Coral reefs are living communities of colonial organisms made of individual polyps that excrete a bone-like skeleton. This skeleton forms large rock-like structures that are homes for thousands of organisms. The reef ecosystem is a significant life support system for plankton to algae to the enormous sea creatures.
Tomorrow I will put together a table display of coral reef books for the students to borrow.
Coral reefs are living communities of colonial organisms made of individual polyps that excrete a bone-like skeleton. This skeleton forms large rock-like structures that are homes for thousands of organisms. The reef ecosystem is a significant life support system for plankton to algae to the enormous sea creatures.
The students I teach are very aware of The Great Barrier Reef because it is in Australia, it is in trouble and many of them have visited it. They marvel over books that show the life on the reef.
Look for these books in the library:
Here are 10 facts about this essential plant.
Observing this day is the result of a decision made by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on 23 May 2022. I haven't written about it before or thought much about it till yesterday when I saw that it was coming up and I then began to think about books that I could use to promote this day.
The CSIRO are well ahead of me, as in the last few years they have published some wonderful books, including The Great Southern Reef by Paul Venzo, Prue Francis and Cate James and The Way of the Weedy Seadragon by Anne Morgan and Lois Bury. While not only about seagrass, they do include sea ecosystems that children will want to know about. The authors of The Great Southern Reef, were also involved in putting together a comprehensive guide for primary school teachers, called Over and Under the Waves of the Great Southern Reef:Using children's literature to teach marine science in schools. This resource also focuses on the following picture books:
The Hidden Forest by Jeannie Baker (2005)
The Underwater Forest by Rebecca Morris and Matt Howorth (2020)
The Way of the Weedy Seadragon by Anne Morgan and Lois Bury (2021)
With a Little Kelp from Our Friends by Mathew Bate and Liz Rowland (2021)
Sea Country by Aunty Patsy Cameron and by Lisa Kennedy (2021)
The Great Southern Reef by Paul Venzo, Prue Francis, and Cate James (2022)
Giinagay Gaagal Hello Ocean by Melissa Greenwood (2023)
Secrets of the Saltmarsh by Claire Saxby and Alicia Rogerson (2023)
Back to seagrass...the dugongs in Australian waters rely very heavily on the seagrass meadows so look for these books as well
• Dugong Meadow by Naomi Mairou
• Dugong Dreams by Deborah Kelly and Lisa Stewart
• Stay Close by Kerrie Uren and Leanne Argent
• Sea-grass Beds by Kimberley Jane Prior
• Seagrass Dreams by Kathleen Hanes and Chloe Bonfield
