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.”

 

Filters:

Audience

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

Subject

Math
Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Sea level rise
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Great Lakes ecoregion
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

The National Data Buoy Center provides real-time environmental observations collected from buoys around the world. View both recent and historical information on ocean and weather conditions, as well as any current tsunami activity. Graphs and tables of data are available for water column height at each buoy location.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification
Technology and engineering
Buoys

NOAA and partners have launched a new buoy in Fagatele Bay within NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa to measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the waters around a vibrant tropical coral reef ecosystem.

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Physical science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Marine life
Fisheries and seafood
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Technology and engineering
Buoys
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Drifters, buoys, Argo floats and more help scientists monitor the global ocean, including areas that are difficult to travel to via research ship.

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.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Related story
Career profile
Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Seabirds
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Hurricanes
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Cultural heritage

The NOAA Office of Response and Restoration blog has been active since 2010.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

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

Resource type

Module/unit
Collection
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Sea level rise
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

Special categories

Informal
Models
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

Collection name

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer: Education materials collection

The Okeanos Explorer education materials collection was developed to encourage educators and students to become personally involved with the voyages and discoveries of the Okeanos Explorer – the only federal vessel dedicated to exploring our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge about the deep ocean.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Climate
Freshwater
Technology and engineering
El Niño and La Niña
Weather systems and patterns
Climate change impacts
Satellites
Buoys
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Drought

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

El Niño and La Niña are periodic weather patterns resulting from interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere in the tropical Pacific Ocean. With so much at stake, it’s critical to be able to monitor and forecast when El Niño or La Niña is developing so governments, businesses, and private citizens can prepare.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Climate change impacts
Ocean currents

The Currents Tutorial is an overview of the types of currents, what causes them, how they are measured, and how they affect people's lives.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
Mapping and charting
Ocean sounds
Ships and planes
Ocean exploration
Harmful algal blooms
Tides
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents

Collection name

Ocean facts

Read through dozens of answered questions about ocean technology.

Audience

College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Tsunamis
Tides
Ocean currents

Read answers to dozens of questions about ocean tides and currents.