Getting Hands On With Reptiles
The Olds Gazette - May 9, 2001 - Nychole Bereznicki - photo by Carla
Victor
Get Your Hands Dirty:
Wrappin About Reptiles came to Olds Elementary
School last Wednesday
for a special visit to Jesse's grade one
class. Six-year old Jesse Tregarthen, who has been
blind since birth,
was all smiles when he got to touch Mort
the Tortoise
Grade one student, Jesse Tregarthen was the
reason why Wrappin About Reptiles stopped
by the Olds Elementary School last Tuesday
for a visit. Six-year old Tregarthen who has been blind
his entire life used this experience to learn
what tortoises feel like. "This is the best way to learn,"
said Helene Fisher, the boy's teacher. "Grade
one is all about hands on learning, but when
you have a visually impaired student you
just have to work a little harder to provide
that."
As Jesse sat with his classmates, smiling
and feeling the reptile, you could tell that
he enjoyed every minute of it.
When he was asked to describe what The Giant
African Tortoise felt like, the boy responded,
"It is sort of rough and bumpy. It feels
like a big rock with legs and arms and a
head."
All the children in the class were in awe
of the 100 pound 25 year old tortoise Mort.
They listened carefully, watched their friend
and classmate Jesse touch the reptile, and
asked intelligent and interesting questions.
All the children got to pet Mort, but it
was obvious that the experience was used
to teach Tregathen.
"We have been studying Turtles and Tortoises in class and we thought this would be the best way to educate Jesse about reptiles," said Fisher.
Jesse who has a birthday coming up asked
if he could have the reptile. "I was going to ask my parents if I
could have this tortoise," said Tregathen,
"I promise to take very good care of
it." Local owner Dean Harper, and Junior Partner
James Barbas were not willing to part with
their 'pal' Morty any time soon.
The pair who take reptiles to malls, schools, and children festivals were happy to come to the school to do this for Jesse. "We wanted to bring Mort here so that Jesse could touch the reptile and describe him to the other kids," said Barbas. "We feel it is important that kids get hands on experience with the reptiles, sometimes when you go to the zoo, you don't get to go behind the scenes."
Surrounded by his classmates Jesse Tregarthen describes how the giant African Tortoise, Mort, feels rough and bumpy.
