Coral Structure and Function

This lesson teaches about the unique structures of coral. Students will begin the lesson with a hands-on modeling activity where they will create a coral polyp. This leads the class to begin learning how coral survives in the marine environment. To better understand how corals survive in their habitat, the class will participate in a role-play activity to compare the daytime and nighttime feeding adaptations of a coral colony. Finally, students learn about how coral is adapted to protect itself from natural stresses.