Prehistoric Sharks
Introduction: The focus for this rotation is the introduction of the time period of Prehistoric Sharks by identifying the three Eras, in which they lived, the Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic. Another emphasis is how these sharks have been identified by Paleontologists and fossils when their bodies are cartilage. The “Tooth Will Tell “ helps unlock this part of the identification mystery. The final aspect of focus is to introduce the students to other Prehistoric Sharks in the three “eras” besides the infamous Megalodon.
Rotation 1:Introduction to Prehistoric SharksRotation 2: The Tooth Will Tell!!!Rotation 3: Who Am I ??
WHEREClassroom/PlaygroundSmall Group RoomHallway Teaching Wall
WHO7th and 8th Grade Student LeadersTeacher or ParentTeacher or Parent
MATERIALSPowerpoint/Computer and Casio Projector. Large poster with pictures and description of the sharks. Prehistoric Shark Jeopardy Game for students 3rd-6th. Prehistoric Sharks and Jellyfish Game for 2nd Grade.Large Poster(see below) of the different types of Prehistoric Shark Teeth and their description. Shark Tooth Concentration Game made from a copy of the Poster. Small replica of shark teeth to be used for a shark tooth necklace.se exterior wall in the hall. The wall is divided into the three Eras, Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and Paleozoic. The “eras” are then divided into the time periods of that era. Above the appropriate time “eras” life size Prehistoric Sharks are placed.(see pictures below for more description) Students from the homeroom classroom make cards to help with the identification game.
WHATThe 7th-8th grade leaders went over the powerpoint and led a discussion about the Prehistoric Sharks. Depending on the age of the students they would ask questions during the presentation. After the presentation they discussed the poster and then after they finished presenting all the information they would culminate the activity with a Prehistoric Shark Jeopardy Game.The leader of this activity did a short introduction about why the teeth of Prehistoric Sharks are so important. The major point being that the teeth really unlock what really happened millions and millions of years ago. They then went over the poster describing the different types of teeth and what these sharks would eat and why. They can explore a “Shark Tooth Dig” or play a Matching Tooth Game. The closing part of this activity is making a shark tooth necklace.The leader tells the students they are going way back in time. At this point we introduce the timeline and the rest of the Teaching Wall. They discuss imagining just how long 400MYA ago really was. There is a discussion about where they found these fossils and how they identified them. They also read a few interesting passages from the book Prehistoric Sharks and the Paleo Shark Book. The final step is to use the cards that the students made to play the “Who Am I” Game.
Support for differentiation: (ie visual, auditory, written instructions, peer helper, grouping, modifications for different grades)
The differentiation we used in this activity was an assortment of visuals, from books to posters. Some were hand done and others were printed from different materials. Students worked together in collaborative teams while playing the games and working on projects. We also used peer helpers and always tried to use auditory and written instructions whenever we could. We also modified the activities and presentation depending on the grade level.
NGSS Alignment
Full, more detailed outline of standards & progressions → NGSS Progressions
Earth Science
• ESS1.C - The history of planet Earth
• ESS2.B - Plate tectonics and large-scale system interactions
• ESS2.C - The roles of water in Earth’s surface processes
• ESS2.D - Weather and climate
• ESS2.E - Biogeology
• ESS3.A - Natural resources
• ESS3.B - Natural hazards
• ESS3.D - Global climate change

Life Science
• LS2.A - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
• LS3.A - Inheritance of Traits
• LS3.B - Variation of Traits
• LS4.A - Evidence of common ancestry


Notes, Pictures and other resources: