Aug. 23, 2006: Be Shark Aware

The Mini Page is a syndicated, four-page tabloid written for young children found each Wednesday in the Rocky Mountain News. This issue of The Mini Page is available through the eEdition Archive to registered eEdition subscribers. Click here to learn about subscribing to the eEdition at no cost to you (for Colorado teachers).

Activities:

1. Write three new things you learned about sharks from today's Mini Page. Share your new knowledge with a family member or a friend.

2. Make your own picture glossary for sharks. Draw each of these parts of a shark separately. Then write a sentence about each part: a back (dorsal) fin, eyes, gills, mouth and tooth.

3. Draw lines down and across the middle of a piece of paper to create four equal parts. In the upper left part, draw a picture of a shark. In another part, list the shark¹s internal and external body parts. In a third part, list the ways the shark finds its prey (food). In the last part, describe the parts of the shark that help it swim through the water.

4. Look through your newspaper to find the following items. Cut them out and paste them on a piece of paper. Label each item. Find something that (a) swims through the water, (b) is made of cartilage, (c) has a rough surface and (d) has a strong sense of smell.

5. Use resource books and the Internet to learn more about a particular type of shark. First select the type of shark. Use these questions to guide your research: In what parts of the world is this type of shark found? How large does the shark grow? How many sharks of this type exist in the world today? What does the shark eat? How dangerous is the shark to humans? Does this shark exist in aquariums? Why did you select this shark?

This week's standard:

• Students understand the relationship between organisms and the environment. (Science: Life Science)
  
  

(standards by Dr. Sherrye D. Garrett, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)