LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Drawing sea turtles
This lesson plan takes students step by step through drawing a sea turtle, using the process to discuss the animal's anatomy.
Format: lesson plan (multiple pages)
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
This sea turtle sanctuary is committed to the care and release of sick and injured sea turtles.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Baby sea turtle
Baby sea turtle
This baby sea turtle is ready for release from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, North Carolina.
Format: image/photograph
Green sea turtle
Green sea turtle
Format: image/photograph
Loggerhead sea turtle
Loggerhead sea turtle
Format: image/photograph
Carolina Ocean Studies
A visit to the beautiful barrier islands and ocean reefs of North Carolina will help students understand the importance of our coastal environment and the habitat of the creatures that live there.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Large turtle in Otavalo, Ecuador
Large turtle in Otavalo, Ecuador
A young girl walks aside a large turtle. This turtle appears to be a sea turtle, which would make it out of place in the highlands of Ecuador where it was photographed. Most likely, it is kept as a pet of a tourist attraction. The famed Galapagos islands are...
Format: image/photograph
Balinese man holding turtle catch for display on beach
Balinese man holding turtle catch for display on beach
An Balinese man standing on the beach beside a wooden fishing boat holds up a turtle he has just caught. The smiling man wears a green cap, blue jacket, shorts, and a black and white shoulder bag. Like fish, turtles are highly appreciated as protein-rich food...
Format: image/photograph
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Students will learn about the barrier islands and their importance to the protection of the state of North Carolina. They will also learn about the historical use of the island as well as the plants and animals that can be found there.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Camp Don Lee
Check out the programs available to classroom students at this beautiful camp located near Arapahoe, North Carolina.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Scutes of a turtle's carapace
Scutes of a turtle's carapace
The carapace of a turtle, its upper (dorsal) shell, is divided into plates called scutes that overlie a layer of interlocking bones. Typically the scutes are made of keratin, which also makes up human fingernails and the horns of animals...
Format: image/illustration
Masonboro Island
One of the four sites of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve. Interpreter led field trips must be reserved two seasons ahead. This is a favorite field trip for many teachers.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Courses and causes
You don't need special skills, great physical abilities, or a lot of money to participate in environmental workshops — just the interest. Learning opportunities like those discussed in this article can invigorate your teaching, inspire your students, and get you involved in causes outside your school.
Format: article
By Linda Dow.
North Carolina Maritime Museum
Students will learn about the rich maritime history of the North Carolina coast as well as the coastal environment and barrier island ecology.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
Located on the north end of Hatteras Island, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge provides programs which focus on "interpretation, environmental education, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and fishing."
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Hammocks Beach State Park
A visit to Hammocks Beach State Parks allows students to explore several different ecosystems - estuaries, maritime forest, and desert.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Higher order thinking with Venn diagrams
Graphic organizers are powerful ways to help students understand complex ideas. By adapting and building on basic Venn diagrams, you can move beyond comparison and diagram classification systems that encourage students to recognize complex relationships.
Format: article/best practice
By David Walbert.
Museum of Coastal Carolina and Ingram Planetarium
The museum's exhibits include extensive collections of seashells, saltwater fish, birds, wetland animals, sea animals, live snakes, animal skins, Native American artifacts, and Civil War relics.
Format: article/field trip opportunity
Estuaries in North Carolina: A primer
Estuaries are places near the coast where freshwater and saltwater mix. Influenced by ocean forces yet partly sheltered from them, estuaries have unique and fascinating ecologies. This article explains what estuaries are, their geology and role in the larger...
By Waverly Harrell and Jennifer Godwin-Wyer.
Peoples of the mountains
In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 2.5
During the Mississippian period, corn agriculture became more important in the mountains of North Carolina. More productive agriculture supported larger populations and provided opportunities for accumulating wealth. This brought about increased social ranking and political centralization. The Mountain region was creating its own identity -- an identity that archaeologists tie to the modern-day Cherokee. Archaeologists have given the names Pisgah and Qualla to these Cherokee ancestors.
Format: article