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View Full Version : I'm teaching middle school kids about sharks this Friday and just got a shock



Spindrift
04-30-2012, 08:41 PM
Ugh I have no idea if this should be in Marine Biology/Oceanography or Environmentalism and Conservation. I guess I'll just leave this here.

I'm teaching a class of 6-8th graders this Friday on the important roles sharks play in our ecosystem. My class, which centers around sustainability teaching, has been holding and designing several of these workshops this entire semester with local schools, and normally we have about 8-15 kids show up for each session. The one coming up this Friday is a curriculum I designed myself that involves a screening of Sharkwater and some crafty activities. I was expecting 12 or so kids, as projected by the other sessions done by my classmates. So anyway...

... I just got an email from my professor saying that I have over 60 kids signed up. Oh man. Ahhhhhh.

AniaR
04-30-2012, 08:53 PM
oh wow!!! I have some resources along this topic if you need anything extra! Just let me know, they're all documents so not something I can easily post but can try and get you a google docs link or email etc.

You'll be great, you can handle 60! you're super mermaid!

malinghi
05-01-2012, 10:35 AM
I can understand that's a little stressful, but you can handle it. And thats pretty cool that you're getting such a great attendance. What's the event like? Are you presenting this stuff in character as a mermaid?

Spindrift
05-01-2012, 10:57 AM
@Raina: I'd love any extra resources on the topic, even if I couldn't use it for the project. I'm planning on doing more after the summer just for fun so I will always appreciate the extra materials, if you have the time. :P I've also been in contact with Humane Society Int'l and they're sending me stuff as well.

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Spindrift
05-01-2012, 11:06 AM
@malinghi: I'm not presenting the stuff in character unfortunately. I've thought about it, and I wouldn't mind, but my tail is currently going through another upgrade (I think the second since you saw a picture of it at the WMA's?) so it's not looking finished. Maybe the next one! :D Here's what it looked like last (it's now almost completely different):

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/543316_269698716446323_109530232463173_581101_1427 496671_n.jpg

^^ Might take that down later.

Anyways, yeah the event is going to last around 4 hours and is being hosted on campus. I have this schedule planned out (which now might have to be modified with the number of kids) where I have them partake in an icebreaker activity, then have them listen to me lecture about some ecological concepts (background info for the movie), explain that they'll be crafting during the movie, get them started, start the movie Sharkwater, have a reflection discussion, let them finish up on crafts, then give them a presentation on being more proactive with their community issues (and surveying to see what issues they are most interested in), before having them present whatever they made. I also have Blue Planet on hand to show if the kids are interested. What do you think?

Spindrift
05-01-2012, 11:12 AM
... oh and I have like 8-10 volunteers who are helping me out at the event and with the kids.

Mermaid Sirena
05-01-2012, 11:37 AM
THAT IS WONDERFUL! I'm sure you'll do an amazing job! I'm glad you have volunteers cause I was going to say that is a lot of children to handle all on your own.

malinghi
05-01-2012, 12:13 PM
Anyways, yeah the event is going to last around 4 hours and is being hosted on campus. I have this schedule planned out (which now might have to be modified with the number of kids) where I have them partake in an icebreaker activity, then have them listen to me lecture about some ecological concepts (background info for the movie), explain that they'll be crafting during the movie, get them started, start the movie Sharkwater, have a reflection discussion, let them finish up on crafts, then give them a presentation on being more proactive with their community issues (and surveying to see what issues they are most interested in), before having them present whatever they made. I also have Blue Planet on hand to show if the kids are interested. What do you think?

I'm obviously no expert, but it looks like you have a pretty clear idea of what you're going to do. And Blue Planet is a cool backup plan.

Spindrift
05-06-2012, 10:22 PM
Some pictures from Friday (6th-8th grade):

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I had a really busy weekend. I did a presentation on Saturday on the top marine threats (3-5th grade) and today, Sunday, I ran another workshop to teach kids about eutrophication (1-5th grade). Man I'm on a roll.
... Also I just found out I was accepted to a Master's degree program for Sustainable Studies!

AniaR
05-06-2012, 11:11 PM
Spin, here's one of my group lesson plans on sustainable fishing and we focused a bit on sharks. https://docs.google.com/document/d/16NTKCYO3KXVCmq3rdV34pqnnvtUgyfZKK8Ecy3Z3iEc/edit?pli=1 it's google docs, and google docs keeps messing up the formatting, I know there should be better paragraphing XD

also the seachoice teaching guide may come in handy http://seachoice.org/files/pdf/SeaChoiceKit_DL_01062011.pdf

I LOVE SEEING YOUR TAIL. sounds so dirty, but so true! haha <3

AniaR
05-06-2012, 11:12 PM
also those sharks are epic

Spindrift
05-07-2012, 12:38 AM
Thanks Raina! I'm definitely keeping your documents on file in case I get an opportunity to do something like this again!

Spindrift
05-07-2012, 12:39 AM
And haha, thanks for the compliment :)
I can't wait to finish upgrading it.

malinghi
05-07-2012, 01:08 AM
Looks like the event went great! Also, I'm super psyched you got into grad school.

Spindrift
05-07-2012, 12:10 PM
Thanks Malinghi! :D Yeah it's an accelerated program so I'll be done in a year. Since I'm also a year ahead of everyone else in my class, I -think- I get to just graduate with them, or maybe the semester after. It's just a relief because I wasn't sure what I was going to do after December and now I have another year to figure it out.

*Does cartwheels around the page*

Mermaid Crystal
08-17-2012, 11:46 AM
Cool!

Mermaid Saphira
08-17-2012, 11:53 AM
I did not get to see your tail, spin :p looks like you had funand the sharks were awesome!

Spindrift
08-17-2012, 03:02 PM
@Saphira:

Here's a picture of an earlier version of my tail in action!

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I've also made a post in the just-had-a-photoshoot thread :)
Thanks for checking out this post!