IMAX SCHOOL FILM SYNOPSIS CORAL REEF ADVENTURE Coral Reef Adventure follows the real-life expedition of ocean explorers and underwater fi lmmakers Howard and Michele Hall. The Halls guide us to the islands and sun-drenched waters of the South Pacifi c to document the health and beauty of coral reefs. Howard and Michele have been diving coral reefs for almost three decades, but in recent years, they have observed with concern the decline of their favorite reefs. Stirred to action, Howard and Michele set out for the South Pacifi c. They hope the images they bring back will raise awareness about the plight of coral reefs, and the health of the global oceans. You’ll laugh at the little shrimp that wants to climb in your mouth to get its own bite to eat! You’ll see how reef animals rely on each other in surprising ways. You’ll dive down to the mysterious deep reefs of The Twilight Zone, a place no one else has ever been. You’ll swim with hundreds of grey reef sharks, then zoom through coral canyons, riding a fast current beneath the waves. But sadly, you’ll also swim through vast stretches of bleached coral bone-yards, and learn with the Halls how our actions may cause these devastating results. Along their journey the Halls meet scientists and conservationists working to understand and save the reefs. In Fiji, Rusi Vulakoro guides Howard and Michele to the beautifully pristine and mysteriously damaged reefs of his country. They also dive with world-renowned ocean advocate Jean- Michel Cousteau who feels at home in the world beneath the waves. Howard and his team then dive to a dangerous 350 feet in search of deep ocean corals. For this most risky part of the trip, Howard is joined by Richard Pyle, a deep-sea ichthyologist (a self-described “fi sh nerd”). Pyle knows that thousands of reef species are still unknown to science. Seeking them out is an urgent conservation priority. In Tahiti, the Halls join a local chapter of Reef Check, an international organization of divers who help study local coral resources. Finally, in Rangiroa, Howard searches for the huge schools of sharks known to live there. These sharks are one of the top predators, and if they still swim the waters of Rangiroa, that’s a good sign for the health of the whole ecosystem. They don’t fi nd just a few, they fi nd 300, all at once: a happy, but slightly unnerving end to their journey! Coral Reef Adventure may be as close as you’ll ever get to the intense challenges and rewards of ocean exploration. It’s just the beginning of your real-life adventure, a growing global effort to understand, appreciate and protect our planet’s coral reefs. RATED G Running Time: 40 Minutes A comprehensive Teacher’s Guide contains activities for students including: a study of partnerships between reef organisms, experiments to learn about pressure, density, fl oating and sinking, a game to teach students about protection of the reef, construction of an underwater habitat to observe effects of sedimentation, building an ‘edible’ reef to reinforce concepts of reef structure and organisms Download the Educator’s Guide from the fi lm’s website: http://www.coralfi lm.com/ or visit www.imax.com.au/schoolresources Coral Reef Adventure is ideal for upper Primary (Stage 3) and all Secondary Science and Geography students. IMAX School Bookings Phone: (02) 9213 1600 Fax: (02) 9281 3833 Email: [email protected] www.imax.com.au.