Coral Oceans

Science | Ages 14-16

Coral Oceans GCSE Science is a unit of work based on the expedition completed by the XL Catlin Seaview Survey Team to Timor-Leste.

Using our exclusive galleries and videos students will complete tasks and experiments similar to those completed by the scientists during the expedition such as testing the turbidity of the water and completing a transect of a coral reef.

Students will acquire an understanding of the importance of the life cycle of coral reefs and surrounding ecosystems and the relationships between coral reefs and humans. This unit incorporates key skills necessary for Science GCSE such as describing patterns, interpreting information and writing scientific explanations.

Part of:

AXA Ocean Education

Lesson 1: How is coral reef biodiversity useful and important?

This lesson introduces the unit. In this lesson, students learn about the scales of coral reefs and the importance of mutualism within coral reefs.

Lesson 2: How can humans directly threaten reefs?

In this lesson students will learn how humans threaten the reef, focusing on the threats and effects on food webs on the reef.

Lesson 3: How can humans indirectly threaten reefs?

This lesson focuses on the indirect threats to reefs such as climate change. Students explore indirect threats through a range of experiments.

Lesson 4: How do we decide which areas to protect?

Students will learn how to complete a transect, study and analyse photographs of a reef to reach a conclusion about the hypothesis.

Lesson 5: How can we protect the reef?

In this lesson students will develop knowledge and understanding of the importance of surrounding environments to coral reefs.