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

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Fish
Ecosystems
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Water cycle
Great Lakes ecoregion
Life in an estuary

The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 29 coastal sites designated to protect and study estuarine systems. Established through the Coastal Zone Management Act, the reserves represent a partnership program between NOAA and the coastal states. NOAA provides funding and national guidance, and each site is managed on a daily basis by a lead state agency or university with input from local partners.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Marine life
Invertebrates
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Life in an estuary

Collection name

Ocean Today

Imagine eating your way to a healthier Bay! Nationwide shell recycling programs and oyster lovers are helping to restore wild oyster reefs.

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

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Related story
Background information

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Ecosystems
Life in an estuary
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts

Special categories

Printable

The nation’s 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) are experiencing the negative effects of human and climate-related stressors according to a 2013 NOAA research report from the National Ocean Service. The national study, Climate Sensitivity of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, points to three East Coast reserves, Sapelo Island NERR in Georgia, ACE Basin NERR in South Carolina and Waquoit Bay NERR in Massachusetts, and the Tijuana River NERR on the California-Mexico border, as the most sensitive to climate change.

Audience

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

Subject

ELA (English Language Arts)
Humanities/liberal arts
Engineering and technology
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Related story
Career profile
Images
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Marine life
Climate
Salmon
Fish
Ecosystems
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Life in an estuary
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Carbon cycle

Special categories

Outdoor education
Hands-on
Instructional strategies

To celebrate National Estuaries Week, September 15-22, 2018, we featured the stories of NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholars who got their feet wet interning at five different National Estuarine Research Reserves around the United States in summer 2018.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Technology and engineering
Marine life
Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Resiliency and mitigation
Ocean exploration
Maritime archaeology and history
Rip currents
Sharks, rays, and skates
Seabirds
Fish
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Ecosystems
Harmful algal blooms
Invertebrates
Sea turtles
Marine mammals
Life in an estuary
Fisheries and seafood
Coral reef ecosystems
Aquatic food webs
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes
El Niño and La Niña
Tsunamis
Tides
Oil spills
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean floor features
Ocean currents
Ocean acidification

Collection name

Ocean facts

Get answers to hundreds of questions about the ocean and coasts on topics like ocean life and ecosystems, maritime transportation, technology, ocean observations and much more.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Conservation
Life in an estuary
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Fix the ocean

With fishermen, seabirds, and marshland, Lavaca Bay looks like any other peaceful coastal area… but things weren't always this serene. This site was home to the largest cleanup of hazardous waste in Texas history. 64 square miles of marine habitat and fishing waters had been contaminated.

Audience

Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Math
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

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

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Ocean chemistry
Plankton
Invasive marine species
Climate change
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Salmon
Sharks, rays, and skates
Seabirds
Fish
Ecosystems
Invertebrates
Marine mammals
Life in an estuary
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Ocean acidification

NGSS DCI

ETS1: Engineering Design
PS3: Energy
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Special categories

Scientists in action
Project-based
Uses data
Instructional strategies

Collection name

Oregon Marine Scientist and Educator Alliance (ORSEA)

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.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Freshwater
Life in an estuary

Collection name

B-WET grantee
Raindrop to Sea video series

Investigate the movement of water through the water cycle using a watershed model with this collection of videos from B-WET grantee Cascade Head Biosphere Reserve.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Math
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Freshwater
Marine life
Weather and atmosphere
Ecosystems
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Life in an estuary
Weather observations

Select the data preferred (vegetation data, habitat maps, weather, water, nutrient data, and more) to create a generated report.