Upcoming School Visit

[jsheffield]

I'm excited about an upcoming visit to an elementary school, to share my books with a number of classes of students... I'm bringing along Chili and Aretha and Darwin so that the students can learn a bit about different tortoises from around the world.

I've been in talks with the teachers for a while now, but we finalized plans for the day yesterday afternoon.

Jamie

 

[TammyJ]

That's wonderful!

 

[wellington]

How exciting for you and the kids. Future tortoise lovers coming up.
Let us know how it all goes.

 

[Yvonne G]

Paper towells, handy wipes or sanitizer. Kids love poop! - EW-W-W!!!! GROSS!

 

[jeff kushner]

What a great thing to bring to the classroom. Kids love to touch things!

Are you going to brave individual classes or are you going to bring them into an Assembly?

Be brave!

LOL

 

[jsheffield]

What a great thing to bring to the classroom. Kids love to touch things!

Are you going to brave individual classes or are you going to bring them into an Assembly?

Be brave!

LOL

It's going to be a few individual classes: K-1, 1-2, 3-4.

My understanding is that each class will pick which book they want to read or talk about, and then I'll have the torts there to back up the stories and talk about the natural history and differences among torts of the world a bit.

I think I get about 45 minutes with each group of kids.

Jamie

 

[jeff kushner]

Fantastic! I grew up in a family of teachers and my sweetheart teaches 2nd.

Have fun!

It's funny because we believe we are doing something for the kids, but you will get more from it!

Congrats. that's a pretty cool gig!

 

[jsheffield]

Paper towells, handy wipes or sanitizer. Kids love poop! - EW-W-W!!!! GROSS!

Darwin dropped the hugest poop, along with some noisy and varied farts, the last time I had her in front of a group of elementary school kids... it was awesome and terrible and messy and fun!

J

 

[SinLA]

I just wish all schools would do animal visitors rather than keeping them in the classroom...

 

[jsheffield]

I'm getting really excited for the trip to a local area school tomorrow.

I'll be doing a half-day of readings and presentations focusing on my children's books and the various tortoises that live with me here in New Hampshire.

I'm planning on bringing Chili and Darwin and Aretha along, as they're the stars of the books and also feature some of the amazing diversity among tortoises of the world.

I hope to post pictures of the experience afterwards!

Jamie

 

[jsheffield]

Chili, Darwin, Aretha, and I had a great time at the Marlboro Elementary School this morning!

I gave multiple presentations on all three torts' biology and background and habits and also read Chili's book to two different groups of young students.

It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved (torts included), and I hope to do more school visits in the future.

I had no free time or hands to take pictures, but the teachers and TAs and students took a bunch, and they all promised to send them my way ASAP; so I'll hopefully post some pics before long.

Jamie

 

[TammyJ]

That's great! Looking forward to some pictures.

 

[jsheffield]

It was a great time... I brought three of my tortoises and read my children's books to a couple of classes, and talked about tortoises with all of the lower grades.



They made a bunch of drawings and a mobile inspired by the torts.



It was a really sweet group of kids and teachers, interested, attentive, and gentle with the tortoises.

Jamie

 

[SinLA]

I wish more schools would do that, rather than keeping them in the classroom

 

[zolasmum]

I wish more schools would do that, rather than keeping them in the classroom

When we take Zola out, as we do every day, we often find that the children we meet have never seen a real tortoise, and are fascinated - their parents too. Unlike the USA, there are no turtles, tortoises or terrapins in the wild here(UK)
The only ones they will see are in a zoo - but Zola always enjoys meeting people - and especially showing off his eating skills !
Angie