Most of these issues are addressed in a free, downloadable educational book designed for young people called Tessa and the Fishy Mystery, published by The United Nations Environment Programme http://www.unep.org/pdf/Tessa_Book/Tessa_story_complete.pdf

In addition to the important message it contains, the book can be a rich source of language for English learners. Much of the vocabulary is descriptive in nature and can be understood from the context and illustrations. For example, while young EL learners may not know the verb ‘scuttle’ (page 15), they will be able to understand that it describes the way a crab moves along the beach. Some suggestions for language enrichment, additional activities relating to the book, and links to other sites are presented on the downloadable worksheet Tessa and the Fishy Mystery/All about fish. [downloadable PDF]

This month’s activity draws attention to the distance travelled by Mediterranean Caretta caretta sea turtles and the routes they follow. These endangered animals freely cross man-made international and national boundaries, a fact which highlights the ‘big question’ of the need for international cooperation in order to protect them.

The downloadable PDF Samson’s Journey includes the true story and photos of Sampson, a large Caretta caretta who was treated at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre and, when he had recovered his health, was released and tracked for some time by means of a satellite transmitter which had been ‘glued’ onto his carapace. It also includes a number of questions involving geography and math, as well as links to web pages and sites which have more information about the travels of sea turtles.

Ideally, after reading the information and doing the activities, students’ awareness of this issue will be raised and, with the encouragement of their teachers, students will be motivated to learn more about sea turtles – including things such as why they are endangered and what obstacles they face. Most importantly, students will be challenged to take some action themselves to help resolve this situation, either by participating in programmes addressing these issues or by sharing what they have learned with others in their school or community.

The focus of this month's activity is on plastic pollution, i.e. what it is, the damage it causes to the environment in general, to the ecosystems of various animals, and to the quality of life of all living things, including humans. This topic is very well presented to young readers in the informative, colorful and beautifully illustrated children's book Theo and the Giant Plastic Ball, prepared by The United Nations Environment Programme and which can be downloaded for free in PDF format from their site http://www.unep.org/pdf/Theo_Giant_Ball.pdf .

In addition to book's educational content, the dialog and beautiful illustrations add to the pleasure of reading it. The book has a rich source of environment-related vocabulary, easy-to-read, natural dialog and descriptive language which will be useful to English students at all levels. Some of the vocabulary may be a bit challenging for A2-level learners, but they should be able to understand the meaning of unknown words by looking at the illustrations and inferring the meaning from the context.
Last but not least, the pages at the end of the book provide facts and figures about plastic and the damage it causes and also suggestions about what we can do to help stop the pollution.

There are many activities you and your students can do using recycled plastic bags, for example:

Watch a short video about how to weave them into a mat or beach bag:
http://www.kidspot.com.au/OMO-fun-zone-Create-Plastic-bag-weaving+6389+568+article.htm?utm_source=OmoFunZone&utm_medium=QuickLinks&utm_campaign=omofunzone

Here's a large selection of activities using plastic bags to choose from: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/plasticbagsartscraftsideasprojectskids.html

Round up plastic bags and start using them for your next craft projects. Internet sites that offer ideas for using plastic bags include http://blog.makezine.com/plastic_bag_crafts and http://care2.com/greenliving/18-ways-to-reuse-plastic-bags.html/3

The possibilities are endless.

This month’s activity draws attention to the ozone layer, its role in the ecosystem of our planet, the factors which are destroying it, the consequences of its destruction, and what can be done to protect it.

All these issues are addressed in a free, downloadable educational comic book designed for young people called Ozzy Ozone: Defender of our planet, prepared by The United Nations Environment Programme. www.unep.org/PDF/Ozzy/OP_Defender_E.pdf .

In addition to the facts it presents, the comic is a rich source of key environment-related vocabulary which will be useful to English students at all levels. Some of the vocabulary may be a bit challenging for A2-level learners, but they should be able to understand the gist of the book by looking at the illustrations and inferring the meaning of key unknown words in the cartoon dialogue based on their knowledge of this environmental issue; learners at B1-level and above will be familiar with the vast majority of the vocabulary.

The downloadable worksheet contains a list of key vocabulary relating to the environment which is used in the comic. You may want to pre-teach some of it to young learners, or review it with learners at higher levels of EL learning. The worksheet also includes some suggestions for additional activities.

Worksheet for Ozzy Ozone: Defender of our planet

Welcome back after the summer holidays! We wish you all a καλή σχολική χρονία (= a good school year)!

‘Patients’ at the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre

This month’s activity is based on a worksheet which contains brief information about the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre and the turtles released in 2011. The level of English is suitable for A1/A2-level English students, and there are a number of ways the worksheet can be adapted for use with students at higher English levels. There are two versions of the worksheet, one for students and one for teachers (with key vocabulary, suggestions for advanced-level students, and an answer key.)

‘Patients’ at the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre – STUDENT
‘Patients’ at the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre – TEACHER

June, July, August 2012

This month’s activities include some ideas which students can do on their own while they’re on their summer vacation.

Fantastic Turtles

This is a craft item which also contains brief information about turtles. The exercise can be expanded by asking things like:

• Have you ever seen a real turtle? Where? / What kind?
• What do we call a turtle which lives only on the land?
• Look at pictures of the three types of turtles. How are they the same?/How are they different? How can you explain the differences?
• What kind of turtles are usually kept as pets? (Imported, non-native turtles which are an aggressive species and attack local species if they are released into the wild.)
• Why shouldn’t we keep wild animals as pets?

Additional Turtle Crafts Activities

The internet has lots of craft activities for children involving turtles. Google turtle crafts and choose those which are suitable for you and your students’ needs.

Sea turtles: A brief history

This text includes a timeline which students complete by finding the information in the text. It also contains useful language relating to the physical world which could be exploited.
To expand the activity, students can work in pairs to either prepare questions about the text to ask other pairs, or ask and answer questions about the text with their partner.

Students could also work in groups to research information about the following, and then present a report of their work to other classes in the school:

• similarities and differences between land, fresh water and sea turtles
• descriptions/fact files about each of the seven sea turtle species (or at least the three species found in the Mediterranean)

Visit the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in Glyfada

Inform your students that they can learn about sea turtles and see some which are currently receiving medical treatment at the ARCHELON facility in Glyfada. The Rescue Centre is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 11-5, except for the month of August, when it is closed for maintenance. For details, see the Rescue Centre section of this website (Greek and English).

This month’s activities can be adapted according to the level(s) of your students as well as their (and your) objectives and needs.

Sea Turtle Maze

Vocabulary: focus on groups, e.g.

• animal-related (sharks, mother turtles, young turtles, hatchlings, nests, jellyfish, shrimps)
• environment-related (oil spill; sea pollution/garbage; poaching; fishing techniques [shrimpers’ net]
• expressions/phrases (At last!, Be careful, No room, Talk about...,)
• phrasal verbs/verbs + article (made it, grow up, tangled up, etc.)

Other

• Cover the text and ask students to describe what they see in each picture.
• Students can imagine they are hatchlings and write dialog/do a role-play.
• Students can do research on the various dangers described (e.g. fishing techniques, sea pollution, destruction of habitats by overdevelopment/commercialization, etc.) and then write a report/hold a debate/organize an event or poster exhibit for their school, etc.

Sea Turtle Cutout

• Students follow directions and work together to make and decorate the sea turtle
• Students can find information on the internet about the size and weight of sea turtles (either within the same species or among different species), and prepare reports of their findings, for example:
  • Are there any significant differences in the sizes and weights of sea turtles in different parts of the world (ie, Gulf of Mexico vs Mediterranean, etc.)?
  • What factors influence a sea turtle’s growth?
  • Where are the largest turtles found?
• Students share what they’ve learned by presenting their completed projects to their school

Visit the ARCHELON website for links to other sites which may be of interest to you and your students http://www.archelon.gr/eng/links.php?row=row7

Welcome to the first ‘issue’ of ARCHELON’s new Environmental Education page, designed especially for teachers. The page has been created as an outcome of our participation in TESOL Greece’s Community Outreach Program.

It will provide articles, information and downloadable exercises on a monthly basis which teachers can use as tools to:

• increase students’ awareness of real-world environmental issues,
• practice their communication skills,
• help them acquire critical 21st century skills such as critical thinking, decision-making, collaboration and cooperation with others, among others, and
• make the most out of a class field trip to the Rescue Centre.

April Contents

Think, Link, and Act
Project-based learning: The case of ARCHELON
Handout of the power point presentation slides from the above presentation, made at the TESOL Greece 33rd Annual Convention on 17 March 2012 by Jane Mantarakis and Joanne Stournara

Project-based learning: The case of ARCHELON
Article version of the above presentation. Summary: In this presentation, we will introduce you to ARCHELON, to share information about it, and at the same time demonstrate how EL language teaching-learning strategies can be woven into project-based lessons in partnership with ARCHELON. We think the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre is a gem for building learning experiences and enhancing EL learning beyond the four walls of our classroom.

Exercises:
All the exercises can be adapted/expanded according to students’ level and the needs of both you and your students. Several suggestions are given for each – there are many other possible uses for each. In addition, all exercises can be used as part of a project-based lesson built around sea turtles in particular, endangered species: the dangers they face and what we can do to protect them. The exercises can be used in class or at the Rescue Centre during a visit; they are suitable for pre-visit preparation, on-site collection of information, and/or post-visit assessment.

For students up to English level A2

Coloring page (Under the sea)

• Teach the names of all the ‘animals’ in the picture (e.g. jellyfish, sea urchins, coral) Ask students if they’ve ever seen any of them, what each one does (e.g. sea urchins help keep the sea water pure, etc.)
• Practice a grammar point you (For example, Present simple: Sea urchins clean the sea; Present continuous: The turtle is swimming up (to the surface) to breathe/get some air. Conditionals: If you step on a sea urchin, it hurts! If I saw a sea urchin, I wouldn’t touch it.
• Write/Tell a story about what you see in the picture.

Picture-based multiple choice (Sea turtle facts)

• See suggestions for above exercise.

For students up to English level B1 (Sea Turtle Questions)

• Be sure students understand all the key vocabulary and the meaning of each question.
• Organize the class into groups, each of which is responsible for finding the answers to several questions. (Students can find the info on the internet on websites which the teacher has previously checked, approved, and provided to the students.)
• Students share their information by answering questions posed by members of other groups.
• Students write a report/make a presentation to their school about what they’ve learned.

For students from B2-C2 level (An Ethical Dilemma)

Be sure students understand all the key vocabulary and the main points.
Students can:

• summarize the text
• write a ‘two-sided’ essay
• hold an organized debate about the issues
• do a role-play, perhaps for the whole school
• practice ‘mediating’ the text from English to Greek
• hypothesizing/deciding what they would do if they were in the Mayor’s place

Note:
Each week on the main page of the website, there is a report called, Joanne, what’s new at the Rescue Centre? At the end of each report, there is a section, called ‘Did you know...’, with information which might be of interest/use to you and your students.

If you have any questions/comments about this new page, please contact Anthoula Togia, (Environmental Education), at education@archelon.gr . We welcome your feedback!