CORAL REEF DIVE

QUEST

World government organizations feel very strongly about the need to understand and protect the coral reefs. To do this effectively, a special fact-finding team is being assembled that will travel to a coral reef to investigate the geographic area, animal life, plant life, atmospheric conditions, and environmental issues. Instead of sending only divers or oceanographers, the team will be comprised* of people from very different backgrounds so that the facts they find present as much truth about the coral reefs as possible. It's hoped that instead of bringing back stereotypes and postcards, the team members will come away with an accurate and informed perspective*.

By completing this Quest, you should achieve the following goals:

• develop an interest in the study of coral reefs.

• use the power of the Internet for advanced exploration of coral reefs.

• learn information about five key aspects of coral reefs.

• realize that complex topics can be looked at from various perspectives.

• formulate and support an argument from one of the five perspectives.

• work with your teammates to problem-solve a combined action plan.

• question the nature of international relations in our more interdependent world.

You should be able to achieve these goals by completing a process where you join a team and take on one of the roles listed in the Quest(ion). After each becoming experts on one of the different roles and generating a Full Report, you and your teammates will work together to create a Group Report for the scientific community (also known as your class). This report presents your team's combined answer to the Quest(ion) and includes representative portions from each perspective. You can use a Rubric to see how your work might be evaluated.

If you encounter stormy seas, don't give up!  Blue skies are ahead!

Charting Your Course

• Each member of your research team will refresh themselves on background information of coral reefs and the problems facing them.  Your teacher will assign each of you a specific role, and you will follow the links associated with your expertise.   Each role has an equal amount of work and responsibility.  Remember that whatever expertise you get, your job is important to the group.  Do the best work that you can!

• As a group, it is recommended that you set goals for completing each part of the quest.  Depending on how long you have to work on it each week, your group must decide how much each person should finish during that week.  Write down your goals, and use them to check how well the group is coming along.  Here are some tips for good group work.

Time to Set Sail!

• Experts on the research team will investigate their specific role by visiting a variety of web sites and collecting information from them.
• Focus on the guidance questions provided for your role when hunting for information.
• Record the distinguishing facts you learn about your area of research on your journey through the Internet in your journal. Your journal will be graded for its accuracy, neatness, and completeness.  Be sure to write down all the facts you learn as neatly as possible.  This will help you and your team of researchers narrow down the distinguishing features of coral reefs and discover the ways in which to try and save them.  

JOBS

Marine Biologist – animal life

Biologists may study how organisms adapt to their aquatic environment (e.g., currents or light), and how they interact with each other and with their environment.  You will bring your expertise to your team by presenting both verbally and in writing (through your journal) the fauna (animals) of the coral reef. As you know, tropical species are extremely colorful and can be very unusual. Therefore, you will rely heavily on having visuals.

Research Questions for the Marine Biologist

1. What animals live in and around the reef? Identify, visually represent, and research eight.

2. How do these animals contribute within the ecosystem?

3. Assess the importance of some of these animals outside of the ecosystem.

4. Choose three animals and justify why it is so important that each be saved from extinction.

Internet Resources for Marine Biologists

Ocean Planet

Sea World

Diving Bonaire

Marine Sanctuary

Marine Invertebrates of Hawaii

Marine Fishes of Hawaii

Hawaii Coral Reef Network

Studying Marine Mammals

Studying Individual Marine Mammals

"Strategies for Pursuing a Career in Marine Mammal Science"

Marine Botanist – plant life

Biologists may study how organisms adapt to their aquatic environment (e.g., currents or light), and how they interact with each other and with their environment.  You will bring your expertise to the team by presenting both verbally and in writing (through your journals) the plants of the coral reef. As you know, tropical species are extremely colorful and can be very unusual. Therefore, you will rely heavily on visuals.

Research Questions for the Marine Botanists:

1. What plants live in and around the coral reef? Identify, visually represent, and research eight.

2. How does each contribute to the ecosystem?

3. Assess the importance of some of these plants outside of the ecosystem.

4. Choose 3 plants and rank order them according to their importance. Justify why it is so important that they be saved from extinction.

Internet Resources for Marine Botanists

Ocean Planet

National Marine Sanctuary

Marine Plants of Hawaii

Diving Bonaire

Careers in Marine Science

Caribbean Reef Animals

Coral Reef Animals

Marine Geographer – maps and land forms

Geographers may study the features of land forms, not only their locations.  You will bring your expertise to the team by presenting both verbally and in writing (through your journals) the areas in which coral reefs are located and geographic features they possess.  As you know, geography involves natural land features and cartography.  Therefore, you will rely heavily on maps.

Research Questions for the Marine Geographer

1. In what parts of the world are reefs usually located?

2. How are reefs usually formed? What does a volcano have to do with a coral reef?

3. What is an atoll and what is its relationship to a coral reef?

4. What are the major types of reefs that exist in the world, and where are they located?

Internet Resources for Marine Geographers

Coral Reefs

Hawaii Coral Reef Network

Marine Plants of Hawaii

Coral Reefs and Biodiversity

Coral Reefs

Where Are They Located

Environmental Activist – reefs in trouble

You are keenly aware of the interdependence among species that exist in an ecosystem. What affects one portion of the ecosystem can have drastic effects on the other portion. Scavengers and parasitic/symbiotic relationships are the essence of your work. Your extensive expertise and experience qualifies you to speak of the role that each species play in the underwater community. You are aware of the dangers present in the coral reef regions and what governments and organizations are doing to protect and preserve the coral reefs.

Research Questions for the Marine Environmentalists

1. What is a coral reef? What is it composed of?

2. Discuss the reef as an ecosystem, detailing the interdependence of the individual species.

3. Choose at least three organizations which are researching reefs and give detailed descriptions of their efforts to preserve them.

Internet Resources for Marine Environmentalists

Coral in Danger and Dying

Reef Conservation

Longevity and Causes of Death

Conservation of the Coral Reef

Threats to Coral Reefs

Coral Reefs: Edens at Risk

25 Things You Can Do To Save Coral Reefs

Threats to Coral Reefs

Statistician – facts and figures

Get the facts and figures about coral reefs of today and yesteryear.

Photojournalist – images

Find photos on the Internet (or take photos, artwork, or pictures from paper materials and scan them in!) to supplement the work of the Marine Biologist and Marine Botanist. Obviously, you will need to meet with them to discuss their projects. Also, collect some interesting images of your own to present in a photojournal format.

Internet Resources for Photojournalists

Coral Reef Art

Coral Reef Productions

Meet The Corals

Fisheye View Time-Lapse Movies of Coral (middle of the page)

ADVICE

You will find that your series will flow together better if some of you collaborate on aspects of your reports. For example, the Marine Biologist and Marine Botanist might use the Statistician or the Photojournalist as a resource to support his/her report. Also, it would be a good idea to browse links other than those recommended for your job. Much of these resources do overlap!

The Photojournalist might find that there is not exactly an abundance of photographic material online on the coral reef. So, in addition to related graphic material, you should really consider taking your own photos and/or doing your own artwork and scanning it in. Remember: always ask permission before taking photos of people!!!

When writing your pieces, go back to the questions posed in the beginning of this project description. What do you think about the area and related issues now?

Land , Ho!  Drop Anchor!

Evaluation

Do you have all the parts of your Quest completed?

Fill in the circle as you complete each task.

Your Journal

• Did you date all of your entries?

• Did you log in every web site you visited?

• Did you take notes on your research?

• Did you record meetings with your team?

Your Folder or Notebook

• Did you arrange your materials: pictures, articles, printouts?

Your Project

• Did you share your information with your team?

• Has your team reached an agreement on a way to protect the coral reefs?

• Has your team worked together to prepare and complete the oral presentation?