Life Cycle
Academic Standard: |
Materials Needed: |
2.L.1.1 Summarize the life cycle of animals
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Objective:
Students will identify and explain the life cycle of a loggerhead sea turtle
What Is This?
Hook:
Have you ever seen a sea turtle nest? The picture above is a nest I found last summer. I work for the sea turtle hospital in Surf City and I had to move this nest because it was too close to the water. This mama turtle laid 133 eggs in this nest. I know many people will never get the chance to move a sea turtle nest so I wanted to show you how it's done. We are going to move a nest today!
This is a model of a sea turtle nest that I made and you are going to move these eggs because they are not in a safe place on the beach.
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4. Repeat process until all eggs are removed from the nest. The eggs at the bottom of the first nest should be in the bottom of the second nest.
5. Once all of the eggs are in the bucket, take some sand from the bottom of the original nest and put it in the bottom of the man- made nest. 6. This process will be repeated in the same manner from the bucket to the new nest. |
Model / Guided Practice
- How many eggs do you think a mama sea turtle can lay?
- On average 120 eggs per nest, but the mama turtle lays 4-7 nest a year, 14-days apart
- She will return every other year to nest
- My turtle laid 133 eggs
- The nest we made is a little smaller than an actual nest.
- A nest is about 2' deep and shaped like an upside down light bulb. The nest opening is about 3" in diameter
- Who knows what I mean by diameter?
- How long do you think it takes for the eggs to hatch?
- Babies hatch 50 to 60 days after they are laid depending on rainfall, temperature and whether the nest had to be moved.
- What do you think happens after they are hatched?
- After they hatch they head to water and start swimming. It is important to keep the lights off because they crawl towards the moonlight and artificial light could send them in the wrong direction.
- After they hatch they head to water and start swimming. It is important to keep the lights off because they crawl towards the moonlight and artificial light could send them in the wrong direction.
- Where do you think they go?
- They swim 24-48 hours non-stop to reach the Gulf Stream which takes them to the Sargasso Sea where they feed on Sargasso Weed. It provides food and protection.
- They spend many years here growing to adulthood. They are considered adults and ready to start nesting at around 25-30 years.
- They swim 24-48 hours non-stop to reach the Gulf Stream which takes them to the Sargasso Sea where they feed on Sargasso Weed. It provides food and protection.
- Did you know mama turtles come back to the same beach they were born to lay their eggs?
- How big can sea turtles get?
- They can get around 350lbs or more
- How long do you think a sea turtle can live?
- Show video