From the sea to the classroom:

Raising school awareness about shark incident prevention and water safety.

Abstract

The occurrence of shark incidents and recurring drownings along the coast of Pernambuco in 2023 highlights a critical lack of public awareness, particularly among children and adolescents, about the risks present in coastal and marine environments. To address this issue, PROSA (Environmental Awareness Program) conducted environmental education activities for Basic Education students, focusing on shark ecology and beach safety incident prevention. These activities were held with students from Early Childhood Education through Elementary School at the Cidadão Herbert de Souza Municipal School (Recife) and the Isaac Pereira da Silva School (Olinda) between August and November 2024. The methodology used a dialogic approach, discussing sharks' feeding habits and the students' prior knowledge of beach safety measures. It was observed that most students adopted at least one behavior to avoid incidents, such as staying in shallow waters. They also described safe bathing practices, like swimming only in areas near lifeguard towers. The content was reinforced through pedagogical resources, including games with cup-and-ball toys (bilboquês) and the use of beach safety flags. PROSA's initiatives helped demystify sharks by clarifying aspects of their feeding behavior and promoting incident prevention in coastal zones. Therefore, environmental awareness initiatives from early childhood are crucial for reducing incidents, conserving biodiversity, and fostering a society more engaged in environmental protection.