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 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 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

On July 23, 2008, the 600-foot chemical tanker Tintomara and the 200-foot fuel barge DM932 collided near downtown New Orleans, La. Within hours, NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) was on-scene, providing support for the cleanup and assessment of 270,000 gallons of oil.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill was the largest accidental offshore oil spill in history. In this video, Lisa DiPinto, a Senior Scientist at NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, shares how NOAA went about the massive task of assessing the damage to the entire northern Gulf of Mexico ecosystem—finding more than 1,300 miles of shoreline were oiled.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

Hindsight and Foresight was written and directed by marine biologist, Gary Shigenaka, of the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration Emergency Response Division (formerly the Hazardous Materials Response Branch). The movie received two awards: a bronze Telly Award and Honorable Mention at the Blue Ocean Film Festival in Savannah, Georgia. It was also selected as a featured film at the Paris International Environmental Film Festival.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Oil spills
Mapping and charting

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

Learn what changes have been made in the decades since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and what NOAA is doing to prepare for future disasters.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Salmon
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Oil spills

Collection name

NOAA Fisheries YouTube

Dive into dozens of videos from NOAA Fisheries, on topics from the deep ocean to the shores, including marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, sharks, new technologies, and more.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

Quick action can help prevent oil spills from becoming environmental disasters. See what happened after an oil tanker collided into a barge in New Orleans.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Related story
Video
Background information
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Marine mammals
Oil spills

Learn more about NOAA's efforts to restore the Gulf ecosystem since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

In April 2005, NOAA and several partners conducted an emergency response drill in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The drill scenario involved a hypothetical grounding at Elbow Reef, off Key Largo, of the M/V Portsmith Trader, an 800-foot cargo vessel carrying 270,000 gallons of fuel. In the scenario, the grounding injured coral reef habitat and submerged historical artifacts, and an oil spill threatened other resources. The Safe Sanctuaries drill tested the capabilities of several NOAA programs, and included participation from the U.S. Coast Guard (the lead federal agency in the event of an actual incident) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.