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SHARKS Worksheet
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The shark is the largest fish in the sea and belongs to the Chondrichthyes class of fish. They have been around for more than 300 million years and were around even before dinosaurs. There are about 350 different types of sharks, but researchers think there are other sharks that haven’t been discovered yet. 

See the fact file below for more information on Sharks or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment. 

General Shark Facts

  • The earliest known sharks date back to more than 420 million years ago.
  • Until the 16th century, sharks were known to mariners as “sea dogs”.
  • Sharks do not have a single bone in their body.
  • They are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a skeleton made up of cartilage. 
  • Cartilage is flexible and durable, yet is about half the normal density of bone. This reduces the skeleton’s weight, saving energy.
  • Because sharks do not have rib cages, they can easily be crushed under their own weight on land
  • Sharks have five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head.
  • Sharks have two dorsal fins on their back, one beneath their body, which is called the pectoral fin (all species do not have that), and the tail which is the caudal fin.
  • Sharks are strong, healthy creatures. No other living thing can take better care of itself than a shark can. 
  • The Whale shark is considered the biggest fish in the world, weighing in at about 90,000 pounds. 
  • The Basking shark is the second largest. It can be as long as 40 feet.
  • The Pygmy shark is about 11 inches in length while the Dwarf shark is as tiny as a human hand. 
  • Great white sharks can grow about 10 inches every year and can grow to be 12 to 14 feet long.
  • Most sharks live for about 25 years, while some can live to be 100 years.
  • Most kinds of sharks can swim up to 20-40 miles per hour. 
  • The Mako shark is said to be able to swim at more than 60 miles per hour.
  • Not all species of sharks are required to be in a continuous motion to breathe, however, a shark’s body is heavier than the sea, so if it stops moving it will sink. 
  • Sharks do not sleep in the same way as humans. Even if they seem to be sleeping they are not, instead they are just resting.
  • Sharks have very good senses. Sometimes a shark is called “a swimming nose”, for its great sense of smell. 
  • Sharks can easily detect prey that is in the sand, as well as at night.
  • Sharks also have a remarkable sensitivity to vibrations in the water. They can feel the movements made by creatures that are hundreds of feet away. 
  • They can also hear sounds from thousands of feet away. 
  • Sharks can also tell the direction from where a sound is coming from, too.

Anatomy

  • Most sharks are “cold-blooded” or, more precisely, poikilothermic, meaning their internal body temperature matches that of their ambient environment.
  • Like other fish, sharks extract oxygen from seawater as it passes over their gills.
  • Unlike other fish, shark gill slits are not covered but lie in a row behind the head.
  • A modified slit called a spiracle lies just behind the eye, which assists the shark with taking in water during respiration and plays a major role in bottom-dwelling sharks. 
  • While the shark is moving, water passes through the mouth and over the gills in a process known as “ram ventilation”. 
  • While at rest, most sharks pump water over their gills to ensure a constant supply of oxygenated water.
  • A shark’s skin is covered by small, razor-sharp teeth called denticles. 
  • These can be removed from the shark’s body and once removed, the remaining skin is made into strong leather.
  • Unlike bony fish, sharks do not have gas-filled swim bladders for buoyancy. Instead, sharks rely on a large liver filled with oil, and their cartilage, which is about half the normal density of bone.
  • Like other fish, sharks extract oxygen from seawater as it passes over their gills.
  • Unlike other fish, shark gill slits are not covered but lie in a row behind the head.

Teeth

  • Shark teeth are embedded in the gums rather than directly affixed to the jaw.
  • Teeth are constantly replaced throughout life. 
  • Multiple rows of replacement teeth grow in a groove on the inside of the jaw and steadily move forward in comparison to a conveyor belt.
  • Some sharks lose 30,000 or more teeth in their lifetime. 
  • The rate of tooth replacement varies from once every 8 to 10 days to several months. 
  • In most species, teeth are replaced one at a time as opposed to the simultaneous replacement of an entire row,
  • A Whale Shark has more than 4,000 teeth, but each is less than 1/8 inch long.
  • The largest shark teeth found belonged to a Carcharodon Magaloden shark and are 6 inches long. This shark is extinct and lived more than 4.5 million years ago.
  • Tooth shape depends on the shark’s diet: those that feed on mollusks and crustaceans have dense and flattened teeth used for crushing, those that feed on fish have needle-like teeth for gripping, and those that feed on larger prey such as mammals have pointed lower teeth for gripping and triangular upper teeth with serrated edges for cutting. 
  • The teeth of plankton-feeders such as the basking shark are small and non-functional.

Reproduction and Diet

  • While most sharks give birth to a small number of well-developed young babies, some sharks lay eggs. 
  • The Hammerhead and Tiger shark can have as many as 40 babies at one time, while the others can have six to twelve.
  • Sharks typically give birth after 11–12 months of pregnancy, but some, such as the frilled shark, are pregnant for more than three years. 
  • Baby sharks are called pups.
  • Sharks do not care for their babies after they are born, but they do search for a safe place where they can lay their eggs or give birth.
  • Sharks bite wildly at anything that gets in their way, even each other. 
  • Almost all sharks are carnivores or meat-eaters. 
  • Sharks live on a diet of fish and sea mammals (like dolphins and seals) and even such prey as turtles and seagulls. 
  • Sharks even eat other sharks.
  • One good meal is enough to satisfy a shark’s hunger. The meal can last a shark for a long period because it uses very little energy to swim. 
  • Some sharks hold food in their stomachs without it being digested. 
  • If they eat a big meal, it can last three or more months.

Sharks and Humans

  • Weird things have been found inside a shark, such as a nail, a bottle of wine, a treasure chest, coats, a suit of armor, a drum, and a torpedo. 
  • In 2008, it was estimated that nearly 100 million sharks were being killed by people every year, due to commercial and recreational fishing.
  • In 2021, it was estimated that the population of oceanic sharks and rays had dropped by 71% over the previous half-century.
  • Sharks are caught by humans for shark meat or shark fin soup. 
  • Many shark populations are threatened by human activities. 
  • Since 1970, shark populations have been reduced by 71%, mostly from overfishing.
  • Sharks never get cancer, so their cartilage is being studied with the hope of developing anti-cancer drugs.
  • More people are killed by bee stings than by shark attacks.
  • Out of more than 470 species, only four have been involved in a significant number of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans namely bull and tiger sharks, the great white, and the oceanic whitetip. These sharks are large, powerful predators, and may sometimes attack and kill people. 
  • Research indicates that when humans do become the object of a shark attack, it is possible that the shark has mistaken the human for species that are its normal prey, such as seals.
  • Despite being responsible for attacks on humans they have all been filmed without using a protective cage.

Sharks Worksheets

This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Sharks Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the world’s largest fish. Did you know? Sharks have been around for more than 300 million years and were around even before dinosaurs! Learn more about these fascinating creatures through these worksheets.

Download includes the following worksheets

  1. Shark Facts

Sharks Back In Time

  1. Sharks Timeline
  2. The Megalodon
  3. The Living Fossils

Modern Sharks

  1. The Lamniformes
  2. Carcharhiniformes
  3. Orectolobiformes
  4. Squatina – Angel Sharks
  5. Top Ten Giants
  6. Reflection

Frequently Asked Questions

Do sharks have predators?

Sharks are apex predators, which means they’re at the top of the food chain. Smaller or young sharks may be cannibalized by other sharks, but the main threat to a shark by far is humans.

Are shark attacks common?

While there is evidence to suggest they’re on the rise, shark attacks remain incredibly rare. You’re more likely to be hurt in a car accident or struck by lightning than attacked by a shark.

Do sharks sleep?

Yes, they do. Although not like we do for many hours at a time. Some sleep while moving so they can breathe. Others sleep with their eyes open. Most sleep for just a few minutes at a time.

Do sharks make a sound?

No, there is no evidence of sharks making any kind of noise or vocalization. A New Zealand shark makes a “barking” noise by expelling water.

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Link will appear as Shark Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 7, 2017

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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