Coral Reef Ecosystem Fact File Organizer

Use the coral reef organizer as a reading task, then let small groups each take one plan sheet. Have groups present their recommendation with numbers.

Fill an organizer from a coral reef fact file on polyps, algae partners, threats and bleaching. The directions on the page read: Read the fact file carefully. You will use it to complete the organizer on page 2. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 8th grade ecosystems, and it works the same at home or at school. At home, a student can work through it alone and then go over it with you, which shows quickly what is solid and what needs another look. In class it works as independent practice, homework or a warm-up, and you can print one copy or a full set.

Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the ocean floor, yet about a quarter of all known ocean species live on or around them. Coral polyps build the reef, and algae inside them make food. The fact file also covers threats such as bleaching.

In Banff National Park in Canada, fences and crossings cut collisions between vehicles and wildlife by more than 80 percent. The sheet's sample highway data show collisions dropping after crossings were finished. Students check the results against three county goals.

List the criteria, such as cost, species helped and what people gain, and compare each plan on each one. The forest and pollinator sheets have students fill in a chart before writing a recommendation. The best plan depends on which criteria matter most.