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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

From Delaware Sea Grant, this website explains storm flooding, sea level rise, and hurricane storm surge risks with specific local examples.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Ocean and coasts
Climate change impacts

Join Dr. Jan Newton as she explains how marine heatwaves are influencing life in the waters off the Washington coast in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Jan Newton is a senior principal oceanographer with the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Washington, executive director of NANOOS, and Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) co-chair

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Webinar
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Clouds
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes

Collection name

Weather 101

Dig into dozens of presentations of weather science and safety and a variety of hazards and topics from clouds to severe weather to weather balloons and much more.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change impacts
Marine life
Coral reef ecosystems
Conservation
Endangered species
Fisheries and seafood
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts

Collection name

Ocean Today

Learn about some of the bold and brilliant ideas researchers and conservationists have to rescue corals and coral reefs from disaster.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Poster/brochure

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Climate change impacts
Changing seasons
Weather observations

Special categories

Printable

What's the difference between weather & climate? The short answer: Time. Weather refers to the short-term conditions of the atmosphere, or the layer of air that surrounds us, at any given moment. Climate refers to the long-term patterns of weather that occur in a specific place over many years, decades and centuries.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts

As Earth heats up thanks to human-caused climate change, scientists expect that winter snowpacks will melt increasingly earlier in the spring.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product
Background information

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Fires
Climate change impacts

From the National Integrated Drought Information System, the wildfire management page has interactive maps on fire and smoke forecasts, as well as background information on fires.