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
Guess Who? Coral
Fourth graders identify and group coral formations. In this coral identification instructional activity, 4th graders examine coral pictures, discuss vocabulary, and provide similarities and differences in the growth formations.
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Growing A Coral Skeleton
Students research the growth of coral. In this coral polyps lesson, students simulate the growth of coral by using available materials to grow crystals. Students record observations in a scientific journal.
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Coral Reef Community
Students explore the coral reef. In this food chain activity, students study the plants and animals of the coral reef and how they each play a role in that ecosystem. They participate in a class play to demonstrate the types of animals...
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Coral Reef Conservation
Young scholars conduct discussions on current threats to coral reefs around the world and write letters to conservation organizations urging support for coral reef protection.
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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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What's Down There?
Investigate the coral reefs around Mokolai Island, Hawaii by researching and writing about improving the reef ecosystem. Learners map threats to the ecosystem and use the list of key words to assist in their descriptions
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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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Seals, Corals and Dollars
Students described the ecological relationships between Hawaiian monk seals and deep-water precious corals. They describe and explain at least two different viewpoints on how monk seals and precious coral resources
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The Formation And Types of Coral Reefs in Insular Southeast Asia and their Inhabitants
Middle schoolers study the geological formation and inhabitants of the coral reefs in Southeast Asia. They investigate how the effects of weather and human activity on these ecological systems.
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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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Climate, Corals, and Change
Students examine oxygen isotope ratios and how they are related to water temperature. They also identify three forcing factor changes for climate change.
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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.