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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Build a Polyp

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research coral polyps. In this coral polyps instructional activity, students discover the anatomy of a coral polyp and how they feed. Students create an edible coral polyp model.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Saved by a Shark

For Teachers 6th - 8th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Oceanic Habitat Zones

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars explore ocean habitats. In this oceanic environment lesson, students research various habitats in the ocean. Then, in a jigsaw format, young scholars teach others in the class about the habitat they researched.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Under the Sea

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students identify and interpret that non-fiction books have features like a table of contents, a glossary, and an index, which can efficiently help them find information. They also identify how to narrow the search for information by...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Your Neighbor?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers recognize and identify some of the fauna groups found in deep-sea coral reef communities. They describe common feeding strategies used by benthic animals in deep-sea coral reef communities.Students be able
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Play Under the Sea

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the hazards of ecosystems and utilize their writing skills to create a studenT book. Threats to the ecosystem of the coral reef are discussed and used as a model for the research of the group.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cool Coral Reefs

For Teachers K - 8th
Students identify, color and label the continents of the world and the equator. They identify and produce water temperature between 74 and 78 degrees. They identify and discuss the term polyps and construct a colony of polyps.
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Lesson Plan
Florida International University

Counting FishStix

For Teachers 9th - 12th
How do we count the fish in the ocean? An engaging lesson models how to estimate fish populations with observational surveys. Class members begin by studying the behavior of fish on the coral reef in the oceans. They then become the fish...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sea Scape

For Teachers K - 4th
Students learn about and make models of coral reefs. In this reef ecosystem lesson, the class locates a number of coral reefs on a map. They learn how a coral reef is a balanced ecosystem that depends upon all of it's plant and animal...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Alien Invasion

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Learners research how alien species can change an ecosystem. In this coral reef lesson, students describe invasive species and site evidence how these species came to be invasive and what control measures are possible.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

History's Thermometers

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Ancient coral beds give scientists clues to past ocean temperatures in much the same way that tree rings indicate historical weather conditions. High school scientists examine coral oxygen isotope ratios and plot the data as a function...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Big Fleas Have Little Fleas

For Teachers 6th - 8th
A benthic habitat hosts a vast collection of organisms and its structure influences the biodiversity. Middle-school marine biology explorers will discuss how corals impact structure, and therefore diversity, on the ocean floor. They draw...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties of the Ocean: Measurement

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students simulate the development of an underwater amusement park after reading background on Coral Reef State Park. They decide which factors they would need to consider such as the ocean floor, currents, wave patterns and water...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Currents: Bad for Divers; Good for Corals

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students describe, compare, and contrast major forces that drive ocean currents. They discuss the general effects of topography on current velocity. They discuss how velocity affects the ability
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seaworthy Presentations

For Teachers 1st
First graders research ocean animals and plants on the web.  In this ocean habitat lesson, 1st graders prepare a multimedia presentation.  Students will work on their presentations in pairs and every group should have its own animals or...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where's My Bot?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers estimate geographic position based on speed and air travel.  In GPS lesson students use GPS to estimate the set and drift of currents. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conservation and Environmental Protection

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students brainstorm a list of environments and animals from around the world that need protection. They then design and create a slogan about an animal or environment and an environmental protection poster.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Animal Classification

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students list characteristics and features of animals found in their community. They then group the animals according to how they are similar and different and create names for each group. They then create a chart of their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's So Special?

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Learners study the biology and morphology of Lophelia corals.  In this investigative lesson students explain how the coral contributes to communities, and create a poster.  
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ocean Drifters

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Learners define terms, and identify three ways in which plankton are adapted for life in the open ocean.  In this ocean drift lesson students design a planktonic organism. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How can deep-water corals be used to determine long-term patterns of climate change?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the concept of paleoclimatological proxies.  In this paleoclimatological proxies lesson, students explain isotope ratios in deep water coral samples.  Students write a paragraph about global climate change as it effects...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Coral Reef Choreographic ProjectTo

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners enhance their understanding of how animals function in a habitat.Students are scattered individually and in small groups. About half of learners make coral shapes in small groups. The other half of students move like animals in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How to Hide in the Ocean

For Teachers K - 8th
Students observe and discuss the advantages of camouflage, then try their hands at designing a well-camouflaged fish.
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Lesson Plan
Aquarium of the Pacific

Ecosystem Comparison

For Teachers 4th
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...