Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conservation

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine how destructive fishing practices affect the health of coral reefs. They watch a Powerpoint Presentation, conduct an experiment, and in small groups create a Powerpoint Presentation.
Handout
Sheppard Software

Sheppard Software: Coral

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives an in-depth description of coral, including its behavior, appearance, and classification. The site includes photos and illustrations and an interactive quiz to test your understanding.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Contrasts in Blue: Life on the Caribbean Coral Reef and the Rocky Coast of Maine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Smithsonian Education presents Contrasts in Blue: Life on the Caribbean Coral Reef and the Rocky Coast of Maine. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students explore two marine ecosystems, the coral reefs...
Unit Plan
Language Guide

Language Guide: Los Animales Del Mar (Spanish)

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides colorful pictures of sea animals interact with audio and the written vocabulary word as you move your mouse over the picture. This vocabulary would compliment a science unit on marine life.
Website
US Fish and Wildlife Service

United States Coral Reef Task Force

For Students 9th - 10th
The US Coral Reef Task Force was created to protect and sustain US coral reefs. This website provides general coral reef information as well as updates from the most recent task force meetings.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian National Zoo: Zoogoer Magazine: The Marvelous Majority

For Students 9th - 10th
This article examines a range of invertebrates. Among the invertebrates discussed included are jellyfish, coral, termites, gypsy moths, octopus, crayfish, and more.
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 2: Anatomy of Coral

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that investigates coral. In this activity, students will use a microscope to examine the feeding behavior of a hydra, a fresh-water relative of coral. They will also observe the characteristic...
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 3: Building a Reef

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students learn how corals grow and reproduce in this lab about the life cycle of corals. During this lab, students will model reef formation. This lab is part of a series of experiments that investigate coral.
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 4: Finding Coral's Ideal Environment

For Teachers 9th - 10th
An investigation that is part of series of lab lessons where students study coral. In this particular experiment, students explore the optimal environmental conditions for coral to survive. Students will study temperature, water depth,...
Activity
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Lab 6: Using Data to Identify Hot Spots and Predict Bleaching Events

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that investigates coral. In this particular lab, students look at data to study the concepts of coral bleaching, bleaching hot spots, and degree-heating weeks.
Website
Other

Save Our Seas Organization: Home Page

For Students 9th - 10th
Home page of the Save Our Seas Organization which seeks to protect all the oceans of the world.
Website
Texas A&M University

Ocean World: Bringing the Ocean to the Classroom

For Students 9th - 10th
Online resource for students and teachers to see information on icebergs, fisheries, coral reefs, waves, currents and more. Provides teachers with learning activities. Has its own ask-an-expert site (Ask Dr. Bob), and provides real-time...
Website
BBC

Bbc Future: Week of 1 14 13: Will We Ever Lose All of Our Coral Reefs?

For Students 9th - 10th
This article describes how climate change is impacting coral reefs around the world. Includes many photographs of coral reefs.
Website
NOAA

Noaa: Florida Keys: Coral Reefs

For Students 9th - 10th
This effective site provides interesting information on the third largest coral reef system in the world. Physical requirements needed for coral reefs to survive are included in this site. Growth and Reproduction, coral reef types, and...
Unit Plan
NOAA

Noaa: Ocean Service Education: Corals

For Students 9th - 10th
This Coral Tutorial is an excellent resource with diagrams, pictures, animations and short videos. All aspects of coral biology are discussed. As an added benefit, pdf versions of the site are available along with a subject review...
Website
PBS

Pbs: El Nino

For Students 9th - 10th
You can link to the anatomy of El Nino, chasing El Nino, and El Nino's reach. There is a resource page and a search page.
Unit Plan
Center for Educational Technologies

Nasa Classroom of the Future: Coral Reefs: Dissappearing Resource

For Students 9th - 10th
Why are the reefs disappearing? Use this site to explore the science behind the issue. Useful at several grade levels.
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Introduction to the Cnidaria

For Students 9th - 10th
A colorful look at Cnidarians from the University of California. Be sure to click on the 4 buttons on the bottom of the page to see all the info there is on this fascinating phyla!
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Cnidarian Fossil Records

For Students 9th - 10th
At this University of California, Berkeley site you can find out far back the Cnidarians show up in Fossil records. Also, find out how much they have changed over time! Be sure to click on the highlighted words to go to other interesting...
Handout
Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden: Tropical Oceans: Coral Reefs

For Students 9th - 10th
An interesting site about coral reefs. It explores where the reefs are found, what the reefs are, animals that live in the reefs, and preservation of the reefs.
Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Cnidaria

For Students 9th - 10th
Wikipedia offers great information on Cnidarians, a phylum of animals including coral, sea anemones, jellyfish, sea pens, sea wasps, and more.
Article
Society for Science and the Public

Science News for Students: Motion in the Ocean

For Students 3rd - 8th
This article reports on recent research that explains why corals are in nearly constant motion. Includes a brief video. [0:16]
Website
Other

Reef Base

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a database on coral reefs where you can access coral reef data, take quizzes on corals, view images, get maps of reefs and more.
Graphic
Other

Fisheye View Cam a Live Camera Recording Corals and O

For Students 9th - 10th
A wonderful site with lots of pics and video feeds where you can watch real time aquariums and see fast motion coral movements.