Coral Reef Ecosystems
Coral Reef Ecosystems
Objectives
In this lesson, students apply their understanding of ecosystems to the study of coral reef ecosystems in particular. Students will examine the effects of human actions on coral reefs. Students will:
- explain why biodiversity in coral reefs is important to the health of the ecosystems.
- trace the flow of energy through coral reef ecosystems.
- identify relationships among organisms in coral reef ecosystems.
- explain how human activities may affect coral reefs and describe the response of coral reef organisms to environmental changes.
Essential Questions
Vocabulary
- Symbiosis: A relationship in which two species live closely together.
- Coral Polyp: An individual coral organism in a coral reef.
- Coral Reef: An ecosystem found in shallow tropical marine waters around the world; home to over 100,000 species of marine organisms.
- Biodiversity: The sum total of different species of organisms in an ecosystem.
- Bleaching: A stress response of coral reefs to changes in the environment, such as warming ocean temperatures; coral loses its algae and turns white.
Duration
45–90 minutes/1–2 class periods
Prerequisite Skills
Prerequisite Skills haven't been entered into the lesson plan.
Materials
- Coral Reef Food Web (S-8-9-3_Coral Reef Food Web.doc)
- outline on Coral Reef Ecosystems (S-8-9-3_Coral Reef Outline.doc); copy onto an overhead transparency
- Coral Reef Locations Map (S-8-9-3_Coral Reef Locations Map.doc); copy onto overhead transparency
- Human Threats to Coral Reef Ecosystems–Student Version (S-8-9-3_Human Threats to Coral Reef Ecosystems-Student Version.doc)
- Human Threats to Coral Reef Ecosystems–Teacher Version (S-8-9-3_Human Threats to Coral Reef Ecosystems-Teacher Version.doc)
- computers with Internet access (optional)
Related Unit and Lesson Plans
Related Materials & Resources
The possible inclusion of commercial websites below is not an implied endorsement of their products, which are not free, and are not required for this lesson plan.
- Energy Flow in the Coral Reef Ecosystem (video clip)
www.teachersdomain.org/asset/hew06_vid_foodweb/
- Coral Reef Connections: Great Barrier Reef (an interactive coral reef)
www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/coral/index.html
- What Are Coral Reefs?
http://coris.noaa.gov/about/what_are/
- About Coral & Coral Reefs
www.coralfilm.com/about.html
- NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
http://coralreef.noaa.gov/
- Corals (tutorial for students)
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/welcome.html
- Coral Reef Alliance
www.coral.org/
- Coral Kid (a video clip for students on Florida Keys coral reefs)
www.teachersdomain.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.earthsys.coralkid/
- Predators Among Us (a lesson plan on affects of humans on coral reefs)
www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/lessons/14/g68/noaapredators.html
Formative Assessment
Suggested Instructional Supports
Instructional Procedures
Related Instructional Videos
Note: Video playback may not work on all devices.
Instructional videos haven't been assigned to the lesson plan.
DRAFT 05/16/2011