As part of our Marine Science for All Initiative, Reef Relief offers free virtual marine science lessons held via zoom to the public several times each month throughout the school year. These lessons are ideal for homeschool groups and smaller groups, but are open to classrooms and larger groups as well. These lessons are approximately 45 minutes-1 hour live.
To see a description of each lesson topic, please visit our Discover Coral Reefs School Program page.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When will I receive the meeting link?
Links for the lessons are sent out via email in the days leading up to the lesson, not immediately after signing up. You will only receive the link to the specific sessions that you signed up for while filling out the Google Forms. Please be sure to add [email protected] to your email list after filling out the form, and to check your spam folder if you have not received a link you were expecting.
I submitted the Google Form registering for the lessons, why is my spot not guaranteed?
Filling out the Google Form adds your email to the list of participants that will receive the access link to the live lesson. Due to the number of participants who sign up but do not join us the day of the lesson, actual entrance to the zoom meeting is given on a first come first serve basis based on when you log on to join. Our current participant cap for these sessions is 500 participants. We suggest logging on early to secure your spot.
Do you record these lessons?
Yes, we are creating recorded versions of each of these lessons. They will be available for purchase for $7 each. Each lesson will become available in a recorded format as they are created. To purchase a lesson, please visit our storefront linked here.
What ages are these lessons designed for?
These lessons are geared at all ages. They are taught loosely at an upper elementary level, but as they are introductory lessons to many fun topics, there is something for everyone to enjoy in each lesson!
Are these lessons interactive?
We aim to keep our lessons engaging while limiting distractions. Participants will be muted during the lessons but will be able to chat directly with the session hosts to answer and ask questions throughout the lessons.
Do I need to prepare my student(s) for these classes?
No, these lessons are all introductory topics so there is no need to do any preparatory work beforehand.
Is there supplemental material available for these lessons?
You can find a variety of free materials available on our blog.
If you are interested in more in depth coursework separate from these public lessons, we have 8 self paced units on a variety of marine science topics available for purchase for $20/unit. These units are packed with hours of recorded lessons, interviews with scientists, virtual field trips, experiments, worksheets, quizzes, and other hands-on activities. You can learn more by visiting our Virtual Marine Science Classroom Webpage. Please note the Virtual Marine Science Classroom is a separate resource, unrelated to these free live virtual public lessons.
Do I need to pay for these lessons?
All live lessons are provided free of charge to increase accessibility of marine science education as part of our Marine Science for All initiative. However, any donations that are able to be made directly support our programming and are greatly appreciated. An amount of even $5 allows us to continue providing free educational resources such as these, and can be made by clicking the button below.
Still have questions? Send us an email at [email protected] and a member of our Education Team will respond to you ASAP.
“Thank you! Money has been so tight the past few years with many obstacles for our family and these presentations not only add a change to our homeschooling but make you feel like you have gotten to go on an adventure to learn in person.”
~Nicole (Parent), United States of America
“These are fantastic lessons on a wide range of brilliant marine subjects, which are artfully crafted to ensure the listeners are engaged. This can be tricky with online lessons but these really hit the target perfectly. These are vital topics we should all be aware of and concerned about so any student around the world can benefit from them, not just those interested in marine life.”
~Frevisse (Parent), United Kingdom
“I have three special needs children, all of them have Autism and ADHD, my youngest is intellectually delayed with learning difficulties, and yet, when they attend these lessons, they are engaged, focused, and they retain the information they learned! One of my kids is 11 now, and he is specifically interested in marine biology and he loves sharks. He’s used what he’s learned to work on his informational text writing work, and he’s been inspired to research related topics. I wish we could donate! I am a single mom caring for my mother who is blind and I really have no money at this time, but- Thank you all for Reef Relief!”
~Brenda (Parent), United States of America
This series is part of our Marine Science for All initiative in place to keep marine science education accessible to all no matter their background. You can help support this initiative by sponsoring a month of our Virtual Lesson Series! Sponsorship allows the program to continue to be provided at no cost for individuals, homeschoolers, and school classrooms participating in these live virtual lessons. See details below. If interested in sponsorship, please email [email protected].