"Skype Education: Shark Science in Action" by Jillian Morris

Skype is changing the way the world learns, and educators can now tap into formerly unreachable subjects to open up their classrooms and students’ minds. My name is Jillian Morris, and I am the founder of Sharks4Kids, a US-based nonprofit that uses this technology to expand our youth’s investment in shark science and conservation. We offer a variety of shark lessons via Skype as part of our education outreach program, but after chatting with Sharklab director (Dr. Tristan Guttridge) and media manger (Chris Lang), we decided to take our lessons to a whole new level.

What about bringing the classroom to the field? About one month ago, we began discussing the idea of doing a LIVE shark ‘work-up’ in the lab for students to watch from their hometown. With an all-star education team at hand, we divvied up responsibilities and rehearsed a few “dry” runs (literally) to set aside needed equipment, work out any stage fright kinks, determine ideal camera angles, and test the technical connection of this endeavor. Yes, a shampoo bottle did fill in for a live shark at these times. Without any mountable webcams, a bulky laptop would have to suffice. We also knew fingers would need be crossed to will Bimini’s often dodgy internet to run smoothly for our first live test sessions. Now we just needed a couple of classes to be our guinea pigs. 

I immediately contacted my mom, who teaches 6th grade science in Maine, to see if her students would want to see a live shark work up. The answer was of course, yes. I then asked one of my favorite teachers, one whose classroom I have visited via Skype and in person, Mr. Joe Grabowski. Joe teaches 8^th grade students in landlocked Guelph, Ontario and his response was, “I’d like to think by now you know me well enough to know my answer!” There. We had our first two gigs booked.

Our team of four gathered at the lab on game day. Chris and assistant manager, Lorna Scribner, putted out to the semi captive pens just outside to transport a nurse shark, while volunteer Molly Austin and I prepped and spruced up the lab. We brought and filled a large blue tub inside with saltwater, then set a bilge pump within to keep the water moving and well-oxygenated. Nurse sharks are very hardy, so their transport and placement into a temporary aquarium is perfectly safe. 

At birth, nurses are approximately 28 cm and are covered head to tail with dark spots, making them adorable ambassadors for sharks in general. Our Skype star measured 42 cm in length, so we estimated it to be about a month old. We all spend A LOT of time with sharks, but it always makes me happy to see people’s excitement over nurses given how common they are around Bimini. Everyone at the Shark Lab was taking pictures and commenting on the cuteness of the “chocolate chip cookie,” and we were genuinely eager to show the shark to the students.  With our baby nurse settled in the holding pen, we made the final adjustments in preparation for the talks. 

The first call came in from my mom’s class of 6^th graders, and although they could see us clearly, all we could make out on our screen end were glowing shapes of green. We decided to go with it, anyway. I made the introduction, explaining where we were, when and why the lab was created, adding a bit about the Bahamas’ shark sanctuary. Molly then discussed the semi captive routine at the lab, describing how we find the sharks locally, our feeding methods, and their typical monthlong duration in the holding pens for research and education. Chris then jumped in to explain the shark’s anatomy, from locating sensory organs to determining the sex. We had a baby boy! Because nurses don’t have that typical, jaws-inspired look most people envision when they picture a shark, they are ideal for demonstrating how diverse the size, shape, and color of sharks can be. The kids were now ready to see the ‘work-up’..!

Lorna talked the students through this process, which is our simple way of saying ‘collecting and measuring data on a shark.’ Lorna took the pre-caudal and total length measurements, explaining that we do not take a fork length for nurse sharks because they do not have the bottom lobe of the caudal fin (tail). She scanned the shark for a PIT tag, asking the students if they had a cat or dog implanted with a similar microchip at home. Making connections to familiar concepts helps create a stronger understanding for the students. DNA and isotope samples were not taken, but the process and reason for collection was explained. To complete the work-up, Lorna inserted an orange color tag into the first dorsal fin of the shark. These tags are used for visual identification of specific sharks without having to actually recapture them. 

We concluded the session with a Q&A, and many kids were interested in learning about other shark species found in Bimini, especially those that the lab researched. Although doing the entire talk with a laptop was not the easiest (my arms were shaking a bit from holding it stable close to the shark!), we made it work!

Joe’s class joined us for round two, and we made a few adjustments like altering the camera angle and adding a plastic bag over the keyboard. Chris bravely held his laptop over the holding bin to zoom in on body parts like ampullae and nasal barbels. We lost connection briefly, but were quickly up and running. The students wanted to know the smallest and largest sharks ever tagged by the lab (our star was in the running for the former). They even asked if we had ever seen or tagged a great white or basking shark off Bimini; DREAM COME TRUE FOR ALL OF US if this were to happen. 

Watching this idea take form in reality further solidified the notion that a bit of will power, flexibility, and experimentation can go a long way. We are all really excited to connect with more classrooms, as it was a blast through and through from brainstorming discussions to rehearsing, and most of all, giving the final delivery. Providing kids with facts and a glimpse into the real world of shark science via Skype is not only powerful, but also really fun. Big thanks to Mrs. Morris and Mr. Grabowski for welcoming us into your classroom! Hopefully there are now some eager future marine biologists in the making! Please email Sharks4Kids (Sharks4Kids@gmail.com) or the Bimini Sharklab (opportunities@biminisharklab.com) to book a Skype date of your own.

Jillian Morris

Founder of Sharks4Kids

Website: www.sharks4kids.com

Facebook: Sharks4Kids 

Twitter: @BiminiSharkGirl & @Sharks4Kids