I have a fun way to learn anatomy shark vocabulary. Also, look at this Shark Unit Study for more fun ideas.
You do not need to grab expensive box curriculums or load your learner down with tons of worksheets. They can learn so much with things like this shark vocabulary hands-on anatomy activity.
I thought this activity would be just in time for celebrating International Whale Shark Day on August 30th.
Yes, a whale shark is a shark, not a whale.
I used a great book for reference, a few plastic shark toys, and a sheet of cardstock to create a simple activity that can be used over and over to help teach about sharks from snout to caudal fin.
This activity is easily adaptable for older and younger children by adding more or less of the anatomy words to be labeled.
Too, changing up the type of vocabulary words like choosing species, layers of the ocean that you might find each shark, etc. will increase the depth of facts to introduce.
Shark Vocabulary Anatomy
One resource I reach for time and again is Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman.
When thumbing through it I found this great shark anatomy page that gave me a great idea for an activity.
This book is not a one-hit wonder though, besides the anatomy diagram there is information on their teeth, eating habits, size, and different species of sharks.
That is just the information on sharks, there is literally a whole ocean of information in the book.
We are also adding in some typing skills by having children do as much of the activity as possible from start to finish.
Below you will find a couple shark vocabulary lists to choose for them to create their own anatomy or species labels.
Shark Anatomy Words
- Nostril
- Eye
- Mouth
- Spiracle
- First Dorsal Fin
- Second Dorsal Fin
- Precaudil Pit
- Caudal Fin
- Caudal Keel
- Anal Fin
- Pelvic Fin
- Pectoral Fin
- Gill Openings
- Gill arch
- Backbone/Spine
Shark Species
Also, look at these species of sharks.
- Lemon
- Great White
- Mako
- Tiger
- Whale
- Leopard
- Hammerhead
- Nurse
- Black Tip
Then, add some shark books and fun hands-on resources about sharks while learning about the anatomy of sharks.
Homeschool Shark Unit Study Resources
Add one or two of these fun shark books and resources to your study about sharks.
Dive inside the world of sharks with this guide to the most incredible creatures in the sea. Photographically illustrated chapters highlight kid-favorite species such as Great Whites and Hammerheads, with a focus on behavior, senses, breeding, and feeding. Sharks! is the perfect overview for developing readers ready to explore this popular animal subject on their own. Special features include full-color photography throughout, "Meet the Scientist" sidebars, and "In Your Newsfeed" articles about amazing new discoveries.
Supporting STEM-based learning, this fact-filled book for shark aficionados ages 6–9 is the ultimate guide to sharks, from hammerheads to great whites. Entertaining and educating young readers through a combination of close-up images, quirky trivia facts, quiz questions, and fascinating tidbits, it’s the perfect book for any kid who can’t get enough of these ferocious fish.
PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.
FUN FACTS: Explore underwater and learn about the amazing creatures in the sea. Discover facts about common mammals, plants and other Life in the Ocean.
Find out if the Nurse Shark or the Tiger Shark is the most mysterious, or if the Spiny Dogfish Shark or the Whale Shark has been involved in the most incidents
30+ genuine (broken) fossilized shark teeth from Morocco! These are broken and partial teeth fossils! Each bag will have about 2-3 small full shark teeth, the other teeth will be broken and chipped!
This sea creatures toy building set features 3 sea animal figures: a scary shark, a posable crab with a box of treasure and a wide-mouthed Angler Fish
The dark-blue and white colored toy shark figure has an opening mouth, pointy teeth, posable fins, movable body joints and reflective eyes
- Fun
- Educational
- Learn While Having Fun
- Comes With Everything You Need
- PerfectCast 5 Times Stronger Than Plaster
100 Piece Puzzle
Julia Rothman’s best-selling illustrated Anatomy series takes a deep dive into the wonders of the sea with Ocean Anatomy. Follow Rothman’s inquisitive mind and perceptive eye along shorelines, across the open ocean, and below the waves for an artistic exploration of the watery universe. Through her drawings, discover how the world’s oceans formed, why the sea is salty, and the forces behind oceanic phenomena such as rogue waves. Colorful anatomical profiles of sea creatures from crustacean to cetacean, surveys of seafaring vessels and lighthouses, and the impact of plastic and warming water temperatures are just part of this compendium of curiosities that will entertain and educate readers of all ages.
✔ SHARK FIGURINES BIG PARTY - Includes whale shark, hammerhead shark, tiger shark, blue shark, mako shark, zebra shark. Totally includes 6 sharks figurines. Kids would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.
✔ REALISTIC EMULATIONAL DETAILS - This sea animal figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid. And all the animal figures stands up very well, they do not fall over. Children would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.
Additionally, look at more ideas for learning about sharks.
More Activities to Learn About Sharks
- How to Make A Megalodon Shark Tooth Fun Homeschool Project
- How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
- Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity
Finally, look at this fun way to learn shark anatomy vocabulary.
Shark Vocabulary Anatomy Activity
You will need:
- Oceans Anatomy
- or Shark Anatomy Diagram
- Cardstock
- Plastic shark figures
- Small basket
First, for older children, have them type (or write) all the shark vocabulary words from the list. Then print it out on cardstock. Cut out each word and place it in a basket.
Add a few plastic sharks that have enough detail that your child will be able to find each of the words.
You will want something close to 6” or larger so there is enough room to put down all the labels.
Give them the book or a printout of shark anatomy to use as a reference.
Now your child can use the words to label each part of the shark.
To make it harder after they initially label each part you can remove some of the words and see if they can recall what is missing.
For example, cover the words on the diagram one by one until they know all the parts, or close the book together and see how many they can get on their own.
For younger children, you could simplify it by only giving them a few words like snout, nostril, eye, dorsal fin, mouth, and caudal fin.
Also, you can use shark species as another type of vocabulary to learn.
In the same manner as above, type up some species to match the sharks you already have or print out photos of them.
Let your child match the name with the correct shark.
These small sharks offer a variety and are great for labeling species but would be too small for the anatomy activity.
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