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Activity: Corals
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:
NGSS Crosscutting Concepts:
NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas:
Materials
- Table 3.3
- Fig. 3.31
- Fig. 3.32
- Fig. 3.33
- Fig. 3.34
- Reef-building coral skeletons (five or more of different species)
- Dissecting microscope or hand lens
- Calipers or ruler
- Coral identification key (optional)


Procedure
- Closely examine each coral skeleton
- Place each coral skeleton specimen on the stage of the dissecting microscope
- Adjust the lighting to maximize contrast and shadows to best view fine skeleton details
- Describe the features of the coral cuplike structures, known as calyces in Table 3.3. Refer to Figs. 3.31, 3.32, 3.33, and 3.34 as needed.
- Use the ruler to measure the cup, or calyx, diameter and record it in Table 3.3.
- Use the dissecting microscope or hand lens to closely examine the calyx features.
- Count the number of divisions, known as septa, per calyx and the features of the septa walls.
- Record the coral colony shape in Table 3.3. “Massive” coral colonies take solid, stone-like forms while “branching” colonies appear bush-like.
- Sketch the coral colony
- without magnification in Table 3.3. Indicate the appropriate scale in your sketch by using a ruler.
- under magnification from the dissection scope or hand lens in Table 3.3. Indicate the appropriate scale in your sketch by using a ruler.
- Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each coral specimen.
- (Optional) Use a dichotomous key to identify the coral skeletons.
Activity Questions:
- Define the following terms:
- polyp
- colonial coral
- elevated cup
- septa
- How do the calyx features of the colonial coral specimens differ? How are the specimens similar?
- How are the individual calyces in a coral colony made? How does a colonial coral seem to grow? Explain by making sketches.
- Which coral calyx features are missing in a solitary coral like Fungia? See Fig. 3.31 B.
- Some coral polyps are as small as the lower-case letter o in this text (approximately three millimeters in diameter). How can these tiny animals build massive coral heads and entire coral reefs?
- Some coral species have sprawling branches while others adopt more solid, massive shapes.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of these two coral forms? Recall that corals acquire energy both from photosynthesis and from capturing plankton.
- For what habitat would a massive-form coral species be well adapted?
- For what habitat would a branching-form coral species be well adapted?
- Storm disturbance on reef-building corals
- Which of the species you observed would probably break during a hurricane or heavy storm?
- What skeletal features make one coral more fragile than another?
Exploring Our Fluid Earth, a product of the Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG), College of Education. University of Hawaii, 2011. This document may be freely reproduced and distributed for non-profit educational purposes.