Activities, Lesson Plans, and More
- Y—Young (PreK-3rd)
- M—Middle (4th-6th)
- O—Older (7th-12th)
- T—Teacher Resources
David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef: An Interactive Journey
This interactive virtual tour of the Great Barrier Reef provides activities for all ages, maps, videos, photos, and audio covering the reef's wildlife, threats, and research.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park
The official site of the Australian government's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park offers a variety of resources providing reef facts, health updates, animals, threats, and more.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation provides an interactive map of the different reefs that make up the Great Barrier Reef. The site also includes many detailed articles and videos on the creatures that inhabit the reef, threats to its existence, and general facts.
NOAA Coral Reef Watch
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch provides satellite monitoring of the world’s oceans and coral reefs. On the site, you can find real-time and historical data, informational maps, and information on the NOAA’s coral reef research.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Coral Bleaching Interactive Map
This interactive map from Mango Map uses data from the Great Barrier Reef Maine Park, ReefBase to track coral bleaching. Click on areas of the map to learn about the severity of coral bleaching in that area.
Allen Coral Atlas Great Barrier Reef Interactive Map
This interactive map from Allen Coral Atlas provides comprehensive data from various institutions on the world’s coral reefs. You can use the map to view coral bleaching events, sea temperatures, temperature trends, ocean water turbidity, historical satellite imagery, and more.
UNESCO Great Barrier Reef
The UNESCO World Heritage site provides wealth of resources for students. Resources include an extensive gallery of images, description and importance of the reef, an educational video gallery, maps, and more.
Google Arts & Culture: Great Barrier Reef
Take a virtual tour of the Great Barrier Reef using one of these Google Arts & Culture digital exhibitions that include photo galleries and 360° photos.
Great Barrier Reef
The biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef is threatened. Scientists are working to find ways to protect it. Educational article for students grades 5-8, from National Geographic.
Reef Beat
Reef Beat is a curriculum-based education program for students developed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
Unit on 'The Great Barrier Reef and its Coastal Zones'
This teaching unit, from Angela Coliver of The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, provides key understanding idea, terminology, focus questions, and more.
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Teacher Resources
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has a large collection of coral reef teacher resources, including curriculum, lesson plans, study units, handouts, and more.
Mr. Donn's Great Barrier Reef Lesson Plan
This 2-3 day unit from Mr. Donn has students explore the importance of the Great Barrier Reef on a real world scale. This activity provides students an opportunity to role play different view points in the world and write arguments on why the Great Barrier Reef is important to their unique perspective. For grade 9.
Coral Reef Classroom Resources
A collection of high school and AP high school lesson plans on coral reef science from BioInteractive.
The Great Barrier Reef - Grades 4-6
This lesson plan, in addition to a detailed lesson structure, provides printable worksheets, images, maps, videos, and more, giving you comprehensive resources to create a detailed plan for your young students.
Coral Reef Animal Study Unit and Lapbook
This free Coral Reef Lapbook from Homeschoolshare.com includes lessons, coloring pages, activities, worksheets, and more.
Great Barrier Reef Facts for Kids
The most famous coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef is a unique ecosystem all its own and home to an astonishing variety of marine life. Whether you’re doing some armchair travel with the kids or research for school, get ready for some fun facts about the Great Barrier Reef from A World of Travels with Kids.