A YouTuber named Carlos Gauna, also known as TheMalibuArtist, may have captured the first-ever footage of a newborn great white shark. Carlos is known for filming sharks from above using his drone, providing unique and close-up shots of these creatures. His videos often show great whites swimming dangerously close to humans, which can be quite thrilling. Last year, while filming near Santa Barbara, California, Carlos came across a small, white shark that appeared to be albino. As he brought his drone closer, he noticed that the white layer on the shark seemed to be flaking off, leading him to believe it could be a newborn. Shark researcher Phil Sternes, who was with Carlos at the time, was equally excited by this discovery. The shape of the shark’s fins, which were more rounded than usual, indicated that it could be a newborn. James Worthington from the University of San Diego estimated the shark’s length to be around 1.5 meters, which is typical for a newborn. Their observation has been published in the journal Environmental Biology of Fishes. However, some marine biologists urge caution in jumping to the conclusion that it is definitely a newborn great white shark. Dr. Chris Lowe from California State University’s shark lab believes there could be other explanations for the white layer, such as a skin disease. He suggests that more evidence is needed before confirming it as a newborn. Despite the skepticism, Carlos and Phil believe that the evidence from the video, including the aggressive flaking, the shape of the fins, and the size of the shark, supports their theory. Drones have revolutionized shark filming, providing valuable insights into their behavior. Carlos hopes to one day capture the first-ever footage of a great white shark being born.

Original news source: Has great white shark newborn been caught on film for the first time? (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article individually and then write a brief summary of the main points. Encourage them to include key details and use their own words.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Have them discuss their opinions on the article and then conduct a poll to see how many students agree or disagree with certain statements or theories in the article. Afterwards, have them share their findings with the class.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Provide each student with a blank piece of paper and ask them to sketch what they think the newborn great white shark looks like based on the description in the article. Once they have finished, have them compare their sketches with a partner and discuss any similarities or differences.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper and put them in a hat or bowl. Divide the class into teams and have one student from each team draw a word from the hat and try to get their team to guess the word by drawing it. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups and assign one group to argue the pros of the evidence supporting the theory of the newborn great white shark, and the other group to argue the cons. Have each group take turns presenting their arguments and then open up a class discussion on which side they find more convincing.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Carlos Gauna known for filming with his drone?
2. Where did Carlos Gauna come across the small, white shark?
3. What led Carlos to believe that the white shark he filmed could be a newborn?
4. Who was with Carlos when he discovered the white shark?
5. What did James Worthington estimate the length of the shark to be?
6. Why do some marine biologists urge caution in confirming the shark as a newborn?
7. What evidence from the video supports Carlos and Phil’s theory that the shark is a newborn?
8. What valuable insights have drones provided in the study of shark behavior?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A YouTuber (1)______ (2)______ Gauna, also known as TheMalibuArtist, may have captured the first-ever footage of a newborn great white shark. Carlos is known for filming sharks from above (3)______ his drone, providing unique and close-up shots of these creatures. His (4)______ often show great whites swimming dangerously close to humans, which can be quite thrilling. Last year, while filming near Santa Barbara, California, Carlos came across a small, white shark that appeared to be (5)______. As he brought his (6)______ closer, he (7)______ that the white layer on the shark seemed to be flaking off, leading him to believe it could be a newborn. Shark researcher Phil Sternes, who was with Carlos at the time, was equally excited by this discovery. The shape of the shark’s fins, which were more rounded than usual, indicated that it could be a newborn. James (8)______ from the University of San Diego estimated the (9)______’s length to be around 1.5 meters, which is (10)______ for a newborn. Their observation has been published in the (11)______ Environmental Biology of Fishes. However, some marine biologists urge caution in jumping to the conclusion that it is definitely a newborn great white shark. Dr. Chris Lowe from (12)______ State University’s shark lab believes there could be other explanations for the white layer, such as a skin disease. He suggests that more evidence is needed before confirming it as a newborn. Despite the skepticism, Carlos and Phil believe that the evidence from the video, (13)______ the (14)______ flaking, the shape of the fins, and the size of the shark, supports their theory. (15)______ have revolutionized shark filming, providing valuable insights into their behavior. Carlos hopes to one day (16)______ the first-ever footage of a great white shark being born.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your opinion on using drones to film sharks?
2. How would you feel if you saw a great white shark swimming dangerously close to humans?
3. Do you think it is important to capture footage of a great white shark being born? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever seen a shark in person? If so, how did it make you feel?
5. What do you think is the significance of capturing footage of an albino shark?
6. How would you react if you saw a newborn great white shark in the ocean?
7. Do you think it is possible for the white layer on the shark to be a skin disease? Why or why not?
8. What are some potential dangers or risks of using drones to film sharks?
9. Have you ever had a close encounter with a wild animal? If so, what happened and how did you feel?
10. What do you think motivates Carlos Gauna to film sharks and capture unique footage?
11. Do you believe that drones have had a positive impact on our understanding of shark behavior? Why or why not?
12. How do you think marine biologists can gather more evidence to confirm whether the shark is a newborn or not?
13. What are some other ways that technology has helped us learn more about marine life?
14. Do you think it is important for researchers to continue studying and learning about sharks? Why or why not?
15. How do you think the discovery of a newborn great white shark could impact our understanding of shark populations and conservation efforts?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. albino
2. drone
3. thrilling
4. skepticism
5. newborn
6. flaking
7. fins
8. estimated
9. published
10. marine
11. caution
12. disease
13. evidence
14. revolutionized
15. insights

Meanings:
(A) An illness that affects a person, animal, or plant
(B) Made available to the public through printing or electronic media
(C) Calculated or judged approximately
(D) Changed something dramatically or fundamentally
(E) Causing great excitement or adventure
(F) An attitude of doubting the truth of something
(G) Having a genetic condition resulting in little or no color in the skin, hair, and eyes
(H) The appendages on a fish used for propelling, steering, and balancing in the water
(I) Relating to the sea and its inhabitants
(J) Information or signs indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid
(K) Recently born or come into existence
(L) Understandings or interpretations gained from observation or study
(M) Coming off in thin pieces or layers
(N) An unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers
(O) Advised to proceed with care or to give careful consideration
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is Carlos Gauna known for?
(a) Painting pictures of sharks
(b) Studying shark behavior in a lab
(c) Writing books about sharks
(d) Filming sharks from above using a drone

2. Where did Carlos Gauna film the newborn great white shark?
(a) Miami, Florida
(b) Sydney, Australia
(c) Santa Barbara, California
(d) Cape Town, South Africa

3. What did Carlos notice about the white layer on the shark?
(a) It seemed to be flaking off
(b) It was smooth and shiny
(c) It was growing thicker
(d) It was changing color

4. Who was with Carlos when he discovered the newborn shark?
(a) James Worthington
(b) Dr. Chris Lowe
(c) None of the above
(d) Phil Sternes

5. How long did James Worthington estimate the shark to be?
(a) 2 meters
(b) 1.5 meters
(c) 3 meters
(d) 4 meters

6. What caution do some marine biologists urge regarding the conclusion that it is a newborn shark?
(a) It is definitely a newborn
(b) It is not a newborn
(c) More evidence is needed
(d) The video is not reliable

7. What does Carlos hope to capture one day with his drone?
(a) The first-ever footage of a great white shark being born
(b) The first-ever footage of a shark attack
(c) The first-ever footage of a shark swimming with humans
(d) The first-ever footage of a shark in its natural habitat

8. How have drones revolutionized shark filming?
(a) They scare away the sharks
(b) They provide valuable insights into shark behavior
(c) They make it easier to find sharks
(d) They make it harder to film sharks

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Last year, Carlos came across a small, black shark that appeared to be albino while filming near Santa Barbara, California.
2. Carlos may have captured the first-ever footage of a newborn great white shark.
3. Despite skepticism from some marine biologists, Carlos and Phil doubt that the evidence from the video supports their theory of it being a newborn great white shark.
4. James Worthington estimated the shark’s length to be around 1.5 meters, which is typical for a newborn.
5. Carlos Gauna, also known as TheMalibuArtist, is a YouTuber who films sharks from above using his drone.
6. The white layer on the shark seemed to be peeling off, leading Carlos to question if it could be a newborn.
7. The shape of the shark’s fins, which were more rounded than usual, indicated that it could be a newborn.
8. Shark researcher Phil Sternes was with Carlos at the time and was equally puzzled by the discovery.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is Carlos Gauna known for?
2. Where did Carlos film the potential newborn great white shark?
3. What led Carlos to believe that the shark could be a newborn?
4. What does Dr. Chris Lowe suggest as an alternative explanation for the white layer on the shark?
5. What is Carlos’s ultimate goal when it comes to filming great white sharks?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is Carlos Gauna known for filming with his drone?
Carlos Gauna is known for filming sharks from above using his drone.

2. Where did Carlos Gauna come across the small, white shark?
Carlos Gauna came across the small, white shark near Santa Barbara, California.

3. What led Carlos to believe that the white shark he filmed could be a newborn?
The white layer on the shark appeared to be flaking off, leading Carlos to believe it could be a newborn.

4. Who was with Carlos when he discovered the white shark?
Shark researcher Phil Sternes was with Carlos when he discovered the white shark.

5. What did James Worthington estimate the length of the shark to be?
James Worthington estimated the length of the shark to be around 1.5 meters, which is typical for a newborn.

6. Why do some marine biologists urge caution in confirming the shark as a newborn?
Some marine biologists urge caution because there could be other explanations for the white layer, such as a skin disease.

7. What evidence from the video supports Carlos and Phil’s theory that the shark is a newborn?
The aggressive flaking, the shape of the fins, and the size of the shark support Carlos and Phil’s theory.

8. What valuable insights have drones provided in the study of shark behavior?
Drones have provided valuable insights into shark behavior by revolutionizing shark filming and providing unique and close-up shots of these creatures.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) Carlos
(3) using
(4) videos
(5) albino
(6) drone
(7) noticed
(8) Worthington
(9) shark
(10) typical
(11) journal
(12) California
(13) including
(14) aggressive
(15) Drones
(16) capture
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. albino
Answer: (G) Having a genetic condition resulting in little or no color in the skin, hair, and eyes

2. drone
Answer: (N) An unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers

3. thrilling
Answer: (E) Causing great excitement or adventure

4. skepticism
Answer: (F) An attitude of doubting the truth of something

5. newborn
Answer: (K) Recently born or come into existence

6. flaking
Answer: (M) Coming off in thin pieces or layers

7. fins
Answer: (H) The appendages on a fish used for propelling, steering, and balancing in the water

8. estimated
Answer: (C) Calculated or judged approximately

9. published
Answer: (B) Made available to the public through printing or electronic media

10. marine
Answer: (I) Relating to the sea and its inhabitants

11. caution
Answer: (O) Advised to proceed with care or to give careful consideration

12. disease
Answer: (A) An illness that affects a person, animal, or plant

13. evidence
Answer: (J) Information or signs indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid

14. revolutionized
Answer: (D) Changed something dramatically or fundamentally

15. insights
Answer: (L) Understandings or interpretations gained from observation or study
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is Carlos Gauna known for?
Answer: (d) Filming sharks from above using a drone

2. Where did Carlos Gauna film the newborn great white shark?
Answer: (c) Santa Barbara, California

3. What did Carlos notice about the white layer on the shark?
Answer: (a) It seemed to be flaking off

4. Who was with Carlos when he discovered the newborn shark?
Answer: (d) Phil Sternes

5. How long did James Worthington estimate the shark to be?
Answer: (b) 1.5 meters

6. What caution do some marine biologists urge regarding the conclusion that it is a newborn shark?
Answer: (c) More evidence is needed

7. What does Carlos hope to capture one day with his drone?
Answer: (a) The first-ever footage of a great white shark being born

8. How have drones revolutionized shark filming?
Answer: (b) They provide valuable insights into shark behavior
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Last year, Carlos came across a small, black shark that appeared to be albino while filming near Santa Barbara, California. (Answer: False)
2. Carlos may have captured the first-ever footage of a newborn great white shark. (Answer: True)
3. Despite skepticism from some marine biologists, Carlos and Phil doubt that the evidence from the video supports their theory of it being a newborn great white shark. (Answer: False)
4. James Worthington estimated the shark’s length to be around 1.5 meters, which is typical for a newborn. (Answer: True)
5. Carlos Gauna, also known as TheMalibuArtist, is a YouTuber who films sharks from above using his drone. (Answer: True)
6. The white layer on the shark seemed to be peeling off, leading Carlos to question if it could be a newborn. (Answer: False)
7. The shape of the shark’s fins, which were more rounded than usual, indicated that it could be a newborn. (Answer: True)
8. Shark researcher Phil Sternes was with Carlos at the time and was equally puzzled by the discovery. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧