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Science- 1st Grade-Ecosystems-
Understand characteristics of various environments and behaviors of humans that enable plants and animals to survive.
1.L.1.2
Give Examples of how the needs of different plants and animals can be met by their environments in NC or different places throughout the world.
ELA- 1st Grade- Reading: Informational Text
Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyse their development' summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

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Lesson 2: Understanding Types of Corals and Reefs, Man-made Reefs and Natural Reefs

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Lesson 2: Understanding Types of Corals and Reefs, Man-made Reefs and Natural Reefs

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Lesson objective:

Guide students to a deeper understanding of the types of coral reefs, the interdependence of life on the reefs, and what is needed for reefs to be healthy and flourishing both locally and globally.

Materials:Journals and pencils
Book: Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons https://www.getepic.com/app/read/70116
one container of play-dough for each student
Pieces of coral from the beach
Web page: NC Coral Reef Program: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/artificial-reefs-program
Web page with video: Coral Reef Awareness Week, Georgia Aquarium https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/booking/coral-reef-awareness-week/

Pre-Assessment: Yesterday we began our unit on Coral Reefs. What do you remember from yesterday? How does a reef get started, does someone sprinkle reef seeds off a boat and they just spring up like a tomato? Are they only made by nature or can we help reefs form? What is the difference between an artificial and natural reef? Why do we need to make reefs? What do we make them of? Who lives there? What are dangers to the corals?  Record your thoughts in your journal and draw a picture of what you think a coral looks like.

Students should be thinking: What is the difference between a man-made and a natural reef? How is this environment created?

Transition: We are going to explore coral reefs deeper today.

Minds on: View NC REEF PROGRAM.  How did the information on the web page confirm or refute the answers you recorded in your journal at the beginning of class?

Hands on: Read book: Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons. Pass around pieces of coral from the beach. Have students recreate one type of coral from the text using play-dough.

Guiding Questions: What does a coral look like? What is it like on the inside vs the outside? How does a coral get the nutrients it needs to survive? How would a coral feel if you touched it? How does a coral act?

Each student shows their coral and explains what that coral is like inside and out, and how their coral meets their needs.

Guiding their thinking about corals: Why do we have pieces of coral on our beaches? What happens to make corals die? What does coral need to live? What happens when they do not get what they need?

My Explanation: Corals cannot be touched by human hands or they will die. Propeller blades can chop coral off. Animals can eat the coral polyps.

Deeper Thinking: Break students up into pairs. Have them share their journal entries from the beginning of the lesson today. They should discuss what was proven correct and what was proven incorrect based on the facts they learned today. Have each pair share their findings with the class.

What is a coral polyp? What is it like? What can you compare it to? Is it strong or fragile? What can damage corals? What can we do to help coral thrive so they can do their part in the coral reef biome?

Visit the web page, Coral Reef Awareness Week by the Georgia Aquarium and watch the video. Ask: What are the main threats corals face? What would happen if corals disappeared? How can you help?

Create an anchor chart with their helpful suggestions on how we can be friends to corals.

Assessments

Journal findings presentation

Play dough coral creation and explanation

Participation in the helping corals anchor chart

Exit Ticket: List 3 animals and 2 plants you observed. What did you observe about their lives and needs? What are three questions you would ask someone who works with coral reef biomes?

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Lesson 3: Marine Biologists and How They Protect the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson 3: Marine Biologists and How They Protect the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson objective: Guide students in conceptualizing the positive role humans play in the reef environment.

Materials:Journals and pencils
Book: Women in Science and Technology: Rachel Carson  by M.M. Eboch https://www.getepic.com/app/read/75993
Web Page: Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef Webcam from Georgia Aquarium https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/indo-pacific-barrier-reef/
Video: “I want to be a Marine Biologist” from Kids Dream Jobs Can You Imagine That? series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlB9D9Ob-6M
Live Interview: A marine Biologist from the NC Reef Program, either in person or through Zoom,  presents what a marine biologist is and how their work aids the NC reef system, and answers their questions from the exit ticket in the previous lesson.

Pre-Assessment: What do you remember about the lesson we had yesterday about local and global reefs? What ideas did we have that were not so correct? Today we are going to talk more about the reefs and our part in caring for the coral reef biome. For today’s initial journal entry, first we will take a few minutes to view a real life coral reef in action. Please note what you see and any questions you have. Then think about what roles and jobs you think people have that can involve the coral reef biome, and note your ideas. SHOW Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef Webcam from Georgia Aquarium.

Students should be thinking: What animals do I see? What types of coral do I see? What algae and plants do I see? How are all these things interacting? What do people have to do with the coral reefs?

Minds on: Read book: Women in Science and Technology: Rachel Carson  by M.M. Eboch. Ask: what job did Rachel Carson have that helped the ocean? activist, author, marine biologist

Hands on:  In your journal, write what you think the definition of a marine biologist is.

WATCH “I want to be a Marine Biologist” from Kids Dream Jobs Can You Imagine That? series. What would you add to your journal entry?

Guiding questions: What does a marine biologist do? What do they wear? What do they think about? What kinds of tools do they use? What effect do they have on the coral reef biome?

Students will share their definition of what a marine biologist is and does.

Guiding their Thinking/ Professional Explanation: We will have a marine biologist from the NC Reef project meet (in person or through Zoom) with the students. They will listen to the presentation and then have the opportunity to ask them the questions they wrote in their journals from the exit ticket in the lesson before.

Deeper Thinking: What would our reefs be like without the help of marine biologists like the one we just met? What job on land compares to what Marine Biologists do in the water? How do Marine Biologists know what to do to help? What kind of problems do they solve? How do they find the answers? Why is their work important? Look back at your definition- how has it changed now that you have met and talked to one?

Journal Activity: Students will pretend they are a Marine Biologist. They will select a problem, propose a way to study and learn more about the problem, hypothesize a solution, and discuss a way to test their hypothesis.

What do we know about the problem? Where can we look to learn more? What tools would you need to test your hypothesis? How would you apply the knowledge you gained to the problem?

Assessments:

Initial Journal Entry observing the reef and thinking about how people can help it

Second Journal Entry defining a marine biologist

Third Journal Entry imagining if they were a marine biologist

Exit Ticket: What are 3 things you learned from the interview, 2 questions that were asked that you liked, and 1 thing you still want to know.

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Lesson 4: Pollution: A Problem We Create for the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson 4: Pollution: A Problem We Create for the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson objective:  Guide students to realize the negative impact humans have on the Coral Reef Biome.

Materials:Journals and pencils
Markers and Poster boards (5)
shell box/ID card, sand/magnifying glasses, salt/water/measures, water/small aquarium tank/oil/cigarette butts/ cola and can/sunscreen/charcoal filter/dawn
Interactive Web Page and video: Reefs at Risk Project by World Resources Institute https://www.wri.org/initiatives/reefs-risk
Book: Look out for Litter by Lisa Bullard https://www.getepic.com/app/read/48431
Photo Essay: Henry, M. “What Does Water Pollution Mean?” https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1nr8DsnMc0Szs9ZNeqyKxelXODSqGA83GMoY6VE6PPYo/edit
Video: Wild Kratts- Rocket Jaw: Rescuer of the Reef https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpKliIHhv4Q
Salinity Graph: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-earthscience/chapter/composition-of-ocean-water/

Pre-Assessment: What do you remember about yesterday’s lesson? What do you take to the beach? What do you see that people leave there?  Where do you think those things go? What effect do you think they have on the animals and environment in the water? VIEW Pollution Photo Essay. Record your thoughts and feelings  in your journal.

Students should be thinking: How do my actions and the actions of other humans affect the coral reef biome?

Minds on: VIEW Wild Kratts Rocket Jaw: Rescuer of the Reef
Question and answer session (class discussion format):

What are the Kratts looking for when they go to see if the reef is healthy?

What is the problem they encounter? Why is that a problem?

What do they do to solve the problem?

If you were the Kratts, what would you do?

What kinds of problems do reefs have in real life?

What do humans do that can hurt reefs and the plants/animals who live there?

What would the ocean  be like without reefs? How would life without reefs affect us?

How does it make you feel when people hurt reefs and pollute oceans? What do you want to say to them?

Is there a way for people and ocean life to co-exist while each still meeting their needs?

How can we help the reefs be healthy and safe?

Now I will have students explain to me the negative effects humans can have on the reef environment. READ Look out for Litter by Lisa Bullard.

What creates pollution? What does pollution look/smell/feel like? What can you compare littering in the ocean to?

Preparation: View interactive Web Page and video: Reefs at Risk Project by World Resources Institute. Ask: What puts our reefs at risk? What can we do to help? What makes our reefs so unique and fragile?

Hands On Experimentation Stations: Students will be divided into 5 groups, and rotate through the stations with their journals, recording results at each station. I will give each group 10 minutes to experiment and 5 to record at each station.
Station 1: Take box with shells and ID sheet, figure out what kind of animal each shell goes to, discuss what the shell says about the needs of the animal. Record your findings in your journal.
Station 2: Take the box of sand and magnifying glasses. Examine the sand under the glass. What do you see? Based on what you see, what do you think sand is made of? How did the things get so small to make sand? How long do you think it took to make the sand? Graph what you see and how much in a pie chart. Record findings in your journal.
Station 3: markers and poster board- select 2 animals, one plant, and draw how they depend on each other to live together on a reef. Be ready to explain to the class.
Station 4:  small fish tank  and water, with charcoal filter, dawn, and pollutant samples- Mix each pollutant in, record results. Filter through charcoal. Record results. Add Dawn. Record results. Discuss how humans affect the ocean. How can we get people to be more responsible? How can we help the ocean and reefs be healthy? Record findings in your journal.
Station 5: Water, salt, measuring utensils: Looking at graph and formula,  How much salt does it take to make salt water that animals can live in? Measure in salt to the water in 1/4 cup increments. After each measurement, taste the water and score the salinity on a scale of 1-10. How much salt does it take to make salt water that animals can live in? How salty does it taste? What other than salt does ocean water have in it?
Assessments:

Pollution thoughts and feelings journal entry

Kratts question and answer participation

Experimentation Station Journal Entry

Exit Ticket: What are 3 things you learned today about how unique the coral reef biome is? What 2 things did you learn about water pollution? What is one question you have about water pollution and the coral reef biome?

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Lesson 5: Reefs Alive! Teaching Others About the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson 5: Reefs Alive! Teaching Others About the Coral Reef Biome

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Lesson objective:

Use a play format to have students express the knowledge they have gained about coral reef environments, and what humans can do to hinder and help coral reef biomes survive

Materials:
Book: National Geographic Readers: Coral Reefs https://www.getepic.com/app/read/44533

Journals and Pencils

My computer for videoing

Parent permission slips to create educational video with students, to be shared only with other classes in the school

Construction paper, scissors, markers, glue sticks, tape

Pre-Assessment: Take a moment to look through your journals. Then write an entry that explains to me how your thoughts and beliefs about the Coral Reef Biome have changed and grown this week. If you could share what you learned with others, what do you think would be important for them to know?

Students should ask themselves: How did I grow? What did I learn? What will change in the way I act and think about coral reefs and pollution?

Minds on: As the first step in the final exercise in this unit, the students will work in pairs to draw their own coral reef biome, list what is needed and why, and include the things they learned that they believe are the most important for everyone to know. Then they will present to the class their findings. I will create an Anchor Chart on the board with two lists: What a Reef Needs and What We Want Others to Know

Hands on: Each student will pick one animal or plant from the board for them to create and represent. They will use art supplies to make their animal or plant.

Guiding Questions: What does your selection need? What does it look like? What does it feel like? How does it move? How does it interact with others? How does it protect itself?

For the next step in our final exercise in this unit, the students will each write a journal entry explaining their selection and everything they know about it.

Students will copy their entry on a note card and practice talking about it.

Thinking Deeper: Who is your selection? What is great about your selection? Where does it live on the reef? Why does it make a coral reef it’s home? How does it interact with others on the reef? How do humans harm it? How can humans help it?

Students will then assemble, discuss order and organization, practice, and present a “play” where they each educate the viewer about the parts of a coral reef, why it is a unique environment, what is endangering the inhabitants and biome as a whole, and what they want others to do to help.

I will then have a “Screening party” and invite the other first grade classes to come watch.

Assessments:

Pre-assessment journal entry

Biome pair drawing and explanation

Journal entry on selection

Participation in Play

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Concepts: Environmental and Animal Needs, Pollution, Human Damage, Responsibility, Interdependence, Ecosystems, Graphing, Writing
Objective: Use the Coral Reef as a lens to focus students on how plants and animals satisfy their needs using their environment, and how humans can influence these environments. Engage the students mentally, physically, and emotionally using books, video, interactive web sites, experiments, and images.

Concepts: Coral reefs are delicate ecosystems where the animals have specific needs. The reef ecosystem supplies these needs for survival. When we pollute or damage the reef system, we destroy the homes of many types of animal.
Outcomes: Students will be able to explain how the reef ecosystem is interdependent, how at least one animal makes it's home there, how humans can harm that ecosystem, and what humans can do to protect that ecosystem.
Assessments:
(1) Their journals: pre-assessments, evaluations for discrepancies, experiment notes

(2) Their participation in discussion, anchor board construction

(3) Their “hands on” projects

(4) Their participation in the Explanation discussions

(5) Their pair work presentations
(6) Their participation in the “Play” final assessment

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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The Reefs at Risk project assesses the status of and threats to the world's coral reefs from a wide range of human activities including coastal development, overfishing, and pollution.

WRI's Reefs at Risk project has produced a series of global and regional map-based reports starting in 1998 with Reefs at Risk: A Map-Based Indicator of Threats to the World's Coral Reefs.

The most recent global report, Reefs at Risk Revisited (2011), is a high-resolution update of the 1998 global report and includes a first-ever analysis of climate-related threats to coral reefs as well as an assessment of the social vulnerability of nations and territories to reef degradation and loss. Reefs at Risk Revisited in the Coral Triangle (2012) is based on this global report while focusing more specifically on the countries of the Coral Triangle-Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.

Other regional and local analyses include Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean (2004); Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia (2002); Reefs at Risk: Sabah, Malaysia (2003); and Belize Coastal Threat Analysis (2005).

Photo Credit: Michael Emerson

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The Reefs at Risk project assesses the status of and threats to the world's coral reefs from a wide range of human activities including coastal development, overfishing, and pollution. WRI's Reefs at Risk project has produced a series of global and regional map-based reports starting in 1998 with Reefs at Risk: A Map-Based Indicator of Threats to the World's Coral Reefs.

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I Want To Be a Marine Biologist - Kids Dream Jobs - Can You Imagine That?

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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Lesson 1: Basic Knowledge of Coral Reefs as a Biome

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Lesson 1: Basic Knowledge of Coral Reefs as a Biome

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Lesson objective:

To assess what students already know about coral reefs, to get students thinking about coral reef environments, and to engage them to learn more about reefs.

Materials:Each student will need: Journals, colored pencils or crayons, paper and pencil
Book: Life in a Coral Reef (Biomes Alive!) by Kari Shuetz https://www.getepic.com/app/read/47248
Sorting Interactive Online Game: Home on the Coral Reef Biome https://www.classtools.net/vortex/202104-R9YmXV
Handout: what grows on a reef?

Student Pre-assessment: What lives in our oceans? What is your favorite animal? What do they need to survive? Where do they need to live in the ocean to satisfy those needs? In your journal, draw your animal in their environment, with everything they need around them.

Students should be thinking: What is daily life like for my animal? How does my animal interact with their environment? What does my animal need to survive?

Transition: How many of your animals lived on or near a reef? What do you want to know about reefs? Where do we look to find answers?

Minds on exercise: Read the book Life in a Coral Reef (Biomes Alive!) By Kari Schuetz
Guiding Questions:

Why did the author write this book, to inform, persuade, or entertain? Why do you think that?

What was their main point? What were the points they wanted you to remember?

Are reefs living or nonliving?

What do reefs need to live and grow?

What sort of plants live on the reef?

What animals live on the reef?

How do the plants there need the animals?

How do the animals there need the plants?

Hands on exercise:

Pass out the handout, PLAY “at home on the coral reef biome”

Questions to guide shaping their Explanations:  What is a reef? Why do oceans have reefs? Why do you think so many different animals choose to live on the reef? What is necessary to create the reef biome? As they answer I will record them on the board.

My Explanations:

Together as a class we will draw an anchor chart on board showing main and supporting ideas from the book as we discuss what they are, what the terms mean, and identify them in the text. Then we will evaluate their answers and see how they align with the knowledge they have gained thus far. I will ask students to answer and explain how each idea is true or false based on what we have learned.

Terms: reef, biome, environment, sustainability

Thinking Deeper: What if we did not have coral reefs? What is a coral reef like? Are there only animals on a coral reef? What part does algae and seaweed play on a reef? What if suddenly one animal in the biome, like the starfish, died off and there were no more eels on the reef; what do you think would happen to the reef over time? What can you compare a reef to? Why is it important to know what a reef is and how it works as a biome? What do you think we will be doing in the other lessons in this unit to help us understand the coral reef biome? What do you hope we will do? Do Word Search

At this stage I would break students down into pairs and ask them to share with each other their initial journal drawings. What did the peer draw that we can prove is true learning what we learned about today? What was in the drawing that we have now learned is not quite right? (discrepancies) What should be removed? What can be added to make the drawing more accurate and complete.

Student pairs will then figure out a scenario in real life that is like a coral reef. Each pair will present what they learned when they compared their drawings, and explain why they chose their scenario and how it is like a coral reef.

Assessments:

Journal Drawing

Ideas Board Participation

Word search

Anchor Chart Creation Participation

Peer Presentation

Exit ticket: List 3 animals and 2 plants that live on coral reefs. Then answer: What are 3 facts from the book you find most interesting? What were 2 things you did not know? What is one question you have about reefs now?

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Materials: Handout- What Grows On a Reef?

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Materials: Handout- What Grows On a Reef?

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Provide a series of questions or terms, then share with students

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Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef Webcam | Live from Georgia Aquarium | Visit Now

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Check out our live stream webcam from our Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef Webcam from Georgia Aquarium. Just glimpse of what you’ll see in person, when you visit.

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Composition of Ocean Water

Water has oftentimes been referred to as the "universal solvent", because many things can dissolve in water (Figure 14.4). Many things like salts, sugars, acids, bases, and other organic molecules can be dissolved in water. Pollution of ocean water is a major problem in some areas because many toxic substances easily mix with water.

Perhaps the most important substance dissolved in the ocean is salt. Everyone knows that ocean water tastes salty. That salt comes from mineral deposits that find their way to the ocean through the water cycle. Salts comprise about 3.5% of the mass of ocean water. Depending on specific location, the salt content or salinity can vary. Where ocean water mixes with fresh water, like at the mouth of a river, the salinity will be lower. But where there is lots of evaporation and little circulation of water, salinity can be much higher. The Dead Sea, for example, has 30% salinity-nearly nine times the average salinity of ocean water. It is called the Dead Sea because so few organisms can live in its super salty water.

The density (mass per volume) of seawater is greater than that of fresh water because it has so many dissolved substances in it. When water is more dense, it sinks down to the bottom. Surface waters are usually lower in density and less saline. Temperature affects density too. Warm water is less dense and colder waters are more dense. These differences in density create movement of water or deep ocean currents that transport water from the surface to greater depths.

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Water has oftentimes been referred to as the "universal solvent", because many things can dissolve in water (Figure 14.4). Many things like salts, sugars, acids, bases, and other organic molecules can be dissolved in water. Pollution of ocean water is a major problem in some areas because many toxic substances easily mix with water.

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The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries maintains 42 ocean artificial reefs and 22 estuarine reefs, 15 of which serve as oyster sanctuaries. Ocean reefs are located from ½ mile to 38 miles from shore and are situated so that they can be reached from every maintained inlet in the state. The estuarine sites are found in Pamlico Sound and its tributaries, the Chowan River and the New River. Estuarine reefs are designated with yellow class four or five buoys noting the reef site, a N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries sign, and a phone number. Oyster Sanctuaries are designated with white, class-four buoys or three-pile dolphin markers that identify the site as an oyster sanctuary.

Interactive Reef Guide

Interactive Reef Guide Tutorials

Note: Tutorial videos are temporarily unavailable.
We apologize for the inconvenience and are working
to correct this issue.

Reef Guide Publication Now Available

Don't forget to pick up the Reef Guide at your nearest Division of Marine Fisheries office.
It's 132 informative pages printed on a durable, water-resistant paper stock.
Download a printable
Artificial Reef Guide here .
(Note: for best printing results, be sure to use the printer settings "shrink oversized pages" and landscape orientation)

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The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries maintains 42 ocean artificial reefs and 22 estuarine reefs, 15 of which serve as oyster sanctuaries. Ocean reefs are located from ½ mile to 38 miles from shore and are situated so that they can be reached from every maintained inlet in the state.

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World Resource Institute web page discusses why the reefs are in danger, and how we can help. It also provides an interactive map of the reefs worldwide.
Why did they create this page?
What do we use the map for?
What else do you want to know about reefs? Record your questions so we can research them during our lessons.

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Coral Reefs of the World Classified by Threat from Local Activities

Coral reefs are classified by estimated present threat from local human activities, according to the Reefs at Risk Revisited integrated local threat index. The index combines the threat from the following activities: overfishing and destructive fishing, coastal development, watershed-based pollution, and marine-based pollution and damage.

Launch the interactive map full-page.
GIS Data Sets

KML Data Sets

Use these files in Google Earth and other map applications that support KML.
Local & Global Threats in 2050 (3.1 Mb) Local & Global Threats in 2030 (3.1 Mb)
Local Threats: Present (3.1 Mb)

Base data source: Reef locations are based on 500-meter resolution gridded data reflecting shallow, tropical coral reefs of the world. Organizations contributing to the data and development of the coral reef data include the Institute for Marine Remote Sensing, University of South Florida (IMaRS/USF), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD/UR), UNEP-WCMC, The World Fish Center and WRI. The composite data set was compiled from multiple sources, incorporating products from the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project prepared by IMaRS/USF and IRD.

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Coral Reefs of the World Classified by Threat from Local Activities #### Coral reefs are classified by estimated present threat from local human activities, according to the [Reefs at Risk Revisited](/publication/reefs-risk-revisited) integrated local threat index. The index combines the threat from the following activities: overfishing and destructive fishing, coastal development, watershed-based pollution, and marine-based pollution and damage.

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Life in a Coral Reef (Biomes Alive!)

By: Kari Schuetz

Questions:
Why did the author write this book, to inform, persuade, or entertain? Why do you think that?
What was their main point? What were the points they wanted you to remember?
Are reefs living or non-living?
What do reefs need to live and grow?
What sort of plants live on the reef?
What animals live on the reef?
How do the plants there need the animals?
How do the animals there need the plants?

I will draw anchor chart on board showing main and supporting ideas, as we discuss what they are, what the terms mean, and identify them in the text.

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

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Wild Kratts Rocket Jaw:
Rescuer of the Reef
Questions:
What are the Kratts looking for when they go to see if the reef is healthy?
What is the problem they encounter? Why is that a problem?
What do they do to solve the problem?
If you were the Kratts, what would you do?
What kinds of problems do reefs have in real life?
What do humans do that can hurt reefs and the plants/animals who live there?
What would the ocean  be like without reefs? How would life without reefs affect us?
How does it make you feel when people hurt reefs and pollute oceans? What do you want to say to them?
Is there a way for people and ocean life to co-exist while each still meeting their needs?
How can we help the reefs be healthy and safe?

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Materials: Reef Awareness Week- Georgia Aquarium

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Materials: Reef Awareness Week- Georgia Aquarium

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Celebrate With Us

Celebrate Coral Reef Awareness Week by discovering the unique and vital role coral plays in our oceans. We all know it's beautiful to look at, but did you know that coral houses more than 25% of aquatic species? Talk about more than just a pretty face! This marine animal is one of the most exceptional creatures living in our oceans. Unfortunately, threats such as rising water temperature and pollution are increasingly jeopardizing the survival of our coral reefs. With 60% of the world's reefs at risk, it's up to us to help save this endangered species.

Let's change the way we think about coral. Learn about the importance of coral in our oceans. Become aware of its biggest threats and take simple steps to minimize your impact. Be a part of the wave of change that will save our coral reefs.

To start your journey to becoming a coral reef protector, explore the many educational resources we have to offer. Then, visit the Aquarium to see for yourself the beautiful and crucial part coral plays in our ecosystems.

Learn More About Coral Restoration

Coral Facts

What Are the Main Threats Corals Face?
Coral reefs face many threats, primarily from carbon dioxide, rising ocean temperatures, careless water practices, coral mining and damage from oxybenzone (a chemical found in most sunscreens).
What would happen if corals disappeared?

The ocean fishing industry, that employs approximately 38 million people worldwide, would collapse.

Corals reefs form natural coastline barriers. Without them, storm damage to the coast would increase significantly.

Marine life would suffer, with many disappearing, as incredibly important spawning and feeding grounds would no longer exist.

As much as $375 billion would be lost annually for near-reef economies due in part to the loss of local tourism and commercial fishing.

How can you help?

Use a coral-safe sunscreen next time you go to the beach. Some things to look for when shopping for a coral-safe sunscreen include: oxybenzone-free, clear zinc-free, nano-free and paraben-free.

Participate in community level initiatives, such as ride share programs or public transportation, to decrease your carbon footprint.

Support legislation for energy efficient building practices and products.

Georgia Aquarium & Coral

Georgia Aquarium houses both hard and soft coral.

More than 30% of the Indo Pacifc Barrier Reef exhibit is live coral.

We're proud to partner with the Coral Restoration Foundation in Key Largo, Florida to help restore coral reefs.

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Coral Reef Awareness Week - Georgia Aquarium

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Celebrate With Us Celebrate Coral Reef Awareness Week by discovering the unique and vital role coral plays in our oceans. We all know it's beautiful to look at, but did you know that coral houses more than 25% of aquatic species? Talk about more than just a pretty face!

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Each student picks 1 from stuffed animals, fake plants, and real dried coral, sea urchins, etc.
They discuss what each needs, and create a "play" explaining how the reef works.
I note their explanations and how well their "play" reflects what they learned.
Guiding Questions:
What did you learn about reefs? What was your favorite part? what do you want to know more about?
How do humans affect the world around them? How can we be better caretakers of our world? Why is it important to know about life on coral reefs? Why do we need to protect ecosystems like the reef? Why is it important to be responsible for our actions?

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Station 1: Take box with shells and ID sheet, figure out what kind of animal each shell goes to, discuss what the shell says about the needs of the animal. Record your findings in your journal.
Station 2: Take the box of sand and magnifying glasses. Examine the sand under the glass. What do you see? Based on what you see, what do you think sand is made of? How did the things get so small to make sand? How long do you think it took to make the sand? Record findings in your journal.
Station 3: markers and poster board- select 2 animals, one plant, and draw how they depend on each other to live together on a reef. Be ready to explain to the class.
Station 4:  small fish tank  and water, with charcoal filter, dawn, and pollutant samples- Mix each pollutant in, record results. Filter through charcoal. Record results. Add Dawn. Record results. Discuss how humans affect the ocean. How can we get people to be more responsible? How can we help the ocean and reefs be healthy? Record findings in your journal.
Station 5: Water, salt, measuring utensils: Looking at graph and formula,  How much salt does it take to make salt water that animals can live in? Measure in salt to the water in 1/4 cup increments. After each measurement, taste the water and score the salinity on a scale of 1-10. How much salt does it take to make salt water that animals can live in? How salty does it taste? What other than salt does ocean water have in it?