The Shark Control Unit

During the Shark Control Unit I refined my SACE Personal and Social Capability through developing empathy for and understanding of different points of view, valuing and respecting a range of perspectives, developing the skills to be able to work together effectively with others, and expressing feelings, ideas, and opinions. I developed my empathy and understanding through investigating 8 alternating views about sharks, including some where people have been seriously injured or killed by sharks, and feeling empathy and sympathy for those involved. The case I felt the most for was a woman named Heather who lost her leg to a shark, but felt no ill will towards her attacker because she believed that the shark didn’t know any better. I would the

Whenever we discussed a new view, our teacher would ask us how we felt about sharks after hearing it. Some people stood by their opinions while others occasionally changed their views based on new information, which is what I did as well. We also participated in group projects about shark control which often brought up discussion of organisation, teamwork, and our chosen shark control methods. At the end of the project we had to make a recommendation of a control method for Horseshoe Bay, so we had a group discussion about what we believed to be the most efficient and safest method for the beachgoers and the sharks. I understood that my method was not suitable for a large area so I helped my teammates debate on what the best option was and in the end we settled on a combination of two different methods. I am going to extend and apply this skill to future group projects, situations where teamwork is important, and discussions with friends and family about a single topic. By doing so I will be able to help create a space where everyone can put in their opinion about the topic and have that opinion be respected and valued in the

I developed an opinion on rogue sharks through investigation the 8 alternating views in the unit and then expressed my feelings and opinion on whether they should be killed or conserved in a short essay. When I started the group project I investigated my chosen control method, shark shields, until I couldn’t find any more information and created a personal opinion on them, which is that they are good for the one person but aren’t suitable for a beach like Horseshoe Bay. I voiced that opinion to my group when the time came to create a recommendation for Horseshoe Bay, and we decided to rule out shark shields. I am going to extend and apply to skill to future discussions and projects where opinions are needed to make a decision or lead up to one. By doing so I know that I will be able to speak up, help or even take leadership in situations where everyone else is indecisive and is in need of some