NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

The Deep Ocean Education Project is a collaboration among NOAA Ocean Exploration, Ocean Exploration Trust, and Schmidt Ocean Institute featuring high-quality ocean exploration and science education materials from the three organizations. The Deep Ocean Education Project website – launched in 2021 – is built around themes that are easily searchable, address key ocean-related phenomena, and encourage and support three-dimensional approaches to teaching and learning for K-12 education. The objective is to provide a one-stop resource hub for public, educators, and students looking for deep-sea educational materials. The website also includes information on how to connect with research vessels, including a list of upcoming events and opportunities, and live feeds of expeditions.

The Marine Debris Prevention Best Practices Manual is a comprehensive guide to help establish lasting change on school campuses. It covers tips and tricks for engaging students in assessing school waste, bringing student leaders together into “Green Teams,” and supporting the entire school community with marine debris prevention. Learn creative ways to minimize waste in the classroom, in the cafeteria, in school gardens, and on the playground. These strategies are accompanied by case studies, standards-aligned lesson plans, videos, and other resources. 

Chemosynthesis is the synthesis of organic compounds by bacteria or other living organisms using energy derived from reactions involving inorganic chemicals, typically in the absence of sunlight. Learn more about the fascinating communities that this unique form of primary productivity fuels in this fact sheet.

Are you ready to discover your changing world? This free activity book will introduce you to The Essential Principles of Climate Science, help you learn about Earth's climate system, the factors that drive and change it, the impacts of those changes, and what you can do to explore, understand, and protect our Earth. Download the full activity book or individual activities. Have Fun!

This curriculum introduces ocean circulation, marine ecology, and human impacts with a focus on marine debris for students in K-5th grade. Student activities meet the math and science benchmarks and "Common Core" standards for the State of Hawai'i Department of Education for each grade level. The curriculum includes presentations, lesson plans, hands-on activities, and vocab sheets.

Created by teams of educators and marine scientists, ORSEA lessons are centered around marine-focused anchoring phenomena. Each multi-day learning unit supports data science education and ocean literacy, while also exposing students to a variety of marine-related careers. This project is funded by Oregon Sea Grant and the National Science Foundation through OSU's Regional Class Research Vessel Project.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has launched Sanctuaries 360°—a collection of immersive underwater experiences to bring these exceptional underwater treasures to viewers all over the world. These underwater parks are destinations for many who want to visit the ocean and experience immense beauty, biodiversity and have the chance to encounter marine life. For many, reaching and experiencing these special ocean areas—like a diver—can be a challenge. This collection includes seven lessons and accompanying 360° videos which can be implemented in classrooms.

This three-part investigation will engage students in learning about Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and what makes it unique. Students will explore the plants and animals that live and thrive in the Channel Islands while learning about specific adaptations they have for surviving in cold water marine environments. Students will then design an experiment to model insulation, comparing how humans and sea lions have specific adaptations (or requirements) to help them survive in cold water environments.