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

Subject

Physical science

Resource type

Lesson plan
Activities, lessons, and units

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Climate
Marine life
Ocean acidification
Climate change impacts
Coral reef ecosystems

Students learn how climate change impacts the ocean through activities that help them understand ocean acidification, melting ice caps, and thermal expansion of water.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Video
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Cryosphere
Marine mammals
Climate change impacts

Collection name

Climate change in Alaska video series

A series of five videos (ranging from 4-17 minutes) on the impacts of climate change in Alaska, including changes in sea ice, animals that live there, and how to study these challenges.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Drought
Climate change impacts

Nearly ten percent of U.S. watersheds are living beyond their means when it comes to their water supply. For nearly half the country, water stress is projected to worsen by mid-century because of climate change, according to a NOAA-funded analysis.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Weather and atmosphere
Climate data monitoring
Weather observations

Chief Meteorologist Jim Gandy, at WLTX in Columbia, South Carolina, earned his reputation as a leading TV meteorologist by giving his viewers what they want: sound science and interesting visuals in a delivery style that's crisp and easy to understand. Gandy expanded his reports to include locally focused climate science information on topics that directly touch viewers' lives.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Easy-to-use data product
Data product
Background information
Collection

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Carbon cycle

Collection name

Climate.gov

NOAA Climate.gov is a source of timely and authoritative scientific data and information about climate. The main parts of Climate.gov are: News & Features, a popular-style magazine for the science-interested public covering topics in climate science, adaptation, and mitigation; Maps & Data, a gateway to reusable climate maps and datasets that document various climate conditions; and Teaching Climate, which offers learning activities and curriculum materials, multimedia resources, and professional development opportunities for formal and informal educators who want to incorporate climate science into their work.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Climate change impacts
Carbon cycle

Explore numerous education materials, maps and data related to climate topics. Click across the Data Snapshots, Dataset Gallery, Climate Data Primer, and Climate Dashboard sections to see different data visualizations, including interactive maps, numerical data, graphs and figures, and modeled and predicted data.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Climate
Climate data monitoring
Changing seasons

Explore climate data for the US on a weekly, monthly, 3-month, or 12-month view.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science
Life science

Resource type

Podcast
Collection
Multimedia

Topic

Climate
Ocean and coasts
Carbon cycle

Collection name

Sea Grant podcasts
Making Waves podcast

Healthy coastal habitat is not only important for seafood and recreation, it also plays an important role in reducing climate change. In this episode of Making Waves, NOAA environmental scientist Ariana Sutton-Grier talks about coastal blue carbon, or carbon stored in coastal and ocean ecosystems. A transcript of the podcast is also available.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science
Physical science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Technology and engineering
Freshwater
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Sea level rise
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution
Weather systems and patterns
Weather observations
Hurricanes
Tides
Ocean currents
Rivers
Harmful algal blooms

Explore real-time coastal observations, forecasts, and warnings in an interactive map tool.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science

Resource type

Background information

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Hurricanes
Tides

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

From Connecticut Sea Grant, this page explains coastal storm, hurricane, and storm surge risks and resources for coastal Connecticut.