NOAA
Make an Edible Coral Reef
Coral reefs are full of an abundance of life and color. Why not celebrate it with an edible coral reef? Learners and teachers alike use cake, icing, and candies to create a tasty version of a coral reef that's complete with colors,...
Curated OER
Fragile Reefs
Learners research how coral reefs form, where they are located, and what plant and animal species find shelter in reefs, build and display diorama to represent coral and animals that live in coral reef, and participate in discussion...
American Museum of Natural History
Create a Coral Reef
Scholars create a diorama to showcase a vibrant coral reef. Six steps walk pupils through setting up the diorama box, crafting four different types of marine life, and putting it all together.
Curated OER
Ocean Scenes and Coral Reefs
Students explore plants and animals that live at various ocean levels, including beaches and coral reefs. They demonstrate their comprehension of ocean layers and life with chalk drawings. Students draw details of plant and animal life,...
California Academy of Science
Coral Reef Habitat Match
Different animals live in different habitats, and each animal has specifically adaptive traits that make them tailor-made for their environments. This is true on land and in the ocean. Little ones examine how various marine animals have...
Curated OER
Coral Reef Community
Students explore the coral reef. In this food chain activity, students study the plants and animals of the coral reef and how they each play a role in that ecosystem. They participate in a class play to demonstrate the types of animals...
Curated OER
Introduction to Coral Reefs
Students identify locations of coral reefs, both in the water and around the globe, identify relative depth of corals in the ocean by observing behavior of cold and warm saltwater, and create models of coral reefs.
Curated OER
Corals & Coral Reefs
Young scholars describe a coral reef, how it is formed and its inhabitants. They explain the ecological and economic importance of coral reefs and discuss its present-day threats. Lesson contains adaptations for all levels.
Curated OER
Unusual Coral Reef Animals
In this science activity, students research an unusual coral reef animal. A list of 22 animals is provided to choose from or students may choose their own. After researching the animal, students illustrate the creature and write about...
Curated OER
Gardens Under the Sea: Coral Reefs
Young scholars, with dive partners, explore coral reefs through scuba diving. They also explore radial symmetry and bilateral symmetry.
Curated OER
The Changing Coral Reef
Young scholars record changes in the composition of a coral reef. In this Coral Reef lesson plan, students recognize the needs of Coral Reef species to survive. Young scholars chart changes in population over time. Students write an...
Curated OER
The Cay: Creatures of the Coral Reef
Young scholars make a connection between science and literature. After reading the first five chapters of the novel The Cay, they describe the physical characteristics of a coral reef, as well as describe and distinguish between the...
Curated OER
Coral Reefs, Polyps and Heads
Students explore coral communities. They explore a coral polyp and build a coral head.
Curated OER
Coral Reefs
Students examine the animals that live in a coral reef and how they adapt to their environment. In this coral lesson students write a short book on how animals inhabit the coral reefs.
Ocean Explorer
Architects of the Coral Reef
Coral Reefs are the focus of a life science lesson plan. Upper graders look at how coral reefs are formed, how the animals and plants reproduce, and the variety of ways that humans benefit from coral reefs around the world. Groups of...
Curated OER
Marine & Aquatic Habitats Activities - Creatures in the Coral
Students describe unique adaptations of organisms that live in the coral reef habitat, read various books pertaining to coral reefs and ocean life, and construct a wheel demonstrating the relationships between certain coral reef...
Curated OER
Pollutants on Coral
Students consider the effects of acid pollution on coral reefs. They brainstorm previous knowledge about coral reefs, examine a piece of coral and observe its reaction to acid and list ways we can prevent pollution from reaching the reefs.
Curated OER
We're All In This Together
Students discover what a coral reef is and the animals that live there. In this ecosystem lesson, students act out a story with ocean organisms. They answer questions that show the interdependency of the sea animals.
Curated OER
Filter-Feeding in Reef Sponges
Students make observations and describe the filter-feeding in sponges as it relates to the ecological role of sponges on coral reefs. In this filter-feeding in reef sponges lesson, students are introduced to the feeding methods of...
Curated OER
The Changing Coral Reef Community Game
Students examine organisms that inhabit the coral reefs and their living requirements. In this coral reef lesson students chart population changes and play a game.
Curated OER
Coral Reef Designs
In this coral reef design activity, student use pattern blocks, tangrams, or pentominos to make a design that looks like the animals and plants that live in a Coral Reef. They trace the shapes on your paper, color it, and label each design.
Curated OER
Corals and Coral Reefs
Students label the continents, oceans, and seas on a provided world map and use it to determine where they would expect most of the world's coral reefs to be found based on provided information the teacher has read to them.
Curated OER
Blue Planet: Coral Seas
Young scholars create a poster about coral reefs. In this oceanography lesson, students teach the class about a given aspect of the coral reefs. Young scholars create posters with images and facts about this habitat.
Curated OER
Build a Reef
Students build a coral reef, then discover organisms that make up the ecosystem.