Coral reefs
Coral reefs
Four free lessons for ages 8 to 15
Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, yet around a quarter of all known ocean species depend on them, and the Philippines sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle, the richest reef region on Earth. These four lessons build on each other, from what a reef is to what its future depends on, but each one also works on its own.
- Ages
- 8 to 14, and 9 to 15 for lesson 4
- Time
- About an hour per lesson
- Subjects
- Science and geography
- Hands-on
- A virtual dive, an edible polyp, a storm shield experiment and a board game
-
Lesson 1: Welcome to the reef
What a reef is, why the Philippines sits in the Coral Triangle, and a virtual dive using real dive hand signals, meeting eight animals photographed on our reefs.
- Ages
- 8 to 14
- Time
- 60 minutes
- You need
- Some space to crouch and stand
-
Lesson 2: Amazing polyps
Meet the tiny animals that build a reef and the algae they live with, match coral shapes and reef types, learn why corals bleach, then build an edible polyp.
- Ages
- 8 to 14
- Time
- 60 minutes
- You need
- Biscuits, fruit and sprinkles, or clay if you prefer no food
-
Lesson 3: Reef neighbours
How mangroves, seagrass and coral reefs work as a team, with a drawing task, a Venn diagram and a storm shield experiment in a tray of sand.
- Ages
- 8 to 14
- Time
- 60 to 75 minutes
- You need
- Trays, sand, water and twigs or straws
-
Lesson 4: The future of the reef
Real survey data on how our reefs are doing, what harms and helps them, the Apo Island success story, and the Reef Explorers board game.
- Ages
- 9 to 15
- Time
- 60 to 75 minutes
- You need
- Dice and counters for the board game
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Bring your students to the reef
We host school groups at our base in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, for diving or snorkelling, beach clean-ups and tree planting alongside our conservation team. Every visit follows our child protection policy.