Introduction to Coral Reefs and Student Simulated Activity

Day 1 - 2nd Week

Goals:

1. Students will physically move, understand, and gain a sense of how coral reefs are formed in a simplified manner.

2. Students will become familiar with common habitat requirements for coral reefs through correlation to their own environment.

3. Students will cooperatively form a coral reef with their own bodies.

4. There will be a shift in the locus of control in the classroom with the teacher becoming a facilitator while the students are directly involved in their learning process.

Time:

30 - 50 minutes

Resources/Materials:

pieces of paper with a list of one chemical, chemical compound, or organism each, a classroom, students, teacher, chalk, chalkboard, CD player, "Mission Impossible" soundtrack,

http://www.bev.net/education/SeaWorld/coral_reefs/habdiscr.html

http://www.bev.net/education/SeaWorld/coral_reefs/coralcr.html

Procedure:

1. Begin the lesson by having the students clear away some of their desks so there is a large open area in the classroom. Then have the students sit down in a half-circle around the open area with a wall open for a base point at the opening of the circle. For purposes of this lesson, this is to be the floor of an area of water looking at it from above.

2. On pieces of paper, write the names of and draw pictures of different chemical structures or organisims which make up a reef. These can be taken from the websites. (One picture and name per slip of paper. These should be the various substances that make up the coral reefs). Tell the students to hold on to the pieces of paper without telling anyone else what they have as they are used in the activity in a few minutes.

3. Next, briefly explain to the students that this week the topic is going to be coral reefs in the Caribbean and we will be learning about how they are formed, their location, what they are composed of, and why they are  important. Then explain to the students that our "mission" this week is to build a coral reef. "We are going to build a coral reef and build on our knowledge. And now, our first "mission" is to see how coral reefs are formed and to do that we are going to physically form one ourselves."

4. Next explain that the open wall space is now the imaginary base for our coral reef. The instructor could have some poster paper representing the base to help the students understand what the open wall represents. Explain to the students that they are going to become the structure of the reef, so as the instructor calls off different parts, the students are to huddle around together against the wall.

5. Diagram on the board how hard corals are built. Either use words or draw pictures of what the following compounds look like. See websites in resources for pictures and descriptions. First, by secreting calcium carbonate skeletons. Then, organisms such as sponges, worms, parrotfish, and sea urchins break down the coral skeletons. The results are spaces in the reef. Then, algae and minerals cement the dead organic matter, thus, stabilizing the reef structure. (See website for this information at end of this lesson). "Now our mission is to form a coral reef ourselves." The instructor may choose to be more or less specific in this part of the lesson, once they play the music.

6. Play the music from the motion picture soundtrack Mission Impossible to get the students revved up. The mission begins . . . . . . .

7. While the music is playing, call off the students with calcium carbonate skeletons to come to the base of the reef (the wall). Those students get up and go to the wall. This is the compound forming the bases of the coral reefs. Give more information if necessary while explaining the compounds.

8. Continue then with organisms that breakdown the skeletons such as sponges and sea urchins as they "eat away at the base of the reef." These organisms puncture holes in the reefs. The students who are sponges and sea urchins can pretend to eat away at the base of the reef and put holes in it. Students who are forming the base can shape it so it looks like there are some holes in it. These holes should be left between students.

9. Call up the students that have algae and minerals next, which solidify the structure and harden the skeleton that has now formed. Stop the music and the result should be a reef that has built up from the base of the wall. Itwould be better to see from above, but the point is still made - a coral reef!!! Ask students to imagine themselves looking from the ceiling, then they can formulate how the reef has been built up.

10. Have the students put their desks back and take their seats, or keep them in their coral reef mode and explain some of the habitat requirements. (These are listed at the beginning of the lesson with a website as well. This website explains some of the habitat requirements of coral reefs such as temperatures and amounts of light needed.). Discuss how clear water allows more light in so reefs can grow faster. Ask students if they would like these requirements as you're discussing them. Also, reefs tend to dwell in warmer ocean temperatures from about 68 - 82 F. Reefs are more prosperous in areas of stronger wave action as nutrients are then more easily carried to the reefs. Reefs tend to grow on a hard substrate. Try to bring these conditions to the students by asking them if they would like these conditions as right now they are reef themselves. "How would you like these conditions?" or "Would you like to grow on hard substrate?", "If you were a reef, like you are now, would you want to live with more light?", "Since you are a reef, you tend to dwell where there is more wave action. Why would that benefit you as a reef?", "What do you think of the temperatures that you typically live in (68- 82F)?"

11. Finally ask if there are any questions or constructive comments on the introduction to coral reefs.

Assessment:

Assess how cooperative the students were, their effort in their participation. Observe how well students organized the reef. Assess if they paid attention to what chemical they were so they knew where to go and when. The criteria for success here is that the class went through the motions and did what was asked of them. Assess yourself (the teacher) on how clearly you gave directions and how organized the activity turned out to be. Use rubric for participation.

4 The student actively facilitates achieving the group goal, which is to form a reef as a class.

3 The student communicates a commitment to the group goal and effectively carries out assigned roles.

2 The student communicates a commitment to the group goal, but does not carry out assigned roles.

1 The student does not work toward the group goal or he/she actively works against it.

(Adopted from Green Bay Area Public Schools)

Curricular Strands:

Science - the building of the reef with different components

Cooperative Learning - students working as a class to try to form a reef

Art - the movement and formation of a substance with physical bodies in tune with music

Extensions:

The instructor could break the class down into more specific chemicals (which could be discussed in science as to how they form together on reefs before they participate in this activity). Also, it would be appropriate to have students draw or explain each of the organisms that make up the reef. You could have them draw, and briefly explain, calcium carbonate skeletons, sponges, worms, parrotfish, sea urchins, algae and minerals. Then have the students use those descriptions to refer to in the activity. Also, different music could be used or wave action sounds.

Carribean Unit - written by Trina Collins, Richard Wheeler, & Daniel Shimek

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