NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

⚠️ This page recently underwent an update. If you had bookmarked direct links to search results from this page prior to March 18, 2024, those links may no longer work and you may need to make a new bookmark. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at education@noaa.gov.

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

Resource type

Webinar

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Ocean exploration
Great Lakes ecoregion

Collection name

Ocean Today

Discover America’s underwater ocean parks as we “Get Into Your Sanctuary!" The archive of this live interaction will connect you with information on what national marine sanctuaries are and bring you below the surface to virtually interact with the sea life that call sanctuaries home. Join us at any time as we explore the NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary System from wherever you live.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Multimedia
Podcast

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Ocean and coasts
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
Ships and planes

Keeping our marine transportation system functioning in a way that is safe and efficient requires information about water depth; mapping the shape of the seafloor, lakebed, or coastline; pinpointing the location of possible obstructions; and understanding many other physical features of water bodies. Hydrography is the science behind this information, and surveying is a primary method of obtaining hydrographic data. In this episode, we learn about surveying and NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson's survey missions in the Great Lakes.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Multimedia
Story map

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts
Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

Millions of people rely on the Great Lakes for recreation, industry, and drinking water. Changing water levels can have positive or negative impacts on industries like tourism and transportation in the region. At present, anthropogenic climate change is affecting precipitation events and temperatures throughout the Basin and future predictions suggest this will continue. While it is presently unknown how water levels will change in the Great Lakes Basin, it is important to continue to monitor them as they are an integral part of life in the Great Lakes Basin.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Salmon
Sea turtles
Sharks, rays, and skates

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Region
Alaska region
Pacific Islands region

NOAA Fisheries video gallery has short videos organized by topic and region. Explore Fisheries videos from across the country!

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Sharks, rays, and skates
Fish
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Great Lakes ecoregion
Marine mammals
Ocean floor features

Special categories

Cultural heritage

The sites of your National Marine Sanctuary System are hubs for science, exploration, and education. At any given time, researchers are in sanctuaries exploring the deep, monitoring kelp forests, tracking coral reef health, and more. Sanctuaries Live gives you a front row seat to sanctuary science. Watch expedition livestreams, chat with scientists, master educational resources, and more. As we learn more about the mysteries of the ocean, we can better protect our blue planet. Keep this page bookmarked and check back regularly for new opportunities.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Images
Data product
Poster/brochure
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

These detailed bathymetry maps of the Great Lakes can be viewed digitally or printed as color posters (full-size and mini). You can also download bathymetry contours as Esri Shapefiles.

Audience

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

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Background information
Poster/brochure
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Freshwater food webs

Special categories

Printable

View or print these digital posters of food webs for each of the Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory! They briefly describe the major species in each lake, and include a diagram summarizing the ecosystem energy flow (who eats or is eaten by whom!). These diagrams are based on a model from a paper published in 2003 supported by both NOAA and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Simulation
Data product
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Great Lakes ecoregion
Climate change impacts

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

This web-based tool creates visuals that capture lake level changes that range from six feet above to six feet below historical long-term average water levels in the Great Lakes. Potential shoreline and coastal impacts are also provided through a social vulnerability index and a business layer that shows numbers of employees in coastal areas. This information can be used to think about appropriate preparations, including zoning restrictions, infrastructure improvements, and habitat conservation.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product
Multimedia
Images

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Clouds
Weather observations

View real-time and recent satellite images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. Download high-resolution images in multiple formats.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Images
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Great Lakes ecoregion
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Scientists in action

Collection name

Great Lakes photo gallery

This expansive Great Lake photo collection includes a wide variety of photo galleries, including harmful algal blooms, fish, historical images, ice, environmental sampling, shipwrecks, restoration, and more. The collection is curated by the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.