Should We Fear Sharks?

by Ashley Skylar

Based on a template written by Bernie Dodge

Welcome | Question/Task | Individual Roles | Questions | Resources Procedure | Outline | Evaluation | Conclusion

Welcome to the Shark Web Quest.

Since the movie, Jaws,opened in the summer of 1975, the sharks image as a eating machine with a taste for human flesh has been what most of us see when we think of sharks. The facts do not support this. According to the statistics released by the "Shark Attack File," there are about 50-75 shark attacks worldwide, resulting in 5-10 deaths. More people die choking on their own dinner. Still, some people won't swim in any body of water because they fear shark attacks. Overfishing has depleted the shark populations, but "Save the Sharks" has yet to become popular. It will be your job to decide the fate of sharks worldwide. These creatures deserve our protection against overfishing or do they?

Back To Top

Question/Task

Sharks are complex creatures, so it would be silly to look at them from only one perspective. The plan is to divide expertise and look at sharks from different perspectives. The team will comprise of people from very different backgrounds, so that the facts they find will present as much truth about sharks as possible. It's hoped that instead of bringing back stereotypes, the team members will come away with an accurate and informed perspective.

Specifically, your Question is:

Should sharks be destroyed, or should they be conserved and protected from various commercial and recreation fisheries?

Your team will develop a Power Point Presentation about sharks. The facts must be presented with no stereotypes, so that the American public can see the complete picture about sharks and help to decide the fate of sharks. After your team has presented all of the facts to the American people, it is now time to take a stand. Your team must decide for or against sharks and debate with other teams across the country(classroom) to decide the fate of sharks worldwide.

Back To Top

Individual Roles

The United States government has compiled a list of six roles that will give a well-rounded perspective about sharks if researched thoroughly. It is now time for your team to take a look at the six roles. Each team member must choose a different role. Use the goal statements below to help you decide which role you would like to choose. Questions have also been prepared for each role, as well as suggested activities.

Note: If you have six people on your team, you can each take one role (or if you work in pairs, up to 12 people can be on one team. You will have to choose the roles that you think would give you the best understanding of sharks.

Role	Goal
Shark Conservation and Endangered Sharks	to look at how sharks are being protected and which sharks are becoming endangered because of poaching and accidental catches
Shark Attacks	to look at the statistical information about shark attacks and the location of the attacks
Shark Poaching	to look at shark poaching, the parts of the shark that are in demand and the countries responsible for the most catches
Shark Anatomy	to look at the anatomy and the physical characteristics
Types of Sharks	to look at various shark species and their environments
Evolution of Sharks	to look at the evolution of sharks and how they have managed to survive

Back To Top

Questions and Activities

Now that you have chosen which roles, you and your teammates will take you're ready to become an expert. Questions have been prepared for each role to help guide you through your searches. If you're ready, click on the shark or role below and take a look at the questions. After each person has chosen a role, begin by researching your role. Gather as many facts, statistics, pictures, etc. that you can to support your role.

Shark Conservation Shark Attacks

 

Shark Poaching Anatomy of Sharks

 

Types of Sharks Evolution of Sharks

Back To Top

Questions For Each Role

Types of Sharks

• Which sharks are the most dangerous?
• What is the smallest known shark?
• What is the largest known shark?
• What are baby sharks are called?
• How many shark species are there?

  Evolution of Sharks

• How long have sharks existed?
• How did sharks survive four global mass extinctions?
• What type of environments do sharks live in?
• Where in the food chain are sharks?
• Why is the maturation and reproduction of sharks important when looking at survival?

  Anatomy of Sharks

• What are the physical characteristics of sharks?
• Describe the external and internal anatomy of a shark?
• Why is oil important in a shark?
• How long is the maturation and reproduction period for most sharks?
• What do sharks usually eat?
• Do sharks have weak eyesight?

  Back to Top

  

  Shark Attacks

• Where have most of the attacks taken place?
• What attracts sharks?
• What do sharks usually eat?
• What are the four shark species that cause the most serious shark attacks?
• Why is spear fishing dangerous?
• Describe a couple fatal attacks.
• Create a map/timeline to show where shark attacks have taken place?

  Shark Poaching

• Which sharks are becoming endangered because of shark poaching?
• What parts of the shark are in demand?
• What countries account for most of the catches?
• What is basking and how did it help in the decline of sharks today?
• What can shark skin be used to make?
• Construct a chart to show where shark poaching takes place.

  Shark Conservation

• Why are sharks slow to recover from over-harvesting?
• What organizations have formed to protect the sharks?
• What sharks are granted protection, why, how long and in what state or country?
• Which shark species are endangered?
• Where and how have the shark species declined?
• Explain shark tagging and why it's important?

  Back to Top

  

  

  Resources

  You may use any book, magazine, multimedia encyclopedias, or other resources that are available to you, either in the classroom or library. Use as your primary resource the linked sources listed. DO NOT conduct your own research on sharks. Use only the sources listed below. Check out the brief descriptions about each site to help you begin your search, keeping in mind the role that you are researching.

  Internet Resources

  Fiona's Shark Mania will give you an excellent point to begin your quest. It has lots of links to take you in many different directions.

  Richard Ellis Gallery of Sharks has a lot of information on different shark species.

  Scottish Angling Homepage has a wealth of information on shark and shark conservation.

  Underwater Terror is a site that describes shark myths, descriptions of sharks and shark attacks that have occurred worldwide.

  Jaws Home Page is a great site to look at if you enjoyed the movie, Jaws. This site has great shark sounds and movie clips.

  Tiger Shark Research Program is a great site to look at on the tagging and tracking of sharks. There are great pictures to look at.

  Elasmo.com is a great site that describes the history of sharks(evolution) and it also describes the shark environment and physical characteristics.

  Whale Shark bibliography has a wealth of information on shark facts.

  Sharks of Hawaii is a site that lifeguards in Hawaii created. The site describes different sharks in Hawaii and shark attacks.

  The Ocean Of Know is a wonderful site with detailed descriptions on different sharks and pictures.

  Sea World Home Page describes the classification, characteristics and anatomy of sharks. It also has other great information.

  Information About the Shark Attack File has important statistical information on shark attacks, worldwide. The site describes each shark attack in great detail.

  Project Shark Conservation is a great site that describes shark tagging and conservation.

  World Trade in Sharks has a wealth of information on shark conservation, shark poaching and descriptions of sharks.

  Elasmobrach describes sharks in captivity. Look at live cams of the sharks.

  Tagging Programs is a great site on shark tagging with great pictures.

  Save The Sharks has a wealth of information on sharks. Check it out!

  All About Sharks is a great site about shark myths, attacks and behaviors. It also has a live shark cam.

  Shark Realities is a wonderful site based from the Discovery Channel. It describes the different shark species and a live shark cam.

  The Pelagic Shark Research Foundation describes shark behavior and supports the conservation of sharks, with links to shark labs.

  Shark Images is a great site to view shark pictures.

  Shark Attacks is a great site on shark attacks.

  Books

• Shark Attacks by Mac McDiamond
• Sharks: Silent Hunters of the Deep by Ron & Val Taylor in "Reader's Digest."
• Sharks and Rays of Australia by CSIRO
• Great White Shark by Richard Ellis & John McCosken
• Sharks of Tropical and Temperate Seas by R.H. Johnson
• Sharks: History & Biology of the Lords of the Sea by Angelo Mojetta

  Back To Top

  Procedure

  Phase 1: To research your role

  Phase 2: Creating a Power Point presentation

  Phase 3: Answer the question and debate another team who opposes your decision.

  

  Phase 1: Research your role

  1.Form a group of six people(or you can work in pairs up to twelve people). If you have less than six people on your team, you will have to choose the roles which will give you the best understanding.

  2.Each team member must choose a role. Refer to the table for a brief description of each role.

  3.Look at the questions for your role to use as a guide.

  4.Use a journal to document your information. Cite your references(this will be critical for the debate).

  5.Use your assigned computer time to conduct your search. This should be the primary resource for your search. Do not conduct your own search on sharks. Use only the sources listed.

  6.Use any book, magazine, multimedia encyclopedia, or other resources that are available to you, either in the classroom or library. If you have time, check out the books listed on the resource page.

  Back to Top

  

  Phase 2: Creating a Power Point Presentation

  1.Meet with your team and go over the information you have gathered.

  2.Print out the outline worksheet.

  3.Use the outline as a guide to organize the information you have gathered.

  4.Look at the rubric for the Power Point presentation to see how your team will be evaluated.

  5.Each team member will be responsible for creating two slides for the presentation, so you must have at least twelve slides. Remember the American people need to see all of the facts about sharks in order to make a non-biased decision on the fate of sharks.

  6.Using the outline as a guide, produce a Power Point presentation, which includes the details of the information you have gathered.

  7.For the oral presentation, choose three team members to present the information(the other three team members will be involved in the debate).

  8.Present your Power Point presentation to the class(or the American people).

  Back to Top

  

Outline for Power Point

1.Introduction-What is your presentation about?

2.Types of sharks-How many are there? Which ones are considered the most dangerous? Describe a few sharks.

3.Evolution of sharks-How long have they been around and why have they survived for so long?

4.Anatomy of sharks-What are the physical characteristics of sharks? Describe the internal and external anatomy of sharks.

5.Shark Attacks-What four shark species are responsible for the most serious attacks? Describe a couple of fatal attacks? Where have most of the attacks taken place? What attracts sharks and what do they usually eat?

6.Shark Poaching-What sharks are becoming endangered because of shark poaching? What parts of the shark are in demand? What is basking?

7.Shark Conservation-What organizations have formed to protect the sharks? Why are sharks slow to recover from over-harvesting? Explain shark tagging.

8.Conclusion

Back to TOP

 

Phase 3: Answer the Question and Debate

1.Meet with your team members and answer the question:

Should sharks be destroyed, or should they be conserved and protected from various commercial and recreation fisheries?

2.Once your team has made a decision, let your teacher know what position you will be defending.

3.Your teacher will set up a time and day for when you will debate an opposing team. During that time, you have to review all of the information that you have gathered and be able to cite your references.

4.The three team members who did not do the oral presentation will be responsible for debating.

5.Look at the rubric for the debate to see how you will be evaluated.

5.Practice and make sure your team members are ready.

6.Debate and have fun.

 

Back to Top

Evaluation

Power Point Presentation Rubric

You will be evaluated based upon four components:

Four things	Excellent	Advanced	Acceptable	Novice
1.Slides	12 or more slides	9-11 slides	7-10 slides	4-7 slides
2.Graphics	6 or more graphics	5 graphics	4 graphics	3 graphics
3.Facts	5 or more interesting facts	3-4 interesting facts	basic information	basic description
4.Presentation	12-15 minutes & each person spoke	9-11 minutes & each person spoke	6-8 minutes & each person spoke	3-4 minutes & each person spoke

Debate Rubric

You will be evaluated based upon three components:

Three Things	Excellent	Advanced	Acceptable	Novice
1.Cited References	9-10 references	6-8 references	3-5 references	1-2 references
2.Facts	10 or more interesting facts	6-9 interesting facts	basic information	basic description
3.Each person spoke #times	4 times	3 times	2 times	1 time

Excellent=4 points

Advanced=3 points

Acceptable=2 points

Novice=1 points

Missing=0 points

There are seven categories all together that you will be graded on.

There are 28 points possible.

Back to Top

Conclusion

By the end of your research, you should have a clear understanding of sharks. Maybe you will support the position, "Save the Sharks," or maybe you will support various commercial and recreational fisheries. Whatever your position, you have gained a better understanding of sharks and not the one that is portrayed in the movie, "Jaws."

"For in the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love

only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught."

                                                                                        Written by B. Dioum

Send comments or suggestions to aaskylar@aol.com

Last modified December 17.1998