Poplar Island is a haven for diamondback terrapins. Some of the island’s residents arrive there from the Terrapin Education and Research on Poplar - TERP - program, which gives hatchlings a head start in classrooms across the state.Laura Baker, of the Maryland Environmental Service, explains that time in the classroom helps turtles grow and gives them a better chance of surviva. And Paul Taylor, who teaches fourth grade at Church Hill Elementary in Queen Anne’s County, says his pupils learn the scientific method by tracking the growth of terrapins.