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Sharks byte back!

Conservation NGOs work with schools to develop shark themed digital education resources for primary level

About the project

The Elasmo Digital Education Programme is a science based education project which aims to develop shark themed digital education resources for schools at primary level. The EU Erasmus + funded programme has been prompted by the need to develop more alternatives as a result of COVID 19, as well as the demand for more accessible education in relation to the marine environment.

Because many environmental educators have been unable to visit venues in person as a result of restrictions associated with COVID measures, conservation NGOs around the world are now seeking new ways in which to connect with the public, especially schools.

This project involves three European organisations who are all active on the shark conservation front, ie. Sharklab-Malta, LAMNA in Spain and Marine Dimensions in Ireland. With a third of the planet’s shark and ray species currently threatened with extinction, the team are keen to raise awareness for this often misunderstood group of fishes.

A key element of the project is collaboration with primary schools in Ireland, Malta and Spain; the team of marine biologists will be working with teachers who will trial the resources with their classes and provide feedback to the project developers. Shark themed resources will be introduced to teachers each quarter through a live online information event, providing a wonderful opportunity for exchange of ideas and information.

Materials being developed for the programme include interactive presentations in the form of an e-book, videos and activities such as quizzes, games and puzzles. Resources will also address a specific theme in relation to sharks and rays each quarter, while all material produced will be open source and non-copyright. Copies will also be available in Maltese, English, Spanish and Catalan.

The project runs for two years from March 2021 to February 2023.

If you are a teacher in a primary school based in Ireland who would like to trial shark themed education resources with your class, the Elasmo team would love to hear from you!

All you need to do is follow the steps below:

Step 1: Register your school here.

Step 2: Liaise with other teachers in your school regarding participating classes and attendance at the Teachers Information Events. The resources target 8-12 yr olds and the trial can be shared across several classes.

Step 3: Book your place at the next Teachers Information Event here.

Step 4: Trial the resources with your class within one month of attending the information event.

Step 5: Complete a short one page online evaluation form; we will send you the link after the information event, or if you prefer, you can request a call back from one of our educators to provide feedback over the phone.

Our theme for this quarter is Evolution of Sharks.

We’ll be introducing our new ebook, An Adventure in Time, and a fun Sharks, Snakes and Ladders game to teachers at the next Teachers Information Event which will take place on 30th September at 4pm.

We’re looking forward to sharing these resources with schools very soon!

Project partners

Supported by

The eggcases of egg-laying sharks and rays (also known as mermaids’ purses) can be found washed up on many coastlines around the world, and the size and shape of the purse can be used to distinguish each species. For example, skates and rays can be instantly recognized by a pair of horns positioned at either end of the central capsule or case. These help to anchor the purse to the soft shore sediment. Catshark eggcases possess curly tendrils that are used to attach the purse to seaweed.

The structure of the capsule can also be used to identify some species. For example, the Thornback Ray eggcase has a narrow ridge or keel along the edge of its capsule.

If you’re interested in learning more, check out our article on mermaid’s purse identification.  It goes into a lot more depth on how to identify species from all around the world.

The number one resource that we recommend through our work are field guides that we use for identifying shells and animals on seashore excursions. There are lots of guides out there to choose from but you will need to find a guide or species identification key that is right for you.

You’ll need to consider the following:

• your geographical region,
• your level,
• likely wear and tear on the guide (will it be being used outdoors or just as a reference resource in your library?),
• and of course your budget.

We have listed some of the various resources available with the above in mind so that you can download or purchase the guide that is right for you. We’ll also be adding more publications to this page as we discover more useful resources for countries around the world.

In the meantime and if you haven’t already done so, check out our Beachcomber’s Guide to Shells and other Wildlife Found on the Seashore. It provides an introduction to animals and plants commonly washed up on beaches around the world. You can also find some free guides for identifying shark and ray eggcases in our article on How to Identify a Mermaid’s Purse.

Seashore Identification Charts and Guides for Europe

North West Europe

There are a number of free downloadable resources that you can avail of if beachcombing in Ireland or Britain: Coast Monkey’s Seashells of the Irish Coast describes 10 common species that you may find on sandy shores, while the Dublin Bay Biosphere Seashells chart, produced by Coastwatch and Dublin City Council, lists 41 species that you may find on sandy shores around Ireland’s coasts.

If you’d like to take a guide with you outdoors while beachcombing or rockpooling in Britain or Ireland, we recommend purchasing the Field Study Council’s Rocky Shore Name Trail- Field Guide and Identification Key. We’ve used this guide for over 15 years now on our field trips with schools and community groups and we’ve always found it to be a great resource. It’s basically an 8 panel fold out chart designed to help you identify some of the most common seashore animals and seaweeds that you might find on the rocky shore.

We find that the laminated waterproof version works really well as a resource for the outdoor classroom and then once we’re back indoors we refer to books that we don’t want to get damaged.

One of our favourite books is Sherkin Island Marine Centre’s Beginner’s Guide to Ireland’s Seashore. This small pocket sized guide serves as an introductory guide to the seashore for a range of levels, including children (aged 8+ yrs), teens and adults. It’s also worth checking out Sherkin Island Marine Centre’s other publications if you’re interested in marine conservation and awareness. This independent marine education and research station was established back in the 70’s and their director Matt Murphy is a bit of a legend as an advocate for the marine environment in Ireland.

We also frequently use Gibson, Hextall and Rogers’ Photographic Guide to the Sea and Shore Life of Britain and North-west Europe as a reference for identifying less common species on the shoreline. Experienced beachcombers will find this guide to be invaluable when identifying animals on the shoreline in North West Europe.

Seashore Identification charts and guides for North America

USA and Canada – Northwest Pacific coastline

 

If you’re looking for some waterproof field guides to take with you while out beachcombing or tidepooling along the great Northwest Pacific coastline, check out the Earth Sky + Water series. They do a series of some great laminated foldout guides which feature common species along the shoreline. Tidepools of the Pacific Northwest Coast covers cold water tidepools from the Oregon / Washington border up through British Columbia, while Tidepools of the California Coast covers the area further south from Santa Barbara to Oregon.  

For a more comprehensive field guide, check out The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest.  This paperback provides detailed descriptions of creatures that you might encounter, as well as information on the best beachcombing sites along the Northwest Pacific coastline and when to visit them. A great option for planning your trip to the seashore as well as a nice reference guide for your library.