Coral Reef
Race ratchet-powered jellyfish and explore coral reef science!
Explore:
- Coral Reef Ecosystems
- Jellyfish Biology
- Watercolor Pastel Blending
About This Crate: Colorful Chemistry
These sponges are just a few of the colorful critters growing in the Caribbean Sea’s reefs. Photo by Twilight Zone Expedition Team via Wikimedia (Public Domain)
- Did you know? Sponges aren’t just for cleaning! They’re also animals that live in coral reefs. Just like coral, they come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors.
- The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is the largest coral reef in the world. It’s an amazing 1,429 miles (2,299 km) long! That’s five times as long as the Grand Canyon.
- Coral reefs only grow about three-quarters of an inch (2 cm) a year, but many of them have been growing for millions and millions of years!
Repurpose your crate
Materials
- Kiwi Crate box
- Scissors
- Tape or glue
- Blue paper
- Watercolor paper or cardstock
- Small recycled containers (like berry baskets, cardboard tubes, or yogurt cups)
- Paints or coloring supplies
Directions
- Use scissors to carefully remove the lid from your Kiwi Crate box.
- Arrange some recycled containers inside the box to make dividers. When you’re happy with them, use tape or glue to stick the base of each container down.
- Cover the front and sides of the box with blue paper.
- Cut long strips of watercolor paper or cardstock that are a little taller than the sides of the box. On each strip, draw some coral and other creatures for your reef. (If you’re not sure what to draw, check out your explore! magazine for inspiration!)
- Paint or color in your drawings. tip! Try combining the pastels from your crate with watercolor paints, markers, or crayons.
- Cut out your creatures and tape or glue them to the outside of the box. Then fill up your sea-lightful station with supplies and get creating!
Try these at home
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