NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

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Welcome to our searchable database of education resources created by NOAA and our partners. If you have issues or feedback, please let us know by filling out our feedback form offsite link or sending us an email at education@noaa.gov.

Tips for using the database

Searching for terms that contain more than one word.

Use quotation marks around multiple-word phrases you want to search. For example, searching “climate change” will return resources about “climate change.” If you don’t include quotation marks, it will return resources that include either the word “climate” or “change.” 

Opening resources in a new tab.

 Follow the instructions below for the device you are using.

  • PC: Hold down the control (ctrl) key while clicking the link. Or, right-click the link and select “open in new tab.”
  • Mac: Hold down the command key while clicking the link.
  • iPhone or iPad: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu.
  • Android device: Press and hold the link. Select “open in new tab” from the pop-up menu

Expanding categories.

Each category has a plus sign (+) to expand the available filters within the category. Some categories have subcategories. Look for the plus sign (+) to see more filterable items.

Making the most of the filterable categories.

There are several categories you can use to filter through the resources. 

  • “Audience” filters by grade level, including postsecondary education, and also has a filter option for adult learners.
  • “Subject” filters by the general subject area, such as Arts, Earth science, Math, and more.
  • “Resource Type” filters allow you to look for resources ranging from activities, lessons, and units to videos or background information.
  • “Topic” filters are more specific than subject. They include filters such as climate, freshwater, and weather and atmosphere.
  • “NGSS DCI” filters by Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Ideas. Only activities, lessons, and units (and no other resource types) have NGSS DCI associated with them. Not all activities, lessons, and units have this alignment.
  • “Special categories” offers additional filters for specific types of resources and topics, such as printables, resources available in other languages, and safety/preparedness.

Exploring activities, lessons, and units.

Activities, lessons, and units are bundled together under resource type. You can expand to filter for only one type. Activity/demonstration refers to straightforward activities with little or no classroom strategy or pedagogy. Lesson refers to structured activities that are intended for a classroom audience. Module/unit refers to a collection of lessons that can build upon each other over multiple class periods or times of instruction; some people might call this a curriculum. 

Understanding instructional strategies.

Within special categories, there is an expandable filter called “instructional strategies.” This includes special filters that are applicable for some lessons, activities, and units, including things like “outdoor education” and “uses data.”

 

No results match your search.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product
Multimedia
Animation

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

The 6+ miles wide asteroid that hit Earth 66 million years ago, widely accepted to have wiped out nearly all the dinosaurs and roughly three-quarters of the planet’s plant and animal species, also triggered a megatsunami with mile-high waves. Recent historical tsunamis pale in comparison with this globally catastrophic event, thought to be 30,000 times more initial energy than any recorded events. Watch this visualization of this tsunami as it spans the entire ocean.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product
Multimedia
Animation

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Explore this interactive map of global tsunamis and their sources. By clicking on any tsunami event, you can access more information, including an overview of the tsunami, more information about the source, and the number of deaths. Get started with a helpful teacher guide.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product
Collection

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Search historical tsunami events, Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART®) buoy data, and tide gauge records.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms
Sea level rise
Great Lakes ecoregion
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region

IOOS is a major data repository that provides data about marine environments, including analyses of historical data, alerts based on current conditions, and forecasts of future conditions based on model predictions. IOOS links to hundreds of data sources operated by regional ocean observing systems across the United States and its territories. There are many datasets available including interactive maps, numerical data, and graphs and figures.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Images
Data product
Infographic
Video
Background information
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

The UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) coordinates the international tsunami warning and mitigation system. Background information, safety messaging, data, imagery, and more are available at this website.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

View data on how debris moved following the 2011 Japanese tsunami.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Math
Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Sea level rise
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Great Lakes ecoregion
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

The National Data Buoy Center provides real-time environmental observations collected from buoys around the world. View both recent and historical information on ocean and weather conditions, as well as any current tsunami activity. Graphs and tables of data are available for water column height at each buoy location.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product
Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Collection name

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center animations and short videos

This collection of videos and animations includes background information on tsunamis and earthquakes, as well as information about specific events.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Math
Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean currents

A resource to find tide and current data from NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services website.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Collection name

Science On a Sphere catalog

This collection of datasets and short videos related to tsunamis includes information on specific tsunami events, earthquakes, and buoys.