Information for Teachers
Curriculum links
This investigation is linked to the following Grade 3 Next Generation Science Standards.
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles. (3-LS1-1)
LS2.D: Social Interactions and Group Behavior
Being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend themselves, and cope with changes. Groups may serve different functions and vary dramatically in size. (3-LS2-1)
LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience
When the environment changes in ways that affect a place’s physical characteristics, temperature, or availability of resources, some organisms survive and reproduce, others move to new locations, yet others move into the transformed environment, and some die. (secondary to 3-LS4-4)
LS4.C: Adaptation
For any particular environment, some kinds of organisms survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. (3-LS4-3)
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
Populations live in a variety of habitats, and change in those habitats affects the organisms living there. (3-LS4-4)
How to search the internet
1 Keep your request short
Fewer words will give a more accurate search.
2 Choose exactly what you want
For example: Arctic Circle Climate
3 Use quotes
Double quotes around a set of words tell the search engine to consider those exact words in that exact order without any change. For example: “Arctic Circle Climate”
4 Use the plus sign (+)
If you add a plus sign (+) between words, the internet will search for all the words. For example: migrate+birds+whales+mammal
5 Use the minus sign (–) to say what you don’t want
Use a minus sign (–) to show words you do not want to appear in your results. For example: if you search for burrowing animals and do not want mammals in your search, –mammals will exclude mammals. Note that you need to put a space before the minus sign for the word to be excluded.
6 Be very clear about what you don’t want
Part 1
Ask questions and define problems
After reading The Coral Reef, you may have many questions about how coral reefs grow and change and why they are important to many different sea animals.
List your questions
- Compare your list with questions that others have.
- Choose a question you would like to investigate.
- You can work alone, with a partner, or in a small group.
You may want to choose one or more of these questions to investigate
Q1. Are all coral reefs the same?
Q2. Why are coral reefs important?
Q3. What is happening to coral reefs today?
Q4. What can be done to protect coral reefs so that future generations can enjoy them?
Go to Part 2 Investigate →Part 2
Investigate
Helpful websites
You may want to use websites to help you’re your investigations.
You can do searches such as:
Coral+reef
Coral+polyps
Coral+bleaching
Go to Part 3 Record data →
Part 3
Record data
Find a way of recording your information that will allow you to see any patterns in the data.
Data Chart for coral reefs of the world
Download Chart
Go to Part 4 Organize, analyze, and interpret data →
Part 4
Organize, analyze, and interpret data
1. Look over the information you have gathered and the patterns you have found.
What is the same about where the coral reefs are found?
2. Search for other patterns.
Are the coral reefs marine parks?
Are any of the reefs under threat?
3. Makes notes about what you find.
Go to Part 5 Present and share →Part 5
Present and share
Look over all of the information that you have gathered in your investigation.
What are the most important ideas about coral reefs?
Make a chart showing the most important ideas.
Download Chart
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