The grade 4/5/6 class has created a turtle habitat in our classroom. We researched about our turtle and found it is a Map Turtle from North America. We then named it A'nowara, which means "turtle" in the Mohawk Indians language. Our class then researched what the turtle needs to eat, live, and survive. We answered the questions, then created a habitat for this turtle. Our turtle habitat has plants including Lucky Bamboo, Water Lettuce, and Water Hyacinths. We have to be careful of the leaves of the Lucky Bamboo, as they are toxic to turtles, but the other plants can also be food for the turtle. Other food for our turtle includes meat, like shrimp and little worms, as well as Aquatic Turtle Food pellets. We have to make sure the water is safe, so we use a water conditioner, and that it stays around 28 degrees Celsius, so we have a heater and a heat lamp. The heat lamp acts as a sun for the turtle, so the turtle can get warm and dry sitting on the rocks under the lamp. The habitat also has a water pump to help clean the habitat and move the water around.
Our classroom jobs are to keep our turtle clean and happy. We share the responsibility of taking care of the turtle, by cleaning the pond, feeding the turtle and checking the water temperature for the turtle and the plants to survive.
We love having the turtle as a friend in our classroom.
