Coral reefs contain some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. Introduce reef residents to youngsters with a three-minute video. While the content is educational, it is not particularly engaging or clear. You may choose to skip the...

Show the six-minute video, "Changing Planet: Fading Corals," and then demonstrate how calcium carbonate forms a precipitate in the presence of carbon dioxide. Separate your scientists into small groups to gather information about coral...

Using photographs and a coral reef identification key, junior marine biologists compare changes in coral cover for a No-Take Area and the surrounding unprotected area. The data that is collected is then analyzed for richness,...

Students build a coral polyp out of a banana, straw, oyster crackers, sprinkles, and more. In this coral polyp lesson plan, students also list the differences between plants and animals.

With a discussion and a brief film, introduce populations. Using paper fish models, your class participates in a simulation in which they survey numbers of fish. As a class, they tally up the different types. The challenge with this...

Global warming is leaving coral reefs in hot water. What does that mean for their survival? Find out as scholars use authentic satellite data to explore the issue. Learners look for global trends in the data and research the effects the...

Students complete a project where they label the parts of a coral polyp and discuss the differences between plants and animals. Students use marshmallows, sprinkles, toothpicks, and more to label their coral polyp.

Students explore coral communities. They explore a coral polyp and build a coral head.

Young scholars, with dive partners, explore coral reefs through scuba diving. They also explore radial symmetry and bilateral symmetry.

Students investigate the dangers Coral Reefs face by investigating satellite images.  In this environmental protection lesson, students utilize the Internet to discover the types of satellites and sensors used to provide...

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.

Students study the life cycle of a coral reef. They then participate in a simulated village meeting in which they roleplay various characters who must review proposed legislation dealing with reef management.

A more thorough presentation on coastal systems would be difficult to find! Detailed diagrams illuminate the offshore, shoreface, foreshore, and backshore zones of  beach. The sources and movement of sediments along the coastline...

Students explore the interdependence of animals and their habitat.  In this Hawaiian ecology lesson, students work in groups to research the necessity of preserving precious coral as a habitat for monk seals.  Students prepare...

Investigate the coral reefs around Mokolai Island, Hawaii by researching and writing about improving the reef ecosystem.  High schoolers map threats to the ecosystem and use the list of key words to assist in their descriptions

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.

Students explain five ways that coral reefs benefit humans and identify three threats to the reefs. They investigate the phenomenon of "coral bleaching" while examining ways to reduce threats to coral reefs.

Students explore coral reef ecosystems.  In this ecosystems science lesson, students research coral reef ecosystems to determine the major functions the participating organisms must perform.  Students construct a miniature...

Students explore the concept of global climate. For this global climate lesson, students research and investigate global warming and its effects on the world over the course of 9 lessons. Students create a proposal that show the effects...

Fifth graders explore how coral polyps increase the chances of egg and sperm meeting after being released into the vast ocean waters.

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...

In this ocean worksheet, learners color in a cartoon illustration of coral and shells in the ocean. Students may add details to the picture or write a description about it.

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...

In this using adjectives worksheet, students use adjectives in a word bank to complete sentences about a Coral Reef. Students fill in five blank answers.