bringing science to life... jaws
KS2 SC2 2a
Author: Peter Benchley. Director: Steven Spielberg. UK video rating: PG
‘Just when you though it was safe to go back into the bath’ The film Jaws did little for the popularity of sharks and as a result, the Great White Shark is probably the most feared of all animals, a close up photograph of its open mouth can be frightening to say the least.
The teeth are triangular and have serrated edges for tearing flesh. They are not rooted into the gum like our teeth but are found in rows. If a shark looses a tooth it is quickly replaced by one in the following row. Each tooth can be as long as 7.5cms.
activities:
Children can test the effects of different kinds of drinks on teeth using egg shell.
Experiment! Hang some egg shell from a piece of thread into a glass and cover the egg shell with your chosen drink (Cola, orange juice, water, milk). Leave for a week (warning – milk will go off if left for a week) then remove the egg shell from the liquids and compare.
Result! The egg shell from the cola, squash and juice drink will all be soft and the egg shell from the water and milk should be undamaged.
Further Activities:
Experiment! Take 2 eggs and dip one in fluoride solution (or a toothpaste solution) for 5 minutes. Take the other egg and place both in white vinegar for 5 minutes.
Result! The egg which has not been placed in the fluoride solution will be bubbling due to the action of the acid on the egg. This shows the protective capacity of fluoride. Other experiments and activities can be found on the Healthy Teeth website.
Children could also extend their investigations by visiting a local dentist for leaflets to make a ‘healthy teeth’ poster.
weblinks:
Photographs
There is a trailer for the film available on the Internet Movie Database but do check it to make sure it’s not too scary for your class first!
Healthy Teeth
Learn.co.uk
Colgate Kids World
Colgate for teachers
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