Sharks: Sharks: Predators of the DeepPredators of the Deep

Guess the Covered Word LessonGuess the Covered Word Lesson

Created by: Morgan BlantonCreated by: Morgan Blanton

Guess the Covered Word Guess the Covered Word Reading StrategyReading Strategy

StartStart Where is the word? Beginning, middle, or end of the Where is the word? Beginning, middle, or end of the

sentence? What about grammatical cues?sentence? What about grammatical cues? ThinkThink

What makes sense?What makes sense? LookLook

How long is the word?How long is the word? ListenListen

Letters, suffixes, prefixes, syllables known “little Letters, suffixes, prefixes, syllables known “little words”words”

According to scientists, According to scientists, sharks have been around sharks have been around for 400 million years! for 400 million years! They are such good They are such good predators and so good at predators and so good at surviving, that they surviving, that they haven’t had to evolve, or haven’t had to evolve, or change, in over 150 change, in over 150 million years. They were million years. They were even around before the even around before the dinosaurs! This dinosaurs! This prehistoric shark was prehistoric shark was called the megalodon.called the megalodon.

If you were to compare the megalodon and If you were to compare the megalodon and the great white shark, the white shark the great white shark, the white shark would look tiny next to the megalodon.would look tiny next to the megalodon.

Megalodon and the Great WhiteMegalodon and the Great White

A shark may go through 20,000 teeth in its A shark may go through 20,000 teeth in its lifetime. It will never run out of teeth! It is lifetime. It will never run out of teeth! It is constantly growing new ones, so if it loses constantly growing new ones, so if it loses one, another slides up in its place. As you one, another slides up in its place. As you can see in the picture, sharks have rows can see in the picture, sharks have rows

and rows of backup teeth.and rows of backup teeth.

TeethTeeth

Sharks are carnivores, which means that Sharks are carnivores, which means that they are meat eaters. They feed on other they are meat eaters. They feed on other sea animals and sometimes even other sea animals and sometimes even other

sharks. You can tell that they are sharks. You can tell that they are carnivores because of their sharp teeth. carnivores because of their sharp teeth. Plant eating animals have dull teeth for Plant eating animals have dull teeth for

grinding their food, but meat eaters need grinding their food, but meat eaters need sharp teeth to help them tear it.sharp teeth to help them tear it.

CarnivoresCarnivores

The largest sharks are not the most ferocious, though. The largest sharks are not the most ferocious, though. The basking shark, the whale shark, and The basking shark, the whale shark, and

megamouth sharks are not aggressive carnivores, megamouth sharks are not aggressive carnivores, although they do eat other animals. They feed on although they do eat other animals. They feed on

plankton, which are tiny shrimp-like creatures. They plankton, which are tiny shrimp-like creatures. They swim through the water with their mouths open, swim through the water with their mouths open,

letting “gill rakers” in the back of their throats strain letting “gill rakers” in the back of their throats strain the plankton from the water.the plankton from the water.

Gentle GiantsGentle Giants

Sharks have babies in three different ways, depending on which type of shark it is. Some lay eggs like a bird does. Others hatch eggs inside the mother shark. There are others that give birth to live “pups” like humans give birth to live babies. Some sharks have only one baby in their lifetime, but others can have up to 100. Sharks do not care for their babies after they are born.

Shark BabiesShark Babies

A shark’s most keen sense is its ability to A shark’s most keen sense is its ability to smell. Two thirds of its brain is dedicated smell. Two thirds of its brain is dedicated to this sense. Sharks have two senses to this sense. Sharks have two senses that humans do not have. They have a that humans do not have. They have a “lateral line” that help them detect “lateral line” that help them detect movement in the water. They also have movement in the water. They also have an organ that can feel electrical currents an organ that can feel electrical currents given off by other animals.given off by other animals.

Shark SensesShark Senses

ReferencesReferences

Kids Zone Kids Zone http://www.kidzone.ws/sharks/facts.htmhttp://www.kidzone.ws/sharks/facts.htm