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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Climate data monitoring
Weather observations

Part of the National Centers for Environmental Information, Local Climatological Data hosts common past weather data including temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure, and more. Search by state/territory, county, or zip code to download information. Some international data are available. Note: Though you may need to click "Add to cart" to obtain data, all information is free unless you require a certified copy.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Math
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Collection

Topic

Climate
Carbon cycle
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification
Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Uses data

Collection name

ELP grantee

The activities in this collection are based on the principle that real-time environmental data is a valuable tool for providing students with opportunities for self-directed exploration of the natural world. Students engaging in these activities will gain a deeper understanding of carbon cycling, ocean acidification, and other phenomena related to climate change. These activities are designed with the three-dimensional approach to teaching in mind (e.g. NGSS-aligned), and also use a data literacy framework to help guide students through data orientation, interpretation, and synthesis.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Collection
Data product
Advanced data product

Topic

Climate
Carbon cycle
Changing seasons
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Cryosphere
Marine life
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Ocean and coasts
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Buoys
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
El Niño and La Niña
Fires
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

NCEI is a major NOAA data repository that hosts and provides public access to one of the most significant archives for environmental data on Earth. Over 25 petabytes (25 million gigabytes) of atmospheric, coastal, oceanic, and geophysical data are available, including interactive maps, numerical data, satellite imagery, graphs and figures, modeled and predicted data, and more.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Freshwater
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Water cycle
Climate data monitoring
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations

View the U.S Drought Monitor's weekly interactive map and summary and the Climate Prediction Center's monthly drought outlook. Zoom in to see the regional, state, and county level and obtain historical comparisons. Explore numerical and graphical data.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product
Collection

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Resiliency and mitigation
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Seabirds
Fish
Ecosystems
Cryosphere
Sea level rise
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Plankton

Special categories

Region
Alaska region
Pacific Islands region

Collection name

National Marine Ecosystem Status

The National Marine Ecosystem Status website is a tool that provides easy access to NOAA’s wide range of important coastal and marine ecosystem data. The website pulls together the ecosystem work that NOAA conducts in the marine environment, and presents this information in a flexible user-friendly format. Visitors to the site can explore specific thematic areas at the national or regional level. Users can also access general information or take deeper dives, connecting to specific NOAA websites throughout the organization. The website provides a starting point for educators, outreach specialists, and the interested public to explore the status of seven major U.S. marine ecosystems and the nation.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites
Cryosphere
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Weather observations

Access snow and ice data through interactive maps. Datasets include snow, ice, ice shelf, glaciers, permafrost and historical, and sea ice extent.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information
Collection
Data product
Easy-to-use data product
Intermediate data product

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons
Climate data monitoring
Space
Space weather
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

National Weather Service

The National Weather Service provides accurate forecasts for not only local and national weather conditions, but forecasts for marine, river, and lake conditions, fire weather, space weather, and much more. You can also find safety information and links to find past weather.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product
Collection

Topic

Freshwater
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Rivers
Cryosphere
Fires
Climate data monitoring
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña

Collection name

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

A collection of national and international data products from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). These data products include information on temperature, precipitation, snow and ice, drought, fires, storms, wind, weather patterns and more.

Audience

Adults
College+

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product
Collection

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring

Collection name

National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

This collection of resources from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) includes reconstructions of past climate conditions are derived from paleoclimatology proxies. This collection includes reconstructions of past temperature, precipitation, vegetation, streamflow, sea surface temperature, and other climatic or climate-dependent conditions.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations

The desiccating Four Corners drought, intense heat waves on the Iberian peninsula and in northeast Asia, exceptional precipitation in the Mid-Atlantic states, and record-low sea ice in the Bering Sea were 2018 extreme weather events made more likely by human-caused climate change, according to new research published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS).