Turtle Activities for Preschool: Free Science Mini Unit

This free set of turtle activities for preschool helps young learners notice how turtles look, move, and live. Children explore turtle body parts, habitats, and simple life cycle ideas through songs, movement, crafts, observation, and a take-home facts booklet.

Overview

Children build early science habits by observing turtles closely and talking about what they notice. They learn basic turtle parts (head, legs, shell) and compare where turtles live (land, ponds, ocean). The week ends with a simple class-made “Turtle Facts” booklet that students can explain to someone at home.

Subject Connections

Students practice oral language by asking and answering questions, follow directions during crafts, and use movement and music to reinforce vocabulary. Early literacy is supported through picture walks, labeling, and shared writing.

Learning Goals

• Name basic turtle parts (head, legs, shell)
• Describe at least one turtle habitat (pond, beach, forest, ocean)
• Explain that turtles hatch from eggs and grow into adults
• Ask a question and share an observation using simple science language
• Follow multi-step directions to create a puppet and a booklet

Materials

• Picture books or photos of turtles (land turtles and sea turtles)
• Chart paper and markers
• Simple turtle photo cards (parts and habitats)
• Crayons, scissors, glue sticks, tape
• Cardboard tubes or cardstock strips for puppets
• Stapler for booklets
• Optional: classroom aquarium or short, teacher-selected turtle video clip

Preparation

• Print or gather clear photos of turtle parts and habitats
• Prepare a class anchor chart titled “What We Notice About Turtles”
• Pre-cut puppet pieces if fine-motor support is needed
• Prepare a 4–6 page “Turtle Facts” booklet template (pictures + one short sentence starter per page)

Teaching Procedure

Each session fits a standard class period of 45–50 minutes. The sequence runs across one school week.

Session 1 – Turtle Launch and Wonder Questions

1. Teacher shows a turtle photo and leads a picture walk. Students name what they notice (shell, legs, colors) and the teacher records phrases on the class chart.
2. Activity: Teacher tells students they are “turtle scientists.” Materials needed are turtle photos or cards and a blank chart. Students point to what they see, then choose one card and say, “I notice ___.” Students demonstrate learning by sharing one observation aloud while the teacher adds it to the chart.
3. Teacher introduces three simple vocabulary words with gestures: turtle, shell, habitat. Students repeat each word and gesture together.

Session 2 – Turtle Parts and How Turtles Move

1. Teacher displays a large turtle image and points to parts. Students repeat the names and touch the same part on their own bodies when possible (head, legs).
2. Activity: Teacher gives each child a turtle outline and says, “Show the turtle’s head, legs, and shell.” Materials needed are printed outlines and crayons. Students color-code parts (one color for head, one for legs, one for shell) and demonstrate understanding by pointing and naming each part to a partner.
3. Teacher leads a short movement break where students “move like a turtle” (slow steps, stop-and-look, tuck-in). Students describe how the movement matches what turtles do.

Session 3 – Habitats: Land Turtles and Sea Turtles

1. Teacher shows two habitat photos (pond/forest and ocean/beach). Students sort what they see (water, sand, plants) using teacher language prompts.
2. Activity: Teacher tells students to “build a habitat.” Materials needed are two large sheets of paper, simple classroom items (blue paper strips for water, green paper for plants, brown paper for land, sand-colored paper). Students physically place items on the correct habitat page and demonstrate understanding by explaining where the turtle would live and why.
3. Students draw one habitat scene in their notebooks and add a dictated label (teacher writes the child’s words).

Session 4 – Turtle Life Cycle and Turtle Puppet

1. Teacher introduces a simple life cycle sequence with pictures: egg, hatchling, juvenile, adult. Students practice putting four picture cards in order with teacher support.
2. Activity: Teacher says, “Let’s make a turtle puppet to help us explain what turtles are and how they live.” Materials needed are a cardboard tube (or cardstock strip), turtle body parts cutouts, crayons, and glue. Students color, assemble, and attach pieces to create a puppet. Students demonstrate learning by using the puppet to point to the shell and legs while naming them.
3. Teacher leads a short call-and-response chant using the life cycle pictures. Students hold up the matching card when they hear the stage named.

Session 5 – Turtle Facts Booklet Share

1. Teacher reviews the class chart from Session 1 and highlights strong observation language. Students repeat two or three key phrases.
2. Activity: Teacher tells students they will make a “Turtle Facts” booklet to teach someone at home. Materials needed are the booklet pages, crayons, and a stapler. Students color each page, place pages in order, and practice “reading” their booklet by pointing and saying one fact per page. Students demonstrate learning by sharing their booklet with a partner using a clear voice.
3. Students participate in a short sharing circle. Each child shares one turtle fact and one turtle question.

Assessment

Assessment is informal and observation-based. Teacher listens for accurate naming of turtle parts, checks that students can place life cycle pictures in order with support, and reviews the completed Turtle Facts booklet for correct matching of pictures to simple facts.

Differentiation

• Fine-motor support: provide pre-cut shapes, thicker crayons, or larger puppet pieces
• Language support: offer sentence frames such as “I notice ___” and “A turtle lives in ___”
• Extension support: invite advanced students to add one extra page to the booklet with their own drawing and dictated fact

Grade Adaptation

For Pre-K, keep writing as dictation and focus on oral sharing and sorting. For Kindergarten, add simple student labeling (shell, legs, head) and a short “habitat match” recording sheet. For Grade 1, add a brief comparison of land turtles and sea turtles using two sentences and a simple Venn diagram drawn by the teacher.

Extension Ideas

• Outdoor turtle search walk: look for signs of turtle habitats (water edges, sunny rocks) and record observations with drawings
• Gross motor “Turtle Obstacle Course” focusing on slow controlled movement and “pause-and-observe” moments
• Classroom “Turtle Museum” where students display puppets and booklets and practice explaining them to visitors