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+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Background information
Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Tornadoes

Search through monthly and yearly tornado statistics and compare to a 30 year average. The data is presented in a bar graph and is downloadable in a spreadsheet.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product
Background information

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Tsunamis

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

The National Weather Service's source for global tsunami warnings, advisories, watches, and threats.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring

You've probably heard your local weather forecaster say something similar in her evening broadcast. But, how did they know what temperature is considered “normal” on that day?

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Multimedia
Webinar

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

In this webinar for educators, learn all about how to teach about El Niño. People all over the world experience impacts from El Niño and La Niña, the recurring climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean. As this year's La Niña subsides, join us for a science-based exploration of this powerful phenomena. In this presentation, participants will dive deep into Data in the Classroom's El Niño Module to examine decades of observations from Earth observing satellites and take a virtual tour of the new web-based curricular modules and data tools. Data in the Classroom is designed to help teachers and students use real scientific data to explore dynamic Earth processes.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

Special categories

Education at home
Instructional strategies

This video demonstrates how warm water in the central Pacific can influence prevailing pressure and precipitation patterns across the ocean basin. These atmospheric disturbances influence the average position of the Jet Stream. In turn, the jet alters temperature and precipitation patterns in the United States.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Fisheries and seafood

NOAA Fisheries is responsible for managing marine fisheries within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Learn more about the sustainable management of our marine fisheries.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Climate change impacts
Hurricanes

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

From Delaware Sea Grant, this website explains storm flooding, sea level rise, and hurricane storm surge risks with specific local examples.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña

Special categories

Education at home
Instructional strategies

When cooler-than-average ocean surface temperature emerges in the Pacific Ocean, rainfall patterns shift westward. More atmospheric disturbance there fuels the Jet Stream and alters prevailing weather conditions throughout the United States. This is one of the most influential "teleconnections" in climate science.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Marine mammals
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Levels of underwater noise from human activities — including from ships, sonar, and drilling — have increased dramatically. Those growing levels of ocean noise affect marine animals and habitats in complex ways.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Ocean and coasts
Climate change impacts

Join Dr. Jan Newton as she explains how marine heatwaves are influencing life in the waters off the Washington coast in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Jan Newton is a senior principal oceanographer with the Applied Physics Laboratory of the University of Washington, executive director of NANOOS, and Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) co-chair