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.”

 

No results match your search.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Satellites
Clouds
Cryosphere
Fires
Sea level rise
Invertebrates
Coral reef ecosystems
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Changing seasons
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Ocean floor features
Ocean acidification

Access NOAA data from a variety of satellite, model, and other observations in a single, user-friendly interactive map. Investigate various datasets related to the ocean, atmosphere, land, cryosphere, and climate and view them as animations over weeks, months, or years. Mouse over the maps to inspect individual data values at any point.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

NOAA careers
Technology and engineering
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites

Celebrate the trailblazing women within NOAA who prove that women play a critical role in the continued success of our agency.

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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Satellites
GPS and geodesy
Mapping and charting
Ships and planes
Ocean exploration
ROVs, AUVs, and drones

Collection name

Ocean Exploration educational materials

Today’s technologies allow us to explore the ocean in increasingly systematic, scientific, and noninvasive ways. With continuing scientific and technological advances, our ability to observe the ocean environment and its resident creatures is beginning to catch up with our imaginations, expanding our understanding and appreciation of this still largely unexplored realm. This webpage highlights some of the technologies that make exploration possible today and the scientific achievements that result from this exploration.

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

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Collection name

Ocean Today

Algae play a vital role in the marine ecosystem. They provide food for all sorts of species. But in rare instances, they can also do harm.

Audience

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

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
Satellites
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Harmful algal blooms
Cryosphere
Sea level rise
Water cycle
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Coral reef ecosystems
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Carbon cycle
El Niño and La Niña
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean acidification

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Questions and answers about how we study the ocean and what we've learned. Topics include harmful algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico, climate recaps, climate change, ocean exploration, Arctic sea ice, and more

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Technology and engineering
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Harmful algal blooms
Satellites
Buoys

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

Algae are important in the marine ecosystem, but sometimes than can cause harm. Learn how NOAA predicts harmful algal blooms (HABs).

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Simulation
Module/unit
Activities, lessons, and units
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Informal
Models
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Satellite meteorology learning modules

The idea of using successive satellite observations of clouds to determine wind direction and speed was pioneered by Professor Suomi of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This module provides an explanation of how this is accomplished. In this module, you will learn how satellite images are used to track clouds and derive winds and some of the problems and challenges associated with tracking winds from satellites.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Marine life
Marine mammals
Ocean and coasts
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Research

NOAA's environmental satellites provide data from space to monitor the earth to analyze coastal waters, relay life-saving emergency beacons, and predict and track tropical storms and hurricanes.