Welcome to our Coral Reef Ecology Curriculum Portal
Surf Skate Science has teamed up with Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation to engage and inspire students to learn about coral reefs and to become stewards of this vital ecosystem.
Why? We hope to increase ocean literacy by creating awareness about coral reefs. Here in South Florida over 40% of students live just miles from a reef, but have never seen a reef in person. They also are not aware of the critical ways our coral reefs protect and provide for us or the importance of coral reefs to our local ecosystem.
Did you know that Coral Reefs harbor nearly 25% of all marine species. Reefs also provide a food supply and livelihood for millions of people around the world. They protect our coast from storms, provide entertainment, fuel part of our tourism economy and so much more.
Register for the course in partnership with Surf Skate Science using our class code
class code: 63fb40b8455ca
Dive Deeper and Sea the Reef with VR
With the help of NOAA, regardless of where you live, you can in without getting wet! Our National Marine Sanctuary System protects a network of underwater parks encompassing more than 620,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters, and now you can visit these amazing places in the blink of an eye. From the thriving kelp forests of Channel Islands to the treasured coral reefs of the Florida Keys, few places on the planet can compete with the wonders of the National Marine Sanctuary System.
NOAA takes us along to experience these underwater treasures through virtual reality.
See their full experience here. We will be focusing on Florida's reef system in these lessons.
Explore the Blue: 360° Coral Restoration
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects some of the most iconic coral reefs in the world, but corals are suffering from disease and other stressors. Fortunately, NOAA and our partners are working together to restore these critical coral reefs. Grab your snorkel (okay, headset) and help restore the reef by planting healthy corals that will grow into thriving colonies.
If you're on a desktop, click and drag to experience in 360 degrees, or pair your phone with your virtual reality headset. For the best viewing experience, watch the video in high-definition: click the gear symbol in the lower right corner, then select any of the HD options that pop up when you click "Quality."
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Welcome to the Virtual Dive Gallery of Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Click on an image below to start your dive. These sanctuary views can be enjoyed on a personal computer or a smartphone. Pair your smartphone with a virtual reality headset or goggles of your choice (and click the VR icon ) for an extra-immersive experience. Or use cardboard VR to experience the sites.
Sea The Reef Program
In 2023, we launched a collaborative pilot project with our friends at LeLe Art Lab, the Fruitful Field and the Deerfield Beach Teen center with generous funding from Vela Education Fund. The purpose of this program is to close the STEM inequity gap in low income areas, genders and cultures that typically do not experience hands-on marine science education. Check out this amazing program at SeatheReef.com