Read about the great start to Year 7 Rutherford Science

The trailer pulled into school with the latest Rutherford Science specimen on board. Caught on Saturday and delivered to school on Sunday by Peter Whale and his son Macklin.

Then the fun began; carrying it in to the science room and working out how to put it in a freezer half the height of the shark! But when there is a will – there is a way. Thank you, Peter, for the amazing Bronze Whaler Shark, tangled and dying – the effort to bring it in for us to study is much appreciated.

The Yr 7 Rutherford Science class’ second lesson was a big surprise and very hands on. With a body and fins of cartilage, a jaw with rows of very sharp teeth and skin that was so soft when patted one way and as rough as sandpaper the other. 

We looked at the incredible design of an animal that has been on this planet 450 million years and how it is designed perfectly for the life it leads and the environment it is in.

The 1.6 metre shark was seen that day by six classes in total.

Sharks are beautiful animals needed by humans to maintain a healthy ocean. Thank you also to Dean and Mark who helped lift the shark in the morning onto the teaching desk and then took it away at the end of the day, to bury in our conservation area.

What a great start for Rutherford Science; there are more surprises in the freezer to come, none as big as that however!

Ali McPike