Curriculum for Educators

HEART offers a certificate to classes or Scout Troops who complete three easy steps to help the Kemp's ridleys and all sea turtle species. The goals of the HEART Council program are to Educate, Communicate and Participate.

Educate

Students can choose from the following examples or develop their own plan.

• Refer to the Resource Page to find publications and videos to learn about sea turtles and their plight.
• Use links to other information sources on the Internet.
• Students can work alone or in a team and reports can be presented to the class and posted.
• Create sea turtle bulletin boards for the entire school to view.
• Write articles for the school newspaper.
• Write a letter to the community newspaper.
• Invite a speaker from an aquarium, zoo, university or environmental organization to speak to the class.
• Write a report about the Endangered Species Act and how it protects sea turtles.
• Invite a representative of the Coast Guard to discuss the Turtle Excluder Device regulation.

Communicate

Students can do the following to make others aware of sea turtle conservation.

• Contact their federal legislators to support sea turtle conservation. Students in coastal states should also contact their state legislators.
• Organize a letter campaign to state and federal legislators asking for sea turtle conservation laws to be enforced.
• Obtain addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for legislators.
• Learn how to write an effective letter or make an effective phone call to legislators.
• Report on any replies received from letters.

Participate

Support HEART's work. A minimum donation of $25 from a class or Scout Troop with a statement that the class has written to legislators is the qualification for a colorful HEART certificate that can be displayed proudly in the classroom. HEART contributes to the work done at the Padre Island National Sea Shore to patrol for nesting or stranded Kemp's ridley adults or hatchlings and to the sea turtle rehabilitation program at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute at Port Aransas, Texas.

Students can raise money for the certificate qualification by baking and selling sea turtle-shaped sugar cookies. Order a sea turtle cookie cutter and recipe from HEART for only $5.00. Send to P.O. Box 681231, Houston, Texas 77268.

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