Measuring the Fastest Shark: teacher key

Mako Sharks, grade 11 edition, written for 11th grade. The mako is called the fastest shark, but few direct measurements exist. See how two tagged sharks gave scientists real numbers.

Read the book. Print this page for the key.

Questions and answers

1. What did tags on two makos measure?
   • Their dreams
   • Their weight
   • Their swimming speed (answer)
2. What was the average cruising speed in the 2023 study?
   • 0.90 metres per second (answer)
   • 90 metres per second
   • 900 metres per second
3. How long did the burst last that averaged 2.38 metres per second?
   • 14 minutes
   • 14 seconds (answer)
   • 14 hours
4. What did the study find about makos and other warm-bodied fish?
   • Makos cruise much slower
   • Makos do not cruise
   • Makos cruise at similar speeds (answer)
5. Why should readers be careful with the burst result?
   • It came from only two sharks (answer)
   • It was never measured
   • It was a guess
6. What might ocean deoxygenation do to makos?
   • Make them faster
   • Make habitat loss a danger (answer)
   • Make them warmer

Words

• burst: quick sprint
• cruising: steady swimming
• oxygen: breathing gas
• deoxygenation: oxygen loss