Huge coral reefs can stretch across oceans for miles But take a closer look and you'll see that each coral is actually a tiny simple animal. Discover how both hard and soft corals build colonies. Then learn about the threats to corals and their reefs and how people can protect them.

Animals are a perennially popular topic with kids the protection of coral reefs is a concern among scientists and is an increasingly discussed topic among environmentalists Meets NGSS standards for third grade on Biological evolution unity and diversity includes information on how coralsand the reefs they buildare important to the ocean ecosystem and the importance of protecting them infographics support the text