| Coral Reefs |
| Bible: 12 Disciples / Fishermen -- Simon Peter & Andrew; James & John (sons of Zebedee) Matthew 4:18-22, 10:1-4; Luke 5:1-11, 6:12-16 Academic: Corals are tiny marine animals. They are a type of polyp, which is a simple tube-shaped animal with a soft, sack-like body. One end of the body opens at a mouth that is ringed with tentacles. Corals produce an outer skeleton to live in. Some corals are solitary, bust most live in large colonies. Each reef-building coral is about 5 mm (1/5 inch) long. As the coral grows, it produces buds that stay attached to the parent. Skeletons of colonial corals gradually build up into huge underwater rocky ridges or reefs. They are 2,500 different kinds of coral in the world. Hard corals produce an outer skeleton of calcium carbonate (limestone). It is commonly white in color, and forms large masses of rock which eventually becomes reefs. Soft corals are non-reef-building corals. They have skeletons of horny tubes, spikes, and rods. They are often brightly colored. Coral Reefs can grow to be hundreds of feet thick and many hundreds of miles long. They provide homes for all kinds of marine creatures including fish, mollusks, and more. Reefs grow at a rate of about 6 inches per year. They only grow in clean, clear oceans where the water temperature is above 65 degree F. Therefore, they are found in the Tropics. They need light for the tiny plants that live within each polyp, so reefs grow in surface waters down to 150 feet. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest coral reef in the world. It is more than 1,200 miles long, and can be seen from outer space. There are three types of reefs. Fringing reefs form around an island close to the shore. Barrier reefs have a broad stretch of sea separating it from the mainland. Atolls are circular reefs with just water in the middle. They may form when the land disappears either by sinking or water levels rising. There are different zones to a reef. The Reef Flat is the backside of the reef. It is relatively calm. The Reef Crest is the highest point. It receives the greatest impact of wave energy. The waves also bring in lots of plankton allowing for rapid growth. The crest can be very close to the surface. The Reef Front faces the open ocean. It is not as close to the surface, so waves do not break here. More fragile corals can safely grow here than at the crest. Reefs have contours that are formed by the effects of the waves. They include ridges, channels, caves, and holes. Individual coral polyps are small. Their food is microscopic. It includes phytoplankton (which is tiny plants), and zooplankton (which is tiny animals). Each polyp has a symbiotic relationship with zooanthellae. Zooanthellae is a microscope plant that lives in the coral. It uses wastes from the polyps and provides food and oxygen to the polyp. Crafts/Activity CD Fish Yarn Octopus World Map with Coral Reefs References: Books: Life on a Coral Reef by Lionel Bender Picture Library: Coral Reef by Norman Barrett It Could Still Be Coral by Allan Fowler Habitats: Coral Reef by Gary Davis Coral Reef by April Pulley Sayre Coral Reef: A City That Never Sleeps by Mary Cerullo The Twelve Apostles by Marianna Mayer Charlton Heston Presents the Bible Websites: CD Fish 1 CD Fish 2 Yarn Octopus Other Sea & Coral Reef Sites to check out (by no means comprehensive, no particular order) Fun Fish Activities at 123child Number Recognition with Fish Theme Under the Sea Crafts at Danielle's Place AtoZ TeacherStuff Ocean Theme LearningPage Ocean Gallery Discoveryschool Coral Reefs (Grades 6-8) ABCTeach Coral Reef Theme Red Sea & Coral at Travel for Kids Great Barrier Reef Info & Photos National Geographic Virtual Tour of Great Barrier Reef |
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| September, 2002 Workshop |