Free Sea Turtle Printables

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Updated on September 19, 2018

Sea turtles are large reptiles that can be found in all of the world's oceans except the Arctic, which is too cold. Unlike land turtles, sea turtles can't retract into their shells.

Also, unlike land turtles, sea turtles have flippers instead of legs. The flippers help them to swim in the ocean. The front flippers move sea turtles through the water, while their back flippers act as rudders to direct their path.

There are seven species of sea turtles:

Green
Loggerhead
Hawksbill
Leatherback
Kemps Ridley
Olive Ridley
Flatback

Some sea turtles are herbivores, eating seagrasses and algae, while others are omnivores, eating other small sea life such as fish, jellyfish, and shrimp. Like other reptiles, the females lay eggs, and sea turtles breathe air. Some can hold their breath up to 30 minutes!

Female sea turtles must come out of the ocean and onto the beaches to lay their eggs. (Males never leave the ocean.) This makes them vulnerable to predators since they can't move very fast on land. They dig a hole in which to lay their eggs, usually 50 to 200 eggs at a time, depending on the species.

Of the thousands of baby sea turtles hatched each year, only a handful will grow to reach adulthood, as most become food for other predators.

Fun Facts About Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have special glands in their eyes to help them rid their bodies of excess salt from ocean water. This often gives the appearance that the turtles are crying.
Sea turtles can live up to 80 years.
The largest species of sea turtle, the leatherback, can grow up to 6 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds.
The temperature of the eggs determines the gender of sea turtles. Higher temperatures result in female turtles, and lower temperatures result in males.

Use the following free printables, to help your students learn these and other interesting facts about sea turtles.

01

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Sea Turtle Vocabulary

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Vocabulary Sheet

Students can begin learning about these fascinating reptiles using this sea turtle vocabulary sheet. Using a dictionary, the internet, or a reference book about sea turtles, students will look up the terms in the word bank and match each to its correct definition.

02

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Sea Turtle Word Search

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Word Search

Keep the sea turtle unit fun with this word search puzzle. Each term related to sea turtles can be found among the jumbled letters in the puzzle.

03

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Sea Turtle Crossword Puzzle

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Crossword Puzzle

This sea turtle-themed crossword puzzle allows students to review what they've learned in a stress-free way. Each clue describes a sea turtle term from the word bank. Students will fill in the answers based on the clues to correctly complete the puzzle.

04

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Sea Turtle Challenge

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Challenge

Use this sea turtle challenge worksheet as a simple quiz for students to see how much they've learned. Each description is followed by four multiple choice options.

05

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Sea Turtle Alphabetizing Activity

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Alphabet Activity

Young students can hone their ordering and thinking skills by alphabetizing these turtle-themed words. Students should write each word in correct alphabetical order.

06

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Sea Turtle Reading Comprehension

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Reading Comprehension Page

Check your students' reading comprehension with this simple worksheet. Students should read the paragraph, then answer the questions and color the sea turtle.

07

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Sea Turtle Theme Paper

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Theme Paper

Students can use this theme paper to write a story, poem, or essay about sea turtles. Give students a few ideas by reading a book about sea turtles, watching a nature-themed DVD about the reptiles, or visiting the library before students tackle this worksheet.

08

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Sea Turtle Coloring Page

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Coloring Page

Sea turtles are strong swimmers. Some can swim up to 20 miles per hour. Discuss that interesting fun fact, or read a story about sea turtles, as young learners work on their fine motor skills by coloring this coloring page.

09

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Sea Turtle Draw and Write Page

Print the PDF: Sea Turtle Draw and Write Page

Students should use this page to draw a sea turtle-related picture and write a short composition about their drawing on the lines provided below.

10

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Sea Turtle Coloring Theme Paper

Print the pdf: Sea Turtle Coloring Theme Paper

Use this theme paper as a writing prompt. Students should use this page to write a story about the picture. Have students read or browse books about sea turtles if they are having trouble getting started.

Updated by Kris Bales