Introducing Gill Guardians
By Jasmin Graham, Safina Center Launchpad Fellow
The author with a bonnethead shark. Photo: Jasmin Graham
At the end of March 2021, we will be rolling out our first round of the K-12 curriculum which will include stand-alone video lessons, infographics and activities for students to dive into the wonderful world of shark science. The best part about this education hub is that the management, instruction and curriculum development is made up of a diverse team mostly consisting of gender minorities and people of color. This gives students the opportunity to not only learn about shark science, but also get to see a wide variety of shark scientists represented in their curriculum.
Juvenile tiger shark. Photo: Jasmin Graham
Whale shark encounter off Caribbean coast of Panama. Photographer: Sam Farkas/NOAA OAR 2014 Photo Contest
Gill Guardians is an educational hub that engages the public in elasmobranch (sharks, skates and rays) conservation. The hub is hosted by Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), and anyone with internet access can freely use the curriculum and activities. The curriculum developed will also be shared across formal and informal educational networks as well as at outreach events and programs hosted by MISS and its partners. The Gill Guardians hub will allow students K-12 as well as adults to educate themselves on shark biology, conservation and marine policy as it pertains to endangered and critically endangered elasmobranch species. It will promote scientific literacy and public engagement in elasmobranch conservation. In addition to the asynchronous curriculum that can be accessed by anyone at any time, the hub will also host several live virtual courses throughout the year as well as some in-person engagements (pending changes in COVID-19 restrictions).
Curriculum and online courses for K-12 will be divided into the following broad categories: Pocket Sharks (Kindergarten-2nd Grade), Bonnethead Sharks (3rd-5th Grade), Tiger Sharks (6th-8th Grade) and Whale Sharks (9th-12th Grade). Each category will have several chapters covering a variety of age-appropriate topics relating to shark science. With this curriculum we hope students will gain an appreciation for sharks and understand their importance to our marine ecosystems. We are partnering with The Adventures of Pili and several other organizations to provide this content for a wide audience. If you are interested in partnering with us to deliver this content to your community, please email us at execboad@misselasmo.org. To learn more about the Gill Guardians hub or to access the curriculum and courses, visit gillguardians.misselasmo.org.