NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

⚠️ This page recently underwent an update. If you had bookmarked direct links to search results from this page prior to March 18, 2024, those links may no longer work and you may need to make a new bookmark. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at education@noaa.gov.

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 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

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

Resource type

Background information
Career profile

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere

To celebrate Women’s History Month, check out this interview with the NOAA Central Library Research Team, including Librarians Lisa Clarke, Hope Shinn, and Shannon Delaney, and Outreach Librarian Katie Poser.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Background information

Topic

Climate
Resiliency and mitigation
Marine life
Conservation
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
PS2: Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
PS3: Energy

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Inquiry
Outdoor education
Printable

The Marine Debris Prevention Best Practices Manual is a comprehensive guide to help establish lasting change on school campuses. It covers tips and tricks for engaging students in assessing school waste, bringing student leaders together into “Green Teams,” and supporting the entire school community with marine debris prevention. Learn creative ways to minimize waste in the classroom, in the cafeteria, in school gardens, and on the playground. These strategies are accompanied by case studies, standards-aligned lesson plans, videos, and other resources. 

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons
Cryosphere
Marine life
Marine mammals
Plankton
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean currents

When you think of springtime on land, you might think of birds migrating, flowers blooming, and leaves emerging. While these changes are happening on land, changes are happening in the ocean, too! But how can you tell if spring has sprung in the sea? This graphic explains some of the seasonal effects that take place as ocean waters warm and days grow longer.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

La actividad humana genera 60 veces, o más, la cantidad de dióxido de carbono que liberan los volcanes cada año. Erupciones grandes y violentas pueden igualar la tasa de emisiones de los seres humanos en las pocas horas que duran, pero son muy poco frecuentes y muy breves en comparación a las emisiones humanas anuales. De hecho, varios estados de los Estados Unidos emiten individualmente más dióxido de carbono en un año que todos los volcanes del planeta combinados.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

El calentamiento global se refiere solo a la temperatura de la superficie de la Tierra, mientras que el cambio climático incluye el calentamiento los "efectos secundarios" de este calentamiento—como son los glaciares que se derriten, tormentas de lluvia más severas o las sequías más frecuentes. Dicho de otra manera, el calentamiento global es un síntoma del mayor problema del cambio climático causado por los seres humanos.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Resiliency and mitigation

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

No hay una sola forma para detener o frenar el calentamiento global, y cada individuo, empresa, municipio, estado, tribu y entidad federal debe analizar sus opciones de acuerdo al conjunto único de sus propias circunstancias.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Resiliency and mitigation

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

En todo el país, el costo de los desastres meteorológicos y relacionados con el clima ya está aumentando, y es probable que la tendencia continúe a medida que muchos eventos extremos se hagan más frecuentes y graves. Los efectos económicos de los eventos extremos incluyen no sólo los daños directos, sino también la pérdida de productividad y la interrupción a servicios esenciales y a cadenas de suministro que pueden extenderse con profundidad en la economía nacional.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

No. Por una gran mayoría, los científicos del clima están de acuerdo en que la temperatura global promedio hoy en día es más cálida que en la época preindustrial y que la actividad humana es el factor más significativo.

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

De acuerdo con la Estrategia Nacional de Adaptación Climática de Peces, Vida Silvestre y Plantas de los Estados Unidos, el aumento de las temperaturas, la elevación del nivel del mar y otros cambios relacionados con el clima están estresando a innumerables especies de plantas, animales y peces. 

Audience

Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Sabemos que el mundo se está calentando porque la gente ha estado registrando diariamente las temperaturas altas y bajas en miles de estaciones meteorológicas en todo el mundo, sobre la tierra y en el océano, durante muchas décadas y, en algunos lugares, durante más de un siglo. Cuando diferentes equipos de científicos del clima en diferentes agencias (por ejemplo, la NOAA y la NASA) y en otros países (por ejemplo, el Centro Hadley del Reino Unido) promedian estos datos juntos, todos encuentran esencialmente el mismo resultado: La temperatura media de la superficie de la Tierra ha aumentado cerca de 1,8°F (1,0°C) desde 1880.