Elephants on Parade

August 12th each year is World Elephant Day.

Elephant enjoying a mud bath after a dip in the river, Elephant Nature Park, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Photo by Fiona Childs

Eight Ideas for World Elephant Day

  1. Watch baby elephants being fed.
    Live footage will be beamed across the world from the Elephant Orphanage Project in Zambia by IFAW and partners Game Rangers International.
    Click the link to watch or set a reminder.

2. Take part in online activities
Activities including colouring contests, crafts and quizzes are being organised by MEME (Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants).

3. Learn about elephants
Research on https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
There’s slideshows and information on Asian and African elephants in child-friendly formats.

4. Celebrate with Elmer
Download the free Elmer activity pack. It was produced for Elmer Day (May 23rd), but if you missed it, World Elephant Day is the perfect time to use it! There’s colouring, collage, model making, puzzles, games and more.
Children could use the templates to make their own Elmer or create their own pattern as in the story when the elephants decorated themselves for a parade.
Collage using squares is great for younger children and patchwork works well for collaborative work. I once created a large wall hanging by sewing together patches knitted by my Year 6 students.

Elmer collage using colourful squares, glue with brushes and an outline. Good for early childhood or SEND settings.
A Year 6 class (10-11 year olds) knitted squares for this large wallhanging of Elmer.

For more ideas on Elmer, elephants and patterns check out the Pinterest board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/teacherstellingtales/patterns/elmer-elephant-parade/
This will be updated so remember to follow.

5. Make an elephant mask
Here’s a lovely template.

An elephant mask.
https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/printable-elephant-mask.html

6. Learn about Mosha
The first elephant to receive a prosthetic foot after being injured by a landmine at just 7 months old. Mosha inspired Elephant Parade, a fantastic project to raise funds for Friends of the Asian Elephant.

Artists from around the world create beautiful designs for elephant statues that are displayed in cities and auctioned to raise funds to help elephants. Smaller replicas are produced for sale. I was so moved when parents of a class I once taught bought me one as a thank you gift at the end of the year.

An ornament of an elephant painted with a gold background and green, yellow and blue blossom design.
Replica of Spring Blossom created for Elephant Parade by Ciska van der Meer.
What a beautiful gift!

7. Design an elephant for a parade.
You can submit your sketches using a form here.
You can also take part in the Artbox Contest by decorating an elephant model, your design could end up on a full sized elephant in an exhibition!

Artbox from Elephant Parade, shows elephant model, paints, brushes, palette, leaflets and box.
https://store.elephantparade.com/artbox

8. Support Elephant Conservation
Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand was the first ‘Hand Off’ project in Asia, providing a sanctuary and retirement home to elephants that have been abused and injured through logging, circus and tourist camps. As the coronavirus pandemic has affected tourism they have taken on elephants from other places where the owners are no longer able to afford to keep them. I visited there last December when I took these photos. I recommend checking out their website and following on social media, they regularly post videos great for sharing with children.
How about celebrating World Elephant Day by making a donation or sponsoring an elephant?

Turtle Tales and Truths

Story and information books on sea turtles

Turtle by Fiona Childs

Sea turtles are such fascinating creatures, it’s no wonder they have inspired so many engaging books for children both fiction (tales) and non fiction (truths).

Reading turtle tales or truths can spark wonder about the oceans in the minds of children. Because turtles are endangered, their plight can inspire youngsters into becoming ocean heroes.

Here are some recommended books on sea turtles. Unless stated, the books are available on Amazon and links take you there to find out more. Teachers Telling Tales are not affiliates and recommend supporting local, independent book stores where possible.

Learning about Life Cycles, for younger readers

The Smallest Turtle (Picture Hippo): Written by Lynley Dodd, 1991 Edition, (New edition) Publisher: Scholastic [Paperback]

The tale of a baby turtle and his journey down the beach to the sea.

Part of the Nature Storybooks series, this picture book combines story with information to show how one tiny sea turtle grows before she heads back to the beach to become a mother herself.

The classic turtle picture book with over 2 million copies sold! Opening simply in the baby sea turtle’s voice: “I’m coming Mama, I’ll see you soon, I know just how, I’ll follow the moon.” Celebrating the love between mother and child and proceeds from sales support turtle conservation.

From the moment it hatches from its shell through its journey across an ocean filled with wonders and dangers to its return to the beach where it was born to lay its own eggs, a female sea turtle’s life is one of survival.

Non fiction

Did you know turtles spend their entire lives travelling the ocean to find food and a mate? And they have a great sense of direction, returning to lay their eggs on the exact beach where they were born. This level 2 reader is great for independent research and discovery.

With inspiring photographs, children are given a well-rounded understanding of turtles’ anatomy, feeding habits, and behaviour in this information text.

Ocean Heroes

Six of seven species of turtle are endangered. These books help children understand why and provide hope through inspiring action for conservation.

Little Turtle Turns the Tide is the first children’s book by novelist and screenwriter Lauren Davies. Carrying a strong and positive environmental message, the book tells the story of Little Turtle, who finds himself swimming in an ocean of plastic debris. So he sets off on a journey to make a difference, with the help of his friends and the children of the world. Beautifully illustrated by Nico Williams, Little Turtle Turns the Tide will appeal to young children who love the ocean, and inspire them to be heroes.

Children will enjoy this inspiring story. Viv has a new home and a new school by the sea. Follow her as she finds her way in a new place and helps bring together a whole community to save the sea turtles of the South Carolina coast. Acclaimed activist Philippe Cousteau and author Deborah Hopkinson team up to offer a story of the powerful difference young people can make in the world.

The Tale of the Turtle and the Plastic Jellyfish (free download)

Nerin is a sea turtle who loves eating jellyfish. One day, she accidentally eats a plastic bag which puts her in a spot of bother. Luckily, Professor Penny, along with her canine friend, Wilson, is on hand to save the day! Professor Penny Stories are a series of children’s books written by staff and students of the University of Exeter’s College of Life and Environmental Sciences.

Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change (free download) Fuentes, M. (2010) Myrtle’s battle against climate change. Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns, Australia (22pp.).

Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change is based on findings from PhD research. It explains what climate change is, how it affects turtles and what we can do in child-friendly text and pictures.

An empowering read for older readers about how one person can make a real difference. It’s time to save the turtles! Chellie loves the beautiful green turtles on her tropical island home, especially since their scientific name is so close to her own. Every year she would watch them swim in the sea and make their long journeys up the beach to lay their eggs. But one day, Chellie makes a grim and horrible discovery – the rubbish pollution is threatening her beloved turtles, so she is forced to act. Can she save them before it is too late?

Do you have any favourite turtle books not included here? Please add them in the comments.

For turtle related resources check out the Teachers Telling Tales shop on tes.com or the Teachers pay Teachers store.