Coral 

Grade 3 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Are coral polyps plants or animals? How does coral get its food? Your students will use scientific skills to explore real coral specimens and role play with engaging costumes and a skit to help them answer these questions.  Indigenous people teach us that corals give gifts to plants, animals and people! What are those gifts? What can we give back to coral?  Students will consider ways they can help coral stay healthy.

LOGISTICS

Days: Monday through Thursday

Program Times: 10:15am or 11:30am, some flexibility in start or end time can be requested, but is not guaranteed. Classes may enter the museum as early as 9:30am.

Duration: 45 minute hands-on experience

Location: Our educators will meet your class past the Naturalist Center on Level 3  and guide them to one of our behind the scenes classroom spaces.

Additional Supports: This program can be taught in Spanish and Cantonese.  Additionally, we use inclusive instructional design. Please reach out to us if there are specific accommodations that would help your group engage with the activities. therockprogram@calacademy.org 

Transportation: A Guide to Securing a Paid Sponsored Bus for San Francisco Unified School District 

A Social Story to help students know what to expect on a field trip

Social stories help young people know what to expect and how to act in a new environment or social situation.  

The social story below helps students learn about their upcoming field trip. Some students and their families may have never taken a trip to a museum like the Academy. To help them know what to expect, to aid your class in transisitions, or to alleviate anxiety of a new place, you may use the social story below.   

Social Story: California Academy of Sciences Field Trip

You can also download the presentation to adjust it to fit your specific trip plans. 


Field Trip Guide & Map  

These printer-friendly maps with tips for chaperones can help set you set the tone for your class's helpful adults. 

Extension Activities

Curious how we can all help keep coral reefs healthy?  Check out our Extension Activities.

NGSS Connection

This unit supports the following standards:

Science Practices

Crosscutting Concepts

Related Performance Expectation

4-ESS3-Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and their uses affect the environment.

5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment.