Discover Coral Reefs School Program
The Discover Coral Reefs School Program is presented to students in Pre-K-12th grades. Classes are available to public schools, private schools, and homeschool groups, and are offered virtually (worldwide) or in person (throughout Monroe County, FL and selectively in South Florida). Lessons cover various marine science topics and consist of a live presentation, optional activities to further student knowledge on the subject, and a live Q&A session with one of Reef Relief’s experienced educators. Classroom lessons are designed to support current curriculum and satisfy Florida State Standards and continually expand to suit the needs of each class. Interested teachers can decide the topic or lesson type they would like to have for their class, and sessions can be scheduled throughout the school year, with the option to participate in multiple days of lessons so students may learn about different marine science topics. There is no cost to participate in this program. Since 2013, this program has reached over 90,000 students. For more information please see below, or email [email protected].
This resource is available for groups of 10+ students. If you have less than 10 students, please see our Virtual Lesson Series.
Click here to request a free visit during the 2025-2026 school year!
Lesson requests are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the school year.
Check out these posts from the program!
Testimonials
“Reef Relief is a vital resource to not only my fifth grade students at GAE, but to their community as well. Their education program provides our students with exciting, hands-on experiences that connect what they learn in the classroom to the unique environment around them. Because of Reef Relief’s efforts, every year my students get to learn about the importance of protecting the reef, its biodiversity and the surrounding ecosystem. Reef Relief helps us become better stewards to our environment. We LOVE Reef Relief!“
~Ms. Boyle, 5th Grade Science Teacher, Gerald Adams Elementary – Monroe County School District (In Person Participant)
“My students had so much fun learning about sea turtles. They were engaged throughout the entire lesson and wanted to ask more questions about how they survive. I can’t wait to have Reef Relief come back next school year!” ~Elizabeth Brazelton, 1st and 2nd Grade, Briarlake Elementary, Dekalb County GA (Virtual Participant)
“The virtual lessons given by Reef Relief are a great way to introduce marine ecosystems to students who live in land-locked areas.” ~Kristen Aguanno, 6-8th grades, Sonoran Science Academy, Arizona (Virtual Participant)
“Reef Relief is able to come into any classroom and teach content that is very appealing to students and intrigues students to develop a deeper understanding about science and our environment where we live.” ~Ryan Stamey, 1st Grade, Poinciana Elementary School – Monroe County School District (In Person Participant)
All lessons are provided free of charge to increase accessibility of marine science education as part of Reef Relief’s Marine Science for All initiative. Any donations that are able to be made directly support our programming and are greatly appreciated.
New Wave and Currents & Creatures Programs
Are you a 5th-8th grade teacher in Monroe County, FL interested in a more submersive program for your students? The New Wave (Previously known as Discover Coral Reefs Middle School Program, 6-8th grade) and Currents & Creatures (5th grade) Programs may interest you! As extensions of Reef Relief’s DCRSP, they are designed to work in-depth with school groups through recurrent quarterly classroom visits on STEM centered marine science lessons paired with corresponding activities and an outdoor learning component. This program aims to expose students to the local environment to gain a deeper appreciation of it, while arming them with the knowledge in the classroom they need to understand and protect it. During the year, students receive snorkel training via mandatory swim tests and finish the year with a field trip. Students then discuss what they observed and experienced in the environment back in their classrooms, while applying the knowledge they gained in their lessons. The students participating in this extended program take pre and post quizzes designed by Reef Relief’s education team during the year-long project.
Email [email protected] for any inquiries about participating in this program!
