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Georgia Sea Turtle Center

All animals should have it as good as the patients at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where the staff is doing some richly rewarding work! The highlight of our visit is an up-close look at a surgical procedure on an injured sea turtle named Sendac. In addition, we take a guided tour, shoot behind the scenes, and interview the center's director, nursing staff, and more. Teachable Moments include a definition and explanation of ecosystems, and a description of why honey is a great substance for treating turtle wounds.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center

From Fast Forward, Coastal Plain
Georgia Sea Turtle Center

All animals should have it as good as the patients at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, where the staff is doing some richly rewarding work! The highlight of our visit is an up-close look at a surgical procedure on an injured sea turtle named Sendac. In addition, we take a guided tour, shoot behind the scenes, and interview the center's director, nursing staff, and more. Teachable Moments include a definition and explanation of ecosystems, and a description of why honey is a great substance for treating turtle wounds.

Segment Extras

From the Fast Forward episode: Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Teachable Moment: Ecosystems

From the Fast Forward episode: Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Teachable Moment: Honey as an Antibiotic

We learned what it takes to get into the sea turtle business.

Launchpad: Georgia Sea Turtle Center

Science

S3L1.a

Ask questions to differentiate between plants, animals, and habitats found within Georgia's geographic regions.

S3L1.b

Construct an explanation of how external features and adaptations (camouflage, hibernation, migration, mimicry) of animals allow them to survive in their habitat.

S3L1.c

Use evidence to construct an explanation of why some organisms can thrive in one habitat and not in another.

S7L4.a

Construct an explanation for the patterns of interactions observed in different ecosystems in terms of the relationships among and between organisms and abiotic components of the ecosystem.

S7L4.c

Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for how resource availability, disease, climate, and human activity affect individual organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems.

S7L4.d

Ask questions to gather and synthesize information from multiple sources to differentiate between Earth's major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest, savanna, temperate forest, desert, grassland, taiga, and tundra) and aquatic ecosystems (i.e., freshwater, estuaries, and marine).

SB5.a

Plan and carry out investigations and analyze data to support explanations about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

SB5.c

Construct an argument to predict the impact of environmental change on the stability of an ecosystem.

SB5.d

Design a solution to reduce the impact of a human activity on the environment.

SB5.e

Construct explanations that predict an organism's ability to survive within changing environmental limits (e.g., temperature, pH, drought, fire).

1. Why do sea turtles have their own rehab center? Is there an injured squirrel or possum rehab center as well?

2. Why is it important to maintain a balanced ecosystem? Why would having too many sharks or too many jellyfish be bad for the ecosystem?

PBSLRM: Plum Landing - Ecosystem Challenge  

PBSLRM: DragonflyTV - Sea Turtles  

PBSLRM: WPSU - Raising the pH

Conservation: the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources

Ecosystem: everything that exists in a particular environment

Antibiotic: a drug that is used to kill harmful bacteria and to cure infections

pH: a number between 0 and 14 that indicates if a chemical is an acid or a base

Veterinarian: a person who does not eat meat

Bacteria: any one of a group of very small living things that often cause disease

Fungi: any one of a group of living things (such as molds, mushrooms, or yeasts) that often look like plants but have no flowers and that live on dead or decaying things

  • Explore More

  • Special Thanks

    Betsy Coy, Dr. Norton, The Jekyll Island Authority

    This content was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, this content does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Fast Forward Episodes

Coastal Plain

Covering approximately 60 percent of the state, the Coastal Plain is the largest region in Georgia. The inner coastal plain supports most of the agricultural production in the state; peanuts, peaches, and Vidalia onions are grown here. The outer coastal plain is dominated by pine forests and is home to Savannah and the Okefenokee Swamp. Because the outer coastal plain includes Georgia's connection to the Atlantic Ocean, economic activities include tourism, shipping and logistics, and seafood production.

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