LitLinks: How to use sharks to practice public speaking skills

BY PATRICIA NEWMAN

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In Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger, readers will meet Cristina and find out how she turned a passion for sharks into a conservation opportunity. Additionally, readers will discover why sharks are so important to the ocean’s health and what challenges they face. The following activity was developed by environmental educators tasked with creating curriculum integrating STEM and ELA. Your students will use what they read in Sharks Unhooked in combination with individual research to practice their public speaking skills in a town hall-style debate about overfishing.

Objectives

Students will:

• understand the concept of overfishing and its impact on marine life.
• analyze different perspectives related to shark fishing.
• develop public speaking and debate skills.

Materials

• Role cards (marine biologist, shark, fisher, seafood restaurant chef, conservationist, and tourist) – The cards can be downloaded here. Scrolll to Educator Guide under Free Resources. Flip to pages 17-19.
• Research materials
• Whiteboard and markers

Engage

• Read Sharks Unhooked.
• Begin a brief discussion about overfishing. How is the topic presented in Sharks Unhooked? Ask students if they have heard of overfishing and what they think its effects might be.
• Show a short video clip about overfishing and its impact on shark populations to capture student interest. Here are two possibilities:

Explore

• Assign roles to students using the Role Cards:
  • Marine Biologist
  • Shark
  • Fisherman
  • Seafood Restaurant Chef
  • Conservationist
  • Tourist
• Distribute fact sheets and discuss available research materials. (This is an excellent opportunity to involve your school librarian.)
• Allow students time to research their roles and prepare their arguments.

Explain

• Gather students together and facilitate a discussion about what they learned during their research.

Elaborate

Conduct a town-hall style debate: Should we limit shark fishing?

• Each group or individual presents a summary of their role and their stance on shark fishing.
• Be sure to develop a method for hearing each student’s argument, i.e. a talking stick, a timer,
• etc.
• Ask the group to identify possible solutions.

Group Discussion

• Explain how town halls are a way to air our opinions in a controlled environment. How did students feel?
• After the town hall is over, discuss what worked and what didn’t. How could you make this exercise better?

Download the free Sharks Unhooked educator guide to try additional teacher-developed lessons integrating STEM and ELA. (Scrolll to Educator Guide under Free Resources.)

Evaluate

Assess their understanding through participationin the activity and follow-up discussion.

Featured image credit: “Caribbean reef sharks (Roatan, Honduras)” by alfonsator is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

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