© ATOM 2014 A STUDY GUIDE BY TERESA CIORCIARI
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-415-8 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au LEFT: Madison Stewart filming Caribbean reef sharks © Ernst Stewart. BELOW: Madison Stewart
Overview Conservationist, filmmaker, activist, delinquent – nineteen-year-old Madison Stewart has been called many things, but to her friends she’s simply ‘shark girl’. Growing up on the Great Barrier Reef, Madison soon realised the creature she loves most is disappearing fast. Driven by fear, every year up to 80,000 sharks are killed in this UNESCO World Heritage Site for cheap fish steaks and luxury shark fin soup. And Madison discovers both are laced with dangerous toxins that can cause serious brain damage. So turning passion into action, she sets out to stop the
slaughter and shatter our perception of these alleged man-eaters. Armed with just a video SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 camera, she fearlessly swims with tiger sharks, feeds a rowdy gang of Caribbean reef sharks and removes fishhooks from the mouths of oceanic silky sharks. She also investigates how more and more countries protect their sharks – Mexico, Palau, the Bahamas – and back home she bravely takes her campaign right to the heart of the shark fishing industry. Madison’s journey is a powerful wake-up call and a moving record of one determined young woman to save the animal she loves, but most others would like to see dead.
Photos © Kaufmann Productions Pty Ltd unless otherwise stated 2 Curriculum Links Shark Girl can be applied to the following elements of the AUSVELS curriculum at Years 9 and 10.
• Science • The Humanities – Geography • Interpersonal Development MADISON STEWART (TOP RIGHT CORNER) WITH • English ‘FINNY’ THE FUNNY SHARK IN SCHOOL IN PALAU • The Arts – Media
In conjunction, this series con- nects to the AUSVELS cross cur- riculum proprieties: particular purpose, includ- 1. Sustainability ing constructing evidence- • Evaluate conclusions, includ- 2. Asia and Australia’s engage- based arguments and us- ing identifying sources of un- ment with Asia ing appropriate scientific certainty and possible alter- language conventions and native explanations, and de- SCIENCE representations. scribe specific ways to im- prove the quality of the data Strand: Science Sub-strand: questioning and • Critically analyse the valid- Understanding (Year 9) predicting ity of information in second- Sub-strand: Biological Sciences • Formulate questions or hy- ary sources and evaluate • Multi-cellular organisms rely potheses that can be investi- the approaches used to solve on coordinated and interde- gated scientifically problems pendent internal systems to respond to changes to their Sub-strand: processing and ana- THE HUMANITIES: environment lyzing data and information GEOGRAPHY • Ecosystems consist of com- • Analyse patterns and trends munities of interdepend- in data, including describ- Geographical knowledge and ent organisms and abiotic ing relationships between understanding components of the environ- variables all and identifying Unit 1: Biomes and food security ment; matter and energy flow inconsistencies (Year 9) through these systems • Use knowledge of scientif- • The human alteration of bi- ic concepts to draw conclu- omes to produce food, indus- Strand: Science as a human sions that are consistent with trial materials and fibres, and endeavour (Years 9-10) evidence the environmental effects of Sub-strand: use and influence of these alterations (ACHGK061) science Sub-strand: evaluating • The challenges to food pro- • People can use scientif- duction, including land and ic knowledge to evaluate water degradation, short- whether they should ac- age of fresh water, com- cept claims, explanations or peting land uses, and cli- predictions mate change, for Australia
and other areas of the world SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 Strand: Science Inquiry Skills (ACHGK063) (Years 9-10) • The capacity of the world’s Sub-strand: communicating environments to sustaina- • Communicate scientific ide- bly feed the projected future as and information for a population to achieve food
3 MADISON STEWART security for Australia and the world (ACHGK064)
Unit 2: Geographies of intercon- MADISON STEWART FEEDING CARIBBEAN nections (Year 9) REEF SHARKS © ERNST STEWART • The way transportation and information and communi- cation technologies are used environmental viewpoints and • OI.5 Collaboration and en- to connect people to servic- audience interpretations gagement with the peoples of es, information and people in Asia support effective region- other places (ACHGK066) Exploring and Responding al and global citizenship. • The effects of the production Evaluate the effectiveness of and consumption of goods codes and conventions within a Sustainability on places and environments media arts work to engage audi- throughout the world and in- ences and communicate ideas • The biosphere is a dynamic cluding a country from North- and concepts system providing conditions East Asia (ACHGK068) that sustain life on Earth AUSVELS CROSS • All life forms, including hu- INTER PERSONAL CURRICULUM man life, are connection DEVELOPMENT PRIORITY through ecosystems on which they depend on their wellbe- Students are required, during Asia And Australia’s ing for survival Years 9 and 10, to develop their Engagement With Asia • Sustainable patterns of living knowledge of local and global rely on the interdependence values and beliefs and con- Asia and its diversity: of healthy social, economic sider the idea of values as social • OI.1 The peoples and coun- and ecological system constructs and principles. Shark tries of Asia are diverse in Girl could also be used as a sup- ethnic background, traditions, Futures plementary text for students of cultures, belief systems and • The sustainability of English when studying themes religions. ecological, social and of identity and belonging or how • OI.2 Interrelationships be- economic systems is achieved people encounter conflict tween humans and the di- through informed individual verse environments in Asia and community action that MEDIA shape the region and have values local and global equity global implications. and fitness across generations Creaking and Making and into the future Manipulate representations to in- Asia–Australia engagement: • Actions for a more sustain- vite alternate social, cultural and able future reflect values of care, respect and responsibil- ity, and require us to explore and understand environments • Designing action for sustain- MADISON STEWART ability requires an evaluation © KAUFMANN PRODUCTIONS of past practices, the assess- ment of scientific and tech- nological developments, and balanced judgments based on projected future econom- ic, social and environmental
impacts SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 • Sustainable futures result from actions designed to preserve and/or restore the quality and uniqueness of environments
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1: Madison Stewart at fishing co-op in Mexico 2: Madison Stewart © Ernst Stewart 3: Shark carcasses at 1 an Asian fish market 4: Madison Stewart at fishing co-op in Mexico 5: Sharks on fish market 3 Previewing
SharkActivities culling is very current and contentious issue. There are powerful arguments both for and against shark culling. Before watching the Shark Girl use class time to investigate the student’s current understanding and position on shark culling.
5 • Using the Think-Pair-Share strat- 4 egy write down as many reasons why you believe sharks to be important. numbers within our oceans. five-word responses. ‘when I think • Ask students to write their position • Complete a glossary of key terms about the increasing number of on shark culling. The statement in Table 1. shark cullings, I think of….’ should explain why they are for or • Before watching Shark Girl, you against shark culling hypothesised the global conse- • Ask students to respond to the quences of a decreased shark question again, but based on shark Post-Viewing numbers within our oceans. Was culling only being allowed in areas your theory correct? where human population exists activities • Reflecting back on the pre-video and swims. Has their position • Immediately following the docu- question on your stance on Shark changed based on this new piece mentary ask students the following Culling in general and in popula- of information question and encourage one- to tions where humans swim. How do • Explain the term biodiversity • Discuss what it means for an envi- TABLE 1 ronment to have greater biodiver- sity and what this would mean for TERM DEFINITION the health of the environment.
• Unfortunately for nature, biodi- Ecosystem SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 versity is facing a great challenge Biomagnification due almost entirely to one strong competitor – humans. Why should Biodiversity we strive to conserve habitats and species? Why should we care? Food Chains • Hypothesise the global conse- quences of a decreased shark Ocean Biomass 5 2
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1: Feeding of Caribbean reef sharks © Ernst Stewart 2: Producer/ 3 Director Gisela Kaufmann (L) with Madison Stewart, Shark Girl (R) 3: Madison Stewart filming tiger sharks © Ernst Stewart 4: Underwater DP Andy Casagrande (left) with Producer/Director Gisela Kaufmann (R) 5: Madison Stewart (L) in protective chainmail 4 suit for shark feeding with Stuart Cove (R)
your responses compare now that you’ve watched Shark Girl? • Debate the topic: Should hu- 5 mans be allowed to cull sharks? • http://www.environment.gov.au/ Students should spend thity topics/marine/marine-species/ minutes researching their position, sharks • Interesting facts: refined senses, gathering information and drawing • http://www.discoverychannel. age (over 400 million years) on information from the film Shark com.au/shark-week/ Girl. 10-fearsome-sharks/ UNDERWATER ECOSYSTEMS o Group A – representing the position that culling sharks is From your research answer the follow- Ecosystems: Abiotic vs Biotic – Your necessary for protecting hu- ing questions in a factsheet titled ‘Why Classroom Environment man lives, despite the risk to sharks shouldn’t be feared’ shark populations. 1. Look at the environment that is o Group B – representing the • Why do sharks attack humans your classroom. position that sharks are a • What species of shark are most 2. List the Abiotic and Biotic factors necessary and integral part likely to attack humans and why in Table 2. of our oceans and need to be • Chances of being victim of a shark 3. Looking at the factors and condi- protected, despite the risk to attack tion that you have listed, how do humans. • Importance of sharks in the food you interact with your classroom chain environment? How do you affect SHARK FACTS. TABLE 2 Conduct some research on sharks.
The following website might help: ABIOTIC BIOTIC SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014
• http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_ earth/species/profiles/fish_marine/ shark2/ • http://www.csiro.au/en/Outcomes/ Oceans/Marine-Life/Sharks-index -page.aspx 6 1
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1: Madison Stewart with Caribbean reef sharks © Ernst Stewart 2: Madison Stewart 3: Madison Stewart with Caribbean reef shark in ‘tonic immobility’ 4: Lemon 3 shark © Ernst Stewart 5: Madison Stewart © Ernst Stewart
them and how do they affect you? Do you rely upon any of these components for your survival? 4 4. How might the boundaries for the classroom ecosystem be defined? 5. Repeat the exercise for the Sharks • Why do food chains seldom con- within the ocean. How do the tain more than five trophic levels? sharks interact with their immedi- • What happens to most of the en- ate environment? ergy contained in any one trophic level in a food chain? Balancing the ecosystems 5 beneath the seven seas Extension activity:
• Ecosystems are said to be in • Research the Great Barrier Reef. chain. The chemical formula for a state of equilibrium or bal- From your research discuss in a Mercury is Hg. Unfortunately, this ance. Why is ecological balance paragraph (twelve lines) how the unique metal is toxic to humans, and necessary? area has changed in the past fifty exposure can lead to neurological • Predict what will happen to each years. Discuss what happened to damage, coma, and death. of the organisms if a large number the area during the 1950s–1980s of sharks were culled at the Great and how this has changed in the • Discuss why consuming shark Barrier Reef in 2014. past ten years. Make specific (flake) is dangerous for humans in • Algae: reference to increased numbers of terms of Mercury poisoning.
• Water insects: shark culling and current legisla- • Why is high levels of mercury par- SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 • Fish: tion around killing sharks in your ticularly dangerous for children and • Draw a flow diagram showing response. pregnant or breastfeeding women? some of the consequences of • Draw a possible food chain that reduced numbers of these sea BIOMAGNIFICATION would result in mercury poisoning creatures? in humans after eating sharks. • Suggest, with respect to biomass, Biomagnification is the movement Hg (absorbed by)--> Shark why the blue whale feeds on krill. of toxic substances though the food Humans 7 3 1 2
SHARK CULLING IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The Western Australian Government has announced a $6.85 million package of what it refers to as ‘shark mitigation strategies’. $2 mil- 5 lion will be allocated for the Department of Fisheries to 4 track and destroy the sharks, 1: Shark fins on fish market 2: Shark fins for while another $2 million will sale in China Town, Australia • Write a letter to the Colin Barnett, be spent specifically tracking great 3: Shark fins, Asia © Shawn West Australian Premier and his whites and setting drum lines to kill Heinrichs 4: Shark fins drying Government addressing the issue them if they come too close to shore. on roof top, Taiwan © Shawn of shark culling, it’s effects and Heinrichs 5: Shark fins drying (Change.org) on roof top in Taiwan © your opinion on what should be Shawn Heinrichs done in regards to the issue. • Read the following article and discuss as a class: DEMAND FOR SHARK FINS http://www.theaustralian.com.au/ There is a growing trade in shark fins, national-affairs/western-australia Australian environment and especially in Asia. They are often used -given-exemption-from-federal-laws society today to make an expensive Asian soup. -to-cull-sharks/story-fn59niix 4. What does the future hold for However, this has become a serious -1226806898694 this challenge? How can it im- threat to many shark species. Generally pact on the future of Australia? when fishing for shark fins, sharks are Students can choose to do these 5. Research any management caught, the fins are cut off and the rest activities as extension work or prepa- strategies that are currently of the shark is thrown back into the sea. ration for an assignment. The activities in place (including awareness are based on the current WA shark campaigns) • Conduct some research into this culling debate. 6. Discuss their effectiveness or cultural practice. Why are shark potential effectiveness of these fins considered to be so valuable? • This issue has caused wide-spread strategies. • Discuss with the person sitting debate throughout the country and • You are a newspaper reporter next to you the ethical issues relat- worldwide. In January 2014, pro- writing a story on current state of ing to this cultural practice. testers rallied on West Australian ocean life as a result of increased
beaches to protest the shark-cull shark fishing. Your editor has ASSESSMENT IDEA SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 policy. set your task for 500 words and 1. Define the challenge and all its has asked you to make specific Human Impact on Sharks facets. reference to the current debate on 2. Provide reasoning behind why shark culling in Western Australia Suggested topics: it has become a challenge for and it global effects – both envi- Australia ronmental, social and economic • extinction of whale sharks; 3. Explain its impact of the concern. • threatened extinction of sharks 8 4 1: Madison Stewart in front of traditional men’s meeting house Palau 2: Lemon sharks © Ernst Stewart 3: Madison Stewart at beach, shark costume action 4: Madison Stewart (R) filming 1 Caribbean reef sharks © Ernst Stewart
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2 • How can you direct the information contributed? you need to convey, at their level? • How well informed are people • How can you make them listen and about this? understand? • How have our activities changed? (you choose the species); • A resource containing in brief the • the culling of great white sharks in information you wish to convey, Economic Factors Australian seas. needs to be made and used during • How has money influenced this your talk. issue? Goal: To demonstrate an understand- • How can you best deliver your • Are proposed changes cost ing of biodiversity and ecosystems information? effective? by presenting a discussion involving • What are your strengths? Drawing biodiversity conservation, particularly (cartoon, poster), writing (essay, Environmental Factors with regard to human impact on a poem, pamphlet), music (song), • How has the environment been particular population or community. acting (play with script), computers affected by this situation? (PowerPoint slideshow) • Is the environment threatened? You are a conservationist who has been asked to deliver a brief talk (ap- You will need to consider some or all Political Factors proximately five minutes) to a group of the following factors that may have • How has politics influenced this of Year 9 students. You are hoping to contributed to the situation you are issue? impress upon the students your con- investigating: • How have political groups, such cerns about the impact that humans as local and national government, are having on their planet, particularly Historic Factors or the UN, been involved in this SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 concerning your chosen issue. As a • What events have lead to this situation? conservationist you feel strongly that if situation? • What non-government groups are the problem is to be resolved, it is this • How has this situation changed involved? generation who will have to do it. over time?
• How can you get your message Social factors across to them? • How has our culture or lifestyle 9 TIGER SHARKS © ERNST STEWART
-to-cull-sharks/story-fn59niix Conservation Society Australia: -1226806898694 http://taronga.org.au/animals Bibliography -conservation/conservation http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ Taronga Zoo holds the Australian Shark -science/australian-sharkattack-file/ http://www.change.org/en-AU/ Attack Files and also lists a ‘Shark australian-shark-attack-file petitions/the-western-australian Know How’: The international Shark Attack files are -government-call-off-plan-to-cull Shark Know How, Taronga here: -sharks-near-wa-beaches Conservation Society Australia: International Shark Attack File http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ http://taronga.org.au/animals (ISAF): species/profiles/fish_marine/shark2/ -conservation/conservation http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/ http://www.csiro.au/en/Outcomes/ -science/australian-sharkattack-file/ Sharks/ISAF/ISAF.htm Oceans/Marine-Life/Sharks-index shark-know-how/shark-know-how Most Commonly Asked Shark -page.aspx Prevention of Shark Attacks, Taronga Questions (shark biology), Florida http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/ Conservation Society Australia: Museum of Natural History: marine/marine-species/sharks http://taronga.org.au/animals http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/ http://www.discoverychannel.com.au/ -conservation/conservation education/questions/basics.html shark-week/10-fearsome-sharks/ -science/australian-sharkattack Shark Attack Questions, Florida http://www.theaustralian.com.au/ -file/prevention-shark-attacks/ Museum of Natural History: national-affairs/western-australia prevention-shark-attacks http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/ -given-exemption-from-federal-laws Australian Shark Attack File, Taronga education/questions/attack.html
This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2013) ISBN: 978-1-74295-415-8 [email protected]
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