The
Monarch
Award:
Illinois'
K-3
Children's Choice Award
2009
Master List
Sponsored by
the
Illinois
School Library Media Association
2009 Nominee: Surprising SharksIntroduces many different species of sharks, pointing out such characteristics as the small size of the dwarf lantern shark and the physical characteristics and behavior that makes sharks killing machines.
Author: Nicola Davies
Illustrator: James Croft
Book
Activities
- Questions: What do you know about sharks? Are they scary,
dangerous?
- Language Arts:
Have students discuss what they learned about sharks from the book. Make a KWL
chart then research sharks.
- Writing: Write a story about a shark who is scared of
people.
- Math: Measure on the floor or wall to show the sizes of
sharks. Graph
their sizes.
- Science: Sharks have a keen sense of smell so try
smelling cotton balls in small containers to see if you can identify
the smell. Draw a shark and label body parts.
- Social Studies: Map where sharks live or where sharks have
attacked people.
- Art: Have students draw a picture of their favorite shark.
- Music: Play the theme from Jaws.
- Technology: Make a Kid Pix slide show of shark facts and kids'
drawings of sharks.
Related Book
- Books by Nicola Davies:
Bat Loves the Night, Birds, Seas and Ocean, One Tiny Turtle.
The Great White Man Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy- Megatooth by Patrick O'Brien
- Inside and outside sharks by Sandra Markle
- Incredible Sharks by Seymour Simon
- Sharks Past and Present by Marianne Johnson (ebook)
Websites
2009 Nominee Resources