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+

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Physical science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents
Technology and engineering
Buoys
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

On October 8, 2018, 10 drifting buoys were thrown from the hatch of a U.S. Air Force Hurricane Hunter into the Gulf of Mexico so they could be in front of Hurricane Michael to help with hurricane forecasting.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Explore the May seasonal outlooks for the Eastern Pacific hurricane seasons.

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

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Images
Data product
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

Satellite images from some hurricanes and tornadoes, and limited other weather disasters like flooding and Nor'easters.

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

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Physical science

Resource type

Career profile
Collection

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Cryosphere
Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña
Fires
Hurricanes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

Faces of the National Weather Service

The NWS employs over 4,000 people serving in a variety of careers, including scientific, technical, and administrative positions in offices across the country. Learn more about opportunities with the NWS.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Informal
Uses data

Students will map a hurricane on the same type of chart used by the National Hurricane Center.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

Collection name

Science On a Sphere catalog

This Science On a Sphere movie takes viewers on a journey through time and technology, beginning with early storm observations from Caribbean shores and the decks of schooners through the modern age of computer modeling. Along the way, dynamic narration, visualized data, and animation explain how people came to observe and understand the patterns of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones–collectively known as tropical cyclones. The movie also reveals the inner workings of these storms and deconstructs how computer models work to predict them.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Weather and atmosphere
Climate
Hurricanes
Satellites
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

We’ve all heard that hurricanes are one of the most powerful and destructive forces on Earth. But did you ever wonder where they get their strength?

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Hurricanes

This video highlights the use of uncrewed gliders to improve hurricane intensity forecasts. Improvements in hurricane intensity forecasts for the Atlantic have lagged in comparison to hurricane track forecasts. Rapid hurricane intensification is often observed when tropical cyclones move over warm ocean features, given appropriate atmospheric conditions. AOML plays a key role in collecting and maintaining sustained ocean observations that monitor the thermal structure of these warm ocean features using drifters, Argo floats, XBTs, moorings, etc. Since 2014, sustained and targeted ocean observations have been gathered in support of hurricane intensity forecasts using underwater gliders.