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 9-12
Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Invasive species
Fish
Great Lakes ecoregion

Special categories

Informal
Printable
Education at home
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Working with a set of illustrated Great Lakes fish cards, students identify distinguishing characteristics of fish and use a dichotomous key to identify 10 common fish families.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Fish
Great Lakes ecoregion

NGSS DCI

LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Special categories

Informal
Models
Instructional strategies

Like all animals, fish need to survive and grow large enough to reproduce. Fish that make it to adulthood and to spawning time use a range of strategies to ensure successful reproduction. This lesson looks at the factors that go into keeping a fish species alive while examining the life cycle of Great Lakes fish.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
ELA (English Language Arts)
Engineering and technology
Life science
Math
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Module/unit

Topic

Freshwater
Great Lakes ecoregion

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Instructional strategies
Informal

These lessons acknowledge the enslaved Africans who were seeking freedom. This project is a part of a larger professional development effort to train educators to increase their knowledge of the Great Lakes and environmental issues while incorporating Environmental Justice Education (EJE) approaches to K-12 teaching. These lessons introduce an innovative way students can engage in place-based learning, by developing their understanding of their local history with the Underground Railroad and the connection to the Great Lakes.

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 6-8
Grade 3-5

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Life science

Resource type

Simulation
Background information
Game/online activity
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Great Lakes ecoregion

Special categories

Models
Instructional strategies

Nab the Aquatic Invader! is a fun way to learn about aquatic invaders. By using this site you can check out lots of unusual species that create real problems in the Atlantic, Pacific, Gulf, and Great Lakes regions. There are many ways that this site can help you with your class projects. By doing the activities and playing the games on this site, you will learn about nature and be inspired to help the environment by "nabbing" these pesky critters and seeing that you can make a difference.

Audience

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

Subject

Arts
Social studies
ELA (English Language Arts)
Math
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Collection
Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Water cycle
Great Lakes ecoregion

Special categories

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

Collection name

Teaching Great Lakes science

Teaching Great Lakes Science is your source for science, technology, engineering and math! This website features a suite of lessons, activities and data sets focused on the Great Lakes. Any of these resources may be easily incorporated into formal and informal educational settings. All the lessons, activities, teacher tools and data sets are free and targeted for 4-12th grades.