# data[].attributes.body
An online resource with kid-friendly shark facts, pictures, and videos perfect for elementary school research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Think all sharks are gigantic, toothy eating machines? Think again: With more than 500 species of sharks, you're sure to meet a few that surprise you. For instance, some sharks have teeth so small that they can't take a bite out of anything. Others are practically vegetarian! "You think you understand sharks, and then they do something that totally shocks you," says Lisa Natanson, a biologist who studies sharks for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lemon sharks: Fishy friends

Can't wait to hang out with your BFF? Neither can these sharks. Young lemon sharks often stick together for protection, helping each other watch out for larger sharks and other predators. But scientists have learned that lemon sharks won't befriend just anybody. "They prefer to spend time with sharks that they've met before instead of strangers," says Clemency White, a researcher at the Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas. The sharks hang out with the same friends for years, following each other or swimming next to each other. And when scientists studied the pups in a predator-free environment, these sharks still chose to swim together rather than alone. Maybe these fish need matching friendship bracelets.

Whale sharks: Gentle giants

A whale shark's mouth is so wide that a 10-year-old kid could fit inside. But don't worry: These sharks are mostly slurping up tiny shrimp like plankton about as small as a few grains of sand. Whale sharks feed by swimming slowly with their mouths open and filtering the tiny plants and animals out of the water. The largest fish in the world, whale sharks can be longer than a school bus and weigh 50,000 pounds-about four times as much as an African elephant. "They're so big that not many animals are going to bother them," Natanson says. "So they tend to be very easygoing sharks."

Chain catsharks: Green glowers

Through your eyes, the chain catshark seems to have brownish-yellow skin with black chain-shaped markings. But to another chain catshark swimming 1,600 to 2,000 feet below the surface, the fish glows in the dark! Pigments in the sharks' skin absorb the blue light in the ocean and reflect it as green. These sharks have special cells in their eyes-called receptors-to see it. Because the glow patterns are different for males and females, scientists think these shy sharks use this ability to attract mates. "In that deep, dark environment, the sharks need to be able to find each other," Natanson says.

Great white sharks: Picky eaters

Sure, great whites have 300 triangular teeth and the ability to smell a drop of blood in 25 gallons of water. But that doesn't mean these top predators will chomp everything in their path. In fact, when great whites bite people, they usually release them. Scientists think it could be because humans aren't on their menu, unlike seals, sea lions, and dolphins. "It'd be like if you picked up a drink thinking it's soda, and it turned out to be coffee-bleh!" Natanson says. But it might also be that these curious sharks are just investigating a new object the only way they can: with their mouths!

Greenland sharks: Ocean oldies

If you think your grandpa is old, just wait until you meet this fish. A Greenland shark swimming through deep, freezing Arctic water today might have been born when George Washington became the first president of the United States! This shark species can live for nearly 300 years-and possibly as many as 500 years. That's the longest of any vertebrate (an animal with a backbone). Experts are still trying to figure out how these sharks can survive so long, but they think their icy-cold habitat and seriously slow lifestyle (a Greenland shark's heart beats only once every 12 seconds; yours beats about once a second) might have something to do with their seemingly non-stop birthday parties.

Bonnethead sharks: Salad snackers

Bonnethead sharks are leafy-green eating machines. In fact, seagrass can make up over half of the bonnetheads' diet. Scientists aren't sure if these coastal sharks are trying to snack on the plants, or if they accidentally get a side salad while scooping up shrimp, mollusks, and blue crabs hiding in the seagrass. Unlike almost all other sharks, which are carnivores and don't eat plants, bonnetheads have a special digestive system that can absorb nutrients from greens. Hey, bonnethead-you have a leaf stuck in your teeth!

Spinner sharks: Airborne acrobats

Some sharks ambush their prey; others bump them before going in for a bite. But only one shark species flies: spinner sharks. These predators glide beneath a school of tuna or sardines, eyeing the tasty fish huddled together in a protective ball-like shape. With a burst of energy, the shark swims toward the surface with its mouth open, its slim body twirling through the water like a ballerina. Score! The shark nabs a fish-but the show's not over yet. The shark's momentum pushes it up to 20 feet out of the water, rotating several times before splashing back down. Now that's a fin-tastic show!

Text from the June / July 2020 issue of National Geographic Kids magazine.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dive in to discover seven species of sharks with mind-blowing traits.

# data[].attributes.body
Educational website specifically designed for elementary school students to learn about sharks through articles, pictures, and activities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The goal of Sharks4Kids is to create a new generation of shark advocates through access to a dynamic range of educational materials and experiences. Curriculum, games and activities will allow teachers to integrate shark education into their science programs on an introductory, intermediate or advanced level. Students can access games, activities and info sheets to satisfy their own curiosity about sharks. Photos and videos from scientists and conservationists bring an exciting element into the classroom and show students the beauty of the ocean.

JAWSOME SHARK NEWS

Virtual lessons 79 Countries

50 US STATES
1,686 Lessons

Our website launched on November 7, 2013 and since then we've connected with over 213,957 students through in person presentations or virtual lessons.

IN PERSON

Webinars

CONTACT US

Sharks4Kids, Inc.

398 E. Dania Beach Blvd. #263

Dania Beach, FL

33004

​

​

​ info@sharks4kids.com ​

FOLLOW US

QUICK LINKS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shark Facts | Sharks4Kids | | Shark Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sharks4Kids offers the ultimate shark education for students and teachers through shark curriculum, STEM programs, shark science, shark activities and outreach.

# data[].attributes.body
Simple explanations of different shark species with fun facts and interactive elements.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fun Shark Facts for Kids

Although sharks have a reputation as destructive beasts that attack almost anything that enters their water habitat, the actual number of shark attacks is probably lower than you imagine.

There are many different types of sharks including the great white shark, hammerhead shark, bull shark, tiger shark and mako, they all offer varied and interesting information so read on and enjoy our cool shark facts.

Sharks do not have a single bone in their bodies. Instead they have a skeleton made up of cartilage; the same type of tough, flexible tissue that makes up human ears and noses.

Some sharks remain on the move for their entire lives. This forces water over their gills, delivering oxygen to the blood stream. If the shark stops moving then it will suffocate and die.

Sharks have outstanding hearing. They can hear a fish thrashing in the water from as far as 500 metres away!

If a shark was put into a large swimming pool, it would be able to smell a single drop of blood in the water.

Although most species of shark are less than one metre long, there are some species such as the whale shark, which can be 14 metres long.

A pup (baby shark) is born ready to take care of itself. The mother shark leaves the pup to fend for itself and the pup usually makes a fast get away before the mother tries to eat it!

Not all species of shark give birth to live pups. Some species lay the egg case on the ocean floor and the pup hatches later on its own.

Great whites are the deadliest shark in the ocean. These powerful predators can race through the water at 30 km per hour.

Unlike other species of shark, the great white is warm-blooded. Although the great white does not keep a constant body temperature, it needs to eat a lot of meat in order to be able to regulate its temperature.

A shark always has a row of smaller teeth developing behind its front teeth. Eventually the smaller teeth move forward, like a conveyor belt, and the front teeth fall out.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Shark Facts - Great White, Hammerhead, Attack, Habitat, Bull, Tiger, Interesting Info

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fun Shark Facts for Kids Although sharks have a reputation as destructive beasts that attack almost anything that enters their water habitat, the actual number of shark attacks is probably lower than you imagine.

# data[].attributes.headline
Shark Facts for Kids: Great White Sharks

# data[].attributes.subject
Shark Facts for Kids: Great White Sharks

# data[].attributes.body
An engaging educational video that teaches children about great white sharks in a fun and age-appropriate way.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Super Sharks! | Amazing Animals! | SciShow Kids

# data[].attributes.headline
Types of Sharks | Animal Science for Kids

# data[].attributes.subject
Types of Sharks | Animal Science for Kids

# data[].attributes.body
A kid-friendly video exploring different types of sharks and their unique characteristics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sharks! 🦈 | Weird But True! | S1 E5 | Full Episode | @natgeokids

# data[].attributes.body
Educational video series specifically designed for elementary school students, featuring shark facts and underwater footage.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find ways to preserve our planet and its oceans with scientist and Shark Week host, Luke Tipple! Learn about his adventurous career path, passion for the ocean, and his experiences diving with one of the ocean’s most feared (and most misunderstood) predators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Sharks Find Food With Electricity! | Amazing Animal Senses | SciShow Kids

# data[].attributes.headline
Baby Shark Science: Learn About Shark Babies

# data[].attributes.subject
Baby Shark Science: Learn About Shark Babies

# data[].attributes.body
An entertaining and educational video about how shark pups grow and develop.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wild Kratts FULL EPISODE! | Stuck on Sharks | PBS KIDS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sharks - Topic - Gale In Context: Elementary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.