There’s no denying that children love sharks! There’s just something so fascinating about these mysterious creatures and most kiddos are intrigued to learn more! This only means one thing… they’re the perfect classroom topic to build interest and boost engagement! If you’d like to dive into exploring this topic in your room, come along to see some of my favorite shark activities for Shark Week and beyond!

Why To Use Shark Activities 

Have you ever had one of those moments in the classroom where everyone is perked up, listening carefully, wide-eyed, and excited? This is the exact reason I love to explore the topic of sharks with young students! These underwater giants have a way of lighting up a room! Not to mention, you can use this topic to target a variety of ELA, science, and even math skills with your students!

Teachers know that students learn so much more when they’re interested in a lesson or topic of study. Because of this, choosing to use shark activities in your classroom is a no-brainer! Best of all though, this topic can be used any time of the year! Shark activities are perfect for summer learning, during Shark Week, or anytime you want to explore a bit more about these incredible animals! Ready to learn more? Let’s dive in!

Shark Books 

So where do we start with our shark activities? Books, of course! I love using books to set the stage for learning, no matter what topic we’re exploring. I typically read them aloud, then open up the floor for discussion on the topic. You might even decide to make these books available in the student library for further investigation! This is such a great way to begin any topic of study. When it comes to sharks, there are a variety of great options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a cute storybook or a non-fiction reader, there’s a little something for everyone out there!

For a great selection of my personal faves, be sure to check out this post. There you’ll find tons of fun suggestions that I know your students will love!

Favorite Shark Books

• There Was an Old Mermaid Who Swallowed a Shark! by Lucille Collandro is written like “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly”. It follows the same rhythmic pattern as the other books in the series, except it’s set in the ocean. You’ll also find some interesting facts about many different ocean animals as well!
• National Geographic Kids: Everything Sharks by Ruth A. Musgrave is the perfect book to read aloud if you’re looking for a book jam-packed with facts! I love the full-color, real photos inside and students always do too!
• What If You Could Sniff Like a Shark? by Sandra Markle will make students smile as they learn about the different “superpowers” of ocean animals. This book is sure to amaze!

For more inspiration, be sure to check out my Amazon Shark Book List. Since every classroom is different, there are suggestions for teachers to read aloud or use in small group reading centers. Likewise, there are fiction and non-fiction options to suit your needs and make your kids smile!

Educational Shark Videos

Videos are another great option to help your students learn more about sharks. I love incorporating educational videos into our shark activities to give students some introductory information. In this Sharks for Kids video, viewers learn many amazing facts about sharks. This would be the perfect option to use at the start of your shark activities to help familiarize students with these animals.

Another option is this Wild Kratts Sharks Episode. Students will likely be familiar with this show and eager to listen up and learn all about sharks and their impact on the ecosystem. Try pausing throughout the video to discuss some of the points mentioned, write about the topics, or create an anchor chart as you go! Using every opportunity to soak up little nuggets of wisdom is always a good bet.

Shark Thematic Activities

After reading books and watching some fun educational videos, it’s time to dive into shark learning activities! In my room, I like to use thematic teaching units to facilitate learning about specific topics. When it comes to Sharks, I have a whole unit dedicated to these incredible animals!

The All About Sharks Unit is jam-packed with many fun activities that connect science and language arts. It’s ideal for students working at a 1st or 2nd-grade level and works perfectly in a classroom or homeschool setting. There are even some thematic math activities too, so you can ensure a well-rounded lesson plan as you learn about sharks!

Inside this unit, students will go on an underwater journey to the world of sharks. This journey will allow students to learn about sharks, their habitat, their characteristics, and other interesting facts. Included you’ll find over 400 pages with activities to support learning!

Included Shark Activities

• 6 different readers in multiple reading levels
• Vocabulary posters & cards (with real photos!)
• Life cycle posters
• Shark writing craft – 2 options
• Shark flipbook – 2 options
• Shark graphic organizers
• Science experiment
• Write the room
• Math centers & games
• Literacy centers & games
• Color by code activities and SO much more!

With these activities, students will learn about shark body parts, different types of sharks, their life cycles, and more! The mini readers and writing activities will allow you to take a deep dive into this topic and explore it as a class. As you learn, use the included math and literacy centers to align with your theme while exploring other important skills and concepts. And we can’t forget, the cute shark crafts are the perfect way to wrap up your studies!

How To Use These Shark Activities

Wondering how to use these activities in your classroom? Let’s explore a few of my favorite activities inside and how I use them with students.

Shark Readers

First up, the readers! There are 6 different readers in the resource which allows you to find the perfect one for your kids. Each one has differentiated options to help ensure they meet the grade level your students are working at. I recommend using these first in a whole-group setting to read aloud. Then, provide each student with a copy and go over them again in reading small groups. The differentiated levels will allow you to customize this lesson to the needs of your students.

Vocabulary Activities & Posters

Inside this unit, you will find an array of vocabulary activities, posters, and labeling pages. These activities are great for facilitating a deeper understanding of these topics. You might choose to use the vocabulary cards on a word wall, then use them again for center and small group learning. Students will love learning new words and writing them on the included worksheets.

Graphic Organizers & Writing Pages

This unit includes many different organizers and writing assignments to help ensure your students retain all of the amazing information they have learned about sharks! I like to use the included graphic organizers to brainstorm and review before writing. These pages will come in handy as students begin to write! There is also a fun craft included that is perfect to do as a follow-up to writing. These look fantastic displayed on a bulletin board!

Thematic Math & Literacy Centers

Last, but certainly not least – you’ll find some fun math and literacy centers that are perfect for center time! Each of these activities uses a shark theme to help tie your lessons together while practicing important math and ELA skills. Students will work on measurement, addition, subtraction, digraphs, close reading, and more!

Don’t forget friends, this is just a FEW of the activities included in this amazing unit! Inside you’ll find all of these goodies and many more to facilitate learning all about sharks in your classroom.

Take A Closer Look at These Shark Activities

When I say this unit is jam-packed, I mean it! Inside you’ll find everything you need to explore this topic in depth. If you want to take a closer look, be sure to check out the video below to see the underwater journey students will never forget!

This resource makes it simple and easy to facilitate differentiated shark lessons in your classroom. This unit weaves life science standards with English language arts and math to make planning and executing this topic simple and fun! If you want to simplify this topic in your room, be sure to check out the Sharks Unit in my TPT Shop! I know you and your kiddos will love exploring sharks together!

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