Educatioon - National Aquarium

33 Pages·2013·8.22 MB·English

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Coral Reefs Pre- and o
Post-Visit Activities
Grades 5-8
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Education Department
501 East Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Reproduction for educational purposes only.
Printed on recycled paper, preserving aquatic habitats. 12/13
The National Aquarium
is a nonprofit organization
whose mission is to inspire conservation
of the world’s aquatic treasures.
501 East Pratt Street • Baltimore, MD 21202
aqua.org
This booklet was prepared by the Education Department at
the National Aquarium.
Illustration: Cindy Belcher
The educational goals of the National Aquarium are supported
by funding from the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Aquatic
Education Endowment Fund.
The booklet may be reproduced by any teacher, school or
school district for educational purposes.
© 2010
Coral Reefs
A 30-minute auditorium and gallery program for Grades 5-8 at the National Aquarium
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
AAAS Benchmarks
Students experience an auditorium presentation on the biology
of coral reefs and their importance as an ecosystem. Students
learn how their day-to-day actions affect the health and in- 4C/M7-6-8: Human activities, such as reducing the
habitants of coral reefs. Following the program, students travel amount of forest cover, increasing the amount and variety
to the Atlantic Coral Reef gallery to complete a worksheet of chemicals released into the atmosphere and intensive
combining animal behavior, conservation, adaptations and farming, have changed the Earth’s land, oceans and
geography of coral reefs. atmosphere. Some of these changes have decreased the
capacity of the environment to support some life forms.

PLANNING FOR THE PROGRAM 5A/M1-6-8: One of the most general distinctions among
The activities included in this booklet are a supplement to the organisms is between plants that use sunlight to make their
auditorium program at the National Aquarium. The Coral Reefs own food and animals that consume energy-rich foods.
program can be incorporated into units about reef biology, Some kinds of organisms, many of them microscopic,
ecosystems, animal behavior, adaptations, and conservation cannot be neatly classified as either plants or animals.
practices. Including your trip to the National Aquarium, this
lesson should be covered in three days.
5A/M5abc-6-8: All organisms, including the human
species, are part of and depend on two main inter-
connected global food webs. One includes microscopic
DAY 1: PRE-VISIT ACTIVITIES ocean plants, the animals that feed on them and finally,
The day before your visit to the National Aquarium, read the animals that feed on those animals. The other web
the Teacher Background section in this booklet and share the includes land plants, the animals that feed on them and
information with your students. On the day of your visit, so forth.
your group will complete Activity 1 – Atlantic Coral Reef.
5D/E1-3-5: For any particular environment, some kinds
of plants and animals thrive, some do not live as well and
DAY 2: AQUARIUM VISIT some do not survive at all.
Attend the interactive presentation of Coral Reefs in the 4-D
Immersion Theater at the National Aquarium. Visit the Atlantic 5D/E3a-3-5: Organisms interact with one another
Coral Reef gallery and complete the accompanying activity on in various ways besides providing food.
pages 7-17. Also be sure to visit the Pier 3, Level 3 Occupying
exhibit and the Level 4 Pacific Reef exhibit to see examples of
live coral and reef inhabitants.
DAY 3: POST-VISIT ACTIVITIES
The day after your visit, complete the post-visit activities,
Activity 2 – Coral Reef Survivor on pages 18-24 and Activity
3 – Data-based Coral Bleaching on pages 25-31.
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 1
MD Voluntary Curriculum: Science

Grade 5 - 3.0 Life Science A.1a.
Identify and describe features and behaviors of some
of the plants and animals living in a familiar environment,
and explain ways that these organisms are well-suited to
their environment.
Grade 5 - 6.0 Environmental Science B.2a.
Explain how human activities may have positive
consequences on the natural environment: recycling
centers, native plantings and good farming practices.
Grade 5 - 6.0 Environmental Science B.2b.
Explain how human activities may have negative
consequences on the natural environment: damage or
destruction done to habitats, air, water and land pollution.
Teacher Background
CORAL REEFS
Coral reefs are important marine ecosystems that are found in calcium carbonate (CaCO) found in sea water, and provides
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clear, shallow, tropical waters around the world. They provide protection for polyps. Since polyps occur in groups called
habitat for diverse communities of marine animals and plants. colonies, coral reefs consist of a colony’s collective calcium
Coral reefs consist of individual animals called coral polyps carbonate exoskeleton in addition to the living polyps.
and their hard exoskeletons. These small animals have soft,
cylindrical bodies and a ring of tentacles surrounding a mouth. All reef-building corals have algae called zooxanthellae living
The coral polyp is a member of the phylum Cnidaria, which also inside their tissues. Through the process of photosynthesis,
includes anemones, jellies, sea whips, sea fans and siphonophores. the algae convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and
All members of this phylum, including coral, have tentacles carbohydrates. These carbohydrates provide nutrients for the
which they use to catch prey. The tentacles are covered with coral polyp. The polyp, in return, uses oxygen for respiration
stinging cells called nematocysts, which can stun or even kill and provides carbon dioxide and shelter to the zooxanthellae.
small animals called zooplankton that drift too close to the Because these algae require light in order to perform photo-
coral. After the zooplankton have been stung, the tentacles synthesis, their coral hosts are restricted to relatively shallow
direct them toward the central mouth where they are digested. (30 meters), clear water. The algae account for about half
of the weight of the coral body, and algal pigments give the
Since coral polyps are soft-bodied animals, the bulk of a coral coral its color. Since the algae play such a crucial role in coral
reef ecosystem comes from the hard exoskeleton polyps survival, without it, coral reproduction comes to a halt.
create around themselves. The exoskeleton is composed of
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 2
WHERE DO REEFS GROW?
Reef-building corals have very specific requirements for growth
that limit their distribution. The water must be clear, shallow
and warm, with an optimum temperature of 24 degrees Celsius
(75 degrees Farenheit). This temperature requirement limits
coral growth to tropical areas. Coral reefs are generally restricted
to the eastern margins of continents where warm water from
the equator arrives with the currents. Consequently, coral
reefs form off the coast of Florida, but not off the coast
of California, where the water is much colder.
However, not all water along tropical coastlines is suitable for
coral reefs. Other environmental factors, such as the amount
of salt in the water, or salinity, can limit coral growth. Corals
require a salinity of at least 25 parts per thousand (ppt) and
do best in full sea water (35 ppt). Areas with high freshwater CORAL REEF FISH
runoff, like the mouth of the Amazon River, lack coral reefs The rock-hard skeletons of corals do not protect them from
because the salinity is too low. all of the fish that inhabit the reef. Parrotfish have a special
adaptation, consisting of a bony “beak” with teeth that are
Coral reefs exist where all the environmental factors necessary fused together into upper and lower plates. This allows these
for coral growth coincide. The major areas of reef development fish to graze on algae that grow on dead coral, as well as zoo-
are in the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific regions. The largest xanthellae in live coral, by crunching pieces of the hard coral
reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef, is located off the to get to the attached vegetable matter. The coral bits are then
east coast of Australia and spans 1,200 miles. ground in a bony mill in the throat and returned to the sediment
in a fine-grained form. This feeding strategy of parrotfish
creates much of the coral-derived “sand” in and around the
CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM reefs. In fact, one parrotfish can make up to a ton of this
In addition to corals, many other animals feed, hide and rest in coral sand per year.
the complex reef habitat. Sponges in brilliant colors grow as
both encrusting patches and as freestanding shapes, including Since a coral reef houses so many different kinds of fish and
vase and basket sponges. Some mollusks live on the corals invertebrate species, encounters between individual animals are
themselves, but many more live in the sandy areas and grass common. Interactions between fish of different species are
beds around the reef. Arthropods such as crabs, shrimp and often observed in the reef habitat. One example of this is a
spiny lobsters hide in the many nooks and crannies of the reef. cleaning station. Smaller animals may appear to be “picking”
or “biting” a larger one, with the “victim” doing nothing to
Fish are the most prominent animals of the reef. They exhibit defend itself. This is actually cleaning behavior; the smaller
a variety of colors and fascinating ways of living. Many of them fish is removing parasites, debris or infected tissue from the
have seemingly strange body designs and social behaviors. skin of the larger fish. The cleaner lives in a semi-permanent
These specializations provide efficient means of feeding, territory called a “cleaning station,” which other fish recognize.
schooling and protection for a variety of fish, and enable Both parties benefit from this relationship: the larger fish gets
all areas of the reef to be used as feeding, resting or hiding rid of an irritant, and the cleaner gets a meal without being
places during the day and night. harmed. Cleaners include small fish such as gobies, cleaner
wrasses and young porkfish, as well as many of the shrimp
that live in surrounding sponges, anemones and crevices.
Unique defense adaptations among fish species are also
important features of coral reefs. For example, the four-eye
butterflyfish are thought to use fake eyespots to direct enemies
to the wrong end of the fish—the tail.
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 3
sunlight, which starves zooxanthellae and results in coral
bleaching. You can minimize fertilizer runoff by using little to
no fertilizer on your lawn.
Of course “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is another important
conservation concept for the world’s oceans and coral reefs.
You can reduce the amount of water used in your home by
turning faucets off when not in use and taking shorter showers
instead of baths. Reducing the amount of water we use means
that less water has to be treated in sewage treatment plants or
in septic systems. Also, you will conserve energy by reducing
the amount of water that needs to be pumped through treat-
ment plants. Conserving energy reduces the load on fossil
fuel plants, thereby reducing the pollution they produce,
which is beneficial to coral reefs.
Physical destruction by anchors or human contact is another
dangers facing coral reefs. Boats that drop anchor in coral reefs
can destroy decades of coral growth in an instant. Careless
CORAL REEF CONSERVATION divers can cause the same destruction by touching or removing
pieces of coral reefs. You can prevent this destruction by
While the coral reef is one of the most complex and diverse
anchoring your boat to a floating buoy instead of the ocean
environments in the world, it is also one of the most delicate.
floor. If you visit a coral reef, be careful not to step on or
Changes to the clarity, temperature or salinity of the water can
touch coral, as any physical contact damages the fragile polyps.
cause corals to die, or bleach. Coral bleaching refers to the
Instead, use your eyes and an underwater camera to observe
evacuation of zooxanthellae, the color-producing organism in
coral reefs, when conditions become less than ideal. When zoo- and remember your visit.
xanthellae evacuate, coral polyps die, which leaves the white
calcium carbonate exoskeleton behind. Without zooxanthellae For more information about the importance of protecting
and polyps, coral reef ecosystems cannot function properly. coral reefs, be sure to visit the Atlantic Coral Reef gallery, the
Level 3 Occupying exhibit, and the Level 4 Pacific Reef exhibit.
Though you may not live in a tropical area, there are still things Remember, even though you may not live in a tropical area,
that you can do to protect coral reefs. To prevent sedimentation, you can still help protect coral reef ecosystems, so be sure
which keeps sunlight from reaching zooxanthellae, you can to ask your family, friends and neighbors to do their part in
plant trees. Tree roots not only anchor trees to the ground, helping the coral reefs!
but they also keep soil in place so runoff does not carry it
into waterways, and eventually the ocean. You can also limit
sedimentation by slowing down the flow of rainwater, which
will result in less dirt and silt being washed into waterways. This
can be accomplished by installing a rain barrel to collect water
as it flows off your roof via rain gutters. Gravel driveways
also impede the flow of water before it exits your property.
Another cause of coral bleaching is an algae bloom, which
often result from fertilizer and excess nutrients entering
tropical waters. Similar to sedimentation, algae blooms block
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 4
Nematocyst – a capsule containing a coiled barb that delivers a
Glossary paralyzing sting when the capsule’s trigger is disturbed; used in
defense and in capturing prey
Photosynthesis – the process by which plants and algae
convert carbon dioxide, water and light energy into
carbohydrates and oxygen
Algae Bloom – a rapid algae growth caused by fertilizer or Polyp – a soft animal resembling an anemone that creates a
excessive nutrients in water; results in a very visible decline hard exoskeleton around itself
in water quality
Rain barrel – a barrel designed to collect and store rainwater
Anemone – a sedentary marine invertebrate with a columnar as it drips from a rooftop
body and tentacles surrounding a central mouth
Runoff – water that is not absorbed into the ground, but
Arthropod – an invertebrate with jointed limbs and a segmented instead flows over land and eventually into a stream, river or
body made of chitin; includes crustaceans and insects the ocean; runoff can carry loose soil, fertilizer, garbage
or other pollutants into a body of water
Calcium carbonate – a compound with the chemical formula
CaCO; commonly found in items throughout nature, including Salinity – a measure of the concentration of salt in a solution;
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rocks, shells and coral measured in parts per thousand, or ppt
Cleaning station – a location where marine organisms Schooling – fish of the same species swimming as a group;
congregate to have dead skin and parasites removed by the group moves and changes directions at the same time;
cleaner fish this behavior provides protection from predators
Cnidaria – phylum containing aquatic animals with stinging Sedimentation – the process by which sand, clay or silt gets
cells; includes corals, jellies, hydras and anemones into the water column and eventually settles on the bottom.
Excessive amounts of sedimentation can be harmful to the
Coral bleaching – occurs when poor water quality kills coral, Bay’s aquatic life.
leaving behind a colorless skeleton
Sponge – a multicellular marine animal whose porous body is
Ecosystem – a community of living organisms and their supported by a fibrous skeletal framework; usually occurs in
relationships with the non-living materials in a given area sessile colonies
Exoskeleton – the hard outer covering that supports and Zooplankton – small animals including crustaceans, fish larvae
protects a number of animals, including coral and protozoans that drift in the ocean; are eaten by larger
animals including corals, jellies, and fish
Habitat – the environment in which an organism or biologi-
cal population lives or grows Zooxanthellae – single-celled, golden-brown algae that live in
the tissues of a variety of organisms, including hard and soft
Mollusk – an invertebrate with a soft, unsegmented body, corals; provide the host with energy from photosynthesis
usually enclosed in a shell; an animal that is a member of
the phylum Mollusca, including clams, oysters, scallops, squid
and octopuses
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 5
Resources
BRIDGE: CORAL BLEACHING NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
www2.vims.edu/bridge/DATA.cfm?Bridge_ ADMINISTRATION: OCEAN SERVICE EDUCATION
Location=archive0406.html oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/
corals/welcome.html
Using real data, students can complete this activity on coral
bleaching around the world. Includes information on coral biology, lesson plans and activities
for children.
BRIDGE: CORAL SNAPSHOTS
www2.vims.edu/bridge/DATA.cfm?Bridge_ REEF RELIEF
Location=archive1109.html reefrelief.org
Biodiversity in Marine Protected Areas activity. Discover the A global nonprofit membership organization dedicated to
methods of surveying coral reefs. protecting coral reefs. Website includes information on coral
reef biology, reef monitoring projects and links to activities
CORALWATCH for children.
coral.org/resources/more_online_resources
REEFBASE
Australian organization that monitors coral health.
reefbase.org/main.aspx
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY A global information system for coral reefs that includes
epa.gov/OWOW/oceans/coral/ photos, maps and scientific data.
Information on biology and conservation. Links to coral-
related documents geared toward adults.
NATIONAL AQUARIUM – BALTIMORE, MD
aqua.org
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINIS-
TRATION: CORAL REEF EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
coralreef.noaa.gov/outreach/rsourcecd08/posters.html
A collection of coral reef-related education materials. Includes
downloadable posters, lesson plans and activities. .
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC
ADMINISTRATION: CORAL REEF WATCH
coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html
Includes near real-time data on environmental conditions of
coral reefs.
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 6
TEACHER PAGE
Activity 1 – Atlantic Coral Reef
DESCRIPTION
Coral reefs are diverse communities of marine plants and animals that rise above sandy ocean floors in some tropical areas
of the world. The Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit at the National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD venue corresponds to a coral reef one
might find in the Carribean or the Florida Keys. The coral structures and animals on display represent the natural inhabitants
of those coral reefs.
In this activity, students explore the Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit and use their observational skills to answer the questions on the
Student Pages.
PROCEDURE
1. The day of your visit, distribute copies of the Student Pages for Activity 1 – Atlantic Coral Reef found on pages 13-17.
The Aquarium instructor will also have copies of this activity.
2. Attend the presentation of Coral Reefs in the 4-D Immersion Theater at the Aquarium.
3. As a class, proceed to the Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit in the Aquarium. Have your students complete the worksheets
found on pages 13-17 individually or in pairs. Discuss what can be done to protect coral reefs..
Note: Please supply your own clipboards and pencils for the activity as the Aquarium cannot provide these items.
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 7
ANSWER KEY
Activity 1 – Atlantic Coral Reef
CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD
The Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit at the National Aquarium is a representation of the coral reefs off the southeastern coast of
the United States. The animals and types of coral on display are native to these reefs, which makes a trip through this exhibit
similar to a SCUBA trip in the Florida Keys.
There are coral reefs found in other parts of the world, too. Using the key below, identify the location of the reefs on the map.
KEY
Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Red Sea Coral Reef (Middle East) Maldives Reefs (Indian Ocean)
Belize Barrier Reef (Central America) Pulley Ridge (Florida, USA)
Red Sea Coral Reef Maldives Reefs
Pulley Ridge (Florida, USA)
(Middle East) (Indian Ocean)
Belize Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
(Central America)
Coral Reefs – Grades 5-8 8