What is a coral reef? And why are reefs so important?
Watch this video and then talk corals with friends, family, or classmates:
Conversation drivers
- What is coral? Is it a rock, a plant, or an animal? (Learn more about coral here.)
- What are three reasons why coral reefs are important?
- What is coral bleaching? Why is it becoming more common? (Learn more about coral bleaching here.)
- Have you ever visited a coral reef? If yes, what surprised you about the reef and the life it supports? What did you find interesting? What was the most beautiful or unusual thing you saw?
- What are several things we can do to help protect our ocean and our coral reefs?
Coral in the news
Wild News: Seabird poop helps restore coral reefs
Wild News: Māori divers remove starfish to protect a coral reef
Wild News: Colorful coral cavalcade
Wild News: Old buses gain new life in plan to help Sri Lanka’s fish
For educators
Nature Lab: Oceans and coral reefs lesson series
- Part 1: Rainforests and coral reefs
- Part 2: Ocean prognosis
- Part 3: Coral reef solutions
