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

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Infographic
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Ocean and coasts
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean pollution and marine debris

An infographic outlining the most common types of plastic marine debris, how they enter the marine environments, and their impacts.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Infographic
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Ocean and coasts
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean pollution and marine debris

This artistic graphic depicts rain and wind moving debris into waterways.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts
Resiliency and mitigation
Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Tides

Collection name

Ocean Today

Flooding. It’s often associated with heavy rains and severe storms. But with rising sea levels, flooding in some coastal communities is now occurring during high tides and sunny days.

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 K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Background information
Collection
Coloring/activity book
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Ecosystems
Fish
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Explore this collections of lessons, activities, videos, coloring pages, and field guides from the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve on life in that estuary.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
ELA (English Language Arts)
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Conservation
Ecosystems

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

At Home with Galveston Bay
B-WET grantee

“At Home With The Bay” is a virtual series of engaging environmental education lessons taught by Galveston Bay Foundation staff. Lessons include a lab, conservation craft, talk with a Bay biologist and an activity of the week. Each lesson comes with an accompanying activity guide available for download on the website.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Math
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Simulation
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Life in an estuary
Fisheries and seafood

NGSS DCI

LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Informal
Printable
Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

In this activity, students will take part in a simulated fishery, harvesting California market squid that are common in Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Because of their quick response time to environmental conditions, market squid provide an interesting example of ecosystem-based management at work. Student groups will role-play in a simulated fishing community, making decisions while also facing a range of natural and human-made challenges. Students will attempt the challenging task of maintaining a balance that sustains both the squid population and the squid fishery, which relies on that population and then analyze the results of their decisions.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Invertebrates
Fisheries and seafood
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

The chemicals we use to prevent fires can end up in our ocean. Mussels and oysters are filter feeders can help us monitor the level of contamination.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Podcast
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
GPS and geodesy
Ships and planes
Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms
Life in an estuary
Coral reef ecosystems
Tsunamis
Tides
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Diving Deeper podcast

This archive presents a list of National Ocean Service Diving Deeper podcast titles, publication dates, audio (mp3) links, and transcripts for all episodes released between 2009-2016. This podcast was retired in 2016, replaced by the NOAA Ocean Podcast.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts
Cryosphere
Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Mapping and charting
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ships and planes
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

Do you NOAA?

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to take a trip on a science plane, or what an incident meteorologist does? Come take a trip through our science and see what you already do, and do not, NOAA!