Overview:
About 50 fourth- and fifth-grade students at Koror Elementary School discovered that coral reefs are full of sounds during an educational session led by University of Exeter researcher Dr. Sophie L. Nedelec. The activity introduced students to underwater acoustics and showed how scientists can use reef sounds to learn about marine life and coral reef health.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — About 50 fourth- and fifth-grade students at Koror Elementary School learned that coral reefs are not silent ecosystems during an educational activity focused on underwater sounds and marine life.
The activity was led by Dr. Sophie L. Nedelec, a researcher from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom who specializes in underwater sounds on coral reefs. Her research examines how listening to reef sounds can help scientists better understand and protect marine ecosystems.
Students learned about the importance and characteristics of sound through Nedelec’s presentation and participated in games designed to help them explore the topic. The sessions encouraged students to think about what marine animals sound like and how underwater recordings can provide information about reef conditions.
Nedelec also discussed how reducing noise from motorboats can benefit marine life. She explained that scientists can monitor the health of coral reefs by studying the sounds produced underwater.
The activity prompted students to share what they had learned with their families.
One Koror Elementary School mother said her child returned home excited about the discovery that reefs contain sounds that people may not hear from above the water.
“My child came home very excited and told me that the reef is actually full of sounds, even though we may not hear them when we’re above the water,” she said. “They were especially fascinated by learning that fish and other marine life can make different sounds.”
She said activities that connect children with Palau’s marine environment can help build an interest in conservation.
“Our children are growing up surrounded by the ocean, so it’s important for them to understand how special it is,” she said. “When they learn about the reef in a fun and interesting way, I think they become more interested in protecting it.”
The activity also changed how she and her family think about reef health.
“Yes. I never really thought about listening to a reef as a way of understanding its health,” she said. “Now my child is curious about what is happening underwater and has been talking about how we can do more to protect our reefs.”
A father of another participating student said the lesson helped his child understand that the ocean is filled with sounds.
“My child told me that the ocean isn’t quiet at all,” he said. “They learned that different animals make different sounds and that scientists can listen to those sounds to learn more about the reef.”
He said the hands-on approach helped make the lesson more memorable.
“I think children learn better when they can have fun and participate instead of just listening to a lesson,” he said. “This activity gave them something interesting to remember and connected what they learned to the environment around them.”
The experience also broadened his family’s understanding of coral reefs.
“Definitely,” he said. “We usually think about coral reefs by what we can see, but now we understand that there are sounds happening underwater too. It makes us appreciate the reef in a completely different way.”
Another mother said she was surprised that scientists can use underwater sounds to study the condition of coral reefs.
“My child was really excited about the games and the different sounds they learned about,” she said. “They told me that scientists can use underwater sounds to understand what is happening in a reef, which I thought was very interesting.”
She said teaching children about the ocean is especially important in Palau.
“Palau’s ocean is such an important part of our lives and culture,” she said. “Teaching children about it from a young age helps them develop respect for the environment and understand why protecting our reefs matters.”
The lesson also encouraged her family to become more curious about the underwater environment.
“Yes, it did,” she said. “My child actually came home asking if we could listen to reef sounds ourselves. It showed me that a simple activity like this can make children curious and encourage the whole family to think more about protecting the ocean.”