HINTS AND TIPS

Aims:

• To promote an understanding of, and interest in conservation, particularly in Galapagos
• To educate about the needs and requirements of tortoises

Who to invite?

• A reptile specialist from a reputable local pet shop;
• The reptile department from your local zoo/safari park;
• A local reptile/animal charity;
• A representative from your local branch of British Chelonia Group;
• A speaker from Galapagos Conservation Trust.

Aim for three or four different groups of people to speak to the children. From experience, this number works best.

Try this...

• See if some of your visitors could bring along tortoises to show the children. This really brings the day alive, interests the children and makes the whole issue real.
• Consider inviting children from other local schools - spread the word about Galapagos Conservation Trust's Tortoise Club for Schools.

How should the event run?

Timing is up to you and your school. Tortoise Day has been run as a day-long event, as well as an after school session. You could run a competition on the day, giving away tortoise related prizes - a picture or a poster maybe. The competition could be to draw a Galapagos Tortoise. Get children to complete their competition entries prior to the Tortoise Day event.

• Start your session with an introduction, possibly by one of the speakers, the lead organiser or head teacher.
• Divide the children into groups, so that there are the same number of groups as speakers.
• Allow each group 15 - 20 minutes with each speaker, then move the groups around.
• End Tortoise Day with the judging of the competition. Ask one or more of the speakers to be judges and to award the prizes.

Remember...

Take lots of photographs and send them to us to be put on the website, or in our next junior newsletter.

For further advice please contact tortoise@gct.org