About the education resource collections

Education resources are distributed across many websites and program offices at NOAA and on NOAA partner websites. This portal is designed to help educators access these resources from one location. Materials selected for this site are organized by themes, collections, and content types that are aligned with common teaching topics and expressed needs of educators. Linked resources are organized into collections that provide the user with a toolkit of materials and activities suitable for integration into a variety of educational settings. With the exception of Elementary science, collections are not grade specific but resources are labeled where applicable. Additional NOAA resources that support educator professional development, academic scholarship, career exploration, and education grants are also available. All materials linked from this site are free for use and distribution unless expressly noted.

How content is organized

Ocean & coasts
Physical and chemical processes of ocean and coastal areas.

Climate
Earth's climate system and concepts related to climate variability.

Weather & atmosphere
Patterns, processes, and factors which influence Earth's weather and atmosphere.

Marine life
Biology, habits, and threats to organisms that live in aquatic environments.

Freshwater
Sources, processes, and threats to freshwater environments and drinking water.

Elementary science
Bring NOAA resources to your kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Data resources for educators
Lesson plans featuring NOAA data, as well as real-time and historical data in a variety of formats. 

Education at home
A special collection of materials for anyone working with students at home: Distance learning educators, homeschool teachers, and parents.

Types of content

Data from NOAA's Earth monitoring, modeling, and measurement systems which fit the context of the Collection topic. Some resources are designed specifically for education while others are more technical.

General materials to assist in understanding the context and systems that the Collection topic fits into.

Video and narratives of scientists and resource managers who interact with the Collection topic as part of their work with NOAA. Profiles often include academic preparation requirements, employment pathways, and lifestyle information related to selected careers.

More technical material on new findings, methods, or unique aspects of NOAA's activities related to the Collection topic. These articles are selected from published material on NOAA websites.

Sources

Educational resources developed and published by NOAA offices and program staff.

Educational resources supported through NOAA grants or contracted services that have authorized for public use. Often these materials are hosted outside the noaa.gov domain.

Educational resources which result from the activities of collaborative partnerships with other agencies and institutions.

Content selection

Education resources and topical collections are selected by NOAA staff and educators to directly support teaching of concepts and topics identified in national educational standards. Additionally, several state standards and common classroom texts were consulted to identify common naming and grouping patterns of topics. Direct input from educators at conferences and through other forums on an ongoing basis also helps shape the content of this site.

Each Collection contains resources vetted by the NOAA education team to support teaching in formal and informal settings. The key characteristics of the resources in the Collections are:

• Provides real world and current science.
• Relevant to science education teaching requirements in formal settings.
• Fine grained components that educators can use individually or mix and match to enhance current teaching.
• Technically functional, scientifically accurate, and use educational best practices.
• Actively engage learners in scientific activities and discussions aimed at critical thinking and problem solving.
• Are easy to use.
• Are easily editable, modifiable, printable and/or displayed.

This site is updated often so please check back for new features and collections. If you have any questions or comments please email the webmaster at education@noaa.gov