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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

Powerful winds aren’t the only deadly force during a hurricane. The greatest threat to life actually comes from the water – in the form of storm surge.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

Are you prepared if a hurricane hits your area? This video provides tips on how to prepare for a storm.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

For seven days in the fall of 2012, Hurricane Sandy pounded the Caribbean and U.S. East Coast with punishing rain, wind, and waves. As the storm approached landfall, the National Hurricane Center renamed the hurricane "Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy." But to those whose lives were devastated it will always be remembered as superstorm Sandy.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

Special categories

Printable

Downloadable and printable activity books for children on weather hazards like flooding, hurricanes, lightning, and tornadoes featuring the National Weather Service's Owlie.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

Special categories

Printable
Safety/preparedness

This coloring book from the National Weather Service explores hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, floods, and winter storms.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Ships and planes
Hurricanes

Most pilots try to avoid flying an airplane into severe weather, but not the NOAA Hurricane Hunters. Their job is to fly specially equipped aircraft directly into the eye of the storm to collect crucial data that helps protects lives and property. Commander Scott Price, a NOAA Commissioned Corps Officer, is one of this rare breed.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Math

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Models

With tropical cyclones, the National Hurricane Center issues a forecast/advisory four times daily that, among other things, provides the extent of various wind fields. These distance values are divided into quadrants and provides the user with a guide to size and severity of storms. Through this activity, students will chart winds in quadrants around a hurricane.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Take a look back at 2001's Tropical Storm Allison, which never reached hurricane-level winds but brought devastating flooding to parts of Texas.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Background information
Collection
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Clouds
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

Special categories

Informal
Safety/preparedness
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Satellite meteorology learning modules

Meteorology is an excellent topic to introduce middle and high school students to geoscience, physics, chemistry and applied mathematics. Satellite Meteorology learning modules provide scientists and educators with exciting activities and hands-on tools for investigation, inquiry, analysis and stewardship.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals
Ocean and coasts
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

NOAA's environmental satellites provide data from space to monitor the earth to analyze coastal waters, relay life-saving emergency beacons, and predict and track tropical storms and hurricanes.