When Marco’s best friend moves away, an injured turtle helps him learn an important lesson.
Learning Objective: Students will identify how the play’s text features add to their understanding of a story about sea turtles and how pollution affects them.
Characters
Choose the character you will play.
*Indicates a larger speaking role
Characters
Choose the character you will play.
*Indicates a larger speaking role
*Narrators 1, 2, 3 (N1, N2, N3)
*Mel, an 8-year-old girl
*Marco, Mel’s best friend
Lolo, Marco’s grandpa
Operator, a hotline worker
*Narrators 1, 2, and 3 (N1, N2, N3)
*Mel, an 11-year-old girl
*Marco, Mel’s best friend
Lita, Marco’s grandma
Lolo, Marco’s grandpa
Dr. Hayes, a doctor at the Turtle Hospital
Megan, a worker at the Turtle Hospital
Lita, Marco’s grandma
Crowd, to be read by a group
Operator
Rescuer
Dr. Hayes
*Megan, a sea turtle specialist
Crowd, to be read by a group
Scene 1
Scene 1
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Off the coast of Florida,
early spring
N1: Marco, Mel, and Lolo are on a boat.
N2: Mel tilts her face toward the sun.
Mel: I’m going to miss this weather when I move to Boston.
N3: Mel points her Polaroid camera at Marco.
Mel: Smile!
Marco: Why do you like Polaroids so much?
Mel: Because the photos print out right after I take them. I love watching the pictures slowly appear. It’s like magic.
N1: Mel looks at the picture and frowns.
Mel: Your hat is covering your face.
N2: Marco lifts his hat.
N3: Suddenly, a gust of wind blows it away.
Marco (shouting): My hat! Lolo, can we go back?
Lolo: You have many hats.
Marco: That one was a present from Mel. Por favor?
N1: Lolo smiles and swings the boat around.
Marco (pointing): Over there!
Mel: That’s not a hat. It’s a turtle!
Lolo: It’s just floating. This is not good.
N2: Lolo makes a call.
Operator: Rescue hotline.
Lolo: We found a turtle near Sombrero Beach. It’s not swimming.
Operator: Can you gently poke it with something and see if it moves?
N3: Lolo takes a long piece of tubing from the boat and touches the turtle’s flipper.
Lolo: It lifted its head a little!
Operator: Good. It’s still alive. I’ll send the rescue team.
Marco (to the turtle): Hold on! Help is coming.
The Florida Keys,
mid-August
N1: Marco, Mel, Lita, and Lolo are on a boat.
N2: Marco is at the back, his hat pulled down low.
N3: Mel tilts her chin toward the sun and enjoys the warm breeze.
Mel: I’m going to miss this.
Marco: Then maybe you shouldn’t go.
Mel: It’s not like I have a choice. My mom got a new job, so I have to move to Boston.
N1: Mel points her Polaroid camera at him.
Mel: Smile.
Marco: Why do you like Polaroids so much?
Mel: Seeing the picture appear is like magic. And I’d rather hold a photo than see it on a screen.
N2: Mel positions the camera again.
Mel: Move your hat so I can see your face.
N3: As Marco lifts his hat, a gust of wind blows it away.
Marco (shouting): My hat! Lolo, can we go back?
Lita: You have many hats.
Marco: But it’s a Red Sox cap! Mel got me that one in Boston.
Mel: I can get you another.
Marco: It’s not the same. Por favor,, Lolo?
Lolo: Sí, capitán.
N1: Lolo swings the boat around.
Lolo: Do you see it?
N2: Marco points at something in the water.
Marco: Is that it?
N3: Lolo steers the boat toward the object.
Mel: That’s not a hat. It’s a turtle!
Marco: It’s just floating there.
Lolo: That is no bueno.
N1: Lolo makes a call.
Operator: Emergency Stranding Hotline.
Lolo: We’re about 10 miles east of Sombrero Beach, and we found a green turtle. It’s not swimming.
Operator: Is it coming up for air?
Lolo: No.
Operator: Can you gently poke it with something and see if it reacts?
Lolo: OK.
N2: Lolo takes a long piece of tubing, leans over, and pokes the turtle’s flipper.
Lolo: It lifted its head a little!
Operator: Good. It’s still alive. Can you wait there? I’ll send the Coast Guard.
Lolo: Yes, we’ll wait.
Marco (to the turtle): Hold on, little dude. Help is coming.
Scene 2
Scene 2
The Turtle Hospital,
the next day
N1: Marco and Mel talk to Dr. Hayes.
Dr. Hayes: It’s a good thing you found him. He accidentally ate some trash.
Marco: Is that dangerous?
Dr. Hayes: Very. The trash got stuck in his stomach and caused his body to fill up with gas.
Mel: Is that why he was floating at the top of the water?
Dr. Hayes: Yes. The gas made him float—and it prevented him from diving into the water to get food. He was close to starving.
Marco: Oh no! Do a lot of turtles eat trash?
Dr. Hayes: Sadly, yes. Trash causes millions of turtles and other marine animals to die every year.
Mel: Can you get it out?
Dr. Hayes: We fed him vegetable oil. Now we wait and hope it comes out naturally.
Marco: You mean he’ll hopefully . . . poop it out?
Dr. Hayes: Exactly.
N2: Megan, a worker at the hospital, walks up.
Megan: Since you kids found the turtle, you can name him.
Marco: Cool!
Mel: You saw him first. Let’s name him Marco.
Marco: What if we use both our names? The end of yours and the start of mine.
Mel: Elmar?
Marco: El mar means “the sea” in Spanish.
Mel (grinning): Perfect!
The same spot,
30 minutes later
N3: The Coast Guard boat arrives.
Mel (waving): Over here!
N1: The rescuers maneuver their boat closer.
N2: One rescuer carefully lifts it out of the water.
N3: The turtle’s legs and neck are thin and shriveled, its eyes sunken.
Rescuer: Poor guy looks close to starving.
N1: Mel snaps a picture of the turtle.
N2: The rescuers scoop some seawater into a shallow plastic tub lined with towels.
N3: Then they gingerly place the turtle into it.
Marco: Where are you taking him?
Rescuer: To the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. If anyone can save his life, they can.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Amazing Creatures
Sea turtles swim thousands of miles during their long lifetimes. Some turtles can live to be 100 years old!
Scene 3
Scene 3
COURTESY OF THE TURTLE HOSPITAL
The Turtle Hospital,
two weeks later
N3: Elmar swims around slowly in a tank of seawater.
N1: Marco shows him some Polaroid pictures.
Marco: And this is Mel’s new room in Boston.
N2: Megan enters.
Marco: Is Elmar getting better?
Megan: Whatever he swallowed hasn’t come out yet. If it doesn’t, he’ll need surgery.
N3: Marco looks at the pictures of Mel.
Marco: Do you think Elmar’s friends in the ocean are wondering where he is?
Megan (kindly): No. Turtles live alone. They don’t need each other the way humans do.
N1: A smell like rotting leaves, fish, and algae [AL-jee] fills the hallway.
N2: Marco and Mel stand with Dr. Hayes outside an exam room.
N3: Through a window, they see the rescued turtle hooked up to beeping machines.
Dr. Hayes: We weren’t sure he would make it through the night.
Marco: Is he . . . is he going to die?
Dr. Hayes: It’s too soon to tell.
Mel: What’s wrong with him?
Dr. Hayes: The X-ray shows there’s something blocking his intestines. We won’t know what it is until it comes out.
Marco: How do you get it out?
Dr. Hayes: We give him vegetable oil and fiber and hope that moves it along naturally.
Marco: Does this happen a lot?
Dr. Hayes: When trash gets stuck in turtles, it can cause their bodies to fill up with gas. Then they can’t dive down and feed themselves.
Mel: If they can’t eat, they can’t survive.
Dr. Hayes: Exactly. Trash causes millions of marine animals to die every year.
N1: A smiling woman walks up.
Megan: You must be Marco and Mel. I’m Megan. (looking at the turtle) Would you like to name him? Since you found him, you can name him.
Mel: Let’s name him Marco. You saw him first.
Marco: What if we combine our names?
Mel: Mel Marco?
Marco: Or the end of your name and the start of mine.
Mel: Elmar.
Marco: El mar means “the sea” in Spanish.
Mel: That’s perfect!
Scene 4
Scene 4
The Turtle Hospital,
two months later
N1: Marco is tossing cucumber pieces into Elmar’s tank.
Marco: I’m so glad Dr. Hayes got that plastic bag out of you, Elmar.
N2: Elmar dives underwater to grab the cucumber as Megan walks in.
Megan: He’s growing stronger every day. In a few days, he’ll be ready to return to the ocean.
Marco (sadly): He’s leaving, just like Mel. I’ll miss him.
Megan: I have something to show you.
N3: Megan takes Marco to a large tank. Inside is a big turtle that is missing a flipper.
Megan: This is Hazel. She was caught in a fishing line and lost her flipper.
Marco: Will she be OK?
Megan: More than OK. We’re releasing her back into the ocean today.
Marco: But how will she survive without a flipper?
Megan: She’s learned to adjust. Turtles can adjust to change when they need to.
N1: Marco thinks about this.
Megan (smiling): And so can humans.
The Turtle Hospital,
two weeks later
N2: Marco sits with Elmar, lightly running his fingers over the turtle’s green-and-black shell.
N3: The turtle swims around slowly.
N1: Marco shows Elmar some Polaroids.
Marco: This is Mel in her new room. This is Mel eating ramen in Boston.
N2: Megan enters.
Marco: Elmar is still so skinny.
Megan: He’s eating on his own now. Turns out he loves cucumber.
Marco: That’s great!
Megan: But the blockage in his intestines hasn’t moved. He may need surgery.
N3: Marco bites his lip.
Megan: Come with me.
N1: Megan leads him outside to an open space covered in shade.
N2: There are a dozen large round tanks filled with seawater.
Megan: Go on. Look inside.
N3: Marco looks in one and sees tiny turtles the size of baseballs swimming around.
Megan: Those are Kemp’s ridleys—the most endangered sea turtle species in the world.
N1: Another tank contains a huge turtle with a missing flipper.
Megan: That’s Hazel. She’s a 200-pound loggerhead.
Marco: What happened to her?
Megan: She was caught in a fishing line. It cut off the circulation in her flipper. We had to amputate it.
Marco: Will she be OK?
Megan: More than OK. We’re releasing her back into the wild this weekend.
Marco: How will she survive without a flipper?
Megan: She learned to adapt. Turtles are amazing creatures.
N2: Marco’s eyes suddenly well up.
Marco: Are Elmar’s friends out there in the water, wondering where he is?
Megan: No. Turtles are solitary animals. They don’t form attachments to others.
N3: Marco glances down at the Polaroids.
Megan: They don’t need each other the way humans do.
COURTESY OF THE TURTLE HOSPITAL
Inspired by Real Life
The hospital in this story is based on a real turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida. The character Megan is inspired by Megan Mertsock (above), who works at the hospital.
Scene 5
Scene 5
The beach,
later that evening
N2: Marco and his grandmother stare out at the glittering water.
Lita: Have you written back to Mel?
Marco: No, I feel too sad to write anything.
Lita: Why, mijo?
Marco: Mel is gone. Elmar is leaving. I want things to stay the way they were.
Lita: Change is a part of life. Sometimes change is upsetting. Sometimes change is fantástico.
N3: Lita gives him a hug.
Lita: You know, if Mel hadn’t moved to Boston, you may not have met Elmar.
Marco: What do you mean?
Lita: Well, you wouldn’t have gone for that last boat ride.
Marco (smiling): And Mel wouldn’t have taken my picture. And I wouldn’t have lost my hat. And we wouldn’t have found Elmar!
The beach,
the following week
N1: Marco sits on a woven blanket picking loose threads.
N2: Lita sits in a chair beside him.
Lita: Why so sad, mijo?
Marco: Elmar’s surgery is tomorrow. It’s really risky.
Lita: It will be OK.
Marco: But what if it’s not? He could die.
Lita: It’s hard when someone muy importante goes away.
N3: Lita puts her hand on his back.
Lita: Have you written to Mel?
Marco: No. I keep meaning to.
N1: They look out at the setting sun. Streaks of pale pink, fuchsia [FYOO-shuh], and orange are painted across the sky.
Marco: I don’t know what to say. Nothing is the same without her here.
Lita: You must remember: You can’t have a glorious sunset like this without the clouds.
Scene 6
The Turtle Hospital,
the next day
N2: Marco paces around the outdoor tanks.
N3: Finally, Dr. Hayes comes out.
Dr. Hayes: Good news! We got it out. It was a party balloon.
Marco: Why would a turtle eat a balloon?
Dr. Hayes: To him, it looks a lot like a jellyfish.
Marco: He’s going to be OK?
Dr. Hayes: We’ll have to wait and see.
COURTESY OF THE TURTLE HOSPITAL
Turtle Team
Each year, the team in Marathon rescues and treats about 100 turtles. Most of them are able to return to the wild.
Scene 6
Scene 7
The beach,
a few days later
N1: Marco, Lita, and Lolo gather by the water with a small crowd.
Lita: I have something for you, mijo.
N2: Lita hands Marco a Polaroid camera.
Marco (excitedly): Gracias, Lita!
N3: A van from the Turtle Hospital arrives.
Megan: Hi, everyone! Elmar is healed and ready to go home!
Crowd: Yay! Woo! Woo!
N1: Elmar is brought down to the water.
Lolo: He looks so strong!
Crowd: El-mar! El-mar!
N2: They set him down, and his flippers glide through the water.
N3: Marco snaps a picture.
Crowd: Goodbye, Elmar!
N1: They watch the turtle swim farther and farther away, until he disappears.
Lita (smiling at Marco): Adiós, Elmar.
N2: Marco holds the photo and watches the picture of Elmar slowly appear.
Marco (grinning): It’s like magic. I know just who to send this to.
N3: Marco takes out a notebook and starts writing.
Marco: Dear Mel, something fantástico happened today . . .
The Turtle Hospital,
two months later
N1: Marco tosses cucumber pieces into Elmar’s tank.
N2: Elmar dives down. He has grown strong.
Marco: Isn’t it weird, Elmar? If Mel hadn’t moved, we never would have gone for one last boat ride.
N3: Elmar nibbles on a piece of cucumber.
Marco: And she never would have taken my picture, and I never would have lost my hat, and we never would have found you.
N1: Elmar comes up for a breath of air.
Marco: Maybe everything happens for a reason.
N2: Elmar swims around the tank.
Marco: I’m going to miss you, Elmar.
Scene 8
The beach,
two days later
N3: Marco, Lita, and Lolo gather by the water with a small, cheerful crowd.
Marco: Today’s the day!
Lita: I have something for you.
N1: Lita hands Marco a Polaroid camera.
Marco: Gracias, Lita!
N2: The Turtle Hospital van drives up.
Lolo: La tortuga is here.
N3: Megan climbs out.
Megan: Hi, everyone! Elmar is fully healed and ready for release!
Crowd: Yay! Woo! Woo!
N1: Members of the release team bring Elmar out. He is wriggling around.
Marco: Look how feisty he is!
N2: They carry the turtle down to the water.
Crowd: El-mar! El-mar! El-mar!
N3: They set him down, and immediately, his flippers glide through the water.
N1: Marco snaps a picture.
N2: They watch the turtle swim farther and farther away, until at last, he dives under and disappears.
N3: Marco holds the photograph and watches the image of Elmar slowly appear.
Marco (smiling): It’s like magic.
N1: Marco goes and sits down on a blanket. He takes out a notebook and starts writing.
Marco: Dear Mel . . .
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
A Plastic Problem
Floating plastic bags can look a lot like jellyfish, one of sea turtles’ favorite foods. If a sea turtle gobbles up plastic by mistake, that plastic can get stuck in the turtle’s stomach. You can help keep plastic bags out of the ocean by using reusable bags.
Think and Write
Finish writing Marco’s letter to Mel, explaining what happened to Elmar. Include details from the play and the text features in your letter.
Think and Write
Finish writing Marco’s letter to Mel, explaining what happened to Elmar. Include details from the play and the text features in your letter.
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
Share the slideshow resource that accompanies this story, “Saving Sea Turtles.” You can find it in the Resources tab.
Learn how one group is helping ocean animals by turning beach trash into art in our March/April 2021 Mini Read, “These Animals Are Made Out of Trash!”
There are many stories of animal rescues in the Storyworks 3 archives. Your students will love reading about a wonderful friendship in “The Grandpa and the Penguin” and will be delighted to meet Gerhana, an adorable orangutan in “How to Save a Baby Orangutan.”
Your students will be fascinated and charmed by this 2-minute video about sea turtles from All Things Animal.
Table of Contents
5. Differentiate and Customize
Striving Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, STEAM Connection
1. Preparing to Read
Set a Purpose for Reading/Preview Text Features (10 minutes)
Tell students that this play is a fictional story based on real events. The turtle hospital in the play is based on an actual turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida, and the character of Megan is inspired by a real person, Megan Mertsock, who works at the hospital.
Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 23 and the Think and Write box on page 27. Ask students to keep these prompts in mind as they read the play.
Have a volunteer read aloud the title and subtitle on page 22. Ask students to describe the illustration and predict what the play will be about.
Read aloud the Characters box on page 23 to familiarize your students with how the names are pronounced.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
While the play does not include definitions of vocabulary words with the text, a Vocabulary Skill Builder (available in your Resources tab) online previews eight challenging terms. You may also play our Vocabulary Slideshow, in which audio and images help students with pronunciation and comprehension.
Vocabulary terms: hotline, flipper, marine animals, tank, releasing, adjust, glide, and inspired.
2. Close Reading
Focus on Fluency
Storyworks 3 plays provide a perfect opportunity for students to build fluency.
Remind students that the stage directions tell a reader or actor how to say a line or perform an action in the play. Direct students to page 23. Point to the word pointing in column 3. Read the dialogue aloud with appropriate expressions or actions. Ask students to repeat after you.
Project, distribute, or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions to the class. Preview them together. Ask students to read the play again and answer the questions as a class or in pairs. (Alternatively, assign all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck, which contains the questions from this lesson plan and a link to the stories.)
Follow up with the SEL Focus activity.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
3. SEL Focus
Adjusting to Change
Read Lita’s lines from Scene 5: “Change is a part of life. Sometimes change is upsetting. Sometimes change is fantástico.” Have a class discussion about the changes that happen in the play, along with the ways in which these changes are upsetting and/or fantastic. If appropriate, continue the discussion to talk about how you and your students have needed to adjust to change in your lives—and help them identify any silver linings (even small ones) that have resulted from these changes.
4. Skill Building and Writing
Featured Skill: Text Features
Distribute our Text Features Skill Builder, and have students complete it in class or for homework.
Discuss the writing assignment in the Think and Write box on page 27. Remind students to include details from the play in their explanations.
Differentiate and Customize
To help striving readers make inferences, play the audio of the play as students follow along in their magazines. Pause at the end of each scene to discuss what happened, and together write a one- or two-sentence summary.
Marco and his grandparents use words in Spanish throughout the play. Direct multilingual learners to these moments. Invite them to share words from their native languages that might also be used at these times in the play. Or ask them to share words they might use for “Grandpa,” “Grandma,” or “friend.”
Have students read another story about a sea animal rescue: “The Grandpa and the Penguin,” the Big Read from the September 2021 issue of Storyworks 3. Compare and contrast that article with the play and discuss the differences in the texts’ genres.
Invite students to create a poster that illustrates the way trash can negatively affect sea turtles in the ocean. What information from the play can they include in their poster?
