As part of an educational project led by the Ministry of National Education, the 5th grade of the 7th grade of Henri Wallon College is participating in the work of contributing to the online encyclopedia Vikidia (Wikipedia's little sister for 8-13 years old). “The goal is for our students to learn to work on Vikidia and make it their own by becoming contributors,” explains Caroline Albertini, librarian and teacher at the Berthe district institution.
The current article will focus on the loggerhead sea turtle. Why this choice? “Three years ago, earth science and life teacher Catherine Belloc and her students collected a small, injured turtle from Lazaret Bay. In addition, the Vikidia article on loggerhead sea turtles remains very little developed to date, although they made headlines last summer, with numerous spawning occurring on the Mediterranean coasts.
Conversations with experts
For teachers, the interest of this project is “to enable students to acquire the methodology of documentary research and verification of information”. And since it is necessary to validate the data that the article will contain, the professors contacted those responsible for the ObsTortueMed program in Marineland (Antibes), namely Romain Serigne and Sidonie Catteau. The latter was also called to rescue the injured turtle in Lazaret Bay – but in the end the reptile did not survive its injuries.
That's why the two scientists came to the university on Thursday and spent two hours talking to students about the reptile's life cycle, its diet, its mode of reproduction, the threats it faces and even protective measures that need to be developed…
For the students, the writing work now continues with the French teacher Magali Praud. And that until February 8th, the date on which the draft article will be presented to the CM2 students at the Marcel Pagnol School. “They will re-read it to make sure it is accessible to elementary school students. If this is not the case, it needs to be further popularized,” says Caroline Albertini. Before the article is posted online on Vikidia, it undergoes final proofreading by the two scientists. The story of offering all young French speakers the most serious text possible.