Sharks TEACHER HANDBOOK Save Our Seas Foundation Maxine, Science, Education and Awareness Programme Sharks TEACHER HANDBOOK GEOFF SPIBY There is no guarantee that people will care if they know, but it is certain they cannot care if they do not know. DR SYLVIA EARLE The Save Our Seas Foundation Maxine, Science, Education and Awareness Programme (M-Sea) is an AfriOceans Conservation Alliance initiative, in collaboration with the Two Oceans Aquarium, sponsored by Save Our Seas Foundation. Acknowledgments Our Sponsor A very special thanks to our sponsor, the Save Our Seas Foundation, who made the Save Our Seas Foundation M-Sea Programme and the Teacher Handbook possible. Original Concept and Project Manager: Lesley Rochat: AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA). Writers: Lesley Rochat of AOCA, Terri Haag of WordWorks. Other Contributors: Dr P Garratt and the Two Oceans Aquarium Environmental Education Centre: Russell Stevens, Weston Barwise, Bianca Engel, Mark Peters, Thomas Mtontsi. Curriculum and Educational Advisor: Dr Eureta Rosenberg. Activities: Dr Eureta Rosenberg, Terri Haag, Lesley Rochat and the Two Oceans Aquarium educational team. Thank you to the Two Oceans Aquarium Environmental Education Centre, to John Kieser at Environmental Tourism of South Africa, and to Iziko SA Museum’s Sharkworld for their support and advice during the development of the book, and to Geoff Spiby ([email protected]) for generously contributing photos, as well as all the other photographers who are credited below their images. Scientific Advisors: AOCA Board of Directors: Dr L.J.V. Compagno, Professor C.L. Griffiths, D.W. Japp, Dr M.J. Smale Editing: Verona Smith, Lesley Rochat Proof-reader: Pat Coles Design and Layout: Peter Bosman Cover Design: Peter Bosman Cartoons: Adam Carnegie Illustrations: Adam Carnegie, Bonnie Davidson (24 Hour Timeline), Printing: Onyx Press Copyright © Save Our Seas Foundation M-Sea Programme First published 2005 Copyright © illustrations: Save Our Seas Foundation M-Sea Programme, with the exception of p33: reprinted with permission of Liz Day & Anne Westoby, EnviroKids magazine Vol. 25(4) 2004, p3. Cover Photographs (Front, clockwise from top left): courtesy WildAid/Bruce McCoubrey, courtesy Ocean Conservancy, David Richardson, David Japp, Geoff Spiby ([email protected]), Geoff Spiby, Marc Montocchio (www.hydraulicphoto.com), Geoff Spiby. (Back, clockwise from top left): courtesy Ocean Conservancy, Malcolm Smale, David Richardson, Chris Fallows (apexpredators.com), Peter Pinnock ([email protected]), Peter Pinnock, Geoff Spiby, Peter Pinnock. Copyright Notice Text and illustrations in this book may be reproduced COPYRIGHT FREE by educators. If the material is reproduced in booklet or published form please write to AfriOceans Conservation Alliance for permission. Copyright of photos is as per credited photographer. Although the Teacher Handbook has been a collaborative project, writing of the book has largely been my task. If there are any errors or inconsistencies, I take full responsibility. The current book will be updated and expanded upon in due course and I look forward to addressing any corrections. I would like to express my gratitude to all the special people who contributed to the book in different ways and thus helped to make it a reality. LESLEY ROCHAT Save Our Seas Foundation M-Sea Programme Director The Save Our Seas Foundation M-Sea Programme is endorsed by the World Conservation Union Shark Specialist Group (IUCN SSG). INTRODUCTION harks are in deep trouble – more than 100 million sharks, rays and skates are killed every year by the greatest predator on Earth – man! The Svoracious, international fishing industry, negative media, and public misperceptions are driving sharks towards extinction. If sharks are to survive globally, they need all the help they can get! For the above reasons, the Save Our Seas Foundation Maxine, Science, Education and Awareness Programme (M-Sea) was initiated. Maxine, a Sharks – Teacher Handbook Sharks – Teacher raggedtooth shark, with an extraordinary true-life story that encapsulates the plight of sharks worldwide, inspired this exciting shark conservation programme. 3 The Teacher Handbook is an integral part of this broad-reaching programme that consists of a science research project, an educational and awareness campaign and documentary films. By using Maxine as the icon for the programme, and particularly for this book, we are able to draw the attention of children to the problems of overfishing, environmental degradation and the challenges of learning to use the ocean’s living resources in ways that are sustainable. Through Maxine, it is possible to explain these often-complex topics to children in ways that are compelling and that will result in enduring awareness. The book highlights the fact that all life is connected, and the underpinning intent is to provide education and awareness around the vital importance of ocean conservation. We invite you to make use of this fascinating information about one of the most highly evolved, streamlined and simply awesome animals on our planet. The content is bound to excite your learners, and it is easy to include it in your curriculum. Armed with this book and your experience as a teacher, you can make a difference as you guide and influence the hearts and minds of young students to become ambassadors of our oceans, upon which we all depend. ‘As long as there are people who care and take action we can and we will make a difference.’ THE FOUNDER SAVE OUR SEAS FOUNDATION ABOUT THE TEACHER HANDBOOK he Teacher Handbook is divided into 8 chapters The activities cover the entire curriculum and you will find covering different topics related to sharks and the activities for every learning area in the book. However, the Tocean. Each chapter is divided into three parts: idea is not to turn ‘Sharks’ into a full learning programme. Core Knowledge: The Core Knowledge provides you, the Rather, we suggest you use the information and activities teacher, with information about each chapter’s focus. This on sharks in broader learning programmes such as Our information supports the activities that follow, and some Environment; The Sea; Animals; Conservation; Sustainable activities cannot be done without first sharing this Living; Healthy Environment, Healthy Me; and so on. information with the learners. It is therefore important that Teachers in other countries will find that most activities also you work through the Core Knowledge before attempting support their curricula. Although we have selected particular the related activities with your learners. learning areas and suitable learner ages, we understand that Sharks – Teacher Handbook Sharks – Teacher Teacher Guide: Each chapter’s activities are introduced with you know your students best, and as professionals are able to 4 a one-page Teacher Guide. Use these guides to choose your apply the activities to whichever grade/age or learning area activities. They provide a brief description of the activity, its you feel might be appropriate. For this reason please use the purpose, the resources you will need, and how each activity Teacher Guide merely as a guideline. links to South Africa’s Revised National Curriculum Statement for Grades 4-6 (ages 10-12) Intermediate Phase. Get Involved Class Discussion ideas related to the chapter’s content are Finally, it is not necessary to do all the activities; we also included. encourage you to develop your own ideas as you learn Activities: A number of activities for learners follow the more about sharks and the ocean. We would love to hear Teacher Guide. Although the activities have been designed from you and encourage you to give us feedback about the to support the school curriculum for learners aged 10-12, book: what worked for you, what you feel can be improved some activities are also suited to the Senior Phase. upon, suggestions you might have, and any exciting activities you might have developed. To facilitate this, How to Use the Activities please find a Feedback Form at the back of the book, • The actual activity sheets are of two kinds: Teacher which you can fill in and return to us. Instructions on how to conduct the activity, or learner Another way to communicate with us, and with other instructions, which are identifiable by the space provided teachers who are using the book, is via the AOCA website for Learner or Group name and Class. and the Chat Forum link in which you will find the subject: •For easy reference the learning area of each activity is Teacher Handbook – log on to www.aoca.org.za We will indicated at the bottom of the activity sheet. appreciate your feedback, which will assist in future revised •Most activities require no special equipment and are editions of the book. suitable for even poorly resourced schools. Although activity worksheets to be photocopied for learners are Glossary marked with this symbol: ✍, most of these activities For easy reference this section highlights new words that contain instructions or questions that can be dictated. have been used in the Core Knowledge and gives simple • Although it is preferable, it is not necessary to work definitions. The new words are in bold italics in the Core chronologically through the book or to cover all the Knowledge sections. content in order to do the activities of a particular chapter. You can therefore select any chapter and its Useful Extras activities, bearing in mind that the Core Knowledge Website Addresses: Further information can be found