Terrapins in the Classroom

As a part of our environmental science curriculum, SPFHS will be participating in a program to help raise hatchling Northern Diamond Terrapins. These hatchlings are collected from Island Beach State Park by Project Terrapin and distributed to schools around the state. These baby turtles hatched late and likely would have struggled to survive on their own in the wild, so we are helping to give them a head start before they are returned in June. 

Terrapins in the Classroom helps to connect students with their environment and serves as a gateway stewardship experience for students. Through the program, students learn to see connections between human impacts (including their own) and the natural world. It is an opportunity to help conserve an endangered species and protect biodiversity in our own backyards.

The hatchlings are hosted in our 20 gallon aquarium, complete with an underwater heater and filter and multiple basking platforms to help keep the young turtles comfortable. Over the course of the next few months, students develop a deep appreciation for the value of wildlife as they learn to take on the role of environmental stewards. The program culminates with a field trip to Beach Haven, where students release their terrapins into a state-approved location. The funding for our Terrapins in the Classroom program was provided by a generous grant from the EEF.