Happy summer, readers! What are some of your favorite summertime traditions? I love having time to read, being able to go out in the sun (to read!), and taking trips with the family (whether it’s to Florida or a local attraction, like the Cleveland Zoo or Akron Zoo). But probably my most favorite thing about summer is Discovery Channel’s Shark Week!
Fun fact: long before I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I just love the ocean. I love being at the ocean, and I love all the things that live in the ocean. Yes, even sharks! Will I ever be brave enough to come face-to-face with a shark? Probably not, but I love seeing them on my TV screen every summer.
Shark Week
I don’t just watch Shark Week. I binge-watch Shark Week. And I don’t just obsess over Shark Week when it’s on. I scour the Internet to find out the Shark Week air dates, what shows I’ll see on Shark Week, and how I might enhance my Shark Week experience. Have you seen those shark attack drink recipes, like the Food Network Shark Attack Punch recipe? I don’t drink alcohol, but I might just have to find a virgin recipe for these awesome drinks!
Shark Week 2018 premieres next month on Discovery Channel. This will be the 30th anniversary of Shark Week. I’m so excited! If you’re a Shark Week-aholic like me (or just a fan of sharks in general), this post is for you. Keep reading for shark fun facts and a free shark printable!
Shark Fun Facts
I’ve learned lots of shark fun facts from Shark Week over the years. Check out these 10 shark fun facts to tide you over until Shark Week 2018 premieres on Discovery Channel next month!
- Tiger sharks are nicknamed the “garbage cans” of the sea. Why? Researchers have discovered odd objects (such tires, gasoline tanks, and license plates) inside of Tiger sharks’ stomachs.
- Hammerhead sharks’ oddly shaped heads aren’t just for show! Their heads (called cephalofoils) are equipped with electrical sensors, which make Hammerheads superior hunters.
- Some species of sharks can swim in both freshwater and saltwater. One such species is the Bull shark. Bull sharks are often found in the Mississippi River.
- Fear of sharks increased when the movie Jaws was released.
- For every human killed by a shark, humans kill two million sharks. Bee stings and lightning strikes kill more humans than shark attacks.
- The Mako shark is the fastest shark, clocking in speeds up to 60 mph.
- Sharks are known for their teeth, but did you know that they also lose a lot of their teeth? Some sharks use up to 30,000 teeth in their lifetime!
- Great White sharks are the largest predatory fish (growing from 11-21 feet long). However, they are not the largest shark. The Whale shark is the largest shark, growing 18-33 feet long.
- Sharks do not have a single bone in their body. Their bodies are made of cartilage.
- People in Fiji and the Solomon Islands believe that sharks are possessed by spirits of dead ancestors.
Have any shark fun facts you want to share? Drop me a comment!
Shark Printable
Guess what? I learned how to make word cloud art! I put together this shark word cloud art for you shark lovers out there. Click the link below the photo for your free shark printable!
Need More Sharks in Your Life? Check Out These Shark Toys!
Check out my review post about Wild Republic’s stuffed shark line and Alex Brands DIY Knot-a-Shark blanket for more shark related fun!
Post written by Molly Maurer
Good to learn more about sharks, spreading awareness is good.
I liked it.
Kids will really love this.
so much fabulous information!!!!
Sharks have jumped the shark. But I will always love Mr Hooper. Farewell and adieu my fair Spanish Ladies….
Not to much to it. I think it should be more fun the a bunch shark type names within a shark. Perhaps, make silhouette of each type of shark than a list of each type of shark than a separate list of each correct answer that shows the silhouette. Let me know if you would like further clarification.
Knot – a – shark is cool and the fun facts is good too.
I know kids will love it!
So neat. Love the shark printable
Thanks!
Fun facts and I love your “word cloud” printable–really cute!
Thank you!
These are great! Thanks for sharing them,I love sharks!
My daughter does too! She looks forward to shark week.
Many fun ideas for my nieces and nephew. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for stopping! I think they’ll enjoy learning more!
Very interesting facts! Thanks so much for the cute printable!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping!
Nice facts. Thank you very much for sharing 🙂
Thanks! Enjoy!
these are some great ideas love the shark pic love to have a Tshirt with it on
Wow. I sure learned a lot of interesting things about sharks! 30,000 teeth in a life time?! That is hard to imagine!
It’s pretty amazing!
Brilliant ideas and tips, thank you!
Thanks for stopping!
This is such fun information! The printable is great!
Thanks!
I love all of the fun shark facts–really interesting! The printable is so creative too!
Thank you! My daughter is really talented!
If I lived in Fiji or the Solomon Islands I’d hope I never did anything to make my ancestors sore at me.
I hope not too lol.
I didn’t realize that there were that many different sharks. This is an awesome activity for young and older alike.
I enjoy Shark Week! I was surprised to learn there is a reason for the shape of a hammerhead shark’s head.
Yes, it’s amazing how much you can learn!
I didn’t know that tiger sharks are nicknamed garbage cans of the sea. Thanks for all the tidbits about sharks.
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping!
I love your printable! Shark Week is highly anticipated in this house. Of my 4 kids, the youngest is the biggest shark fan, but the next to last is the shark info fanatic. Your fact #10 was completely new to us! Thanks!
That’s awesome! You learn something every day!
I love these ideas. Sharks are awesome.
Thanks! I’m excited for this week!
These are all great ideas!!! We loves sharks, and shark week, On this house!
What kid doesn’t enjoy fun facts like these.
I agree!
I love that Shark Attach Punch idea–festive!
Yes! We need to make some!
I’m an animal lover and thought I knew a lot about sharks…I barely knew 2 or 3 of your sharks fun facts, so thank you so much for sharing…They’re incredible animals, but I would never want to find any species nowhere near me!
I’ve been a fan of Shark Week for 2 years now and my summer does not completely start until that show!
Yes, I wouldn’t want to be near them, but they sure are amazing!
Like the pinterest shark photo.
Thanks!
Great tips and ideas, Thank you. I love sharks.
They certainly are interesting!
I wanna swim in the ocean blue, just not with Jaws. Some creative ideas here. My favorite is the fun facts.
I can relate!
Love the shark facts and the printable you have
Thank you!
I love, love, love this post. Totally pinning this.
Great, thanks! We’re loving shark week!
I can just imagine Dory photo bombing the shark pic. Lol
LOL I can imagine that too!
I can testify to the bee stings being more likely than a shark attack. The bee must of liked me. My name Melissa means Honeybee. Lol
LOL oh no! Yes, bees definitely can get you! I used to walk barefoot all the time, so I’ve had many stings!
I love these Shark Week ideas! Everyone should learn more about sharks, they are amazing.
Awesome printable, thank you. Sharks always get a bad rep but I think they are lovely!
Great shark facts. I love shark week! Awesome Shark Printable!
I love shark week! My girls do too! They have been checking out all the shark books they could get this week at the library. I didn’t realize bull sharks could withstand fresh and salt water. So neat!
My boys cannot wait!!!!
I had no idea that sharks have no bones! The shark week printables are a good idea for shark fanatics.
Thank you for these amazing facts about one of nature’s most misunderstood animal.
I like the shark facts. Shark week is a fun way to learn about them.
I wouldn’t being able to have more than 2 sets of teeth just like a shark to regrow. Oh, well.
That bull shark fact was a pivotal plot point in the movie Red Water (which was better than it had any right to be).
A lot of good information here about sharks. Great shark printable. I never new that sharks had so many teeth over a lifetime
Ever since I saw the Jaws movies, I became interest in them. I was pregnant with my first baby when the first Jaws came out. I remember some of the reviewers warning people not to go see it if you were pregnant or had heart problems! And it definitely not for children under 12! I remember people screaming in the movie theater. There has to be some sort of respect when it comes to a monster like that! Sharks are coming closer and closer to the shores! As a matter of fact, there was a shark attack in Florida not to long ago. Knowledge is power! Learn and stay safe! Thanks for the printable.
Your welcome! What a great story! I know now kids today would probably joke about how fake it looked, but back then, that was the big time!
I love these and Shark Week!
Love the photo. It would be great for the classroom where I teach now.
Lots of great info on sharks. Can’t really say I’m a fan – more scared of them than anything.
These are FUN facts! I’ll never forget when the 1974 movie Jaws came out. There were warnings about skiddish people watching the film for the first time! I was pregnant and didn’t see the film until I had my baby! I remember the screaming when that monster would appear on that huge movie screen! Back then that truly was a scary movie!! And that music! You know when the beast was coming! The shark’s body doesn’t need bones – they eat enough of them. 🙂
Wow..I didn’t realize it has been 30 years, I admit I have not watched it in the past few years, It just fascinates me..A Shark..is a fish..before Jaws..Fish were kept in aquariums. Jaws ( the movie) changed that for lots of people, myself included..I went snorkeling off Margarita Island( Venezuela) and the fear of Sharks overcame me, that I was terrified and had to be helped back in to the boat, I know wish my experience would have been different, and who knows I may have even experienced seeing a Shark in its natural inhabitant
I remember when Jaws was released. I did not watch it (and still have not, saw just clips). My friend went and whenever we went boating that year she was anxious. She still went, probably because there are no sharks in Central Wisconsin.
The printable was pretty impressive and a good learning tool
My boys will like learning all of these facts.
This was interesting to learn: For every human killed by a shark, humans kill two million sharks. Bee stings and lightning strikes kill more humans than shark attacks.
The punch recipe looks and sounds really good. Sounds like a lemon lime rock candy good time!
So many interesting facts that I had no idea of. I still think it’s so neat that they lose so many teeth and they also have no bones in their body! starla.batesATyahooDOTcom
Very cool printable. Sharks still creep my out. I have yet to be able to watch more than the first 10 minutes of Jaws
This is so neat! I love the facts & the shark week printable!
Fun for kids.
I love Shark Week! My whole family would enjoy these facts 🙂
So cool! I love learning about sharks.
Lots of great info, thanks!
these are cool
Thanks for tips! They’re really good. 🙂
Love shark week and you have some good stuff here.
These are incredible ideas.
i like the shark printable. i was just at a birthday party with baby shark themed candies and cake.
That sounds so cute!
I dont usually watch shark week as well but I do binge watch from time to time 🙂
I have already commented on this but I love the idea of shark week 🙂 I binge on it though 🙂
My grandkids always like learning about sharls and other animals.
Who doesn’t love sharks?!?!!
They are very cool and I know that my son will think so too.
These are some really cool shark facts, thanks for sharing them!
I love it. Great pictures of the sharks and the printable word one you did is way cool. My grandson loves to learn about sharks. thanks for the information
This is a good article about sharks . I never knew they don’t have bones in their bodies it all cartilage – wow
I’d definitely believe fear of sharks increased after Jaws. That movie scared me to death, lol.
I love shark week. The kids will love this
Lot of great information about shark and pictures too. This would give the kids a good start on a report about sharks. thanks
My youngest nephew would love that shark printable with all the sharks listed. No doubt he’d be reciting them, lol.
Wow the Mako shark can go as fast as 60 MPH not that is really fast for a shark . Better get outta there FAST.
I love Shark Week but I have a lot of nightmares
I do too! I dream that I am at the beach but there are too many sharks to go in!
Kids are always interested in learning about animals . We visit the Baltimore Aquarium many times. Still remember the sound track to the song they played in Jaws.
Yes. Sharks can be dangerous, but they are so sleek and have so many different kinds. I’ve seen shark tooth necklaces and have eaten shark in the past from the grocery store.
A very educational posting with great pictures also. Nice for the grandkids too.
Awesome printables! I would rather sharks be the predators than giant squids which will happen if they get wiped out. Now that’s scary.
There’s a lot of information there that I did not know about sharks. But then, I don’t like sharks so I don’t often watch any shows about them or even read much about them.
Very interesting stuff……but I think you may have gone overboard Get it?
Very Very interesting……But I think you may have gone overboard Get it?
LOL
My grandson laughed when I read to him some of the things they find in shark stomach, such as tires and license plates LOL
I did know about sharks having cartilage rather than bones. I’ve heard that scientists have studied it to see how it might help humans medically.
Bee stings and lightning kills more people then sharks. I never would have thought that to be true if I wouldn’t have read it here.
Awesome knowledge to learn about sharks.
Really cute printables and great info on sharks!