Goals:
1. Students will understand the planning necessary to create useful instruments.
2. Students will learn there are a variety of different sharks. Therefore, when trying to
capture a certain shark, that particular shark's dimensions are relevant.
3. Students will understand and learn how to create scales.
Resources/Materials:
1. Materials needed to make the shark trap.
a. 10 flexible straws
b. 20 toothpicks
c. twist ties (optional)
d. tape
e. glue (optional)
f. scissors
2. Ruler
3. Internet access
--http://www2.hawaii.edu/uhpress/Books,Taylor/Sharks.html
--http://www.pixi.com/~kerby/eccotour/h2_scuba.html
4. Books about different types of sharks
Center for Marine Conservation. (1989). The Ocean Book.. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (ISBN 0-471-62078-5)
Time:
Approximately one hour
Procedure:
1. Explain that the students will be creating their very own shark traps, just like Keo and
Sonny did in chapter 3 of Blue Skin of the Sea. However, the students will create a
model of what their trap will actually look like.
2. Hand out the worksheet to the students and assemble them into groups of 4-5 people.
3. Allow 5-10 minutes for the students to choose the kind of shark they would like to
capture.
4. Hand out the building materials for the shark trap.
5. Allow the students roughly 30 minutes to construct their traps and complete the
worksheet.
6. With about 20 minutes of class time remaining have the students test their shark traps.
(Does the trap float in water?, Can it support weight?, etc.)
7. If any time remains, give students the opportunity to look at other group's traps. The
instructor may even choose to conduct a classroom discussion of this activity.
Assessment:
1. Students will receive credit if they complete the handout and submit it to their teacher
along with their model. This assignment is based on a credit/no credit design. All one
must do is hand in the completed worksheet to receive a total of 10 points. (Criteria for
Success = Each team must submit the trap and completed handout).
2. Peer and self-evaluations will be conducted by team members by completing appropriate
rubrics. (Criteria for Success = Each team must average a 3 on both the peer and self
evaluation rubrics).
Curricular Strands and Major Concepts:
1. Math - Scales, dimensions, models, conversions, geometry - listing of various shapes
used to construct the shark trap.
2. Science - Different types and sizes of sharks.
Possible Extensions:
1. Students may view a clip from the movie "Old Man and the Sea" to see the device he
used to catch a shark.
2. Students may find the weight of various sharks. After they have obtained this
information, through research, they may determine which type of building material is
most appropriate for building a trap for this type of shark.
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