Free Animals of the Coral Reef Printable Worksheets

A coral reef is a beautiful underwater ecosystem that is made up of colonies of reef building corals. They are very bright and colorful and full of interesting animal life. Are you learning about ocean habitats in your homeschool? Your children will enjoy learning about coral reefs with these free animals of the coral reef printable worksheets.

[series_meta]

Coral Reefs

My children became fascinated with coral reefs after watching Finding Nemo! That sweet Disney movie just made the ocean come alive for them.

It is really amazing knowing that fish and different living creatures that make up the reef itself reside there.

Did you know that coral and sea anemones aren’t plants, but actually living animals? That God created certain animals to live inside them as their homes? We also learned that while watching Finding Nemo. Add that one to your list if you are doing a study about coral reefs in your homeschool!

Coral Reef Facts:

• Coral reefs only cover about 1% of the ocean floor, yet they are home to 25% of the world’s species of marine animals! This is because the reef itself is created by polyps which are animals.
• Coral reefs can be found in more than 100 countries around the world. Most of these reefs are in tropical locations between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. 
• The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the world’s largest coral reef.
• The Florida Reef is the only coral reef in the United States of America.
• Red Sea Coral Reef is the oldest coral reef  in the world. 
• Coral needs sunlight to grow, this is why most are found in shallow waters.
• Coral reefs protect the wildlife around them. This is where the name barrier came from. They form a barrier from the open ocean to the shallow waters with the reefs.
• Reefs are important nesting grounds for other animals.
• The algae that lives on top of coral is also an animal. The algae and coral have a special symbiotic relationship.

Recommended Resource: Ocean Notebook – a Notebook Companion™ to Ocean Anatomy by Julia Rothman.In the Ocean Notebook, your students will use written narration, drawing, and labeling alongside the book to immerse themselves in the life of the ocean. They will learn about the layers of the ocean, the ocean floor, coral reefs, tide pool animals, and more!

Coral Reef Worksheets

• Montessori Inspired Coral Reef Toob Animal 3 Part Cards – Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids
• Coral Reef Map and Posters – Exploring Nature
• Coral Reef Ecosystem Worksheet – Education.com
• Sea Turtle and Coral Reef Coloring Page – Color With Steph
• Coral Reef Creatures Worksheet – Education.com
• Coral Reef Animal Study and Lapbook – Homeschool Share

Paper Plate Ocean Crafts

Looking for some fun and easy paper plate ocean crafts? Crafts with paper plates use minimal supplies and don’t make much of a mess. 

Coral Reef Printables

• Great Barrier Reef Teaching Unit and Lesson Plans – M.E.S.A.
• Coral Reef Vocabulary Terminology – Easy Peasy All in One Highschool
• Coral Reef Animals and Plants Worksheet – Education.com
• How to Grow Your Own Coral Science Experiment – Sea World
• Coral Polyp Diagram – Coral.org
• Printable Coral Set to cut and color – First Palette
• Coral Reef Printable Play Dough Mat – Simple EveryDay Mom
• Coral Reef Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten – Natural Beach Living

Websites and Articles on Coral Reef Animals:

• Coral Reef Education Article for Grades 6-12– National Geographic
• NOAA Coris (Coral Reef Information System) – This website is full of information about the coral reefs located within the United States, territories and remote island areas. There are lots of articles, different publications and even curriculum to download.
• Animals of the Coral Reefs – Skyenimals – This website has a list and photographs of different coral reef animals. When you click each photo it will bring you to more information about each animal for further research.
• Kids Do Ecology World Biomes: Coral Reef – Information on the Coral Reef habitat with games and links to learn more.
• Coral Reef Biome Information and Lessons – Ducksters Science for Kids
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – Website full of information on what is currently happening in the Great Barrier Reef. There are lots of photographs, maps, and information on the health of the reef with up to date news and articles.

In Conclusion

Learning about the animals found in coral reefs is super fascinating. The beauty of coral reefs is just one part of the ocean worth exploring. Learning about the ocean is a great summer activity to keep the learning happening! You can learn about deep ocean animals, the ocean life cycle, and the oceans of the world using a free continents and oceans worksheet. The ideas are endless!