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.”

 

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Cryosphere
Resiliency and mitigation
Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Sea turtles
Seabirds
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Harmful algal blooms
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean acidification
Ocean currents
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Oil spills
Rip currents
Sea level rise
Tsunamis
Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today

Watch. Explore. Discover. View the beauty and mystery of the ocean realm captured on video around the globe. Videos are organized into collections to help educators.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Multimedia
Animation
Related story

Topic

Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Weather observations

Shocking! Within this cluster of storms, a single lightning bolt captured by NOAA satellites was recently certified by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as the world’s longest flash on record. The horizontal distance of the bolt stretched 477 miles, from the central coast of Texas to southern Mississippi, when it flashed on April 29, 2020.

Audience

College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Multimedia
Webinar

Topic

Climate
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Technology and engineering
GPS and geodesy
Mapping and charting
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Cultural heritage

Learn more about the many applications of environmental data from NOAA and our partners, including how data can be transformed into visualizations to tell a story.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan
Module/unit
Collection
Multimedia
Game/online activity

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Resiliency and mitigation
Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hazards and safety

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Inquiry
Project-based

Collection name

ELP grantee

Environmental hazards — such as wildfire, flood, and drought — are increasingly affecting communities in Colorado. With this rise in hazardous events, there is a pressing need for communities to become more resilient through education, preparation, and planning. The Hazard Education, Awareness, and Resilience Task Force (HEART Force) lessons and education resources engage rural Colorado middle and high school students, teachers, and communities to take proactive steps in preparing for and responding to natural hazards.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Webinar
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Ships and planes
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

This webinar series from the National Hurricane Center features forecasters from local NWS Weather Forecast Offices, flight directors and other personnel from the NOAA Aircraft Operations Center, the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, and international meteorological agencies. Some webinars are available in Spanish.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile
Collection
Multimedia
Webinar

Topic

Climate
Carbon cycle
Cryosphere
Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invasive marine species
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary
Marine mammals
Plankton
Salmon
Sea turtles
Seabirds
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Harmful algal blooms
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean acidification
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Oil spills
Tsunamis
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Buoys
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Satellites
Ships and planes
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Other languages
American Sign Language
Spanish

Collection name

NOAA Live! 4 Kids

This webinar series was developed by NOAA's Regional Collaboration Network and Woods Hole Sea Grant at WHOI in response to the COVID school closures. With over 100 webinars featuring different NOAA experts/topics and a moderated question and answers session throughout so that students could get a peek at what our NOAA scientists do in all the various NOAA offices. They range in geography, content, and NOAA line office focus but are all designed to engage the students, answer their questions, and give them a glimpse of possible career options. Captions are available in English and Spanish. Many have ASL interpretation.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Webinar
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Rip currents
Hazards and safety
Ecosystems
Marine mammals
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today

The NOAA Ocean Today: Deeper Dive is a monthly webinar airing on or around the full moon. The show is hosted by educator and marine biologist Symone Barkley and features other guests from NOAA and elsewhere. Each month features a different ocean topic, such as marine archaeology, beach safety, and hurricanes. During the live webinar, viewers are engaged with videos from the Ocean Today collection, interactive polls, hands-on activities, and a chance to ask questions of our experts.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Webinar
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Clouds
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes

Collection name

Weather 101

Dig into dozens of presentations of weather science and safety and a variety of hazards and topics from clouds to severe weather to weather balloons and much more.