Coral Reefs
We recently found a really interesting book in our library: Coral Reefs by Jason Chin. It’s a non-fiction picture book filled with tons of information about coral reefs. But instead of the typical depiction of marine animals that you might expect to see, the illustrations have a very creative twist.
The first pages feature a young girl at the library pulling the very same book (Coral Reefs by Chin) from the shelf. As she opens it and begins to read, coral starts to grow on the tabletops in the library, eventually filling the room. A huge rush of water and sea creatures moves her into the next room, where she continues to read underwater, now surround by the coral reef community.
The text never mentions the little girl or her adventures under the sea. It just continues on in a factual tone, telling about the various animals she encounters. So while you’re child is learning about the reefs, he’s also joining in on an adventure.
Unit Study Resources
Coral Reefs by Jason Chin is a great starting point for an under-the-ocean unit study. If your child enjoys the book and wants to learn more, below are some resources you can use.
Books
Coral Reef (DK 24 Hours) by DK Publishing
Coral Reef Food Chains by Bobbie Kalman and Kelley McCauley
Coral Reefs by Gail Gibbons
Coral Reefs by Seymour Simons
Over in the Ocean in a Coral Reef by Marianne Berkes
Coloring and Activity Pages
Coral Reef Coloring Book (Dover Coloring Book) by Ruth Soffer
Coral Reef Activity Book (NOAA Education Resources)
Coral Reef Animal Printouts (EnchantedLearning.com)
Websites
Do you know of other homeschooling resources to use for a unit study about the reefs?
