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.” 

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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

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Life science

Resource type

Module/unit
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Marine life
Coral reef ecosystems

NGSS DCI

LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Inquiry
Models
Hands-on
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Data in the Classroom

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. In this module, students will use real data to investigate the consequences of rising sea surface temperature on coral reefs. They will also consider the importance of coral reefs in their own lives.

Audience

Grade 9-12

Subject

Engineering and technology
Life science

Resource type

Module/unit
Images
Video
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Coral reef ecosystems

NGSS DCI

LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Models
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Deep-sea coral communities, like the ones found in the national marine sanctuaries of the West Coast, are home to many diverse species. This curriculum takes students into the deep sea to identify the soft corals, hard corals, invertebrates and fish found in these communities and to investigate the unique biology of deep-sea corals. Learn the threats these animals face and what we can do help protect them.

Audience

Grade 9-12

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Collection
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Coral reef ecosystems

NGSS DCI

LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Uses data
Instructional strategies

This lesson focuses on the species found in deep-sea coral communities, the threats that face them and what individuals and communities can do to help protect them. Students use data from scientific transects taken with remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Ocean exploration
Ships and planes
Ecosystems
Coral reef ecosystems

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Exploration

NOAA scientists aboard the Okeanos Explorer discover and sample deep ocean corals near Hawaii.

Audience

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

Subject

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

Resource type

Coloring/activity book
Collection
Activity/demonstration
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Clouds
Earth processes
Fish
Ecosystems
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Tsunamis
Tides
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Special categories

Informal
Inquiry
Project-based
Safety/preparedness
Outdoor education
Education at home
Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

An activity book for educators and students

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Podcast
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
GPS and geodesy
Ships and planes
Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms
Life in an estuary
Coral reef ecosystems
Tsunamis
Tides
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Diving Deeper podcast

This archive presents a list of National Ocean Service Diving Deeper podcast titles, publication dates, audio (mp3) links, and transcripts for all episodes released between 2009-2016. This podcast was retired in 2016, replaced by the NOAA Ocean Podcast.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Harmful algal blooms
Coral reef ecosystems
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Ecological forecasts, commonly referred to as "ecoforecasts," detail how interactions between organisms and their environment may affect economies and communities that depend on ecosystem services, human health, and the health of bodies of water. Ecoforecasts bring together wide-ranging research and observations to allow coastal resource managers to answer "What if?" questions about the numerous factors that affect coastal resources.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Coral reef ecosystems
Fish
Ocean exploration

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

What do elkhorn corals, leatherback sea turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals have in common? They are all protected under the US Endangered Species Act.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Satellites
Coral reef ecosystems

Reef-building corals rely on a symbiosis with microscopic algae for much of their energetic needs. Rising ocean temperatures threaten this symbiosis and can cause it to break down in a process known as coral bleaching, which is one of the primary threats to the persistence of coral reef ecosystems globally. Corals are not helpless, however, as they are also excellent predators and if they can capture food to maintain their energy budgets while bleached they may have a greater chance for survival. Learn how natural variation in food availability on reefs around the world and how this may influence coral resilience and recovery from bleaching events.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean chemistry
Fish
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Coral reef ecosystems
Ocean floor features
Ocean acidification

Dive into the West Coast national marine sanctuaries to learn more about life in the deep.