NOAA Sea to Sky: Education resource database

⚠️ This page recently underwent an update. If you had bookmarked direct links to search results from this page prior to March 18, 2024, those links may no longer work and you may need to make a new bookmark. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at education@noaa.gov.

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
Social studies

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Hurricanes

In the rearview mirror, life-changing events can look a little different. An extreme weather event survived by a young Anthony Arguez later altered his life in a positive way. Despite the devastation, Hurricane Andrew’s landfall in the summer of 1992 sent him on a new path that led to NOAA

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Marine life
Ocean and coasts
Ocean acidification

Special categories

Grantee resource
Other languages
Spanish

Una mirada al efecto directo e indirecto que ha causado la absorción de dióxido de carbono (CO2) en los ecosistemas marinos, corales y organismos marinos. Estudios de monitoreo realizados y cómo las comunidades pueden ayudar.

Audience

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

Subject

Math

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration

Topic

Climate
Changing seasons

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Education at home
Informal
Inquiry
Uses data

For many people, opening their windows to a chorus of crickets is a hallmark of summer nights and fall mornings, but did you know that their symphony can also be used as a thermometer? By counting the frequency of their chirps, you can estimate the temperature with arithmetic! 

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12
College+
Adults

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Ocean and coasts
Technology and engineering
Mapping and charting
Weather and atmosphere
El Niño and La Niña
Hurricanes

Special categories

Instructional strategies
Education at home
Informal
Uses data
Printable

A spherical projection is the best way to view Earth data, simply because Earth is a sphere! When you attempt to make a map of the world flat, certain locations become distorted, appearing bigger or smaller than they actually are. This hands-on activity allows you to explore the idea of Earth data and the difficulty associated with flat maps, and to enjoy the process of making a little globe. Several of Science On a Sphere’s most popular and important datasets are available for printing.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Multimedia
Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris

Special categories

Grantee resource

This video, created by One Cool Earth offsite link with support from the NOAA Marine Debris Program, walks through an easy way to help your school reduce waste: organizing waste stations! This strategy guides students in sorting different types of lunchroom waste, including landfill trash, recyclable materials, organic waste, and more. Waste stations help reduce debris by maximizing recycling and composting, while also helping students understand the importance of disposing of their waste responsibly. 

Audience

Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Social studies

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Lesson plan
Module/unit
Collection
Multimedia
Game/online activity

Topic

Climate
Climate change
Climate change impacts
Resiliency and mitigation
Freshwater
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Fires
Hazards and safety

NGSS DCI

ESS2: Earth’s Systems
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

Special categories

Grantee resource
Instructional strategies
Inquiry
Project-based

Collection name

ELP grantee

Environmental hazards — such as wildfire, flood, and drought — are increasingly affecting communities in Colorado. With this rise in hazardous events, there is a pressing need for communities to become more resilient through education, preparation, and planning. The Hazard Education, Awareness, and Resilience Task Force (HEART Force) lessons and education resources engage rural Colorado middle and high school students, teachers, and communities to take proactive steps in preparing for and responding to natural hazards.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Lesson plan
Background information
Collection
Coloring/activity book
Multimedia
Video

Topic

Marine life
Aquatic food webs
Ecosystems
Fish
Invertebrates
Life in an estuary
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts
Ocean currents

Explore this collections of lessons, activities, videos, coloring pages, and field guides from the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve on life in that estuary.

Audience

Grade K-2
Grade 3-5
Grade 6-8
Grade 9-12

Subject

Life science

Resource type

Activities, lessons, and units
Activity/demonstration
Arts and crafts
Background information
Collection
Coloring/activity book
Multimedia
Video
Webinar
Related story

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Seabirds

Birds are a vital part of marine ecosystems and valuable indicators of ecosystem health. The protected areas of the National Marine Sanctuary System serve as pit stops for many species of migratory bird, offering rest and food along their travels. Explore bird resources in this collection.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology
Life science
Physical science
Social studies

Resource type

Background information
Collection

Topic

Climate
Marine life
Fish
Fisheries and seafood
Invertebrates
Seaweed, algae, and aquatic plants
Ocean and coasts
Earth processes
Ocean chemistry
Ocean exploration
Ocean floor features
Technology and engineering
Ships and planes

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish

Follow along with NOAA Teachers at Sea as they participate in NOAA research voyages. Teachers and educators spend several weeks on a NOAA Ship and are part of the research crew while on board! Past blogs go back to 2003. Some blog posts are in Spanish.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science
Engineering and technology

Resource type

Collection
Data product
Easy-to-use data product

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Ocean and coasts
Ocean pollution and marine debris
Oil spills
Space
Auroras
Technology and engineering
GPS and geodesy
Weather and atmosphere
Fires
Hazards and safety
Hurricanes
Weather observations

Special categories

Citizen science

These "tiny tutorials" are designed to break the ice and get you started. These simple animations walk you through our data visualizations step by step. From there, each data portal offers many variables and dimensions to explore. So roll up your sleeves, fire up your browser or phone, and start exploring the ocean and atmosphere. Explore tiny tutorials on auroras, historical climate, magnetic fields, environmental response, fire weather, and hurricane data products from NOAA.