NOAA
Why is Hawaii's Ocean Important?
Studying the oceans? Focus on Hawaii's ocean with a resource packed with activity-based worksheets. Everything from products that come from the ocean to the abundance of plants and animals that call the ocean their home, Hawaii's ocean...
Curated OER
What is Coral?
Students discuss what they know about coral reefs and are introduced to the importance of preserving coral reefs. In this coral reef lesson plan, students make connections between coral ecology in the classroom and in the real...
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Coral Reef Ecology
Students explore coral life cycles. In this coral ecosystems lesson plan, students view videos explaining the life cycle of coral, including examples of sexual and asexual reproduction. Students read a related article cooperatively in...
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Learning Scientific Coral Terminology
Learners explore properties of coral. For this scientific observation lesson, students investigate properties and characteristics of coral. Learners write statements describing the coral using observation words.
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Seals, Corals, and Dollars...
Students explore the interdependence of animals and their habitat. In this Hawaiian ecology activity, students work in groups to research the necessity of preserving precious coral as a habitat for monk seals. Students prepare and...
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Corals and Coral Reefs
Students label the continents, oceans, and seas on a provided world map and use it to determine where they would expect most of the world's coral reefs to be found based on provided information the teacher has read to them.
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Build a Polyp
Students research coral polyps. In this coral polyps lesson, students discover the anatomy of a coral polyp and how they feed. Students create an edible coral polyp model.
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Introduction to Ocean Grazers
Students explore biology by creating a poster with classmates. In this oceanography lesson, students identify the importance of coral reefs to the ocean's ecology and examine a food web of ocean animals. Students define a list of...
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Plant and Animal Cells
Students investigate parts of a cell. In this plant cell instructional activity, students determine the difference between plant and animal cells. Students discover that coral is an animal based on cell characteristics. Students create...
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Background Reading and Coral Dramas
Students create a dramatic play. In this coral lesson, students explore the anatomy of coral. Working in groups, students research the form and function of coral and present a skit to represent their learning.
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Mealtime for Corals
Students explore how coral polyps feed. In this science lesson plan, students participate in an interactive game to demonstrate how polyps within a coral colony feed. Students become coral polyps and demonstrate how they feed in this...
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Making an Edible Coral Polyp
Students study anatomy. For this coral reef lesson, students recreate the anatomy of a coral polyp using edible materials. They work in pairs following step-by-step instructions given by the teacher. This lesson includes a list of...
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Observations and Inferences
Students examine coral skeletons. For this science lesson, view real coral skeletons. Students explain the differences between an observation and an inference. Students draw a coral skeleton.
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KWL Chart and Background Article
Students discuss an ecosystem. In this coral reef lesson, students fill in their own KWL chart and contribute ideas to a whole class KWL chart. They read an article as a class to spark ideas for facts they can add to the "K" part of the...
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Sand Collection and Identification
Students collect small amounts of sand from a favorite beach. They note the texture of the sand as fine or coarse and hypothesize why this might be. They research different kinds of sand grains and the conditions that produce them.
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An Introduction to 'Opae 'ula
Students examine the 'opae 'ula. In this science lesson, students observe a live specimen and identify the major body parts. Students construct habitat jars and observe the 'opae 'ula behaviors.
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Islands, Reefs, and a Hotspot
Students describe eight stages in the formation of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. They examine the movement of tectonic plates in the Hawaiian archipelago region, and describe how plate movement produced the Hawaiian archipelago.
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Friend, Foe, or . . .
As a result of this lesson, upper elementary ocean explorers will be able to describe several interrelationships: symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. They learn that the biological richness is increased near seamounts and...
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Build an Anchialine Pond
Students explore biology by conducting a nature experiment. In this pond examination lesson, students utilize recycled materials, play-doh and water to recreate a pond and its inhabitants. Students identify the different elements within...
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Types of Marine Debris
Students conduct an experiment. In this marine debris and environment protection instructional activity, students categorize trash into piles, predict whether these trash items will sink, float or be picked up and carried by the wind...
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What Does it Take to be a Survivor? Part One
Students explore marine animal adaptation. In this introductory ocean life biology lesson, students access prior knowledge by participating in a whole class "thought swap." Students form two lines, respond to a prompt from the teacher...
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Lesson on GPS
Students investigate global positioning systems. In this technology and mapping lesson, students view a PowerPoint presentation in which they identify the features of a GPS, state its uses, and follow steps to find a waypoint.
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What Does it Take to be a Survivor: Part 2
Students explore adaptation by completing worksheets. In this fish anatomy lesson, students identify the different survival strategies fish utilize to live in the ocean and the adaptation their bodies have gone through over millions of...
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Food Chain Poster Instructions
In this food chain worksheet, students follow a set of 9 steps to create a food chain poster. Page has no additional activities.