Exploring Our World: People, Places, and Cultures

"The Great Barrier Reef"

Introduction
In this chapter, you learned about the physical geography in the region of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica. Lying off the northeast coast of Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef in the world. Every year thousands of visitors snorkel or scuba dive around the reef to enjoy an underwater view of one of nature's most incredible creations.

Destination Title: Great Barrier Reef

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Directions
Start at National Geographic's Great Barrier Reef Web site.

• Read the introduction and then click on Dive Now.
• Scroll over the images and explore the information that appears. Use the arrows to move from the "Deep Sea" to the "Shoreline."

Use what you have learned to answer the following questions.

1			Where is the Great Barrier Reef located?
2			What is coral bleaching? What causes it?
3			How quickly does a coral reef grow?
4			In what ways do humans threaten the Great Barrier Reef?
5			Using information from this Web site as well as other Internet and library sources, create a display (bulletin board, poster, mobile, model, shadow box, etc.) on the Great Barrier Reef. As part of your display, explain why it is important to protect the reef.