SharkDietMemoryMatchMaterials:

• Matchingcards(printandcutout)o 18cardstotal(9pairs)

Learninglevel:

• K-12Duration:

• Variable~15minutesVocabulary:

• Whaleshark,Baskingshark,Whiteshark,Tigershark,Hammerheadshark,Blueshark,ZebraBullheadshark,Bonnetheadshark,CoralCatshark,cephalofoil

Backgroundinfo:

• Forthisactivityparticipantswillbelearningaboutvarioussharkspeciesandtheirdiets.Currentlythereareabout500knownspeciesofsharkintheworld.Thefollowingarejustafewspecieswewillbefocusingonforthisactivity.

• WhaleSharksarethelargestfishinthesea,reachinglengthsof40feetormore.Theyarefoundintropicalwatersworldwide.Thesesharksarefilterfeederswhichmeanstheyopentheirmouthswideandfeedonplanktonandsmallfishthathappentobenearby.

• BaskingSharksarethesecondlargestfishintheworldandcanreachlengthsof40feet.Theyarefoundworldwideinwarmtocoldtemperatewaters.Thesesharksarealsofilterfeederslikethewhalesharkandfeedonplankton.

• WhiteSharks,alsoknownasGreatWhiteSharks,areatoppredatorintheocean.Theyhavestrongmusclesandmassivejaws.Theycangrowupto21feetinlengthandarefoundmostlyintemperatecoastalwaters.Thesesharksareknowntoeatlargepreysuchassealionsandseals.

• TigerSharksarelargepredatorswithpowerfuljaws.Theycangrowupto25feetinlengthandarefoundinsub-tropicaltotopicalwatersworldwide.Thesesharksareknownforeatinganythingtheycancapture.Theywillcommonlyeatseaturtlesandseals.

• HammerheadSharkshaveflattenedshovel-shapedheadscalledcephalofoils.Theycangrowupto20feetinlengthandarefoundintemperatetotropicalwatersworldwide.Thesesharkslovetoeatstingrays.

• BlueSharksareopen-oceanpredatorsthatmayreachlengthsof10feet.Theyarefoundworldwideintropicaltocoldtemperatewaters.Thesesharkslovetoeatsquidandwillalsoeatsmallfish.

• ZebraBullheadSharksarebottomdwellingsharksthatmayreachalengthofupto4feet.Theyarecommonlyfoundintropicaltosubtropicalwaters.Thesesharkslovetoeatbottomdwellinginvertebrates,suchasclamsandshrimp.

• BonnetheadSharksarethesmallestofthetenhammerheadsharkspecies,reachingamaximumsizeof5feet.Theyarecommonlyfoundintemperatetosubtropicalwaters.Thesesharkslovetoeatshrimp,smallfish,andarealsoknowntoeatseagrasses.

• CoralCatsharksaresmall,slendersharksthatgrowtobeabout2feetlong.TheyliveonshallowcoralreefsacrosstheIndo-WestPacific.Thesesharkslovetoeatsmall,bottom-dwellinginvertebrates,suchasshrimpandcrabs.

Procedure:• Beforestartingthisactivityyouwillwanttoprintandcutthematchingcards.• Haveparticipantsreadthroughthebackgroundsectionaboutthesharkswewillbelearningabout

today,oryoucanreaditoutloudtothem.• Shufflethematchingcardsandspreadthemoutplacedupside-downonaflatsurface.• Activitycanbeplayedwithapartnerorsolo.• Haveplayersfliponepairofcardsoveratatimeandseeiftheymatch!• Iftheyarenotamatchflipthecardsupside-downagainandletthenextplayerhaveaturn.• Switchbetweenplayerseachturn.• Thegoalistomatchthesharktothefoodtheyeat.(Answerkeyatthebottomoftheactivity)• Useyourmemorytotryandrememberwherethematchingcardsmightbe.• Playerwiththemostpairswins!• SharewithusonFacebook,Instagram,orTwitter@neaq

ExtensionsandVariations:

• Foryoungerplayersthecardscanbeplacedfacingup.• Forasologame,playerscantimethemselvestoseehowfasttheycanmakematches.• Allowplayerstojustifytheirmatchesusingtheinformationprovidedinthebackgroundsection.• Youcanmakemorematchingcardsonyourownbyresearchingothersharkspeciesand

discoveringwhattheyliketoeat.

MemoryMatchCards

WhaleShark

Plankton,SmallFish

BaskingShark

Plankton

WhiteShark

SeaLions,Seals

TigerShark

SeaTurtles,Seals

HammerheadShark

Stingrays

BlueShark

Squid,SmallFish

ZebraBullheadShark

Clams,Shrimp

BonnetheadShark

Shrimp,SmallFish,SeaGrasses

CoralCatshark

Shrimp,Crabs

AnswerKey• Whalesharkeatsplanktonandsmallfish.• Baskingsharkeatsplankton.• Whitesharkeatssealionsandseals.• Tigersharkeatsseaturtlesandseals.• Hammerheadsharkeatsstingrays.• Bluesharkeatssquidandsmallfish.• Zebrabullheadsharkeatsclamsandshrimp.• Bonnetheadsharkeatsshrimp,smallfish,andseagrasses.• Coralcatsharkeatsshrimpandcrabs.