This document provides the directions, objectives, and materials needed to play a board game called "Journey of the Sea Turtle". The goal of the game is for players to move their turtle pieces around the game board, answering questions correctly to advance. When a player reaches an "egg spot" they must complete a research task to receive an egg piece. The first player to collect 3 eggs wins. The document outlines preparing the game board, pieces, and collecting questions, dangers, and research tasks for players. It also lists the educational objectives which teach students about sea turtle biology, conservation, and life cycles.
1. Journey of the Sea
Turtle
Play the game
Game Directions
Story
Credits
Copyright Notice
Game Preparation
Objectives
Game Pieces
2. Story
Sea turtles are on the endangered species list and face many
hardships throughout their lives. One of the greatest
challenges every female sea turtle faces is laying her eggs.
Each year a female sea turtle must drag herself onto the beach
and dig a large hole in order to lay her eggs. The fantastic part
is that she does not do this just once, but up to ten times a
year. In this game, you are a female sea turtle. Your goal is to
journey through the world of a sea turtle and lay eggs three
times. While on your journey, you will face many of the dangers
sea turtles are confronted with everyday. You will also learn
much about the life of a sea turtle and how to preserve the
species. Good luck and happy egg laying.
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3. Game Directions
The goal of the game is to move around the board and onto each egg spot
once. After correctly completing the research task at each egg spot, the
player gets an egg. The first player to obtain three eggs wins.
To play the game, each player starts somewhere on the outer loop of the
game board. At the beginning of each turn, the player must select and
answer a question. If the player correctly answers the question, s/he may
roll the die and move. That turn is then over. If the player answers the
question incorrectly, the turn is over, and s/he cannot move. The goal of
the game is to get onto the beach to lay eggs at each egg spot on the game
board. When a player reaches an egg spot, s/he must pick and complete a
research task to receive an egg. Once the research task is completed, the
player may roll again and continue moving around the board. If a player
lands on a danger space, s/he must select a danger and follow the danger
instructions.
To win the game, a player has to visit each egg spot once and correctly
complete the research task at each spot. For each task completed, the
player gets an egg. The first play to obtain three eggs wins.
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4. Game Preparation
• Game board: Print out slides 7-10. Cut them out and tape
them together to create the game board.
• Game Pieces: Print out slides 5-6 (preferably on heavy card
stock), then cut into individual turtles and eggs. Get dice.
• Research Questions: Look at slides 56-73 and come up with
acceptable answers that are appropriate for your students.
• Questions, Dangers, and Research: Print out slides 15-16,
55 and 74 to keep track of which questions, dangers and
researches have been used.
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11. Credits
All teachers and students at non-profit schools can use, revise, or adapt this
game at will at no cost on the condition that all prior designers are cited.
• Originally designed by Lauren Ebert, University of Georgia, May
2003 with the title “Journey of the Sea Turtle”.
Back
12. Educational Objectives
Audience:
Fifth grade, science
Subject Area:
Life Sciences, Standard 17
Topic: The Living World: Animals
Standard: Compares different kinds of animals and their protective adaptations. Identifies
examples of animals with protective adaptations in color, physical structure and body
markings and shadings, such as zebras, giraffes, Viceroy butterflies and deer.
Inquiry, Standard 4
Topic: Activities/Tools
Standard: Actively engages in learning process via hands-on/minds-on science
activities and experiences. Uses appropriate tools to collect and analyze data and
solve problems.
Inquiry, Standard 2
Topic: Reference Skills
Standard: Uses encyclopedias, science reference magazines, books and other
media to obtain information related to science concepts.
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13. Copyright
• Copyright 2003 Lauren Ebert
• Permission to copy this game at no cost is granted to all teachers
and students of non-profit schools.
• Permission is also granted to all teachers and students of non-
profit schools to make revisions to this game for their own
purposes, on the condition that this copyright page and the credits
page remain part of the game. Teachers and students who adapt
the game should add their names and affiliations to the credits
page without deleting any names already there.
Back
14. Time to play Journey of the Sea
Turtle!
Questions
Research
Dangers
DirectionsHome Page
15. Questions
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Game Home More…
19. When active, how often do sea
turtles have to swim to the surface
to breathe?
every hour
every 30 minutes
every 5 minutes
every 2 hours
Game Home Back
21. What government act are sea
turtles protected under?
Marine Protection Act of 1987
Endangered Species Act of 1973
Turtle Protection Act of 1985
Sea Turtle Act of 1979
Game Home Back
22. What class are sea turtles?
Reptiles
Mammals
Amphibians
Fish
Game Home Back
23. Which sea turtle does not have
a hard, bony shell?
Atlantic Green
Loggerhead
Hawksbill
Leatherback
Game Home Back
24. How long have sea turtles
existed on earth?
400 million years
200 thousand years
200 million years
400 thousand years
Game Home Back
25. How much does the average
Green Turtle weigh?
200 to 300 lbs
100 to 150 lbs
300 to 400 lbs
150 to 200 lbs
Game Home Back
26. Where does the Green Turtle
usually live?
around coral reefs
in sea grass
along the ocean floor
in shallow waters
Game Home Back
27. How long is the average Green
Turtle?
50 to 55 inches
25 to 33 inches
36 to 43 inches
45 to 50 inches
Game Home Back
28. How much does the average
Hawksbill weigh?
400 to 500 lbs
200 to 300 lbs
300 to 400 lbs
100 to 200 lbs
Game Home Back
29. The term “tortoise shell”
originated from the Hawksbill
turtle.
True
False
Game Home Back
30. How long is the average
Hawksbill turtle?
30 to 36 inches
25 to 30 inches
39 to 43 inches
45 to 51 inches
Game Home Back
31. How much does the average
Kemp’s Ridley turtle weigh?
200 to 230 lbs
120 to 150 lbs
80 to 100 lbs
50 to 75 lbs
Game Home Back
32. The Kemp’s Ridley turtle is the
most endangered of all sea
turtles.
True
False
Game Home Back
33. How much does the average
Leatherback turtle weigh?
750 lbs
875 lbs
1,400 lbs
1000 lbs
Game Home Back
34. How long is the average
Leatherback turtle?
6 feet
4 feet
5 feet
7 feet
Game Home Back
35. How much does the average
Loggerhead turtle weigh?
250 to 500 lbs
200 to 350 lbs
100 to 300 lbs
150 to 400 lbs
Game Home Back
36. What color markings does the
Loggerhead turtle have?
dark green
reddish brown
olive green
grayish blue
Game Home Back
37. How long does the average sea
turtle live?
10 to 15 years
45 to 50 years
15 to 20 years
30 to 35 years
Game Home Back
38. Which of these do sea turtles
NOT eat?
jellyfish
lobster
seaweed
shrimp
Game Home Back
39. How many eggs do sea turtles
usually lay?
50 to 100
60 to 120
100 to 200
70 to 170
Game Home Back
41. How long can sea turtles stay
out of the water?
10 to 11 hours
1 hour
2 to 3 hours
6 hours
Game Home Back
42. How many species of sea
turtles are there?
7
10
6
9
Game Home Back
43. Sea turtles do not often
interact unless they are mating.
True
False
Game Home Back
44. What is the amount of eggs a
sea turtle lays called?
a nest
a hand
a clutch
a batch
Game Home Back
45. Once the female sea turtle lays her
eggs, how log does it take the eggs to
hatch?
35 days
40 days
60 days
75 days
Game Home Back
46. The temperature of the sea
turtle eggs effects what sex
the babies will be.
True
False
Game Home Back
47. What makes sea turtles
different from other turtles?
they evolved from different ancestors
they lay different types of eggs
they can not pull their limbs into their shells
they do not breathe air
Game Home Back
48. How large is a sea turtle egg?
the size of a marble
the size of a soft ball
the size of a tennis ball
the size of a ping pong ball
Game Home Back
49. Where is the sea turtle’s vision
the best?
underwater
above the water
in the dark
Game Home Back
50. How fast can the average sea
turtle swim?
0.5 to 0.9 kph
1.5 to 2.3 kph
2.6 to 3.1 kph
3.4 to 3.7 kph
Game Home Back
51. What is the longest amount of time
a sea turtle can stay underwater?
1 hour
3 hours
8 hours
5 hours
Game Home Back
52. Sea turtles have an external
ear opening.
True
False
Game Home Back
56. Research 1
Using the Atlantic Green turtle page
and any other resources you can find,
decide where you as an Atlantic
Green turtle would like to lay your
eggs. Also explain what obstacles you
might face as you lay your eggs.
Game Home BackResearch
57. Research 2
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Atlantic Green turtle and
explain to the class what it looks like
and how its adaptations help it
survive.
Game Home BackResearch
58. Research 3
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, come up with
your own plan on how you can help
save sea turtles.
Game Home BackResearch
59. Research 4
Game Home Back
Using the Hawaiian Green turtle page
and any other resources you can find,
decide where you as an Hawaiian
Green turtle would like to lay your
eggs. Also explain what obstacles you
might face as you lay your eggs.
Research
60. Research 5
Game Home Back
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Hawaiian Green turtle and
explain to the class what it looks like
and how its adaptations help it
survive.
Research
61. Research 6
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, explain to the
class how laws protect sea turtles and
what is being done to enforce those
laws.
Game Home BackResearch
62. Research 7
Game Home Back
Using the Kemp’s Ridley turtle page and
any other resources you can find,
decide where you as a Kemp’s Ridley
turtle would like to lay your eggs.
Also explain what obstacles you might
face as you lay your eggs.
Research
63. Research 8
Game Home Back
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Kemp’s Ridley turtle and
explain to the class what it looks like
and how its adaptations help it
survive.
Research
64. Research 9
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, report to the
class all the different dangers sea
turtles face and how those dangers
are affecting the sea turtle
population.
Game Home BackResearch
65. Research 10
Game Home Back
Using the Loggerhead turtle page and
any other resources you can find,
decide where you as a Loggerhead
turtle would like to lay your eggs.
Also explain what obstacles you might
face as you lay your eggs.
Research
66. Research 11
Game Home Back
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Loggerhead turtle and explain
to the class what it looks like and how
its adaptations help it survive.
Research
67. Research 12
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, explain to the
class what baby sea turtles face
after they hatch. Be sure to include
how many babies survive and how long
it takes them to mature.
Game Home BackResearch
68. Research 13
Game Home Back
Using the Hawksbill turtle page and any
other resources you can find, decide
where you as a Hawksbill turtle would
like to lay your eggs. Also explain
what obstacles you might face as you
lay your eggs.
Research
69. Research 14
Game Home Back
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Hawksbill turtle and explain to
the class what it looks like and how
its adaptations help it survive.
Research
70. Research 15
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, explain to the
class how sea turtles are different
from land turtles. Be sure to include
the specific adaptations sea turtles
have that are different from land
turtles.
Game Home BackResearch
71. Research 16
Game Home Back
Using the Leatherback turtle page and
any other resources you can find,
decide where you as a Leatherback
turtle would like to lay your eggs.
Also explain what obstacles you might
face as you lay your eggs.
Research
72. Research 17
Game Home Back
Using the links provided, find a picture
of the Leatherback turtle and explain
to the class what it looks like and how
its adaptations help it survive.
Research
73. Research 18
Using the links provided and any other
resources you can find, make a
prediction of what is going to happen
to sea turtles in the future based on
the evidence you find.
Game Home BackResearch
74. Dangers
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Game Home
75. Danger 1
Game Home Back
You get trapped in a
fisherman’s net. It takes
you a while to get out, and
your flippers are slightly cut.
You need to take time to
recuperate, so you miss your
next turn.
76. Danger 2
Game Home Back
A boater is paying no
attention where they are
going. As a result, you get
caught underneath the motor
and cut pretty badly. You
need time to heal, so you
must skip your next two
turns.
77. Danger 3
Game Home Back
A coyote gets into one of
your egg nests and eats them
all. As a result, you must
lay another clutch of eggs.
Give back one of your eggs
and journey to the beach one
more time.
78. Danger 4
Game Home Back
You accidentally ate a plastic
bag thinking it was a jelly
fish and get sick. You need
to take time to recuperate,
so you miss your next turn.
79. Danger 5
Game Home Back
You climbed onto the beach you
usually lay your eggs on but now
there is a hotel on the beach. The
lights are too bright, and you are
afraid to lay your eggs there, so
you head back to the ocean. This
delay causes you to lose your next
turn.
80. Danger 6
Game Home Back
Egg hunters find the eggs you
deposited and dig them all up
to sell at the market. As a
result, you must lay another
clutch of eggs. Give back
one of your eggs and journey
to the beach one more time.
81. Danger 7
Game Home Back
There was an oil spill and you
are covered in oil. It takes
a while for rescue workers to
clean all the oil off of your
shell. You miss two turns
when you are being cleaned.
82. Danger 8
Game Home Back
The water you are in is
extremely polluted by a
factory that dumps chemicals
into the ocean. As a result
you become sick and lose one
turn.
83. Danger 9
Game Home Back
The beach you usually lay
your eggs on has eroded, so
you cannot lay your eggs
there. As a result you head
back to the ocean. This
delay causes you to lose your
next turn.
84. Danger 10
Game Home Back
Sea turtle hunters are trying
to catch you in order to sell
your shell. Luckily you
escape from being captured,
but you suffer some injuries.
You miss your next turn
while you take time to
recuperate.
85. Danger 11
Game Home Back
A racoon gets into one of
your egg nests and eats them
all. As a result, you must
lay another clutch of eggs.
Give back one of your eggs
and journey to the beach one
more time.
86. Danger 12
Game Home Back
You run into a killer whale
who wants to make you
dinner. You must swim away
fast and hide. As a result,
you miss your next turn.
87. Danger 13
Game Home Back
You get tangled in floating
debris a boater carelessly
tossed overboard. It takes a
while for you to become
untangled. While you
untangle yourself, you miss
your next two turns.
88. Danger 14
Game Home Back
A careless person on the
beach accidentally digs up all
your eggs. As a result, you
must lay another clutch of
eggs. Give back one of your
eggs and journey to the
beach one more time.
89. Danger 15
Game Home Back
You climbed onto the beach
you usually lay your eggs on
but now there is an enormous
seawall there. There is no
room for you to lay your
eggs, so you head back to
the ocean. This delay causes
you to lose your next turn.
90. Danger 16
Game Home Back
A fisherman accidentally
catches you and pulls you into
his boat. Fortunately he
releases you back into the
water, but you are a little
shook up over the whole
event. You skip your next
turn in order to re-gather
your courage.
91. Danger 17
Game Home Back
Sea turtle hunters are trying
to catch you in order to sell
your meat. Luckily you
escape from being captured,
but you suffer some injuries.
You miss your next turn
while you take time to
recuperate.
92. Danger 18
Game Home Back
A bunch of ants invade the
place where you deposited
your eggs and kill all the
eggs. As a result, you must
lay another clutch of eggs.
Give back one of your eggs
and journey to the beach one
more time.
93. Research Page
Game Home Back
Hawksbill
Kemp’s Ridley
Hawaiian GreenAtlantic Green
Loggerhead
Leatherback
Other links