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

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean chemistry

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, where oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters – literally a dead zone. This video reports on the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone in 2015.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, where oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters – literally a dead zone. This video reports on the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone in 2020.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, where oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters – literally a dead zone. This video reports on the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone in 2021.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, where oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters – literally a dead zone. This video reports on the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone in 2011.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Freshwater
Technology and engineering
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

Across the U.S., many swimming seasons are cut short due to the presence of waterborne pathogens in the ocean. What are the most common pathogens, how do they enter the water, and what are scientists doing to keep us safe?

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Freshwater
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Water cycle
Climate change impacts
Weather systems and patterns

Climate models predict that downpours will become still more more frequent and intense as greenhouse gas emissions and the planet’s temperature continue to rise.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Freshwater
Water cycle

Learn how snowflakes form and why two are never the same.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Infographic
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

Interesting facts and statistics about the Great Lakes. Each piece of information is paired with a graphic that helps viewers visualize the statistic or fact.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Math
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Education at home
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Outdoor education

Many people, including a large portion of those who live close to the Great Lakes, do not have a basic understanding of the individual characteristics of and the differences between the lakes. Since it is difficult to understand many of the Great Lakes issues, such as global climate change, pollution, and water use without a basic understanding of the lakes, this activity is designed to help visualize the differences in volume, shoreline length, human population distribution, and fish populations of the Great Lakes.

Audience

Grade 3-5

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Freshwater
Ocean and coasts
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ETS1: Engineering Design
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

Special categories

Informal
Outdoor education
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Students plan and carry out a survey of human impacts to a local aquatic environment. They analyze their findings and prepare to share them with the community.