The Coral Reefs of Belize

 A Science WebQuest

                                 

By:  Marie Korzenecki

Designed for Mr. Winchester’s 5th grade class

Introduction:

Belize is a small country in Central America. The coastline of Belize contains hundreds of coral reefs.  These reefs are home to many living creatures.  Today, you have the unique opportunity to go scuba diving in one of the coral reefs!  As you swim through this underwater world, you will see different types of exotic plants and animals.  Are you ready to start this adventure?

                     

The Challenge:

Your mission is to scuba dive through the coral reef and learn about the different types of plants and animals living there.  Each scuba diver must complete the following tasks, in order to successfully explore the reef.

The Tasks:

1)    Use the online resources to learn about the important vocabulary words.  Then, complete a crossword puzzle using these terms.

2)    Use the online resources to complete a travel log about your journey through the coral reefs.

                  

The Journey:

1)    Vocabulary:  Please visit the following websites to learn the important terms.  Once you understand the meaning of these words, complete the related crossword puzzle.  First, look at the crossword puzzle that has been provided, so you can focus your attention on the key words.

·        EnchantedLearning.com- http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/ocean/Coralreef.shtml

·        Coastal Treasures of Belize- http://www.belizenet.com/coastal/4.html

2)    Travel Log:  Use the two travel log worksheets that have been provided to complete the activities.  Please visit the following websites to complete your log. 

-         Entry #1:  As you are scuba diving through the coral reef, draw and label a picture of what you see on the sheet provided.  This should include a variety of plants and animals, such as coral, fish, and turtles.

·        Coral Reef Creatures- Click on the links to see different types of fish, or click on the Invertebrates Scenes button to see corals and sea stars.

   http://www.reefimages.com/Fishes.htm

-         Entry #2:  Please write a poem on the sheet provided that describes the plants and animals that you see.  Visit this website for more information about coral reefs.

·        Expeditions in Conservation- Click on the links to the right, such as What Lives There and Sights and Sounds

              http://www.worldwildlife.org/expeditions/reef/

To find even more information about coral reefs, please use these key words:  coral reefs, fish, animals, or marine species.

Use these key words to search www.google.com or www.metacrawler.com

                       

Good luck and have fun!  Questions and concerns email to: Marie.Korzenecki@uvm.edu