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 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

The Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) group is composed of Sea Grant extension educators, science communicators, fisheries biologists, economists, and aquaculture specialists from Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. GLAC's goal is to work together to support an environmentally responsible, science-based, competitive, and sustainable aquaculture industry in the Great Lakes region.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

In the Southeast region (Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), marine aquaculture focuses on stock enhancement (i.e., the release of juvenile fishes to supplement wild populations), food production, research, and restoration efforts. Species cultured in the region include oysters, clams, shrimp, red drum, almaco jack, spotted sea trout, summer flounder, snook, pompano, black sea bass, and algae.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

Throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic, the production of oysters, clams, mussels, Atlantic salmon, and kelp has increased substantially over the past decade. Cultured oysters are now the third most valuable seafood product harvested in these regions, behind sea scallops and the American lobster.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

Throughout California and the Pacific Northwest, NOAA works closely with regional tribes, states, the aquaculture industry, and non-governmental organizations, as well as with our neighbors to the north in Canada.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Conservation
Ecosystems

Special categories

Cultural heritage

A day at sea with members of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council and the Hispanic Access Foundation.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Engineering and technology
Life science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals
Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

A NOAA Fisheries partnership is developing imaging technology for drones that could significantly reduce cost, risk, and disturbance in marine mammal surveys.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals

NOAA research helps identify differences in elephant seal feeding patterns

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals

In late December 2015, Ed Lyman started getting calls from whale watching companies on the island of Hawai‘i. “Ed, how are the whales off Maui?” tour operators were asking. “We’ve never seen them arrive this late.”

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Career profile

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Fish
Plankton
Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

University of Southern California (USC) Sea Grant's Education Specialist, Maria Madrigal's book, STEAM Powered Series: Marine Biology offsite link, focuses on her specialty in marine science education and highlights her Hispanic heritage. The book follows Cora and her friend, Bonnie the butterfly, as they discover the different ways scientists study what is underwater. This book focuses on topics that are accessible and local to Los Angeles students and highlighted themes common to USC Sea Grant's work: Cora and Bonnie explore kelp forests, plankton and harmful algal blooms, grunion fish, and tidepool monitoring, while venturing out to free and accessible areas that children can enjoy, such as docks, the beach, and aquariums. The book is also available in Spanish offsite link.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Social studies

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Conservation
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes

Special categories

Cultural heritage

These five minute videos highlight Black, Indigenous, and people of color in career pathways in marine research and ocean conservation. The main goal of the series is to represent marine scientists of color as role models for students to inspire a world of possibilities for their future careers. The videos tell the story of how these individuals got involved in the field, what they do, what barriers they encountered, and what they enjoy most about their work. There are active listening question suggestions to help with engagement.