Best Friends Forever

Gr 2–4—Facts are liberally peppered with silliness in this video about friendships in the Great Barrier Reef. Young adult hosts Gemma and Barney pose as best mates, and their beachside bits parallel the descriptions of the friendships found in the sea, some mutually beneficial and some less so, like when your friend takes your sandwich and fills your lunch box with sand because he didn't find any "wiches." Yes, there are lots of groaners, but the target audience will find the banter fun and the facts solid. Viewers will learn basic concepts, such as why some fish travel in schools and the definition of a parasite. The clown fish and the anemone are some of the introduced "friends" with a mutually beneficial relationship. The clown fish keeps other fish away from the anemone, and the anemone doesn't sting its protector. Although most of the friendships presented have some benefit for both parties, a few are more one-sided; for example, the pygmy sea horse mimics and attaches itself to the coral fan entirely for its own benefit. The interconnections among all of the creatures discussed are demonstrated, and each chapter offers a "reef cap" to review what's been communicated thus far.