Sharks in Ireland: A JAWSOME Visit with Mr. Russell's Grade 4 Boys

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 Due to filming commitments and travel, my Skype Classroom schedule this week was limited to 3 visits, but wow what a week.  I started off visiting with Mr. Russell’s grade 4 boys all the way in Ireland. The whole concept is so remarkable and breathes a new sense of energy and hope into the conservation and shark education movement.  

Mr. Russell’s class was JAWESOME! They were really enthusiastic and had some great questions including, “if baby birds get food from the mom, do shark babies also get food from their moms?” This seems very logical, but no, sharks do not get any maternal care. The world is tough for a baby shark. Most people think of sharks as these mighty predators ruling the ocean, but in reality life is pretty tough for sharks. When lemon sharks are born they are on their own immediately. 

LEMON SHARK BIRTH VIDEO

In Bimini, they must seek refuge in the mangroves for the first three to four years of their lives. Very few of the pups born each spring make it to see their first birthday.  Barracudas and other sharks, including larger lemon sharks, will happily make a meal out of a neonate or juvenile lemon shark. 

Other questions included who would win in a shark vs. piranha battle and shark vs. a moray eel battle. These cracked me up because boys will be boys.  I did my best to answer in a fun and logical way and the kids exchanged high fives.  The students took turns asking questions and also sharing shark facts they already knew. I get really excited when students already know some interesting and important information about sharks.  The lesson flew by and I look forward to connecting with the students again on a shark project they will work on in the spring.  

A student asking a question via Skype

After the lesson Mr. Russell hit Twitter and some wonderful things to say.

“We learned about underwater filming, looking after our oceans and all about different types of sharks. It was SO good we're calling it epic! “

He also emailed me this note a couple of days later.

 It was the highlight of the school year for our class. The boys were so excited coming in to school today having been looking forward to this lesson for weeks - and it didn't disappoint! You could have heard a pin drop in our room for 46 minutes today as Jillian us about underwater photography and filming, about the different kinds of sharks, how we can all help to save these magnificent creatures, care for the oceans and our planet, before then taking some (a lot in fact!) of questions about her work with sharks, the sharks themselves and much more.

You've such a wonderful way with the kids, it really comes across that you're so into your work and really got the best from the class - they were hooked on every word and so enthusiastic to get involved and ask questions - as I'm sure you noticed with the sheer volume of them!

I feel that if things don't go well people are very quick to send emails/make phone calls and highlight it. Today, I felt that I had to let you know about what a positive experience we had in our class.

Thanks for making it a memorable Monday in our 4th Class!

I'm working on the photos at the moment. I'll let you know later when I have them all done.

Best Wishes,

Trystan

I was absolutely floored with his kind words. I by no means do this for recognition, but it makes my heart so happy and hopeful when I know that I am really connecting with kids.

You can check out more images on Mr. Russell’s website and hear a podcast from his students HERE.

Thank you so much Mr. Russell. You are offering students and incredibly opportunity and encouraging them to be global citizens. I look forward to collaborating in the future. 

I also visited with Mrs. Crahen's second graders in New York and Mrs. Whyte's first graders in Canada. Both classes had great questions including, 

"What is my favorite shark?"

"What is the biggest shark?"

"How old was I when I saw my first shark?"

"When did I first go diving with sharks?"

"Why do I like sharks so much?"

I absolutely love answering the questions and hope the experience makes an impact. It is so critical to get students at this age excited about sharks and our oceans and really push the fact that they can make a difference. Hopefully there are a few more shark advocates out there in the world going home and telling their parents they want to swim with sharks!

 Thanks to Mrs. Whyte and Mrs. Crahen for encouraging your students to care about sharks and our oceans! Keep up the amazing work. 

"WHOOPIE" FOR SHARKS!!!!!!

I will happily and enthusiastically talk to anyone about sharks and I am sure those that know me can attest to this. I especially love talking to kids about sharks and today I did just that at two different schools. My first visit was to Central School in South Berwick, Maine; a school that I attended as a 5th grader. A little surreal to step foot into that miniature world again as an adult.

I talked to 6 second grade classes broken into 3 groups. I prefer smaller groups because it makes interaction between me and the kids a lot easier. It also means I can usually get to everyone’s questions. I am not one to talk at students, but want to hear what they think and engage them in conversations. I probably ask them almost as many questions as they ask me. I want them to know that what they have to say is important and that they can make a difference. I cannot stand there in front of them and tell them that they can help sharks and then not offer them the chance to speak up.

I have an outline for the presentation, but let each group guide the flow. Each group of students is unique with a dynamic range of stories and questions. If they want to talk about shark ears for a while then we can talk about shark ears for a while. They do get a giggle when the image of a lemon shark with human ears pops onto the screen. I love that laughter.

Once again I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of knowledge these kids have about sharks and the problems they are facing. They have more passion than they can even realize at this stage in the life, but it is raw, powerful and infectious. The smiles on their faces and the hugs after the talk are worth more than all the money in the world. Yes, I am getting a little choked up at the moment.
One little girl had her desk lined with stuffed sharks. AWESOME! I met each shark and then she got to meet Lucky.

In the last class I visited a few of the kids came up and asked for my autograph and if I could draw a shark for them. OH MY GOD!! This made my heart melt. They were so sincere and I quickly began scribbling the cartoon shark I always draw onto pieces of paper with giant Crayola markers and crayons! I don’t feel worthy of signing autographs, but I can hope that those pieces of paper stand as a reminder for those kids that they can helps sharks and they can help our oceans.

Great thank you cards!!!


Kids are like amazing sponges at that age and it is important to provide them with positive images and facts about the ocean world. There are so many negative things about sharks that define most encounters they will have; I want to give them tools to questions those, “ myths.” and dare to speak up. They are all junior scientists that can ask questions just like real scientists. This is an important job and I know most of the them will take it very seriously.

I traveled to the next school to speak to the first graders at Berwick Academy. They gathered on the floor around me and I found myself sitting down next them. We chatted about sharks, talked about the oceans and they got to pass around some sharks tags and even Lucky and Monty got some love.

After four 45 minute presentations I am exhausted, but my heart is happy. I gain even more respect for teachers every time I visit a school. Teachers do this everyday without the recognition they deserve and I want to thank Erin Darling at Central and Susan Morris at Berwick Academy for being integral in facilitating my visit to the schools. I am looking forward to many more. Also, thank you Erin for the whoopie pies. You obviously know the way to a Maine girl’s heart! Thank you Kelsey Boston and Dylan for getting the ball rolling on my visit to Central.

Thanks to Maine kids for caring about Sharks! I look forward to the next time I visit!

Palmer Trinity Student Outreach

My hectic schedule does not allow me to get into classrooms as often as I would like, so when I get the chance it means the world to me. On October 27, I headed to Palmer Trinity School in Miami to speak to 5 classes of 6th graders. This is one of favorite ages to speak to because they are starting to question the reality of media, movie and Internet stories. They have a basic understanding of ocean ecosystems and can grasp the devastation that is caused by slaughtering sharks across the globe.




Living in Florida many of them have been lucky enough to see sharks and one of the students had been cage diving in South Africa. The excitement and energy is infections and always gives me new inspiration for projects, articles and programs.
When the students filter into the room, I love the, “ aw, yes! Sharks. I love sharks.” I know many of them have parents that fish and that have probably caught sharks. I hope that their excitement travels home and makes mom, dad or another family member think about their actions and if it is really worth it. I always remind them that even though they are young there are lots of things they can do to help the environment.




Many of them talked about watching shark documentaries including Sharkwater, snorkeling with their families, recycling and doing beach cleanups. It is reminder that whatever age, you can make a difference. Each person DOES count.

Thank you Dr. Naigle, Miss Winn and Palmer Trinity School for encouraging your students to think about the world around them and find ways to actively protect it.