Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Students research an inhabitant of a Caribbean coral reef using a list of common organisms that live on or near it. Students then write a description of their organism and draw a picture or a 3-D model of it. Eventually they all work...
Curated OER
Egg Carton Coral
Students use egg cartons to construct models of coral colonies showing
many aspects of the coral's natural history - including the structure of
coral polyps and the coral colony's colonial life style.
Curated OER
Build a Reef
Students build a coral reef, then discover organisms that make up the ecosystem.
Curated OER
Save A Reef!
Students identify the major threats to coral reefs and the ways that they benefit from humans. In this coral reef conservation lesson students create a public education program on coral reefs.
Curated OER
What's Down There?
Students analyze data on coral reefs and use this to help characterize reefs. In this mapping coral reefs instructional activity students identify and explain the major threats to coral reefs.
Curated OER
Design a Reef!
Students design a functional model of a coral reef ecosystem. In this coral reef lesson plan, students identify the energy sources and material cycles of a coral reef. They write an essay about their niche in their own ecosystem.
Curated OER
Easy as Pi
Students describe the importance of structural features that increase surface area in a coral reef habitat. In this investigative lesson plan students quantify the impact of modifications on surface area in model habitats.
Curated OER
Dinnertime On The Reef
Students identify the main parts of a coral reef. They describe a coral reef food chain.
Curated OER
Coral Bleaching in the Caribbean
Students use authentic satellite data on the NASA website to determine when the sea surface temperature meets the criteria to induce coral bleaching.
Curated OER
Saved by a Shark
Students explore the marine ecosystem and the importance of sharks. In this shark lesson, students look at photos of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and discuss the animals that live there. They discuss which animals...
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.
Curated OER
Who Eats Whom in a Bermudian Coral Reef?
Students will be able to find out about feeding relationships on a coral reef. They then will be able to develop a food chain and food web using coral reef animals and plants using the Coral Website.
ARKive
Dinner at the Reef
Fine dining can happen anywhere, even in the coral reefs. Budding environmentalists explore marine food chains, predator-prey relationships and the importance of a balanced ecosystem. These important concepts are facilitated through a...
Curated OER
Treasures in Jeopardy
Students compare and contrast deep sea coral reefs to shallow water reefs. In this coral reef lesson students develop a poster that could be used to educate the public about the importance of coral reefs.
Curated OER
Bermuda Reef Diorama
Young scholars build a Bermuda coral reef to gain a better understanding of this ecosystem.
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
Where's My Bot?
Students estimate geographic position based on speed and air travel. In GPS lesson students use GPS to estimate the set and drift of currents.
Curated OER
Sonar Simulation
Students explore how a side-scan sonar can help locate underwater objects. In this hands- on lesson students compare side-scan sonar and other methods used to search for underwater objects by creating their own "simulation" of a...
Curated OER
A Piece of Cake: Ocean Communities
Young scholars explain habitats. In this model based lesson students create a model to help describe a habitat that is typical of deep-water. Young scholars will describe how organisms such as coral and sponges add to their habitat.
Aquarium of the Pacific
Ecosystem Comparison
Fifth graders examine plants and animals in two ecosystems and compare them. In this ecosystem survival lesson, 5th graders compare and contrast a coral reef and kelp forest ecosystem. Students investigate the abiotic and biotic factors...
Curated OER
Exploring Marine Ecosystems in the Caribbean and Maine
Students compare the marine habitats of Maine and the Caribbean using temperature, tides, ocean currents, latitude and longitude. In this marine ecosystems lesson, students analyze maps to complete graphic organizers that evaluate the...
American Museum of Natural History
What is Marine Biology?
A marine environment covers the majority of the earth but is arguably the least understood. Teach young scientists about the characteristics of oceans and ocean species using an interactive online lesson. The in-person or remote learning...
NOAA
Individual Species in the Deep Sea
A tube worm's outer covering is made of chitin, the same material that makes up the shells of lobsters and crabs. Scholars create tube worms and analyze and discuss the longevity of organisms living near cold seeps. They then discuss and...
Curated OER
Keep Away
Study biological diversity by analyzing given data, and make inferences about the possible effects of oil drilling operations on specific benthic communities. This lesson plan allows learners to use their statistical analysis skills...