Monterey Bay Aquarium: “Sharks: The Real Story” Teacher Activity Guide Overview Page 1 of 4 “Sharks: The Real Story” Ocean Explorers Program Program Overview and Shark Background Information Activity Descriptions (Grades 3-5, Age 8-10) • Sharks: The Real Story Group Exploration Guide: Chaperones use this guide to record Program Description student observations during an aquarium This standards-based Ocean Explorers shark visit. It suggests exhibits where students can program for grades 3-5 emphasizes investigate shark species, sizes, structures misconceptions about sharks. The program can and behaviors. be used in conjunction with an aquarium school • Shark Surveys: Students create a survey to field trip or using the contents of our web site. find out what people think about sharks, their sizes and reputations. After research and The program includes pre-visit and post-visit their visit to the aquarium, they sort facts classroom activities plus observation sheets to be from opinions and may discover their used during your visit to the aquarium. The opinions about sharks have changed. entire set of activities, California Science • Shark Research: Students make observations Standards and background information about or use nonfiction resources to obtain sharks can be found on the aquarium’s web site information about shark behaviors and at habitats. When they become shark “experts,” http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/teacher they conduct interviews with their s_place/activity_sharks_realstory.asp classmates. • Sidewalk Sharks: Try this activity to learn When your class arrives at the aquarium for their about the length of many different sharks. reserved Ocean Explorer shark program, they Students can research, measure, compare and will receive a short introduction by an aquarium graph. educator that will help students and chaperones • Shark Cartoons: Using information they have begin a focused, on-their-own data gathering compiled about sharks, students draw investigation of sharks in the aquarium exhibits. cartoons that contain a conservation message. While observing live sharks, students note their • Myth-try Cards: After making shark physical adaptations and the habitats where observations, students select sharks and write sharks live. myths about their physical structures or behaviors. They provide a scientific When they return to school, students share the explanation for these adaptations or the information they gathered at the aquarium animal’s role in a diverse habitat. through a variety of post-visit activities, such as graphs, cartoons, myths, interviews or surveys. California State Content Standards http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/ Designed for school groups, these sets of Find standards for grades 3-5 in specific content activities may also be done by families. areas on this web site. Science English Language Arts Mathematics History - Social Science Visual and Performing Arts © 2005 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation www.montereybayaquarium.org Monterey Bay Aquarium: “Sharks: The Real Story” Teacher Activity Guide Overview Page 2 of 4 Suggested Uses of Activities Activity Pre-visit At the Aquarium Post-visit “Sharks: The Real Story” X Exploration Guide Shark Surveys X X Shark Research X X X Sidewalk Sharks X Shark Cartoons X X Myth-try Cards X X X Activity Resources Monterey Bay Aquarium Web Site Live Web Cams Students can observe sharks in Kelp Forest and Outer Bay exhibits http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/cam_menu.asp “Meet the Sharks” Information about the sharks in “Sharks: Myth & Mystery” exhibit http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_smm/smm_meet.asp Shark Stories and Myths Stories and myths (audio and video included) from seven cultures http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_smm/smm_gallery_pi.asp Shark Cartooning Tips Tips for creating shark cartoons and comics http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/activities/sharks_cartooning.asp Shark Conservation Issues Why sharks are endangered in the wild http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_smm/smm_conservation.asp Shark Animal Fact Cards http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/lc/activities/critter_cards.asp Online Field Guide (Search for Sharks) http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/living_species/default.asp Shark Videos (short clips to watch online from our Video Library) http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/video_library/video_library.aspx Sea Searcher’s Handbook The “Sharks, Skates and Rays” chapter includes more shark information and activities, including a sample survey. http://www.mbayaq.org/lc/teachers_place/resources_seasearchers.asp External Links Clip-art and more shark information. http://www.oceanstar.com/shark/ © 2005 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation www.montereybayaquarium.org Monterey Bay Aquarium: “Sharks: The Real Story” Teacher Activity Guide Overview Page 3 of 4 Shark Background Information Sheet Sharks belong to the class of fish called Chondrichthyes. They lack true bones and have cartilaginous skeletons made of calcium phosphate and other minerals. The cartilage strengthens their body frames and makes them very flexible, agile and lighter in weight than bony fish. Sharks have adaptations, physical structures (body parts), camouflage and behaviors, that improve their chance for survival in specific habitats. <-- White shark body parts While there is great diversity among sharks, most sharks have streamlined, torpedo-shaped bodies. Their bodies have rough skin, which is covered with dermal denticles, known as placoid scales or “skin teeth.” These scales are similar to human teeth, are covered with enamel and contain dentine. The scales continue to grow as the shark grows. Sharks have 5-7 pairs of gill slits (usually five) for breathing. Water flows through the shark’s partially opened mouth and out through the gills, where oxygen is absorbed. Some sharks have holes (spiracles) behind their eyes that also aid in the flow of water. Sharks have true, movable upper and lower jaws located below the skull. Predatory sharks like white sharks use their lower jaw first to strike their prey and then use the top one to bite down. First, they lift their snouts as much as 40 degrees and drop their lower jaws, opening their mouths to a suitable size for the food (left image). Then their upper jaws protrude, producing the startling image of the upper jaw, teeth, gums and connective tissue thrust forward from the roof of their mouths (right image). Next, they lift their lower jaws and trap their prey so it can't escape. Finally, their upper jaws retract and their snouts drop, applying the force necessary to take a single bite. Sharks have rows of teeth or fused tooth plates, which are continuously replaced from inside the mouth. Many sharks prefer to eat fish, crabs or molluscs rather than mammals and have specialized teeth for surviving and eating in their habitats. None includes humans in their diet, unless it’s a case of mistaken identity or opportunistic feeding. The senses of sharks are very acute. Sharks have no external ear flaps but have two small pores on the top of their heads that connect to inner ear ducts. The inner ears of sharks consist of three fluid-filled semicircular canals and three otolith (“ear bone”) organs. These organs have tiny hairs that bend when an animal moves near the shark. The hairs trigger the ear canal organs, and nerve cells send a message to the animal’s brain about the prey’s position and direction of movement. © 2005 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation www.montereybayaquarium.org Monterey Bay Aquarium: “Sharks: The Real Story” Teacher Activity Guide Overview Page 4 of 4 Many sharks’ eyes are on the side of their heads, allowing them to see forward, backward, up and down. Sharks have two eyelids that do not meet to cover the eye. Some sharks have a third eyelid (nictitating membrane) that covers the eyes for protection. The pupils appear as oval black patches and have the appearance of a cat’s eye. Sharks’ nostrils or nares are located under their snout. The nostrils contain a pair of olfactory sacs that detect odors. Water flows in and through the sacs and carries smells to these organs. Sharks also have clusters of sensory pores, ampullae of Lorenzini, on their heads. These jelly-filled pores can detect very weak electrical signals given off by an animal’s muscle movements. Sharks have fins, which allow them to cruise for long distances. The stiff pectoral (on the sides) and pelvic (underside of body) fins help sharks move up and down (lift) and control the animal’s movements. The caudal (tail) fin moves from side-to-side and propels the sharks forward. Dorsal (on the back) and anal (underside) fins prevent sharks from rolling from side to side when moving forward. Unlike bony fish with gas-filled swim bladders for buoyancy, sharks have a very large liver filled with fatty oil (squalene) that helps keep them from sinking. Humans have an impact on healthy shark populations. Pollution, coastal development, over-fishing and bycatch are major threats. The issue of bycatch, when fishermen unintentionally catch sharks while fishing for other species, is a concern of both fisheries and ocean conservationists. Most of the pelagic (open ocean) sharks need to swim continually to breathe and will die if they are caught in a net. Long line methods are more likely to result in bycatch than pole-and-line methods. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch researches fishing methods when collecting data about the health of certain fish populations. Nets and trawling are methods that often result in a lot of bycatch. In addition, trawling destroys benthic (ocean floor) habitats. More information about fishing methods is available on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s web site in the Seafood Watch section (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp). Broadnose Sevengill Shark Leopard Shark © 2005 Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation www.montereybayaquarium.org Sharks: TheReal Story © 2007 - 2008, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. All rights reserved. All reserved. rights © 2007- 2008, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation. Student names: Student names: Sea Otter Feeding OB 10:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m.