K-2

Bull Sharks

Implement this lesson:

Use this lesson when discussing animal ecosystems, habitats, or other environmental TEKs. This lesson can be used as part of a larger local theme i.e. Oceans Week. It can also be used for a crab themed day. The duration of this lesson can vary based on student and teacher needs. 

Learning Objective:

Students will be able to learn about one of the most common animals found in local saltwater habitats, the bull shark. They will create an art project using their knowledge.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

K.10(B)  identify basic parts of plants and animals  

K.10(A)  sort plants and animals into groups based on physical characteristics such as color, size, body covering, or leaf shape 

1.9(B) analyze and record examples of interdependence found in various situations such as terrariums and aquariums or pet and caregiver  

1.10(A)  investigate how the external characteristics of an animal are related to where it lives, how it moves, and what it eats

2.10(A) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics and behaviors of animals help them meet their basic needs   

2.10(B) observe, record, and compare how the physical characteristics of plants help them meet their basic needs such as stems carry water throughout the plant   

 2.10(C) investigate and record some of the unique stages that insects such as grasshoppers and butterflies undergo during their life cycle 

ELA TEKS

K.3(B) use illustrations and texts the student is able to read or hear to learn or clarify word meanings

K.5(B) generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information with adult assistance 

K.5(E) make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society with adult assistance 

1.9(D) recognize characteristics and structures of informational text, including: (ii) features and simple graphics to locate or gain information

1.6(C) make and correct or confirm predictions using text features, characteristics of genre, and structures with adult assistance 

2.6(B) generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information 

2.6(I) monitor comprehension and make adjustments such as re‐reading, using background knowledge, checking for visual cues, and asking questions when understanding breaks down

Overview

Bull Sharks: Fast Facts

  • Where they live: Bull sharks are found all over the world in shallow, warm ocean waters.
  • Freshwater swimmers: Unlike most sharks, bull sharks can also swim in freshwater rivers.
  • What they eat: They aren’t picky! Bull sharks mostly eat fish, but they also sometimes eat dolphins, sea turtles, and even other sharks.
  • Hunting time: They hunt both during the day and at night.
  • Salt and survival: Most sharks need salt water to survive, but bull sharks are different.
    • They have special body features—like unique kidneys and salt-saving glands near their tails—that help them stay healthy even in freshwater.
  • Still a mystery: Scientists are still trying to understand how and why bull sharks developed this rare ability.

Possible Books:

  • Bull Shark Bite! By Janey Levy
  • The Bull Shark by Sara Green
  • In Search of Bull Sharks by Whitney Hooper
  • Bull Sharks by Rebecca Pettiford
  • Great Sharky Shark: A Tale of a Big Hunter by Suzanne Tate
  • The Pout Pout Fish and BullyBully Shark

Procedures: 

  1. Introduce bull sharks by asking what students know about them. Write what students say down in a possible KWL chart.
  2. Watch a video, read a book, or use slideshow to teach students about bull sharks.
  3. Complete art project based on this website: https://onesimpleparty.com/shark-suncatcher-craft/
  4. Read a book on bull sharks
  5. Possibly finish KWL chart

Materials:

  • paper plates
  • different colors of blue tissue paper
  • glue sticks
  • shark templates
  • black construction paper

Questions to Ask:

  • What do you know about bull sharks?
  • Have you ever seen a shark or bull shark?
  • How do bull sharks move?
  • Do we have bull sharks live nearby? 
  • Can bull sharks harm us?
  • What 3D Shapes do we see?
  • What are some characteristics of bull sharks that we see?
  • What ecosystem does a bull shark live in?
  • What is a bull sharks habitat?
  • Does a bull shark need plants to survive in an ecosystem?
  • Is a shark living or non living?
  • What does a bull shark eat? What eats it?

Evaluations:

  • Student participation
  • Student created craft

Extensions:

  • Students write a fiction or nonfiction story about a bull sharks
  • Students create their own model of a bull shark using maker space materials
  • Students complete various shark worksheets and lessons
  • Students can read other books or research about other types of sharks

Lesson created by: Yessica Azua