STUDENTS

Hey Kids! Want to know more about the cool, colorful, coral reefs of the northern Gulf of Mexico? You’re in the right place! We can give you questions to stump your friends, answer those burning questions you’ve always wanted answered, and show you fun activities and coloring pages that you can download and use at home. You’ll even find links to other nifty kid stuff on the web. So, jump on in and have a good time!

Did You Know?
I've Always Wondered...
Coloring Fun
Get Creative
Activity Action
Link Me Up
Ed-Ventures

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (NMS) contains the northernmost coral reefs in the continental United States.

The closest coral reefs to Flower Garden Banks NMS
are found off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

2. Flower Garden Banks NMS is one of only two places in the world where you can find the golden phase of the smooth trunkfish .

A golden smooth trunkfish.
Photo: Joyce & Frank Burek

3. Hammerhead sharks swim in large schools at Flower Garden Banks NMS every winter.

click on the > to play

4. Whale sharks, the largest sharks in the world, often cruise through Flower Garden Banks NMS in the summer.

5. Some of the brain and star coral formations in Flower Garden Banks NMS are as large as Volkswagen Beetles.

Huge coral colonies cover the sea floor at
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

6. Water from 31 states flows into the Gulf of Mexico. That's more than the combined number of states whose water flows into the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans!

This map from the EPA shows how much of the water in the United States drains into the Gulf of Mexico.

7. Flower Garden Banks NMS is the only national marine sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.

There are 14 sites in the National Marine Sanctuary System,
but only one is located in the Gulf of Mexico--
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

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I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED...

The more you learn about the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, the more questions you are likely to have. It's such a unique and fascinating place!

We love helping students learn more about their environment, but keep in mind that we're not here to do your homework! Please check out the rest of our web site and even the resources at your local library first.

Then, if you still can't find the answer to your question, Ask Away!

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COLORING FUN

Reef Scene at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (220kb)

 

Splitting Coral Polyp (211kb) - depicts a coral polyp reproducing by splitting into two separate polyps

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GET CREATIVE

 

Day & Night Activity Wheel (4.5MB)

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ACTIVITY ACTION

Coral Crossword Puzzle (58kb)
- Learn about coral reefs by solving crossword puzzle clues

Coral Word Search (58kb)
- Search and find words associated with coral reefs

 

Zooxanthellae Words (79kb)
- How many words can you find in Zooxanthellae?

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LINK ME UP

• National Marine Sanctuaries - learn about ALL of your national marine sanctuaries
• National Marine Sanctuaries For Students - more cool stuff for students!
• Sanctuary Encyclopedia - learn all about the cool critters found in your national marine sanctuaries
• Ocean Explorer - follow current expeditions, see images of the latest discoveries, read the daily logs to learn about what the scientists have found so far, examine the mission plan, discover cool ocean career possibilities and even Ask an Explorer a question via email!
• NOAA For Students - from oceans to weather to space, you'll find it here!

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ED-VENTURES

Another way to learn all about your National Marine Sanctuaries is to explore them with Ed the Bear and Sanctuary Sam. These two furry adventurers were on the road in 2010 visiting each and every sanctuary.

Ed the Bear and Sanctuary Sam help Gulf of the
Farallones National Marine Sanctuary staff
count birds at Rodeo Beach in California.

Check out Ed's blogs online at Adventures of Ed the Bear.

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