Sea turtle life cycle sequence and fold science craft activity

Teach or review the life cycle of a turtle with this foldable sequencing activity. This fun alternative to a standard cut-and-paste worksheet covers 4 stages of a turtle's life cycle from egg to hatchling, juvenile, and adult sea turtle.

Print the templates you need on letter-sized paper ready for students to color, cut, sequence the stages, glue, and fold. Once folded they can carefully bring the 2 halves together like an accordion, then pull apart to reveal the life cycle inside.

Ideal for a science center, interactive notebook or to support classroom studies on life cycles, ocean/marine animals, or turtles.

Benefits of these activities:

• Low prep
• Children learn about life cycles in a fun and hands-on way, that’s a bit different from a standard science worksheet.
• Can be used to introduce the turtle life cycle, or as a review/assessment to check understanding.
• Encourages fine motor/scissor skills, hand-eye coordination (folding), and sequencing.
• Differentiated options allow for multiple age ranges or abilities to do the same activity.
• Finished foldouts can be inserted into an interactive notebook where they can be referenced by children.

This resource includes:

• 3 black and white differentiated templates (see below for more details)
• Directions for students
• Guidelines for how to fold the turtle.
• A full-color diagram of a turtle’s life cycle
• Parts of a turtle cut and paste
• Life cycle information page
• Questions to discuss together

The templates

There are 3 templates to choose from:

• Template 1: Color the turtle and life cycle stages, sequence the stages, glue, cut, and fold.
• Template 2: Vertical template. Color the turtle and life cycle stages, sequence the stages (images with short descriptions), glue, cut, and fold.
• Template 3: Larger template. Color the turtle and life cycle stages, sequence the stages, glue, cut, and fold. Option to use the stage names or short descriptions, and to have the turtle with an easy-cut (circle) outline.

Is the PDF editable?

This resource is not editable. Versions with both US and UK spelling and paper sizes are included.