Curated OER
Coral Bleaching
Students examine the relationship between corals and zooxanthellae, identify stresses to corals, and explain coral bleaching. In this sea life instructional activity students predict the effects of increased temperatures on coral reefs.
Curated OER
Dead Zones: Why Are the Waters Dying?
Students investigate the effects of pollution on marine ecosystems. They read and discuss an article, identify the effects of pollution on marine life, conduct research on local nutrient pollution, and conduct local water quality studies.
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...
Curated OER
Coral Reef Bleaching
Students explore the structural biology of corals. Working individually, students identify how corals become bleached and which conditions produce more and less coral bleaching. Students explore how this effects the environment and...
Curated OER
Sexy Coral Reef and I Want My Own Space
Fifth graders explore how coral polyps increase the chances of egg and sperm meeting after being released into the vast ocean waters.
Curated OER
Habitats and Adaptations
Students research and describe the habitat and adaptations of a reef animal. After the student is assigned a habitat, they design and draw a cresture adapted to eat each food and to live in each habitat.
Biology Junction
Cnidarians and Ctenophorans
Cnidaria is a broad phylum of 11,000 different species from jellyfish to coral. Most Cnidarians are marine species with a few freshwater examples. A lesson presentation explains the important characteristics of different species of both...
Curated OER
Do Not Bleach!
Students explore the importance of protecting the coral reefs. In this Oceanography lesson, student examine how coral reefs benefit humans, identify major threats to the reefs, and discuss actions to reduce these threats.
Curated OER
Easy as Pi
Students describe the importance of structural features that increase surface area in a coral reef habitat. In this investigative activity students quantify the impact of modifications on surface area in model habitats.
Curated OER
Into the Sea
Students display an awareness of the diversity of species in the coral reef, their habitat and adaptations. They conduct research to find and then color code the locations of coral reefs around the world.
Curated OER
Science: Coral Reef Food Pyramid
Students construct numbers pyramids using fictional data from a coral reef. they tally the numbers of carnivores, herbivores, and producers. Students next build a pyramid shape in which they put their numbers of producers, herbivores,...
Curated OER
Sustainable Southern Belize: Coral Health Lesson Plan
Fifth graders investigate coral reefs and the dangers they face by labeling and drawing. In this oceanography instructional activity, 5th graders view a PowerPoint presentation of photographs of coral reefs in Belize. Students...
Curated OER
Fish Are Animals Too
Students create posters that show how a shark is a major predator in kelp forests and coral reefs after studying the food webs for these ecosystems. They determine that fish are important animals in the ocean's web of life.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Locating Reefs in Trouble
In this science worksheet, students research where coral reefs are located and which ones are in danger. Students complete a graphic organizer to help organize their information.
Curated OER
The Ocean
Plant and animal life of the ocean is the focus of this science lesson plan. Young scientists sort a variety of seashells and explore why many sea animals have shells. They examine the shells, write journal entries highlighting the...
Curated OER
Coral Reef Community Drama: Scene Description
Students are organized into groups and are assigned puppets according to what sea creature their group represents. For this reef lesson, students identify sea creatures according to their place in the food chain then discuss how these...
Curated OER
Lesson #5: Symbiosis and Coral Anatomy
Fifth graders examine the basic structure of corals and the concept of symbiosis. They watch a Powerpoint Presentation, develop an original pair of organisms living symbiotically, and create an edible model of a coral polyp.
Curated OER
Life on the Edge: Exploring Deep Ocean Habitats Cool Corals
Young scholars research the basic morphology of Lophelia corals and polyps to determine the significance of these organisms. They detail the reasons that biological communities are focusing on the Lophelia corals as major conservation...
American Museum of Natural History
Dive Into Worlds Within the Sea
Make connections between ocean organisms. Individuals explore three different ecosystems in the ocean. With an online interactive, they learn how different organisms depend upon each other. Learners first answer questions to connect...
Curated OER
Feeding in the Flow
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a tremendous library of ocean-themed lessons that can be used in a variety of science settings. "Feeding in the Flow" is one of those activities; Its focus is on...
Curated OER
Filter Feeding in Reef Sponges
Students investigate the role of sponges in our oceans. In this biology lesson, students create a diagram visualizing how sponges bring food into their bodies through a filtering process. Students discuss the connections between...
California Academy of Science
Colorful Fish Adaptations
I love lessons that incorporate the arts, they're so engaging and address a more diverse set of learners. Your class will investigate the reasons fish from the coal reef have adapted such colorful fins. They design a fish that uses color...
Curated OER
Aquaculture
Students examine an experiment in which 2 types of commercial fish are fed a new type of fish feed and a commercial fish feed which costs ten times as much. They calculate in the fish grow as well with the cheaper fish feed and then...