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

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

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals

Collection name

Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

Don't feed wild animals! Watch this video from the perspective of a wild dolphin.

Audience

Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8

Subject

Arts
Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Math
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan
Module/unit

Topic

Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Entanglement
Life in an estuary
Marine mammals
Seabirds
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ETS1: Engineering Design
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
PS1: Matter and Its Interactions

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Models
Outdoor education
Printable

Collection name

NOAA Marine Debris Program

This guide is designed for educators in both formal and informal education situations. It is a regional introduction to three main categories of marine debris: litter; derelict or abandoned boats; and lost or abandoned commercial and recreational fishing gear.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fish
Marine mammals
Weather systems and patterns
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña

Comprehensive list of recent and historical El Niño / La Niña impacts.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Marine mammals
Ocean sounds

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Learn about the North Atlantic right whale and how scientists are learning more about them and how to protect them.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Advanced data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Ships and planes
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
Oil spills

The Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA®) is an online mapping tool that integrates both static and real-time data, such as Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps, ship locations, weather, and ocean currents, in a centralized, easy-to-use format for environmental responders and natural resource decision makers. Get started with a tiny tutorial at: https://www.noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/data/tiny-tutorials/erma

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Sharks, rays, and skates
Fish
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Great Lakes ecoregion
Marine mammals
Ocean floor features

Special categories

Cultural heritage

The sites of your National Marine Sanctuary System are hubs for science, exploration, and education. At any given time, researchers are in sanctuaries exploring the deep, monitoring kelp forests, tracking coral reef health, and more. Sanctuaries Live gives you a front row seat to sanctuary science. Watch expedition livestreams, chat with scientists, master educational resources, and more. As we learn more about the mysteries of the ocean, we can better protect our blue planet. Keep this page bookmarked and check back regularly for new opportunities.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Module/unit
Collection
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Plankton
Ships and planes
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Seabirds
Fish
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Weather systems and patterns
Tides
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification
Ocean chemistry

Special categories

Cultural heritage

Collection name

Exploring our fluid Earth

The Exploring our Fluid Earth modules comprise the essential elements of a year-long course in marine science at the middle and high school level. Modules focus on the physics, chemistry, biology, ecology, and technology of aquatic systems and on the researchers who study them. Each module comprises a series of related lessons that build conceptual understanding. The integration of disciplines provides multiple entry points to the curriculum materials, which teachers can approach from the perspective of their respective disciplines. The modules also provide a unique opportunity for subject area teachers (i.e. biology, chemistry, physics) to utilize portions of the curriculum in their teaching—to teach their course concepts in the context of the aquatic environment.

Audience

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

Resource type

Career profile
Video

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Climate change impacts
Cryosphere
Seabirds
Marine mammals
Fish
Aquatic food webs

Special categories

Region
Alaska region
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today

Hear from Dr. George Divoky, who has been studying Black Guillemots, an Arctic seabird, for the past forty-two years on an island off northern Alaska where climate change has greatly impacted the birds breeding on the island.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Life science

Resource type

Multimedia
Webinar

Topic

Marine life
Conservation
Ecosystems
Entanglement
Marine mammals
Technology and engineering

Collection name

National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series: Archived webinars

In honor of 2017 Year of the Monk Seal, join Dr. Charles Littnan on a four decade journey that tracks the history and challenges of monk seal conservation in Hawai`i. This presentation will highlight a number of threats to the species and the evolution of a rag tag research program into the most proactive marine mammal recovery program on the planet.

Audience

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

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

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

Collection name

Fun facts about sea life

NOAA Fisheries answers thousands of questions every year about the ocean and the life that thrives within them. Learn fascinating information about fish and other marine animals, and dive deeper into more information on these species.