Why Sharks? - Save Our Seas Foundation

Introduction: Why Sharks?A note from Laura and Robert Sams, the Directors ofThe Riddle Solvers: The Shark Riddle, the inspirationfor this packet of family fun and educational activities.Laura and Robert are writers, educators, musicians,filmmakers and of course, sister/brother.When we tell people that we made a film aboutsharks, one question we never hear is “Why?”No one ever asks, “Why would you want to makea movie about sharks?” We think that’s becausethey assume they already know the answer:“Because sharks are AWESOME!” Yes. It’s a fact.Sharks are awesome. But that’s only part of thereason we decided to make a film about sharks.We had some other motivations as well.First, sharks are awesome. We know we’ve saidthat already, but it bears restating: Sharks areawesome.Second, sharks are very diverse. The smallestshark species can practically fit in your hand,while the largest sharks couldnot . . . unless your hand wasover 50 feet long. Sharks comein a wide variety of colors –grays, blues, browns, greens,whites, stripes and spots. Thelantern shark even glows inthe dark! Sharks come in anamazing variety of shapes too. The saw shark hasa head shaped like a saw. The angelsharks areflattened like angelic pancakes. Thresher sharkscan have a tail as long as their entire body.Sharks have different mouths, and teeth and gillsand fins. Of the over-400 species of sharks in theworld, rarely do two look similar. They are alldifferent!Third, sharks are very important. They live inevery corner of the ocean, and in general, sharksare at the top of thefood chain. Theykeep an ecosystemhealthy by feedingon the sick,the weak and theold. And by doingso, they help limit populations of other animalsso that the ecosystem stays in balance. Withoutsharks, the entire ocean would be out of balance.Fourth, people don’t really know a lot aboutsharks. And it’s not just the average person -it’s the researchers too. If we walked up to anaverage Joe off the street and asked, “Where inthe world do great white sharksbreed?” That person would probablysay, “I have no idea. Andhow did you know my name wasJoe?” On the other hand, if weasked a Ph.D shark biologist thatsame question, we’d get the sameanswer: “Nobody knows!” Howexciting is that?! One of the world’smost famous predators, a giant 20-foot-longshark, still holds a few giant mysteries. Sharkswill always be mysterious because they are hardto study. They are like swimming secretswaiting to be revealed.So, sharks are very diverse, very importantand very mysterious. But if we had to sum upwhy we made a movie about sharks in just onesentence, the answer would be this: Sharks areAWESOME!1

Why Sharks?This is a note from Peter Verhoog and Georgina Wiersma, theCEOs of the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), about why theybelieve sharks are important. Peter and Georgina are underwaterphotographers, writers, publishers and passionate advocates forocean conservation and education.Our oceans are home to many creatures ofunbelievable diversity and colour. As on land,the large predators stand at the top of the foodchain. In salty ocean waters, the most commonlarge predators are sharks. In spite of theirimmense power and fully perfected streamlinethat even evolution itself has left untouched formillions of years, they are not only extremelyvulnerable, but also despised and slaughtered.Sharks have long been hunted by fishers, whoknow how much the economic value of theseanimals has increased over the past twentyyears. Their fins are a delicacy for the Asianmarkets, and millions of sharks die a miserabledeath as bycatch on fishing lines and in nets.Our initial personal fears and caution (ours isthe ‘Jaws’ generation) for sharks rapidly disappearedwhen we first encountered one. Thecreature was shy and more cautious of us thanwe were of it. It swam away fast, leaving us inbewildered admiration for the tip of its rapidlydisappearing, slender silvery tail. The imageof a ruthless predator, always voraciousand ever-attacking, was quickly transformedinto that of a shy and carefulhunter.We have encountered many species of sharksin all shapes, sizes, colours and patterns. Wehave seen small bottom dwellers with stripesand spots, timid vegetarians and of course, thecarnivorous fast predators of the open waters.Though great white sharks are feared by somany, we dived with them without a cage, andwithout problems. Each encounter has beenprofoundly impressive and a highlight in ourlives and of the many thousands of dives wehave made. More and more often we chooseour diving destinations for the purpose of findingthese magnificent creatures.Every diver or snorkeler who has had the privilegeof swimming with sharks has experiencedthe same loss of words in expressing the feelingof awe, when observing their timeless beautyand elegance. These days, however, there is noescaping the fact that these magnificent creaturesmight very soon face extinction. Theirfate is inextricably bound to the health andexistence of our oceans, which only serves tointensify our urge to protect them.We hope that this packet and the children’smovie that inspired it, The Shark Riddle, willevoke the same emotions in its readers as wehave felt in our diving experiences: admiration,respect and awe. And the sincere wish to savethese wonderful creatures from extinction.2

Did You Know?Sharks with a Suntan?A scientist named Chris Lowe discovered that hammerhead sharks canactually sun tan! He watched scalloped hammerheads swimming in ashallow pool and put thick patches on parts of the sharks’ skin, to blockultraviolet light like sunscreen protects our skin. What happened? Theskin around those patches got darker in the sun, but the skin under thepatches did not get darker. Shark skin does tan!Sharks in Rivers?A few species of sharks, like the bull shark, are able to adapt to fresh waterenough that they can swim up rivers. Bull sharks have been found in theMississippi River as far upstream as Illinois. One bull shark was reportedlyfound in the Amazon River, about 2600 miles (4200 km) from wherethe river meets the sea. Other species of sharks, such as the sandbarshark, swim in estuaries (where the river meets the sea) to give birth.Sharks as Protectors?Many Hawaiian families believe that their ancestors’ spirits can appear inanimals and other objects, in order to guide them or protect them in scarytimes. Some families believe their ancestors appear as sharks, helpingchase fish into their fishing nets or guide their boats to safety. For thosefamilies, sharks are special, spiritual animals instead of scary predators.Miracle Hammerhead Birth?At the Henry Doorly Zoo in Nebraska, zookeepers were very surprisedto find that a female bonnethead shark gave birth to a baby, becausethe female had not been near a male shark in three years. Later, DNAanalysis showed that the baby had genes from a mother, but no father.This means that the female shark was able to reproduce through a processcalled parthenogenesis, in which an egg cell becomes an embryo withouthelp from a male. Bonnethead sharks are part of the hammerhead sharkfamily, growing to a typical length of 3 feet (1 meter) as adults.3

Shark HatsLaura Sams wears a great white shark hatOverviewMake a great white shark or hammerheadshark hat.MaterialsCopies of the great white and hammerheadtemplates, 9”x 13” construction paper, tape,stapler with staples, crayons or markersProcedure1. Cut construction paper into strips about3 inches (7.6 cm) wide. Two strips will beused in each hat.2. Make copies of the great white shark orhammerhead template, depending on whichshark hat you wish to make.3. Color the shark head.4. Cut the sharkhead shape outof the paper.5. To make theconstructionpaper hat ring,tape or stapletwo ends of theconstruction paper strips together, so youhave one long strip. Wrap that strip aroundthe person’s head who will be wearing theRobert Sams wears a hammerhead shark hathat, to determine appropriate size. Tape orstaple the remaining ends together, so thatthe ring will fitsnugly (thoughnot too snugly)around the person’shead. If youare using staples,be careful thatthe rough parts ofthe staples are not on the inside of the ring,because they may scrape the skin of theperson wearing the hat.6. Tape the constructionpaperring to the backside of the sharkhead. As a tip, trylaying the sharkhead down flat,with the blankside up, and tape the construction paperring to the shark that way. Be sure to makethe shark head straight, so that it will faceupright on the person’s head. Also, thehammerhead shark neck can be a bit flimsy,so it is sturdier to tape the ring higher onthe hammerhead’s head.7. Wear the hat proudly!4

Shark Hats, ContinuedHammerhead Shark Hat Template5

Shark Hats, Continued6Great White Shark Hat Template

Landshark Lawn OrnamentsAnd A Closer Look at Dorsal FinsOverviewLooking for a way to shark attack your schoolyard, your neighbor’s garden or your ownflower bed? Make these shark fins, place themnear amazing shark facts, and you have a funnyand educational way to share your passion forsharks! This is also a great way to recycle oldcardboard.Educational StandardsComparing and contrasting characteristics ofa group of animals.Understanding that animals have adaptationsto survive in an environment.Using observations to ask questions and studythe world.Using communication skills to share importantinformation with others.Materials NeededPieces of cardboard (used cereal boxes, oldpackaging boxes, etc.) or posterboard, paintbrush,washable paint (in shark colors likeblack, brown, gray and blue), scissors or utilityknife, pencil, wooden dowels (2 to 4 feet long),duct tapeBackground on Dorsal FinsWhen people think of sharks, they oftenimagine a shark’s dorsal fin suddenly slicingthrough the water, revealing the tip of a powerfulpredator lurking just below the surface.In reality, the majority of shark species do notswim with their dorsal fins above the surface.Unlike whales, who must surface to breatheand therefore often end up with their dorsalfins above the water, sharks do not need tosurface to breathe. Shark fins do break thesurface when they feed on bait that peopleput in the water. Shark fins also break thesurface when sharks enter shallow water, tobreed or give birth, such as the lemon sharkpupping grounds in the mangrove forests ofFlorida. But most of the time, as describedby the Biology of Sharks and Rays Web site( www. elasmo-research.org), sharks swim farenough below the surface that we don’t seethe fins.When dorsal fins do break the surface,scientists can use the fin shape to identify7

Landshark Lawn Ornaments, Continuedindividual sharks. For great white sharks,the shape of the dorsal fin is as unique as humanfingerprints are for identification. Scientistscan see slight differences in the edges ofthe fins. They use these differences to recognizeindividual sharks and study the behaviorsof different sharks in the water.Shark fins come in many shapes and sizes.The great hammerhead shark’s fin is tallerand pointier than some other species. Thegreat white shark has a “typical” triangular finshape, one that we have seen many times inmovies. The horn shark is a small shark with aspine on its dorsal fins, which helps protect itfrom predators that try to bite it. Other sharkshave shorter and wider dorsal fins. Somefins are basically one color. Some have spotsor stripes. The oceanic whitetip shark has awhite tip on its dorsal fins. The blacktip reefshark has a black tip on its dorsal fins.Why do sharks have fins anyway? Sharksare fish, which means they have fins like fish.Dorsal fins are the fins on the back (top) of thefish, used for stabilizing the fish in the water.A dorsal fin is like a keel of a sailboat, whichhelps it go straight. The dorsal fin works withthe pectoral fins, which are like the wings of anairplane, to keep fish from rolling over. Fishalso have a tail (or caudal) fin that providesspeed and power. The tail fin of the threshershark is actually used to stun prey.The main dorsal fin is made mostly of cartilageand dermal collagen fibers, with little muscletissue. Though it appears rigid, the dorsal fincan bend and warp to help with swimming.Pre-Activity Discussion QuestionsImagine you are a marine biologist, who is seeinga shark fin for the first time. Make a list ofwords that come to mind when you thinkof shark fins. Fear? Power? And what doshark fins look like? A sailboat’s sail? Anairplane’s tail?Take time to research sharks or watch TheShark Riddle, and make sketches of differentkinds of fins.Which fins help keep a fish from rolling over?The dorsal fin and pectoral fins help fishstay upright.Which fins give sharks their power andspeed? The tail (or caudal) fin.Compare the shape of a shark to the shapeof an airplane. Compare the shape of a sharkto the shape of a sailboat. Why are someparts similar?BLACKTIP REEF SHARK8

Landshark Lawn Ornaments, ContinuedAmazing Shark Factsq Sharks keep the ocean food chains healthy,so that people have enough fish to eat.q People kill over 100 million sharks eachyear.q On average, sharks kill less than 5 peopleper year.q Sharks appeared on Earth 400 millionyears ago. That makes them twice as old asdinosaurs.q There are over 400 different species ofsharks in the world, and most of them aresmaller than 4 feet (1.2 meters) long.q One of the smallest sharks in the world isthe dwarf lanternshark, growing to about 8inches (21 centimeters) long.q The largest shark in the world is the whaleshark, which eats tiny plankton and growsup to 50 feet long (15 meters).q The shortfin mak0 shark can swim 31 milesper hour (50 kilometers).q A nurse shark can lose up to 30,000 teethin its lifetime!q The thresher shark uses its tail like a whipto stun its prey underwater.q In one year, 791 people were killed bydefective toasters. Only four people werekilled by sharks.q Only about 5% of the ocean is exploredby humans. We have much to learn aboutsharks!q The biggest organ in a shark’s body is theliver.q The megamouth shark was discovered in1976 by the U.S. navy, when a male sharkwas accidentally caught in a ship’s parachuteanchor off the coast of Hawaii.q Lanternsharks are small, deepwater sharksthat produce their own light with photophoreson their bodies.q The epaulette shark is a small shark thatsometimes uses its fins to walk along theocean bottom.q Shark skeletons are made of cartilage, notbone.q Many shark species populations havedeclined 90% due to overfishing and sharkfinning.q Several sharks can live in Arctic waters,including the greenland, porbeagle andsalmon shark.q The biggest predatory shark that ever livedwas the megalodon shark, which grew to 50feet (15 meters). It is now exctinct.q People are designing new swim suits tomimic shark skin, since the dermal denticleshelp sharks swim faster.q Great white sharks and mako sharks canregulate their body temperature so they arewarmer than the surrounding cold water.q Scientists believe that great white sharkshave good eyesight, and they rely on eyesightwhile hunting.q Great white shark fins are as unique as humanfingerprints, so scientists can use thefins for identification.

Landshark Lawn Ornaments, ContinuedGreat Hammerhead FinHorn Shark FinGreat White Shark FinShark Fin Shapes11

Shark Tooth Scientific InquiryOverviewThis activity is a great introduction to theconcept of scientific inquiry, a process usedto explore the natural world using evidencefrom observations. First, children will becomescientists and dig for shark teeth. After findinga tooth, each student will use observations andmeasurements to formulate a hypothesis aboutwhat the shark eats. To investigate, studentswill reach into “shark stomachs” to learn aboutthe diet of each shark, and ultimately, will findout whether their hypotheses were correct.Inspired by the “Shark Dentist” scene in TheShark Riddle.Educational StandardsPracticing scientific inquiry, the process usedto explore the natural world using evidencefrom observations and investigations.Investigating how animals have adaptationsthat help them survive in an environment.Observing, measuring and recording propertiesof objects.Summarizing the results from a scientificinvestigation and using the results to respondto the question being tested.Preparation1. Make copies of the “Shark Teeth forDigging” sheet, so that you have a varietyof teeth for children to find. As a variation,you may want to simplify the process andask all the students to investigate the sametype of tooth.2. Cut out the shark teeth and hide them in alarge tray of sand. To protect the table orfloor, you may want to place a tarp underneaththe tray, to collect extraneous sand.The paper can be flimsy in the sand, so youmay want to laminate the copies before youcut out the shark teeth.3. Find four bags to represent four differentshark stomachs: 1) raggedtooth shark, 2)great white shark, 3) horn shark, 4) tigershark. Label each bag with the name of oneof the shark species. Eventually childrenwill reach inside these shark stomachs todiscover what each shark eats. Pinkish-redbags work well, since they are colored like astomach. Also, red pillowcases or old santahats (with the white fuzzy lining cut off)make great shark stomachs.4. Write the diet of each shark on index cardsand place the index cards in the correspondingshark’s stomach. Write each fooditem on a separate index card.12

Shark Tooth Scientific Inquiry, ContinuedRaggedtooth shark: fishGreat white shark: marine mammals(sea lions, seals, dolphins, etc.) and fishHorn shark: molluscs (snails, clams),echinoderms (sea stars) and crustaceans(crabs, shrimp, lobsters)Tiger shark: fish, marine mammals (sealions, seals, dolphins), sea turtles, birds, seasnakes, trash5. Show students the 2 minute scene called“Shark Dentists” from The Shark Riddle.This will introduce students to differentshapes of shark teeth, as well as how sharkteeth are used. This clip is available onlinefor free at www.sisbro.com/sharksVariationsUse real shark teeth. Then you can askstudents several other observation questions,since the teeth are multidimensional, ratherthan a photocopy of a tooth. What does it feellike? Hard? Soft? Sharp? Dull? What coloris it?Procedure1. Tell children they are going to be scientistssearching for shark teeth. For other examplesof shark scientists and their research,read the examples in “Shark Science inAction” in this packet.Guiding Questions:What is a scientist? (Scientists use theirsenses while observing things. They alsoask lots of questions. To find out the answerto those questions, they observe things andconduct experiments. In summary, a scientistis a person who uses evidence fromobservations to test and learn about theworld.)What is observation? (A way of gatheringinformation about the world using oursenses: eyes, ears, smell, taste and touch.)How do scientists learn about sharks?(They study their teeth, they watch themswimming, they tag sharks and keep trackof where they go, etc.)Why do sharks lose so many teeth? (Sharkshave rows and rows of teeth, so if one fallsout, another will move into place.)Why do scientists find more fossil sharkteeth than fossil shark skeletons? (Sharkskeletons are made of cartilage, which ismuch softer than bone. Therefore the cartilageskeletons don’t last long enough to fossilize.Tooth enamel is the hardest surfacein the body, so teeth last a long time!)How many teeth can a shark lose in alifetime? (As said in The Shark Riddle,30,000.)2. Ask each child to carefully sift through thesand until he/she finds a shark tooth. Youmay let children just use their hands, or youcan use a window screen as a sifting tool. Asa variation, you may want to have childrenwork with a partner (and study only onetooth between them), since scientists oftenwork as teams.Guiding questions:How would a scientist look through sandfor a tooth? By flinging huge bunches ofsand? Or by carefully searching throughthe sand little by little, in order not to missanything?Are there any tools the students can useto look for a shark tooth like a scientist?(magnifying glasses, hands, a siftingscreen)13

Shark Tooth Scientific Inquiry, ContinuedShark Teeth for DiggingRaggedtooth Shark TeethGreat White Shark TeethHorn Shark TeethTiger Shark Teeth15

Shark Tooth Scientific Inquiry, ContinuedTeacher Shark GuideRaggedtooth shark Carcharius taurus(also called grey nurse or sandtiger shark)Tooth shape: Needles for spearing and holding fishDiet: Fish (such as small bony fish, small sharks and small rays)Behavior: Gentle sharks that bite only rarely, when human diversprovoke or touch the sharkRange: Warm to temperate waters of the Atlantic, Mediterraneanand Western Pacific basinsGreat white shark Carcharodon carchariusTooth shape: Saws for cutting (marine mammal blubber), also aknife-shape for stabbing (fish and marine mammals)Diet: Marine mammals (sea lions, seals, dolphins), fishBehavior: Actually very picky eaters, not the frenzied eating machinesshown in Hollywood movies. However, they are responsible forthe most unprovoked attacks on humans in colder water.Range: Worldwide except the cold waters of the Arctic and AntarcticHorn Shark Heterodontus francisciTooth Shape: Mallet (or round) for crushing hard shells; These arethe back teeth, as the front teeth are pointyDiet: Mostly bottom-dwelling invertebrates, such as molluscs (snails,clams), echinoderms (sea stars) and crustaceans (crabs, shrimp)Behavior: Not dangerous to humans, they are bottom-dwellingsharks that wait to ambush small preyRange: Off the western coast of North America, between Californiaand MexicoTiger Shark Galeocerdo cuvierTooth shape: Hook/can-opener for piercing (sea turtle shells), sawfor cutting (marine mammals), knife for stabbingDiet: Very diverse - fish, sea turtles, marine mammals (sea lions,seals, dolphins), birds, sea snakes, trash, dead animals; one of the trueshark scavengersBehavior: Tiger sharks are sometimes called “the garbage cans of thesea.” As their teeth show many different functions, they are able to eatmany different prey items. They are potentially dangerous to humans.Range: Worldwide warm and temperate seas16

Student Shark GuideShark Tooth Scientific Inquiry, ContinuedWhat kind of shark tooth do you have? Find the shape of your shark tooth on this page to find out.Raggedtooth Shark (Carcharius taurus)Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharius)Horn Shark (Heterodontus francisci)Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)17

My name:Shark Tooth Observation SheetDraw the shape of the shark tooth.How big is the shark tooth? Is it big? Small? Take measurements with a ruler.Different shapes of teeth are adapted for eating different things. Sharks use their teeth like toolsto eat food. Look at the tools below. Which of these human tools does your tooth look like?(Circle any that look like your tooth. There may be more than one).Needle Saw Mallet Can openerNeedle-shaped teethNeedle-shaped teeth are good for holding prey like fish. Sharks with long, sharp teeth caneasily catch, stab and hold a fish before swallowing it.Saw-shaped teethSaw-shaped teeth have edges that are good for cutting through tough skin or blubber. Sharksthat have saw-shaped teeth often eat marine mammals, like sea lions and seals.Mallet-shaped teethMallet-shaped teeth are rounded, but good at crushing things. Much like human molars (ourback teeth), some sharks have rounded teeth in the back of the jaw. These teeth are good atsmashing and crushing food like shells of shellfish and invertebrates (clams, sea stars, crabs,snails, etc.).Hook/Can-Opener TeethCurved teeth are good at gripping and cracking tough shells, like sea turtle shells. Sharks withhooked teeth may be better able to grab fish, much like we use fishing hooks.18

Shark Tooth Research SheetQuestionWhat is the basic question I want to answer?My name:_______________________________________________________________HypothesisBased on the shape of this shark’s tooth, I think this shark eats ____________________________________________________________________________________.Shark Stomach InvestigationCompare your tooth to the Shark Tooth Guide. What kind of shark tooth do you have?(raggedtooth shark, great white shark, horn shark or tiger shark)_______________________________________________________________Find the stomach of your shark species. Reach inside to find out what the shark eats. What fooddoes the shark eat?_______________________________________________________________ConclusionAfter doing an investigation, scientists write down their conclusions, so other people can learnfrom what they learned. Was your hypothesis right? In other words, did the shark eat food thatyou guessed it would eat?_______________________________________________________________Did the shark also eat different foods than you guessed? What foods were different?_______________________________________________________________Future Questions to AnswerWhat other question do you want to answer about this shark?_______________________________________________________________519

Shark Science in ActionOverview/Educational Standards: These are three examples of real-life studies aboutsharks, broken down into the steps of scientific inquiry.Great White Sharks:Is mistaken identity a reason for great white shark attackson surfers?The scientist: Dr. Scott Anderson,with other scientists at the Point ReyesBird Sanctuary on Southeast FarallonIsland, California.Scientists have spent years watchinggreat white shark feeding behavior offthe Farallon Islands, recording attackson elephant seals, fur seals, sea lionsand other prey.Observation: Scientists observed thatthe shape of a swimming sea lion or seallooks like the shape of a surfboard.Question: Are great white sharksattracted to the shape of a sea lion, and thereforea surfboard, in the water?Hypothesis: Great white sharks use visualsearch cues (such as the shape of a sea lion)when determining whether to attack.Investigation: Dr. Anderson attached avideo camera to the bottom of a surfboard anddragged it behind a boat. He recorded greatwhite shark attacks on that surfboard andfound that most sharks stalked their prey fromthe bottom, then suddenly launched upward toattack the surfboard at the surface.Conclusion: Great white sharks use visualsearch cues, looking for the shape of a sea lionor seal. Since the view of a surfboard from underneathmimics that shape, attacks on surferscould be a case of mistaken identity.Future questions to answer: After thisexperiment, Dr. Peter Klimley continued toinvestigate whether the amount of blubber(or energy-rich fat) contributes to great whiteshark attacks. He observed that great whitesharks would eat sea lion carcasses, but theyignored sheep carcasses in the water. Do thegreat white sharks prefer creatures with lots ofblubber? This could factor into why great whitesharks, who rarely attack humans, often bitehumans once but never return to actually feed.20

Shark Science in Action, ContinuedWhale Sharks:How much does a whale shark eat?The scientists: A team of scientists ledby Philip J. Motta, including MichaelMaslanka, Robert E. Hueter, Ray L. Davis,Rafael de la Parra, Samantha L. Mulvany,Maria Laura Habegger, James A. Strother,Kyle R. Mara, Jayne M. Gardiner, John P.Tyminski, Leslie D. ZeiglerObservations: Off the coast of Mexico,whale sharks were observed eating zooplankton,which are tiny animals driftingin the water. These whale sharks ateby swimming around with their mouthsopen to filter plankton from the water throughtheir gill rakers, in a process called “ram filterfeeding.” Scientists observed that these whalesharks ate, on average, 7.5 hours a day.Question: How much does a whale shark eatduring a day?Investigation: By following whale sharkswith the boat, scientists timed how fast a whaleshark was swimming.By taking pictures and filming a shark whileit was eating, scientists measured the size ofthe whale shark’s mouth and how much watercould fit in its mouth. They estimated howmuch water passed through the whale shark’smouth per hour.Conclusion: A young, 14.5 foot (443 cm)long whale shark ate an average of 3567calories of plankton per day. That is about thesame as eating two Whoppers ® , two large fries,two large soft drinks and one small vanillamilkshake from Burger King ® .Another whale shark, which was about 20 feet(622 cm) long, ate an average of 6718 caloriesof plankton in a day. That is about the same aseating four Whoppers ® , four large fries, fourlarge soft drinks and one small vanilla shakefrom Burger King ® .Future questions to answer: How much dowhale sharks eat in other parts of the world?Do whale sharks migrate to follow plankton inthe ocean?Then scientists estimated how much planktonwas in the water, by taking water samples todetermine average plankton density in thatpart of the ocean.22

Shark Tooth BannerObjectiveMake a shark tooth banner to hang in theclassroom or at home, while learning about thedifferent shapes of shark teeth.Educational StandardsComparing and contrasting characteristicsamong individuals within one animal group.Explaining how animal adaptations influencesurvival.Making observations about the natural world.MaterialsCopies of the six different shark teeth for eachperson, scissors, glue sticks, a hole puncher,yarn, construction paper of different colorsBackgroundThere are over 400 different kinds of sharks,each with a unique tooth style and structure.While most people are familiar with the triangularshape of the great white shark, theyare not as familiar with the diversity of otherteeth. Some sharks have teeth that are round,for crushing hard shells. Some teeth are skinnyand pointy, for holding fish. Some teeth areserrated like saws.Whale sharks, the biggest fish in the ocean at50 feet (15 meters), have extraordinarily tinyteeth. As shown in The Shark Riddle, the teethare about 1/8 inch long (3 mm) and are no longerused for feeding, since whale sharks filterthe water for plankton.24

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedBy contrast, the extinct megalodon shark hadteeth that grew over 7 inches (18 cm) long. Itsname “megalodon” actually translates to “bigtooth.”Sharks have a constant supply of teeth. Whenone tooth falls out, another tooth moves in totake its place. A shark can lose up to 30,000teeth in its lifetime, giving plenty of opportunityfor the teeth to wash up on beaches. Peoplemay find teeth that fell out of a living shark, orpeople may find fossilized shark teeth. Fossilizedshark teeth are the main way that scientistscan learn about ancient sharks, whichhave existed since before the dinosaurs. In fact,we only know about the existence of the megalodonshark, the giant whale-eating shark thatwas as big as a school bus, because someonefound its huge fossilized tooth.How can scientists use shark teeth to learnabout the behavior of sharks? The shapes givethem clues about how the sharks use theirteeth, and what they might eat.Needle-shaped teethNeedle-shaped teeth are goodfor holding prey like fish.Sharks with long, sharp teethcan easily catch, stab and holda fish before swallowing it.Saw-shaped teethSaw-shaped teeth have edgesthat are good for cutting throughtough skin or blubber. Sharksthat have saw-shaped teeth ofteneat marine mammals, like sealions and seals.Mallet-shaped teethMallet-shaped teeth are notsharp, but are good at crushingthings. Much like humanmolars (our back teeth), somesharks have rounded teeth in the back of thejaw. These teeth are good at smashing andcrushing food like shells of shellfish and invertebrates(clams, crabs, snails, etc.).Hook/Can-Opener teethCurved teeth are good at gripping and crackingtough shells, like sea turtle shells.Sharks with hooked teeth may bebetter able to grab fish, much likewe use fishing hooks.Knife-shaped teethKnife-shaped teeth are good at cutting preylike mammals and fish. They worklike spears or other tools that cut.This activity features six differentkinds of teeth. The teeth may featureone or more of these mentioned shapes.You may also come up with other shapes.Please note that the teeth are much bigger thanreal life, and they are not proportionally toscale. They are all big, because that makes thefinished banner look better.Pre-activity Discussion1. Watch the scene titled “Shark Dentists” inThe Shark Riddle. You may also want towatch other sections of the movie, sinceLaura and Robert find four different kindsof teeth throughout the episode: a megalodontooth, great white shark tooth, lemonshark tooth and whale shark tooth. Thedentist clip is available for free at www.sisbro.com/sharks.2. Give each child six different teeth, so thatthey may look at the different shapes.3. Tell the children they will be scientists,who are using observations to compare theshapes of shark teeth. Sharks use teeth liketools.25

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedOverall, what human tools do these teethlook like? (knife, spear, saw, needle, hook,hammer, mallet, etc.) Write answers on theboard or a large piece of paper, as a brainstorminglist.4. On that same board or paper, write thenames of the six different kinds of sharks.Under each name, write which human toolsthe students think its tooth looks like. Theremay be different ideas and answers, sincethis is basically an observation and opinionexercise. See the “teacher list” below for aguide.5. Talk to the children about the differentshapes of teeth listed in the “Background”section (needle, saw, mallet, hook, knife), aswell as how sharks use those teeth. Then askstudents to guess, through inference, whateach shark eats. For example, “Saw-shapedteeth have edges that are good for cuttingthrough tough skin or blubber. Sharks thathave saw-shaped teeth often eat marinemammals, like sea lions and seals. Whichsharks did you list as having saw-like teeth?The great white and tiger shark. What doyou think they eat?” Add the marine mammals(seals, sea lions, dolphins, etc.) undergreat white shark and tiger shark. Continuewith this line of questioning until you haveadded information for each shark.A teacher list is provided here, to help guidethe discussion. This discussion may alsooccur while the students are making thebanner, not before.Great White SharkShapes: saw, knifeDiet: Marine mammals (sea lions, seals), fishNotes: The great white shark has triangularteeth with serrated edges. The saw-like edgeshelp them tear through marine mammal skinand blubber. Their teeth can grow to over 2inches long.Horn SharkShapes: malletDiet: mostly shelled animals such as molluscs(snails, clams), echinoderms (sea stars) andcrustaceans (crabs, shrimp)Notes: The horn shark is a small shark,around 4 feet (122 cm) or less. It is not dangerousto humans and its teeth are very small.Horn sharks have sharp, pointy teeth in thefront of their jaws, and these rounded teeth inthe back for crushing shells.Lemon SharkShapes: knifeDiet: mostly fish, also some crustaceans andmolluscsNotes: Lemon sharks grow to about 11 feet(3.4 meters). Their teeth are blades, ratherthan the saw-like edges of the great white.Tiger SharkShapes: saw, hook, knifeDiet: Very diverse - fish, sea turtles, marinemammals (sea lions, seals, dolphins), birds,sea snakes, trash, dead animals; tiger sharksare some of the true shark scavengersNotes: Tiger sharks are sometimes called “thegarbage cans of the sea.” As their teeth showmany different functions, they are able to eatmany different prey items. They are potentiallydangerous to humans and can grow up to 18feet long (5.5 meters).Raggedtooth SharkShapes: needleDiet: Fish (such as small bony fish, smallsharks and small rays)Notes: These are gentle sharks that bite onlyrarely, when human divers provoke or touchthe shark. Their teeth are good for spearingand holding fish.26

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedNurse SharkShapes: little knivesDiet: bottom-dwelling shellfish, bony fishNotes: Nurse sharks grow to about 10 feet.They suck up their food quickly andcan suck entire snails from their shells.Banner Procedure1. Cut out the different shark teeth.2. Using a gluestick, glue eachshark tooth tocolorful constructionpaper.Then cut outthe shape ofthe shark tooth,leaving a small construction paper borderaround the tooth.3. Using a holepunch, puncha hole that theyarn can fitthrough. Cleartape can beplaced on thepaper before it ispunched, to reinforce the hole. The placementof holes depends on how you want tohang the banner. If you hang it horizontallyand upside down, you’ll want to punch twoholes for each tooth - one on each side ofthe bottom of the tooth.4. On the back ofeach tooth, writethe following:Name, Shape,Diet. This informationshouldbe listed on theboard from the class discussion.5. Feed a piece of yarnthrough the holes,so that the teethhang well.ExtensionsHave children create their own shark toothfrom an imaginary shark. What is the toothshaped like? How big is it? What color is it?Most importantly, how does the shape give usclues as to what the shark eats? Students candraw the shark and describe its eating patterns,based on the tooth shape. This is a greatwriting exercise.Example of banner hanging vertically27

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedGreat White Shark ToothHorn Shark ToothShark Teeth28

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedLemon Shark ToothTiger Shark ToothShark Teeth29

Shark Tooth Banner, ContinuedRaggedtooth (or Sand Tiger) Shark ToothNurse Shark Tooth30Shark Teeth

Are You a Shark?(The Game Show)Game show title from The Shark RiddleOverviewThis activity gives children a chance to learnfour main characteristics of sharks by watchingand playing a game show called “Are You AShark?” Then children can research their ownsea creatures, compare the creature’s characteristicsto a shark, and finally become a contestanton the “Are You a Shark” game show.Education StandardsComparing and contrasting characteristics ofanimals in a group.Classifying living things by characteristics.Conducting a short research project to buildand present knowledge about a topic.MaterialsCopies of the Are You a Shark ContestantWorksheet for each child, 5 copies of the “AreYou a Shark” script, The Shark Riddle DVD,along with a DVD player, a bell, a buzzer (onefrom a board game like Taboo ® works well).Optional: pictures of the animals for eachcontestantBackgroundSharks are elasmobranchs, a subclass of fishthat includes sharks, rays and skates. There areover 400 different kinds of sharks, and scientistsare still discovering more. If there is oneword that describes sharks, it might just be:diverse.Their sizes range widely. The biggest shark isthe peaceful whale shark, which grows up to50 feet long (15 meters) and eats tiny plankton.One of the smallest sharks is the dwarf lanternshark,which grows to about 8 inches (20 cm)long. Though most people know more aboutthe big sharks, the majority of sharks are small,around 4 feet (1.5 meters) or less.All sharks are carnivorous, though their dietsare very different. Great white sharks are meateatersthat hunt fish and marine mammals.The epaulette shark is a little shark that sucksup worms and eats shellfish on the bottom ofthe ocean. The basking shark filters tiny floatinganimals, called plankton, from the water.Their feeding strategies are different. Whalesharks gulp water and force it out throughtheir gill rakers, filtering out tiny planktonicanimals to eat. The thresher shark has a tail aslong as its body, and it swings its tail to slapand kill fish to eat.31

Are You a Shark? (The Game Show), ContinuedTheir behaviors are very different. The angelshark hides under the sand and waits for preyto swim by, so it can suddenly lunge and grabit. The great white shark, however, often attacksits prey at the surface.So if sharks range so widely, what is a shark?How do sharks differ from rays?Here are four general characteristics that identifysharks:1. Sharks are fish.2. Shark skeletons are not made of bones.They are made of cartilage, like our nosesand ears.3. Sharks have 5 to 7 gill slits on the sides oftheir heads.4. Shark skin is covered with tiny tooth-likescales called dermal denticles (translated:“skin teeth”).Procedure1. Watch the 3 minute scene called “Are You AShark?” in The Shark Riddle. In this section,a remora fish is the host of a gameshow called “Are You A Shark?” He meets alobster, a grouper, a stingray and finally, anepaulette shark. Each answers questions todetermine whether it is, in fact, a shark. Theepaulette shark is a small shark that actuallywalks on its fins!2. After watching the scene, read the scriptwith children. To make it easier on the firstread-through, an adult can play the part ofthe game show host. Choose four childrento be the other contestants: the lobster,the grouper, the stingray and the epauletteshark.Read the script together. Children oftenhave fun trying to mimic the voices from themovie. Be creative! When a contestant says“no,” hit the buzzer. When a contestant says“yes,” ring the bell. The bell and the buzzeradd a lot of fun to the process.3. After listening to the game show, turn eachchild into a new “contestant” for a futureepisode of the game show by assigninghim/her the name of a sea animal. A list ofpossible animals, along with answers to thegame show questions, is attached.4. Give each child a copy of the “Are You aShark Contestant Research Worksheet.”Give children time to research their “contestant”by reading books or searching forinformation on the internet, in order toanswer the necessary questions:1. Am I a fish?2. Do I have a skeleton made of cartilage?3. How many gills openings do I have?Where are the openings?4. Does my skin have tooth-like scalescalled dermal denticles?If they answer “yes” to all four questions,they are sharks.5. Host your own game show of “Are You aShark?” Assign contestants an order toappear on the show. Once a contestant iscalled, ask him/her the four questions. Ringthe bell after a “yes” answer” and hit thebuzzer after a “no” answer. You may chooseto let each child answer all four questions orstop as soon as there is a “no” answer.32

Are You a Shark? (The Game Show), ContinuedAs the game show host, you may be the oneto determine whether someone is or is not ashark. Or you may want to ask the children(studio audience) after each contestant:“Is he/she a shark?” Then let the audienceanswer yes or no.Children have a lot of fun acting like thestudio audience and periodically shoutingtogether the name of the game show: “AreYou A Shark?”Follow up Questions:What are four characteristics of sharks?How are sharks different from rays? (Theplacement of the gills is different. Sharks’ gillsare on the side of the head, while rays’ gillsare underneath the head).How are sharks different from mammals?(Mammals breathe air. Sharks use gills toextract oxygen from water.)How are sharks and rays different from otherfish? (They have skeletons of cartilage, differentnumber of gill openings and most havedifferent scales.)ExtensionsThis activity offers a great chance for childrento think about how animals are classified, andabout what characteristics different kinds ofanimals share. As an extension, write anothertype of game show, such as “Are You A Mammal?”or “Are You A Fish?” Help children comeup with the characteristics of those animalgroups.Instead of choosing big classification groups,try classifying dogs versus cats. What is thesame? What is different? What characteristicscould children use to write a game show called“Are You a Cat?”Children often like to take turns as the gameshow host, as well. Encourage students to playthe game show in small groups, letting differentchildren be the game show host.Epaulette shark from The Shark Riddle33

Are You a Shark? (The Game Show), ContinuedAre You A Shark? The Scriptfrom the movie, The Shark Riddle, written by Laura Sams, Robert Sams, Dave CainCharacters NeededRemora fish (game show host), a lobster, a grouper, a stingray, an epaulette shark, the audienceDialogueUpbeat game show music begins to play, as the game show host introduces himself.Remora:Audience:Remora:Audience:Remora:Lobster:Remora:Lobster:Remora:Grouper:Remora:Grouper:Remora:Grouper:Remora:I am a remora fish, and also the host of everybody’sfavorite game show:Are You A Shark?! (yelling together like a studioaudience)Folks, take a look at this flat head of mine.It works like a suction cup. Perfect for sticking toRemora Fishthings, like sharks. I’ve ridden tiger sharks, bullsharks . . . I find a shark, and I stick my head toit. Nobody knows more about sharks than I do, which is why I’m the host of:Are You A Shark?! (yelling together like a studio audience)Now let’s meet our first contestant, this lobster.Am I a shark?Sharks are fish. Are you a fish?Um, no. (buzzer sounds)Then sorry, you are not a shark. You’re a lobster.Moving on to the next contestant, this grouper.Am I a shark?Are you a fish?Yes. (bell dings)And is your skeleton made of cartilage?No, my skeleton is made of bones.Oh sorry. (buzzer sounds) Sharks have skeletons made of cartilage, which makesthem very flexible animals and subsequently, very fun to ride if you can ever stickyour head to one. Thanks for playing.Okay, contestant number three, the stingray.Grouper34

Are You a Shark? (The Game Show), ContinuedStingray:Remora:Stingray:Remora:Stingray:Remora:Stingray:Remora:Epaulette:Remora:Epaulette:Remora:Epaulette:Remora:Epaulette:Remora:Epaulete:Remora:Remora:Epaulette:Audience:Am I a shark?Are you a fish?Yes. (Bell dings)Is your skeleton made of cartilage?Yes. (Bell dings)Hmm, interesting. Do you have 5 to 7 gillopenings on the side of your head?Almost, but my gill openings are underneathmy head. Does that count?Oh sorry. (Buzzer sounds) Then you are not a shark. Sharks have at least five gillopenings, right on each side of the head. But you are closely related to sharks.So close!! And now our final contestant, this little guy from Papa New Guinea.Am I a shark?Are you a fish?Yes. (Bell dings)Is your skeleton made of cartilage?Of course. (Bell dings)Do you have at least 5 gill openings on theside of your head?Most definitely. (Bell dings)This could be it folks. Final question. Shark skin has tiny tooth-like scales calleddermal denticles. It feels very rough to the touch. Do you have rough skin?Yes.Then congratulations, you are a shark! An epaulette shark in fact. What are you goingto do now that you’ve won?I’m going to go eat some worms.Whoah, a walking shark that eats worms! Amazing! There are so many differentkinds of sharks in this world. Big and small. Someday I hope to ride the biggest oneof them all, but that’s for another episode of:Are You A Shark?! (yelling together like a studio audience)Underside of a stingrayEpaulette shark35

Are You a Shark? (The Game Show), ContinuedPossible Game Show ContestantsHere are some animals that could be assigned to children for the game show, along with answersto the game show questions. Yes to all four questions means: it is a shark!1. Am I a fish?2. Do I have a skeleton made of cartilage?3. Do I have 5 to 7 gill openings on each side of my head?4. Does my skin have tooth-like scales called dermal denticles?MAMMALS:Bottle-nosed dolphin (no, no, no gills, no)Killer whale (no, no, no gills, no)Walrus (no, no, no gills, no)RAYS:Manta ray (yes, yes, no - 5 gills on each sideunderneath head, yes)Bat ray (yes, yes, no - 5 on each side underneathhead, yes)Spotted eagle ray (yes, yes, no - 5 on eachside underneath head, no)Guitarfish (yes, yes, no - 5 on each side underneathhead, yes)Stingray (yes, yes, no - 5 on each side underneathhead, yes)SHARKS:Spiny dogfish (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each sideof head, yes)Raggedtooth shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on eachside of head, yes)Megamouth shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on eachside of head, yes)Tiger shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each side ofhead, yes)Nurse shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each side ofhead, yes)Pajama shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each sideof head, yes)Sharp-nose sevengill shark (yes, yes, yes -7 on each side of head, yes)Whale shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each side ofhead, yes)Blacktip reef shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on eachside of head, yes)Lemon shark (yes, yes, yes - 5 on each side ofhead, yes)OTHER FISH:Barracuda fish (yes, no, no - 1 on each side,no)Tuna fish (yes, no, no - 1 on each side of head,no)Parrot fish (yes, no, no - 1 on each side ofhead, no)Moray eel (yes, no, no - 1 on each side ofhead, no)Marlin (yes, no, no -1 on each side of head,no)Clownfish (yes, no, no - 1 on each side ofhead, no)Sardine (yes, no, no - 1 on each side of head,no)Salmon (yes, no, no - 1 on each side of head,no)Red snapper (yes, no, no - 1 on each side ofhead, no)OTHER ANIMALS:Fiddler crab (no, no, no gills, no)Sea turtle (no, no, no gills, no)Horseshoe crab (no, no, no gills, no)Seagull (no, no, no gills, no)36

Magic Journal PageOverviewChildren can use the attached magic journalpage as a blank slate for writing or drawing.MaterialsCopies of the attached “My Magic Journal”page, pencils, crayons or markersBackgroundIn The Shark Riddle, the Riddle Solvers founda magic journal that revealed stories aboutsharks. The attached magic journal page is aphotograph of that journal.Educational Standards and ProcedureHere are some educational standards and ideasabout how to use the journal page.Forming and using frequently occurringirregular plural nouns (e.g., feet, children,teeth, mice, fish).Make a list of irregular plural nouns on oneside of the journal and then use them in sentenceson the other side. (The children foundshark teeth and learned about fish.)Using adjectives and adverbs, and choosingbetween them depending on what is to bemodified.Make a list of adjectives and adverbs that describesharks and how sharks move. Use thoseadjectives or adverbs in full sentences.Capitalizing geographic names.Write the names of islands, cities or oceanswhere you might see sharks or find shark teeth.Conducting a short research project to buildand present knowledge about a topic.Encourage students to read about sharks inorder to create a journal page based on theformat in the The Shark Riddle. 1. Draw theshape of the shark tooth. 2. Draw a sketch ofthe shark. 3. List the basic diet and size of theshark. 4. Write a short story about that shark.Forming and using the simple verb tenses(e.g., I walked; I walk; I will walk).Write a story about finding a shark tooth, usingpast tense verbs on one side of the journal.Then write that same story using present tenseverbs on the other side of the journal.Making observations about the natural world,and using those observations to ask questionsin the process of scientific inquiry.Watch the last story in The Shark Riddle aboutthe whale shark without any sound. Havestudents pretend they are scientists seeing thatshark for the first time. What do they observeabout the shark? What questions do they haveabout the shark? Write these observations andquestions in the journal.38

My name:My Magic Journal39

The Greatest Shark DebateSea lions from The Shark RiddleOverviewWhat is the greatest shark in the ocean? Studentswill choose a type of shark to research.Then they will create a campaign poster andshort speech about why that shark is the greatestshark in the ocean, from the viewpoint ofanother animal in the ocean. This is inspiredby the sea lion’s speech and song about thegreat white shark, in The Shark Riddle.Materialsmaterials to make colorful posters, materialsto write a short speech, access to research tools(books, magazines, the Internet, the movie TheShark Riddle)Educational StandardsWriting opinion pieces on topics or texts, supportinga point of view with reasons.Choosing words and phrases for effect.Distinguishing that authors use differentvoices and points of view to convey meaning.Harbor seal in The Shark RiddleDistinguishing their own point of view fromthat of the author of a text.Adding drawings or other visual displaysto stories or recounts of experiences whenappropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, andfeelings.Conducting a short research project to buildand present knowledge about a topic.BackgroundIn The Shark Riddle, the sea lions sing a tributeto their predator, the great white shark.The song is joyous, which seems strange, sincegreat white sharks eat sea lions. However, thesea lions sing about the need for a healthy foodchain, so they can have fish to eat.40

The Greatest Shark Debate, ContinuedA Sea Lion SpeechThe Great White Shark: The Greatest?As a sea lion, I’m not supposed to like thegreat white shark. Great whites eat sea lions,and I don’t like being eaten. However, I believethe great white shark is the greatest shark inthe ocean!This is a shark that can grow over 20 feet longand weigh over five thousand pounds. It’samazing to think that an animal that big canswim over 25 miles per hour and jump completelyout of the water! And talk about teeth!Its toothy grin displays hundreds of saw-liketeeth that can be nearly 3 inches long! Be gladthat you humans are not on the menu. I am onthe menu, and trust me, these sharks are verysneaky. It’s hard to imagine an animal thatlarge can seemingly disappear when it doesn’twant to be seen. Its belly is white, but the restof its body is dark – so dark it blendsin with the dark ocean floor. And just as itswims underneath its target – BAM! It willlaunch straight toward the surface like a missilewith teeth.But even though these sharks are very goodhunters, I’m amazed by what picky eaters theyare. If the food is not full of energy rich fat,then a great white probably won’t eat it. That’sthe catch to being a sea lion. I live in fairly coldwater, and to stay warm I need a thick layerof blubber. That’s what makes me so tasty.Though, I have to say that the elephant sealsprobably have it the worst. Being the biggestand blubberiest of the seals, they are always thegreat white’s favorite meal. You humans haveit easy. You don’t have blubber, and you don’ttaste seafoody enough. That’s why the sharksdon’t like to eat you.Though they may swim in fairly cold water,great whites are one of the few warm bodiedfish. A great white shark can actually keep itscore body temperature and brain much warmerthan the surrounding water. Maybe the warmbrain is why they seem so intelligent. Anyonewho tells you that great whites are mindless fishhas never met one.Here’s another amazing thing: Females don’thave babies until they are nearly 13 years old –a teenager! That’s old for a fish. And even then,they probably have no more than ten babies ata time. This means that when populations ofgreat white sharks die off, it takes a very longtime for that population to rebound.Great white sharks swim the waters along everycontinent around the world, except for maybeAntarctica. This means that nearly the entireworld’s ocean feels their presence. This is ananimal that sits at the top of the food chainwherever it swims, and all other creaturesdepend on it to keep life in balance. Some ofmy favorite foods are fish, squid and octopus.Without the great white shark to eat us sealsand sea lions, our population could grow out ofcontrol, and then all of our favorite food coulddisappear.The ocean needs the great white shark, and I,for one, am very glad we have them around.Three cheers for the great white shark, thegreatest shark in the ocean!42

Shark Dream Writing ExerciseOverviewChildren watch Robert’s dream titled “TheSeagull Who’s Afraid of the Ocean” from TheShark Riddle and then write their own dream.Educational StandardsWriting narratives to develop real orimagined experiences or events using effectivetechnique, descriptive details and clear eventsequences.With guidance and support from adults andpeers, focusing on a topic and strengtheningby revising and editing.go into the ocean, because it is afraid ofsharks.) Is there a plot? Does it resolve?3. Encourage children to write their ownshark-based dream, with good writing techniques.Each child should write a first draft,which is shared with a classmate and/orthe teacher. After making changes, the finaldrafts can be shared with the class.Procedure1. In The Shark Riddle, Robert falls asleep ina bed on the beach and dreams a hilariousdream about “The Seagull Who’s Afraid ofThe Ocean.” Watch this short scene, whichfeatures amazing footage of basking sharks.2. As a group, investigate the “who, what,when, where and why” of the dream. (Aseagull on the beach does not want to43

Shark BookmarksBasking shark bookmarkTiger shark fin bookmarkOverviewLooking for a fun way to mark your place in agood book? Make your own shark fin, tooth orbody bookmarks with these templates from fourdifferent shark species - hammerhead shark,basking shark, horn shark and tiger shark.Materials NeededCopies of shark bookmark templates (choosebetween the hammerhead, basking, horn andtiger shark), crayons or markers, scissors, aglue stick, wooden craft (popsicle) sticks, and afine-tip markerProcedure:1. Color theshark fin,tooth or bodyshape that youwant to makeinto yourbookmark.2. Cut out the shape.3. Using a glue stick, glue the craft stick tothe back of your shape. If you are makinga fin or toothbookmark, youmight want toglue just thetop part of thewooden stick toyour shape, soyour bookmarkhas a handle. Ifyou are makinga shark body,you might notneed the craftstick. However,if you glue thecraft stick tothe middle of the shark’s body, the bookmarkhas more support.4. Write the name of the shark species with afinely-tipped marker on the wooden stick.44

Shark Bookmarks, ContinuedTOOTHFINFUN FACTS• Great hammerhead sharks have been seen up to 20 feet(6 meters) long.• Why do hammerhead sharks have such strangelyshaped heads? Eyes that stick out to the sides help themsee better, to find prey and escape predators. Dr. MichelleMcComb found that hammerhead sharks haveamazing stereoscopic vision, meaning their two visualfields overlap more than usual sharks (32 degrees fora scalloped hammerhead compared to 10 degrees for alemon shark).• To see footage of hammerhead sharks, watch The SharkLullaby in The Shark Riddle. “I’d love you even if youreyes stuck out from your head, like a hammerhead.”Great Hammerhead Shark45

Shark Bookmarks, ContinuedTOOTHACTUALTOOTHSIZEFINFUN FACTS• Horn sharks are small, bottom-dwelling sharks that growup to 4 feet (122 cm) long.• Horn sharks are not dangerous. They spend a lot of timeresting, without moving, on the ocean’s bottom.• Sometimes horn sharks use their pectoral fins to crawl(instead of swim) short distances.• They are named for the spine (or horn) found on theirdorsal fins.• Horn sharks have small, rounded teeth in the back of thejaw for crushing shells to eat shellfish. They also have tiny,sharp teeth in the front of the jaw for sometimes grabbingand eating small fish.• To see footage of a horn shark, watch the scene aboutshark dentists in The Shark Riddle. You’ll see it when youhear the dentist say, “Whether you have round teeth forcrushing hard shells.”Horn Shark47

Shark Bookmarks, ContinuedFINTOOTHFUN FACTS• Tiger sharks normally grow up to 18 feet (5.5 meters),though a world-record shark was 24 feet (7.4meters).• Tiger sharks are sometimes called “garbage canswith fins” because they are not picky eaters, eatingfish, sea mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, othersharks, sea snakes, dead things (carrion) and alsotrash. Supposedly an entire 17th century suit of armorwas once found inside a tiger shark’s stomach.• Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous, so its eggs incubateand hatch inside the mother, and the mother giveslive birth.• Tiger sharks are named for the dark stripes on theback of young, which fade as they become adults.48Tiger Shark

Shark BingoObjectivePlay bingo with shark trivia. All the answers arefound when watching The Shark Riddle, so youmay want to watch The Shark Riddle first. Thenask the trivia questions while playing the game,to test whether viewers learned facts from thefilm.MaterialsCopies of the blank bingo card and the bingoword page, bingo questions, glue sticks, somethingto mark the cards (corn, beans, rocks,pieces of paper) and prizes (if you wish)Procedure1. Hand out the bingoword page to eachplayer. Each playershould cut the pageinto 25 word squares.2. Using glue sticks,players should gluethe word squares tothe blank bingo card,to create their owncard. Encourage playersto put the wordsin different orders. Please note there are 25words and only 24 blank spaces (since there isa free space). Each player will have one wordthat is left over, and therefore not on his/herbingo card, which will help mix up the game.3. Give each player some playing pieces (corn,beans, rocks, pieces of paper, etc.) to coversquares while playing bingo.4. Players should put one piece on the freesquare in the middle of their cards.5. Ask a question from the list of shark bingoquestions. When someone answers it right,everyone with that answer on their card canmark that square. If no one knows the answer,the announcer can give the answer.Another fun method of asking the shark questionsis to cut the questions out, and dropeach question into a bowl. Let players taketurns pulling a question from the bowl andreading it out loud.6. A player wins when 5 squares in a row arecovered, whether in a row, column or diagonally.As a variation, you may allow players towin if they cover all four corners or black outall the squares.49

Shark Bingo, ContinuedCartilage 30,000WobbegongSharkRemoraFishSideWhalesBaskingSharkMegalodonSharkAngel SharkWhaleSharkAntarcticaand theArctic5 to 7 PlanktonDermalDenticlesBlueSharkGreat WhiteSharkEpauletteSharkOver 400 Blubber NoPredators Tiny Crushing Weapons YesShark Bingo Word Page50

Shark Bingo, ContinuedShark Bingo!FreeSpaceShark Bingo Card51

Shark Bingo, ContinuedShark Bingo QuestionsAll the answers to these questions are found in The Shark Riddle.1. What is the biggest fish in the ocean?Whale shark2. Shark skin is covered with tooth-like scalescalled what?Dermal denticles3. What kind of fish sometimes suction cups itshead to the sides of sharks, for a free ride?Remora fish4. What is the name of the extinct meat-eatingshark that was as big as a school bus? Its teethlook like huge versions of great white sharkteeth.Megalodon shark5. Sharks can lose up to how many teeth in a lifetime?30,0006. How many gill slits do sharks have on each sideof the head?5 to 77. Are sharks fish?Yes8. Are stingrays sharks?No9. To stay warm, sea lions are covered with what?Hint: Sharks think it tastes good.Blubber10. Ancient Hawaiian people used shark teeth aspart of what?Weapons11. Shark teeth that are rounded are good for: A)slicing, B) sawing or C) crushing food?Crushing12. How many kinds of sharks exist?Over 40013. What do whale sharks eat?Plankton14. What is the second biggest shark in the world?Basking shark15. What small shark with spots sometimes walkson its fins?Epaulette shark16. Shark skeletons are made of what substance?Cartilage17. What kind of shark has fleshy barbels that stickout on its face?Wobbegong shark18. Are shark gill slits on the side or underneaththeir heads?Side19. What kind of shark is flat, looks kind of like aray, and spends most of its time hiding in thesand, waiting for prey? It was shown in TheShark Lullaby in The Shark Riddle.Angel shark20. Many sharks have a third eyelid, called a nictitatingmembrane. What shark was shown inThe Shark Riddle with its third eyelid?Blue shark21. Name one thing the megalodon shark ate.Whales22. Great white sharks are found all over the world,except for in the waters of:Antarctica and the Arctic23. What kind of shark has a tooth shaped like atriangle, and looks like a smaller version of themegalodon shark’s tooth?Great white shark24. Are whale shark teeth really big or really tiny?Tiny25. Great white sharks eat sea lions, so sea lionsare prey and sharks are what? It is the name foranimals who hunts other animals.Predators52

Shark Feeding Frenzy DanceWhale shark from The Shark RiddleOverviewChildren dance by making movements thatmimic different shark feeding strategies.Education StandardsExamining the way different living thingsmove. Comparing and contrasting characteristicsamong individuals in a group.Procedure1. Describe each of the following sharks and theway they eat food. Then let children pretendto make that eating motion as a dance move.Basking sharks - Basking sharks eat tinyplankton by swimming around with theirmouths kept open, filtering water throughtheir gill slits. This is called “ram feeding.”Movement: Keep the mouth open while walking(swimming) forward.Whale sharks - Whale sharks are the biggestfish in the ocean, but they also eat tinyanimals floating in the water. They eat by ramfeeding and by gulping. They open and closetheir mouths over and over, forcing waterthrough their gill rakers to filter out food.Movement: Tilt your head up toward theceiling (surface of the ocean). Then take biggulps by opening and closing your mouthover and over again.Nurse shark from The Shark RiddleThresher shark - Thresher shark tails canbe as long as their bodies. They use their tailsas a weapon by swinging the tail powerfully tostun and kill fish to eat.Movement: Hold your arm behind your bodylike a tail and whip the arm and pretend toslap a fish.Great white shark - Great white sharks oftenattack their prey from below, by shootingupward to bite seals and sea lions swimmingon the surface.Movement: Crouch down and jump up powerfully,while pretending to bite a seal at thetop of the jump.Nurse shark - Nurse sharks live near thebottom of the ocean, and actually got theirname from the sound of “sucking” snails fromtheir shells, which sounds like a nursing baby.Movement: Tilt your head toward the groundand pretend to slurp a big snail from a shell,making a loud slurping sound.2. After practicing the movements, call outa kind of shark and see whether childrenremember the movement. Call out differentsharks faster and faster, and let childrenlaugh and giggle while trying to be sharks.This is especially fun while playing musicwith a rhythm.53

Shark Cupcake ToppersObjectiveDecorate cupcakes with shark cupcake toppers.Choose from a hammerhead shark or a greatwhite shark fin, head, body or tail.MaterialsCupcakes, toothpicks, clear tape, glue stick,copies of the shark cupcake templates, markers(if you make black/white copies and want tocolor the sharks)Procedure1. Copy the shark cupcake toppers. If youmake black and white copies, you may wantto color them with markers.2. Cut out theshark toppershapes.3. On the backof each one,tape a smalltoothpick sohalf of thetoothpickis stickingout, and theother half issupportingthe shark shape. Note: For the great whiteshark head, you should fold the shape inhalf and tape the toothpick in between thelayers, since there is a front and back tothe shark. Glue or tape the front and backtogether.4. Insertthe topperintothe cupcakeandeat!54

Shark Cupcake Toppers, ContinuedShark Cupcake Great White Shark Shapes55

Shark Cupcake Toppers, Continued56Shark Cupcake Fin Shapes

Shark Cupcake Toppers, ContinuedShark Cupcake Hammerhead Shapes57

The SharkLullabyObjectiveListen to The Shark Lullaby, from The SharkRiddle and share thoughts about style, wordchoice and the concept of diversity.The Shark Lullaby LyricsThis is a shark lullaby,The one my mother sang to me,‘Cause if you think of shark-infested watersyou’ll fall asleep.Don’t you know that I’d love you even if youreyes stuck out from your head,Like a hammerhead,And I’d love you even if your mouth werereally wide,Like a basking shark,And I’d love you even if your nose had fleshybarbels protruding all over your face,Like a wobbegong.I would love you even if you had a third eyelid,Like a blue shark,Or if most of your days were spent hiding inthe sand,Like an angel shark,Or if every time you ate, your upper jawdetached from your skull just like agreat white.There are hundreds of species of sharks,Waiting to give you pleasant dreams,And every one’s unique and special,Just like you are to me.Sweet shark-infested dreams.Procedure1. Listen to The Shark Lullaby, as featuredin The Shark Riddle. The song is sung byLaura Sams, who pretends it was a song hermother sang to her. In real life, Laura wrotethe song for the movie.2. Encourage children to think about the wordand music choices of the song’s writer.Why do you think Laura decided to write alullaby about sharks? (Answer: She thoughtit would be funny because people are usuallyafraid of sharks. Also, she had neverheard a lullaby about sharks. Finally, shewanted to create a happy, peaceful songabout sharks to start changing how peoplethink of sharks. Most sharks are small, andsharks are not deliberate man-eaters.)What words did she use to convey emotion?Humor? Are there words you didn’t know?3. Encourage children to think about the conceptof “diversity.” There are over 400 kindsof sharks, with many different characteristics.Just as sharks are different from eachother, people are different from each other.Is it always easy to accept people who aredifferent from you?What ways are people different? (Differenteye color, skin color, favorite hobbies,favorite foods, etc.)58

The Great White Shark Song &The Food ChainThe food chain, as shown in the songGreat white shark, featured in the songEducational ObjectivesUnderstanding the food chainProcedure1. Watch The Great White SharkSong, as featured in The SharkRiddle. What are the parts of thefood chain mentioned in the song?The song is available for free atwww.sisbro.com/sharks2. Complete the attached worksheetby drawing the animals in the foodchain, from lowest to the highestanimal in the chain.3. On a separate piece of paper, writefour animals in a different foodchain. Then draw a new chain, representingthose animals.Special note: When recordingthe song, Laura and Robert Samsused the sound of a chain as percussion.They also used the soundof a slinky. Can you hear it?The Great White Shark Song (as sung by a sea lion)Written by Laura and Robert SamsLiving out here the breeze is breezy,The water is wet and the fishing is easyFor our favorite dishes, the octopi and the fishes.We’re all linked together in the food chain of life,With the plants at the bottom up to the great white,With its great big jaws that deserve applause.The great white shark!(Sing your praises to the) Great white shark!(Lift your faces for the) Great white shark!The great white keeps our food chain complete,So we can all have enough food to eat.Oh seals and sea lions hate to be eaten,But if it ever happens, at least we know the reason.We’re made of blubber, and the sharks are blubber lovers.Oh every living thing is important in the ocean,To keep it in balance is a complicated potion,We need each link, or the chain will sink.That’s why we need the great white shark!Sing your praises to the great white shark!Lift your faces for the great white shark!The great white shark!59

The Food ChainMy name:The Great White Shark Song shows four parts ofa food chain, from the bottom to the top of thefood chain.What is the correct order of these parts shown tothe right? Your choices are: a great white shark,plants, a seal, and fish.If the bottom part of the food chain is #1and the top is #4, draw these four parts inthe correct order, in the food chain below.Write the name of each part on the lineunderneath its link.Great white shark PlantsHint: #4 eats #3, #3 eats #2, and #2 eats #1SealFish#1 _________ #2 _________ #3 _________ #4 _________60

Outdoor Shark GamesBasking Shark Buffet GameOverviewChildren use butterfly nets as basking sharkmouths, and they try scooping up plankton(cotton balls) from the lawn in a relay race.Who can collect more plankton?MaterialsButterfly nets, cotton balls, a stopwatchBackgroundBasking sharks are the second biggest fish inthe ocean, with an average size of 23 to 29feet long (7 to 9 meters). Basking sharks eatplankton, tiny animals floating in the water, byswimming around with their mouths open. Thespeed of swimming forces the water throughtheir mouths, and plankton is filtered outthrough their gill rakers.Procedure1. Sprinkle cotton balls outside on the ground.A grassy lawn works great. The cotton ballsrepresent the plankton floating in water.Basking shark from The Shark Riddle2. Give each child a butterfly net, or dividechildren into two teams, and give one personfrom each team a butterfly net. The butterflynet represents a basking shark mouth.3. Give children a certain amount of time to go“feeding.” Start the timer and let them runaround, like they are swimming through thewater, while scooping up plankton in theirnets. They MAY NOT use their hands. Theymay only use their mouths, like a baskingshark.4. Count the number of plankton in each net.For teams, keep track of the team’s total.Shark Food Chain TagThe food chain in the The Great White Shark Song showed great white sharks, sea lions, fish andplants.Turn children into plants, except for one fish. The plants run around until they are tagged bythe fish. Once tagged, they become a fish and try to tag other plants. Keep playing until only one“plant” is left. That “plant” then becomes a sea lion. The game starts again, as the sea lion tries totag fish. If a fish is tagged, it becomes a sea lion. Play until there is only one “fish” left. That fishbecomes a great white shark. The game starts again, as the shark tries to tag sea lions. If a sea lionis tagged, it becomes a shark. Keep playing until only one sea lion is left. That child is the winner!61

Sharks, The Food Chain And YouOn September 12, 2010, nine shark-attacksurvivors gathered outside the United Nationsin New York City to ask countries to protectsharks. Together with the Pew EnvironmentGroup, they asked countries to stop fishingfor sharks that are endangered or threatened.They asked for sustainable fishing laws, so thatfisherman will leave enough sharks to ensurethere will be sharks in the future.Why would people who have been attackedby sharks want to help them?Sharks are important for a healthy ocean. Asscavengers, they keep the ocean clean by eatingdead, sick and old creatures. As hunters, theyare at the top of the food chain, keeping theocean in balance.We need a healthy, balanced ocean becausethe ocean does so much for human beings. Atleast seventy percent of the oxygen we breatheactually comes from little plants, called phytoplankton,drifting in the ocean. Our weatherdepends on how the ocean’s cold and warmcurrents swirl around continents. We get foodfrom the ocean. We get medicines from theocean. In the United States, half of people livewithin 50 miles of the ocean. Many people’sjobs, like fishermen, depend on a healthyocean.What happens when sharks are not in afood chain?On the east coast of the United States, the scallopfishing industry was devastated becausepeople overfished big sharks.When the food chain is healthy, big sharks,such as bull sharks, hammerhead sharks,great white sharks and dusky sharks, ofteneat middle-sized animals, such as cow-nosedrays. Cow-nosed rays often eat scallops, whichare shelled animals similar to oysters. WhenUnderside of aCow-nosed RayAtlantic Scallopthe food chain is in balance, there is a healthynumber of scallops in the ocean.Unfortunately, there are not very many scallopsleft on the east coast, because large sharkswere overfished. There were fewer sharks toeat the cow-nosed rays, so there were morecow-nosed rays. All those rays ate scallops, sothat the scallop population was devastated.Many people like to eat scallops, and for a century,fishermen on the east coast depended onthose scallops. Now those fishermen are havingtrouble.If people want to eat seafood in the future, theyneed a healthy ocean. They need sharks.Do sharks really need our help?Biologists Ransom Myers and Julia Baumestimate that scalloped hammerhead and tigershark species have declined more than 97% onthe east coast of the United States. Bull sharkshave declined 99%. Yes, for every 100 bullsharks that once existed, there is one left. Thatis an astonishing statistic.Worldwide, much of the shark overfishingcomes from the finning trade. Asian cultureseat fins, as well as other shark parts, as adelicacy. The demand for shark fins and partsis still very high. Of the estimated 100 millionsharks killed by people each year, 73 milliondeaths are due to finning. The fins are oftenharvested when fishermen catch a shark, sliceoff its fins and throw the shark back into thewater to die.62

Ten Happy Ways to Help SharksHow Can You Help?1. Shark Attack Day!During Sanibel Sea School’s Shark Week (asfeatured in the movie The Shark Riddle),campers visited local businesses and “attacked”them with shark facts. They used chalkto draw real-life sharks and shark facts on thesidewalk. They made posters about sharks andposted them on the doors to a grocery store.The shared their knowledge of sharks in a trulyfun way!Talk to your own local business or school andask if you can “shark attack” them, for a funand exciting day.2. Landshark Lawn OrnamentsMake the shark fins featured in this packet inthe Landshark Lawn Ornament activity. Byplacing them in your yard, along with amazingshark facts, you have a fun and educationalway to share your knowledge of sharks withneighbors.3. Shark SandcastlesIn The Shark Riddle, viewers saw the campersat Sanibel Sea School building a 40 foot whaleshark out of sand. When you visit the beach,try building a life-sized shark out of sand. (Itmight even be fun to build the world’s smallestshark, the dwarf lanternshark, out of sand.Help people learn that most sharks are underfour feet long!) This is a great family or groupactivity. Be sure to share shark facts as peoplewalk by your amazing sculptures.4. Shark Attack E-CardsVisit www.sisbro.com/sharks to email yourvery own free Shark Attack card to friends, andsurprise them with fun shark facts.63

Ten Happy Ways to Help Sharks, Continued5. Pick up litter.All waterways lead to the ocean. Pick up litternear rivers, ponds, sewers and of course, alongthe beach. This will help keep the ocean’s waterclean from trash, so sharks have a good place tolive.6. Thank You Letters and Posters.Write a thank you letter to a shark, or drawa thank you poster, and post it for friends orclassmates to see.Dear Hammerhead Shark,Thank you for keeping the foodchains healthy so that people haveenough fish to eat. Also, I think yourhead is amazing. I wish I could seein a 360 degree vertical plane aroundmy head, because then I could see ifmy brother was sneaking up on me.Sincerely,Laura7. The Shark RiddleShare The Shark Riddle with friends andfamily. Introduce them to the diversity ofsharks, including The Great White Shark Songand The Shark Lullaby.8. Visit www.saveourseas.com for thelatest information about sharks, along with aspecial kids site.9. Support the Shark Fin BanHawaii is the first state in the United States topass a law that bans anyone from having sharkfins. That means restaurants cannot sell sharkfins and people cannot eat shark fins, which isone of the reasons so many sharks are killedeach year. Write a letter to your local politicianto encourage them to adopt laws like Hawaii inyour state.10. Shark Birthday Party!Share your passion for sharks by having ashark-themed birthday party! Use the activitiesin this packet to make it fun. Make sharkcupcake toppers, shark tooth banners, sharkbookmarks and shark hats. Play shark bingoand outdoor shark games (like food chain tag).Watch The Shark Riddle as part of your funday, and encourage friends to learn moreabout sharks!64

Ask a Shark ScientistDr. Jeffrey Carrier is a marine biologist who has studied sharks for more than40 years. He taught biology at Albion College (Michigan) for more than 30years and has written and edited four books on sharks and numerous articlesin the scientific literature. He served as President of the American ElasmobranchSociety for two terms and is an adjunct research scientist with MoteMarine Laboratory (Florida). He is an avid diver and photographer andcontinues studying sharks with his wife, Carol, who also enjoys sharks,diving, and photography.Do you have a favorite shark encounter?My work involves the study of nurse sharkmating and reproductive behaviors. One of ourobservations is that female nurse sharks willoften seek refuge from males in very shallowwater, often 2-3 feet, or less, with their backs anddorsal fins actually out of the water. During thesetimes they can be closely approached and don’tseem to be bothered. On several occasions I haveswum so close to 8-9-foot long animals that myvideo camera has actually touched them! Ratherthan swim away terrified, they simply tolerateour presence and seem to accept that we meanno harm.What are you currently studying?My work focuses on mating and reproductivebehaviors, which is a complex process. Thereappears to be a social hierarchy with some malesdominant to others. The less dominant malesmay actually “help” the “senior” males to be successfulin mating. The role of the female sharksalso appears to be very complex. In fact it appearsthat it is the female who actually “chooses”her mate and aggressively avoids males withwhom she doesn’t wish to mate. These complextypes of behaviors suggest that these animals arefar more advanced than we might have previouslybelieved.What do people misunderstand aboutsharks?Many people still regard sharks as indiscriminatekillers, attacking anything that swims in thesea. They fail to understand the sharks’ role asan apex predator and have difficulty believingthat sharks have preferred tastes. Most evidenceshows that not only are attacks by sharks extremelyrare, but more often than not, they arecases of mistaken identity by the shark ratherthan targeted attacks.What do we still need to learn aboutsharks?Sharks have been in existence for more than 350million years, and seem ideally suited for theirexistence as marine apex predators. For mostof their existence they enjoyed a sea untaintedby products of civilization, an ocean where theyhad few enemies and few challenges to populationstability. In recent decades, not only have wealtered the chemical composition of near shoreocean waters by the byproducts of an explodinghuman population, but we have also developedfishery techniques that have pushed many localpopulations of sharks to the very edge of theirability to survive. Scientists have shown us thatsharks grow very slowly, often taking 10-20 yearsto reach sexual maturity, and that when theyfinally do reproduce, they produce very smalllitters. We must learn about the rates of naturalreplenishment, the ages at which sharks mature,and how much pressure a population can tolerate.In addition, we must understand to whatdegree sharks are affected by the endless sourcesof pollutants that affect water quality. It is incomprehensiblethat animals that have survivedfor 350 million years could be eliminated inless than 100 years by the foolhardy activities ofhumankind.65

Braun, D. (2010). Shark Attack Survivors Plead for Shark Conservation. Nat Geo Newswatch.September 13, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2010 from http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/09/survivors-of-shark-attacks.htmlCasey, S. (2005). The devil’s teeth : a true story of obsession and survival among America’s greatwhite sharks. Waterville, ME. : Thorndike Press.Compagno, L., Dando, & M., Fowler, S. (2005). Collins Field Guide to Sharks of the World.London: Harper Collins Publishers, Ltd.Klimkley, A. P. (2003). The Secret Life of Sharks. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.Motta, P. J., et al. (2010). Feeding anatomy, filter-feeding rate, and diet of whale sharksRhincodon typus during surface ram filter feeding off the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.Zoology, doi:10.1016/j.zool.2009.12.001Overfishing Large Sharks Affects Entire Ecosystem, Shrinks Shellfish Supply. (2007). ScienceDaily. March 29, 2007. Retrieved November 8, 2010 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070329145922.htmPeschak, T. P., & Scholl, M. C. (2006). South Africa’s Great White Shark. Cape Town, S. A.: StruikPublishers.Tricas, T. C., Deacon, K., Last, P., McCosker, J. E., Walker, T. I., & Taylor, L. (1997). A Guide toSharks & Rays. San Francisco, CA: Fog City Press.United States of America Congressional Record. (2003). Proceedings and Debates of the 10thCongress, First Session, Part 10. National Oceans Week. May 22, 2003 to June 9,2003. Volume 149. Page 14098.Web sitesSave Our Seas Foundationwww.saveourseas.comSisbro Studios, LLCwww.sisbro.com/sharksBiology of Sharks and Rayshttp://www.elasmo-research.org/ReferencesInternational Shark Attack Filehttp://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/sharks/statistics/statistics.htm66