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

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification
Technology and engineering

For Bill Mook, coastal acidification is one thing his oyster hatchery cannot afford to ignore. Mook Sea Farm depends on seawater from the Gulf of Maine pumped into a Quonset hut-style building where tiny oysters are grown in tanks. Mook sells these tiny oysters to other oyster farmers or transfers them to his oyster farm on the Damariscotta River where they grow large enough to sell to restaurants and markets on the East Coast.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Marine life
Invertebrates
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

In the deep ocean, there’s a species of crab that eats trees! Scientists have identified this crustacean as Munidopsis andamanica.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Marine life
Invertebrates
Ocean and coasts

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Scientists have discovered that a jellyfish named Turritopsis nutricula is biologically immortal. But how is this possible?

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Invertebrates

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Scientists have recently discovered that the California Mantis shrimp can talk!

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Invertebrates
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Life in an estuary

Collection name

Ocean Today

Imagine eating your way to a healthier Bay! Nationwide shell recycling programs and oyster lovers are helping to restore wild oyster reefs.

Audience

Grade K-2

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Collection

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Sharks, rays, and skates
Fish
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Marine mammals

Special categories

Region
Alaska region

Collection name

NOAA and the Octonauts podcast

Welcome to "NOAA and the Octonauts," an episode-by-episode discussion of the children’s TV show the Octonauts, which features a crew of quirky and courageous undersea adventurers. Their mission: to explore the world’s ocean, rescue the creatures who live there, and protect their habitats. Our monthly podcast brings together experts from inside and outside of NOAA to help you and the children you care about learn more about the real-life versions of the Octonauts sea creatures and the ocean they call home.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Arts and crafts

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites
Ships and planes
Fish
Invertebrates
Tornadoes

Special categories

Printable

“Carve” out some time for some Halloween (or anytime!) fun! These pumpkin carving templates take you on an adventure from satellites far above our heads to sea creatures in the depths of the ocean.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Salmon
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Oil spills

Collection name

NOAA Fisheries YouTube

Dive into dozens of videos from NOAA Fisheries, on topics from the deep ocean to the shores, including marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, sharks, new technologies, and more.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Life science

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Salmon
Sharks, rays, and skates
Seabirds
Fish
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood

Collection name

NOAA Fisheries: Find a species

Find facts about the species NOAA Fisheries manages in this directory. Learn more about their biology and population status, where they live, the threats they face, and how we are conserving and studying each species.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile
Collection
Multimedia
Webinar

Topic

Climate
Carbon cycle
Cryosphere
Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Coral reef ecosystems
Ecosystems
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invasive marine species
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary
Marine mammals
Plankton
Salmon
Sea turtles
Seabirds
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Sharks, rays, and skates
Ocean and coasts
Harmful algal blooms
Maritime archaeology and history
Ocean acidification
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Oil spills
Tsunamis
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Buoys
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Satellites
Ships and planes
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Cultural heritage
Other languages
American Sign Language
Spanish

Collection name

NOAA Live! 4 Kids

This webinar series was developed by NOAA's Regional Collaboration Network and Woods Hole Sea Grant at WHOI in response to the COVID school closures. With over 100 webinars featuring different NOAA experts/topics and a moderated question and answers session throughout so that students could get a peek at what our NOAA scientists do in all the various NOAA offices. They range in geography, content, and NOAA line office focus but are all designed to engage the students, answer their questions, and give them a glimpse of possible career options. Captions are available in English and Spanish. Many have ASL interpretation.