Evolving Shipwrecks

MS-LS2-5: Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
Students will identify causes for coral reef decline
Students will debate whether man-made structures are helpful for ocean ecosystems
Students will investigate varying strategies to “seed” new reef development
Students will use Minecraft to model a time lapse of a shipwreck becoming a coral reef
Students will use Paint 3D to model the parts of their shipwreck reef

Guiding Ideas

How does a structure like a shipwreck evolve over time to become a coral reef?
Is purposeful sinking of shipwrecks good or bad for the ocean habitat in their development of reefs?
What other strategies are being employed by conservationists to aid growth of coral reef habitats?

Student Activities

In certain locations, shipwrecks settled on the ocean floor have, in certain cases, been transformed into coral reefs. Coral grows over time and evolves into an ecosystem that flourishes with marine life. In some situations, structures have been purposefully placed underwater or ships have been sunk in specific locations to support the development of reefs. However, there is not complete support for this behaviour, and some groups have grown concerned at the sudden influx of man-made reef development.

Students will split the class into two groups, and run a debate on the following question: Are man-made reef developments good for the ocean? Debate teams need to bring research on the topic from a variety of sources and convince the judges whether shipwrecks should continue to be used in this way or whether there should be a moratorium. Reach out to local experts for volunteer judges for this activity.

To bring Computer Science into the discussion, students can simulate the transition from a man-made structure to a coral reef. Using “Fill” and “Replace” commands, structures built in Minecraft from stained glass can be replaced with different types of coral blocks to complete the conversion. For an additional challenge, students can also create their own underwater sculptures and use similar code to create their own reef seeds.

Performance Expectations

Students will debate on the practice of using shipwrecks to develop coral reefs and whether it is harmful or helpful to the ocean ecosystem

Students will use repeat loops, fill commands, and replace commands to transform underwater glass structures into coral reefs

Students will create their own underwater sculptures to be used as seeds for reef development

Students will use the Minecraft Structure Block to export a 3d model of their sculpture as a before and after approach and submit the .glb files for assessment