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Coasts and Reefs: Shallow Marine Processes
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 are...
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Fragile Reefs
Students 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...
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Changing Planet: Fading Corals
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...
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Design a Reef!
Using a miniature coral reef aquarium kit, young ecologists model this unique ecosystem. They research various coral reef organisms and their niches, and they culminate the project by working together to write a report. Use this activity...
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Coral Snapshots
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,...
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How Diverse is That?
Compare various types of biological diversity in a coral reef and calculate a numeric indicator that describes the diversity found in coral communities. Your class can work in groups to look at the abundance and distribution data of...
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Save a Reef!
Design a public information campaign to improve understanding of the coral reef crisis. Read about and discuss the biology and threats to the coral reef. The class creates a public information program about the problems facing the coral...
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Dead Zones: Why Are the Waters Dying?
Students investigate the effects of pollution on marine ecosystems. They read and discuss an article, identify the effects of pollution on marine life, conduct research on local nutrient pollution, and conduct local water quality studies.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Corals and Chemistry
After demonstrating the use of cabbage juice as a pH indicator, have your class experiment with their own breath, exhaling into the indicator, to show that carbon dioxide is acidic. As learners work, they also watch a video about coral...
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Geographic Landforms
Each slide is a simple notebook page with one landform in blue and its definition in red. There are 26 vocabulary terms in all, some you may want to use, and others easily hidden. It is recommended that you add photos or other graphic...
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The Work of Waves and Wind
This is not revolutionary, but it is informative. Earth science viewers in grades 7-12 get carried away with wave and wind erosion. They view diagrams of how waves impact ocean shorelines. They see examples of the different types of sand...
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Tropical Island
Students research information about a specific tropical island and locate it on a world map. They study details about coral reefs and other animal and plant life on the island and determine how ocean currents affect the island's climate.
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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,...
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Design a Reef!
Here is an ambitious, but highly valuable undertaking: set up a miniature coral reef in your classroom. Young marine scientists research coral reef ecosystems and ensure all vital factors are included in their functioning model. The...
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Deep Gardens
Marine biology beginners read about the 2005 Florida Coast Deep Corals expedition, research phylum Cnidaria, and then report on a specific coral deep-sea coral group. There is an abundance of background information and internet resources...
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Treasures in Jeopardy
In small groups, middle schoolers research deep-sea coral reefs and design a poster to educate the public about their importance. They compare them to shallow-water reefs and consider the impact of bottom-trawl fishing. Many internet...
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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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Rainforests of the Sea
In this ecology worksheet, students read and study about coral reefs using online resources to complete 8 short answer questions. They watch a video related to the topic.
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Global Climate Lesson Plans
Middle schoolers explore the concept of global climate. In this global climate lesson, students research and investigate global warming and its effects on the world over the course of 9 lessons. Middle schoolers create a proposal that...
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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...
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Introduction to Ocean Grazers
Students explore biology by creating a poster with classmates. In 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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Plant and Animal Cells
Students investigate parts of a cell. In this plant cell lesson plan, students determine the difference between plant and animal cells. Students discover that coral is an animal based on cell characteristics. Students create puppets to...
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Coral Reef Community
Students explore the coral reef. In this food chain lesson, 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 in...
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Treasures in Jeopardy
Learners study how coral reefs can be protected from humans and their activities. In this conservation lesson students explain the benefits of coral reefs and what humans can do to help protect them.