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 K-2
Grade 3-5
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
Lesson plan
Collection

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
ETS1: Engineering Design
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
LS4: Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Hands-on
Informal
Models
Outdoor education
STEM
Other languages
Spanish
Printable

Designed as a stand-alone teaching tool or to supplement lessons for educators in both formal and informal settings. Appropriate for students grades K-12, with a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) objectives.

Audience

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

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Webinar
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Satellites
Ocean sounds
Plankton
Sharks, rays, and skates
Fish
Harmful algal blooms
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Bite-sized Science webinar series

These 30-minute webinars are presented by Florida Sea Grant extension agents and specialists. They focus on marine and coastal science topics, specifically related to Florida. Some webinars were presented in Spanish.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Sharks, rays, and skates
Endangered species
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Marine life

Learn about threats to the smalltooth sawfish, large shark-like rays that are found in tropical and subtropical bodies of water.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Freshwater
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Learn about the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, where oxygen in the water is so low it can no longer sustain marine life in bottom or near bottom waters – literally a dead zone. This video reports on the size of the Gulf hypoxic zone in 2011.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Freshwater
Technology and engineering
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

Across the U.S., many swimming seasons are cut short due to the presence of waterborne pathogens in the ocean. What are the most common pathogens, how do they enter the water, and what are scientists doing to keep us safe?

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Hurricanes
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

A hurricane, according to NOAA, is an active low-pressure system that forms over tropical or subtropical waters that rotates at more than 74 miles per hour. They are known for the destruction they cause due to wind, rain, and one particularly dangerous threat, storm surge. In Puerto Rico, we have witnessed the impacts of these storms, the most recent being Hurricanes Irma and María in 2017. These hurricanes were devastating, not only because of the loss of human life and damage to infrastructure, but also the amount of marine debris they left in their wake.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Seabirds
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Region
Hawaiian
Pacific Islands region
Other languages

Learn about the Laysan albatross, marine debris, and Hawaiian language through the dual language workbook, Makani: The Albatross that Cares for the Land, Makani Ka Mōlī Mālama ‘Āina.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Poster/brochure

Topic

Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Other languages
Japanese
Spanish

Marine debris threatens marine life and our ocean and coasts. It affects us too, whether we are boating, fishing, swimming or simply enjoying a day at the beach. Trash can travel through storm drains, streams, and rivers and end up in our community, as well as in the ocean.

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 pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Region
Pacific Islands region
Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

In Hawaii, a program turns derelict fishing nets into electricity, providing power while cleaning the ecosystem.

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.