Coral Reefs · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

The Rainforests of the Sea

Science · Ocean Life · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Coral is made of rock, not living animals.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. What builds a coral reef?

    • Colorful rocks
    • Tiny living animals called polyps
    • Ocean plants

  3. A nature book calls a busy city pond 'a little rainforest of the city.' What is the book saying about the pond?

    • It rains over the pond more than anywhere else
    • The pond is full of tall jungle trees
    • The pond holds lots of different living things in one small place

  4. A polyp is...

    • A type of seaweed
    • A grain of sand
    • A tiny living animal that builds a hard skeleton

  5. Look at the chart. Which habitat has the most kinds of animals?

    Coral reef8Rockyshore5Deep sand2
    • Coral reef
    • Rocky shore
    • Deep sand

  6. Which is true about coral reefs?

    • They have fewer animals than open water
    • They are home to more kinds of animals than almost any other ocean habitat
    • Only fish live there

  7. A new reef starts when a few coral polyps settle on a rock. Fifty years later, that rock is covered in thick coral. What best explains this change?

    • Many polyps grew and built up hard skeletons over a long time
    • The rock slowly turned into polyps
    • Fish carried rocks to build the reef

  8. Amir says, 'Coral reefs can't be like rainforests because rainforests are on land and reefs are in water.' What is missing from his thinking?

    • He is right, they have nothing in common
    • Rainforests do not have many animals either
    • He is missing that both places hold a huge variety of living things, even though one is on land and one is in water
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

The Rainforests of the Sea W1-mt_AxGPeVRm__-s1

  1. False · Coral looks hard like rock, but it is built by living polyps.
  2. Tiny living animals called polyps · Coral polyps are small living animals. They build hard skeletons that form the reef.
  3. The pond holds lots of different living things in one small place · The rainforest nickname means a small place packed with many different kinds of life, like a reef and like this pond.
  4. A tiny living animal that builds a hard skeleton · Polyps are soft, tiny animals. Together, their skeletons build the reef.
  5. Coral reef · The coral reef bar is tallest, showing it holds the most different kinds of animals.
  6. They are home to more kinds of animals than almost any other ocean habitat · Reefs are one of the most crowded, varied habitats in the whole ocean.
  7. Many polyps grew and built up hard skeletons over a long time · Reefs grow slowly as thousands of polyps add their skeletons year after year.
  8. He is missing that both places hold a huge variety of living things, even though one is on land and one is in water · The comparison is about how many different living things each place holds, not about land versus water.
Worksheet · LightMySky