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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Collection

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations

Collection name

Faces of the National Weather Service

Hear from National Weather Service meteorologists from around the country. Learn about their backgrounds and experiences, and what it is like to be a meteorologist.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes

Information about working for the National Weather Service, with specific information about the Norman, Oklahoma office.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Hazards and safety
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Flooding is a coast-to-coast threat to some part of the United States and its territories nearly every day of the year. This site will teach you how to stay safe in a flood event. If you know what to do before, during, and after a flood you can increase your chances of survival and better protect your property.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Physical science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Weather systems and patterns
Ocean currents

Collection name

Science On a Sphere catalog

This video, originally created for Science On a Sphere, introduces viewers to oceanic thermohaline circulation — the system of global ocean currents that cycle warm and cold water across the planet.

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

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Math
Physical science

Resource type

Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Climate
Carbon cycle
Changing seasons
Climate change impacts
Climate data monitoring
Freshwater
Water cycle
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Weather and atmosphere
Clouds
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Citizen science

Collection name

The GLOBE Program

View interactive maps, numerical data, and graphs and figures collected by teachers and students participating in the GLOBE Program and long-term air temperature and precipitation observations from the Global Historical Climate Network (GHCN). While lessons for data collection and other activities are a part of the GLOBE website, specific lessons for manipulation of this data are not provided at this link.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Images
Data product
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Satellites
Clouds
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations

View real-time imagery of the entire North and South American continents, plus much of the Eastern Pacific Ocean from NOAA’s state-of-the-art GOES East and West satellites. High resolution images and animations are available in visible light, infrared, and “geocolor” to show clouds and atmospheric conditions.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Infographic

Topic

Climate
Freshwater
Water cycle
Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Fires
Hurricanes
Weather systems and patterns

Special categories

Printable

Collection name

GOES-R infographics

A collection of infographics from the GOES-R satellite program on satellites, weather, and climate. Some infographics are appropriate for a broad audience, while others are more appropriate for an older audience.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Collection
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Space
Space weather
Technology and engineering
Satellites
Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Weather observations
Weather systems and patterns

Collection name

GOES-R satellite video collection

This collection of videos from the GOES-R satellite program includes videos on satellites, weather forecasting, and weather phenomena.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Fires
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Tornadoes
Hurricanes

This forecast data product from the National Weather Service provides an interactive map, which can be customized to feature data on temperature, precipitation, hazard, humidity, wind, cloud cover, snow and ice, fire, wave, tornado, hurricane, and more. Once users select a chosen region and data type, they can generate a bookmarkable URL, so they can return to the same forecast at later dates.