Coral Reefs and Global Warming

Lesson Plans

Grades9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by BioInteractive

Open Resource

What it is

In this activity, students will learn how warming temperatures affect corals and graph the temperature data from a specific coral reef site to assess the risk of coral bleaching in the area.

Teaching tips

Prerequisites:

Ensure students know how to use spreadsheet programs to graph the data.
Consider walking students through the activity if they are unfamiliar with how to make predictions based on scientific modeling.

Extensions:

After completing the activity, students compare the results from their location to students' results from other locations to determine whether some regions of the world are more affected by warming ocean temperatures than others.

Interdisciplinary Connections:

Geography:
- Learn more about the locations to see how damage to the coral reefs in the regions might impact tourism or other industries.

Related Resources:

Other resources on this topic include this National Park Service video on how coral health is connected to fish populations, this interactive NASA resource that provides data on ocean heat, and this lesson and experiment on ocean acidification.

From the scientist review

This is a good resource for evaluating heat stress on coral reefs. This resource is recommended for teaching.

How we review resources

Ready to use it?

Hosted on biointeractive.org

Open Resource

Want this to fit your class?

Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.

At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Other types: Data, Graphs, and Maps, Activity - Classroom, Worksheets
Format: Google Docs, PDF, Microsoft Excel
Language: English, Spanish
Location: Earth
Provider: BioInteractive
Authors: BioInteractive
Published: April 19, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · HS-LS2-2. + 12 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

HS-LS2-2.HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-6.HS-LS2-6. Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-ESS2-2.HS-ESS2-2. Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.7 Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.3CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.3 Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.9 Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.
3.13.1 Making Connections: Learners build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using the language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively.

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

HS-LS2-2HS-LS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-6HS-LS2-6 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
HS-ESS2-2HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
RSLSTS.9-10.7.RSLSTS.9-10.7. Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
RSLSTS.11-12.3.RSLSTS.11-12.3. Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based on explanations in the text.
RSLSTS.11-12.9.RSLSTS.11-12.9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

Cookie Preferences

What it is

Teaching tips

From the scientist review

Ready to use it?

Want this to fit your class?

Related Teaching Resources