The Shark Trust has launched a free educational resource designed to introduce children to the fascinating world of sharks and rays, helping teachers, youth leaders and home educators bring marine conservation into their learning environments.
Called Sharks in Schools, the initiative centres on a 30-minute pre-recorded video lesson exploring shark and ray biology, ecology, conservation challenges and the ways young people can get involved in protecting these remarkable animals.
Created primarily for children aged seven to eleven, the lesson supports UK Key Stage 2 curriculum topics, with particular attention given to shark and ray species found in British waters.
Bringing Shark Conservation Into the Classroom
The new resource combines scientific information with engaging visual content, including animations, photography and interactive quizzes.
Presented by Shark Trust Community Engagement team member Mark Stokes-Packer, the lesson introduces young audiences to the diversity of sharks and rays, their importance within marine ecosystems and the threats facing them.
The accompanying digital resource pack provides opportunities for further learning through posters, activity sheets, identification guides and additional videos.
Among the resources are materials covering shark anatomy, British shark species, skate life cycles and shark and ray eggcases. The collection also includes guidance on citizen science activities, encouraging children to become involved in conservation beyond the classroom.
Making Marine Education Accessible
The Shark Trust regularly receives requests from schools and youth groups seeking educational talks and outreach activities. However, limited staff capacity and the practical challenges of travelling from its Plymouth base mean the organisation cannot accommodate every request.
Sharks in Schools offers an alternative, allowing the charity to reach young audiences throughout the UK without requiring in-person visits.
Crucially, the resources are provided free of charge, removing a potential financial barrier for schools, community groups and home educators.
The initiative builds upon the Trust’s existing educational outreach work, including its involvement in the Sea in Our School programme delivered by the Ocean Conservation Trust for Plymouth Sound National Marine Park.
That programme helps connect children in Plymouth with their local marine environment through hands-on education.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Mark Stokes-Packer, who regularly delivers shark and ray education sessions in Plymouth schools, believes the digital format will substantially extend the reach of the Trust’s outreach activities.
“I love delivering this lesson in schools and seeing how excited the children are to learn about sharks and rays – although so many of them already know so much! But by providing this lesson as a digital resource, we can share our love of sharks with so many more children around the UK. I’m really excited to hear what people think of it!”
For the recorded lesson, Stokes-Packer has moved from the classroom to the camera, bringing his usual enthusiasm for shark education to a wider audience.
Shark Trust content creator Louis Hogan has complemented the presentation with imagery, animations and interactive quizzes designed to make the material engaging and accessible for young learners.
Together, these elements create an educational experience that aims to encourage curiosity, improve understanding and inspire future participation in marine conservation.
What’s Included in the Free Resource Pack?
The downloadable educational collection includes:
- Shark anatomy poster
- A–Z of sharks and rays poster
- British Sharks poster
- Skate life cycle poster
- Eggcase identification guide and identification key
- Eggcase workbook
- Eggcase Champion Training Guide
- Speaking Up For The Ocean Toolkit
- Activity sheets
- Additional Shark Shorts videos
How to Access Sharks in Schools
Teachers, home educators, youth group leaders and others working with young people can request the free Sharks in Schools lesson and accompanying digital resources directly from the Shark Trust.
The charity says the materials are suitable for anyone working with or supporting young people, offering an accessible introduction to shark and ray science and conservation.
Request the Free Sharks in Schools Educational Resources
Images courtesy of the Shark Trust.
