A Study Guide by Teresa Ciorciari
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© 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 2014 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION 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 2014 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION 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 2014 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION • Sustainable futures result from actions designed to preserve and/or restore the quality and uniqueness of environments 4 2 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 2014 © ATOM SCREEN EDUCATION 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 1 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