Curated OER
Build a Reef
Students build a coral reef, then discover organisms that make up the ecosystem.
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Exploring Life in the Coral Reef
Young scholars study life forms in coral reefs. In this ocean life lesson, students study life in coral reefs as they create a coral reef sculpture.
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Dinnertime On The Reef
Students identify the main parts of a coral reef. They describe a coral reef food chain.
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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.
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Deep Sea Coral Biodiversity
Students research life forms of both tropical coral reefs and deep-sea coral reefs to discover the biodiversity of the ecosystems. They compare and contrast the diversity and adaptations of the two eco-systems, and draw a picture showing...
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Introduction to Ocean Grazers
Students explore biology by creating a poster with classmates. For 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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The Ocean
Plant and animal life of the ocean is the focus of this science lesson. Young scientists sort a variety of seashells and explore why many sea animals have shells. They examine the shells, write journal entries highlighting the...
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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...
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Coral Reefs Endangered
Young scholars research where in the world coral reefs are located. In this ecology lesson, students create food chains and food web. They simulate growing coral reefs to understand their characteristics better.
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Make an Edible Coral Reef
Students create an edible coral reef out of food and candy. In this Science lesson, students explore what a coral reef is and the coral reef's importance to the ecosystem. Additionally, students discover the different parts of a coral...
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Coral Reef Restaurant
Students explore coral reefs by re-enacting different reef organisms.
Moorea Coral Reef Long-Term Ecological Research Program
Paper Plate Fishes
Tropical fish make great art projects! Use paper plates to design, color, and assemble round and oval-shaped fish based on photographs of actual fish found along the Moorea Coral Reef. Kids learn about different fins- including the...
Curated OER
Deep Sea Coral Biodiversity
Young scholars research life forms on tropical coral reefs in order to explore the biodiversity of the ecosystem. In this biodiversity lesson students work in groups and complete their coral reef activity.
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Coral Reefs: Gardens Under the Sea
Pupils discover the wonders of coral reefs while listening to a book about them. In a Reading Rainbow video activity, they simulate a dive, check equipment and explore a reef. Role-playing as marine biologists, students uncover answers...
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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. For this coral reef lesson, students make connections between coral ecology in the classroom and in the real environment...
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Growing Coral
Students define the words coral and coral reef, and identify the Great Barrier Reef on a map or a globe. They observe crystal formations that develop in a way similar to the way coral polyps create their calcium carbonate cups.
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...
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
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.
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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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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...
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Blue Planet: Seas of Life
Students study coral reefs and marine communities. In this investigative lesson students get into groups and are assigned a subject. In their groups they create a poster about their assigned topic.
Curated OER
Underwater Research
Students make transect and quadrat surveys using a provided worksheet in order to understand the techniques used to study coral reefs. Each type of survey is used to identify the species, diversity, and number of corals.
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,...