Interactive Exploration of Coral Bleaching

Resource Type
Description
The added information provided at pause points within the animation Coral Bleaching allows for a richer exploration of coral reefs, symbiosis, and other topics in biology.
The animation Coral Bleaching zooms in on a coral reef to explore the tiny animals that build reefs, the photosynthetic algae inside their cells, and the damaging process of coral bleaching. The examples in this animation can be used to explore the concepts of biodiversity and ecosystem services, sexual and asexual reproduction, the differences between plant and animal cells, symbiotic relationships, photosynthesis, and more.
This version of the animation contains automatic pause points, during which students access additional information in the form of text and illustrations, videos, questions, and interactive widgets.
The “Educator Materials” document includes background information and implementation suggestions. The “Student Worksheet” incorporates concepts and information from the video.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Describe how ecosystems, such as coral reefs, benefit humans and other organisms.
- Differentiate between sexual and asexual reproduction.
- Compare plant and animal cells.
- Identify different types of symbiotic relationships.
- Summarize the role of chloroplasts in photosynthesis.
- Explain coral bleaching and its impacts.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
algae, biodiversity, chloroplast, ecosystem services, marine biology, oceanography, photosynthesis, polyp, symbiosis, zooxanthellae
Terms of Use
Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-LS1-4, HS-LS2-7
AP Biology (2019)
SYI-1.G, SYI-2.B, SYI-2.C, ENE-1.M, ENE-4.B; SP1, SP4
IB Biology (2016)
1.1, 1.4, 2.9, 4.1, 8.3, C.2, C.3
AP Environmental Science (2020)
Topic(s): 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 9.6
Learning Objectives & Practices: ERT-1.A, ERT-1.C, ERT-1.D, STB-4
IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)
2.2, 3.3, 7.2
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.4
Vision and Change (2009)
CC5