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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Rip currents

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

Rip currents are narrow currents in the surf zone that move quickly away from shore. Learn more about them.

Audience

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

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Rip currents

Special categories

Other languages
Spanish
Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today
Ocean Today: Danger zone

If you do get caught in a rip current, the best thing you can do is stay calm. It's not going to pull you underwater, it's just going to pull you away from shore. Learn more about how to stay safe.

Audience

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

Resource type

Video

Topic

Ocean and coasts
Rip currents

Special categories

Safety/preparedness

Collection name

Ocean Today

If you get caught in a rip current or see someone who is, know your options.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Intermediate data product
Data product

Topic

Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

Find links to the regional River Forecast Centers in the continental United States. Each River Forecast Center has an interactive map and additional information on river stages, flooding, and more.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Easy-to-use data product
Data product

Topic

Freshwater
Rivers
Watersheds, flooding, and pollution

View hydrograph, summary, and real-time data (flood stage, current height) from river gauges across the country on an interactive map. Explore numerical and graphical data on river forecasts and experimental long-range flood risk. Download KMZ files for Google Earth of observed and forecasted river conditions.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Earth science

Resource type

Animation
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Weather and atmosphere
Weather systems and patterns

It is no secret that the Northwest United States receives copious amounts of rain all year long. From San Francisco to Seattle, cloudy skies and rain are common weather patterns. One reason for this constant stream of precipitation are rivers in the atmosphere that transport moisture from Central and Western Pacific, resulting in precipitation in the U.S. These rivers are part of the cycling of water around the planet, and can also be found in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean basins. This animation shows the atmospheric rivers using a variety of data from visible and infrared satellites, to special satellite sensors that can detect microwave energy to visualize the river plumes, and even RADAR to measure the amount of precipitation released from the rivers.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Earth science
Life science
Physical science

Resource type

Webinar
Multimedia

Topic

Marine life
Ecosystems
Life in an estuary

Presenter Cathy Sakas, from Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, discusses the connections between rivers and the ocean.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Career profile
Video
Multimedia

Topic

Technology and engineering
Weather and atmosphere
Ocean and coasts
Oil spills

In April 2005, NOAA and several partners conducted an emergency response drill in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The drill scenario involved a hypothetical grounding at Elbow Reef, off Key Largo, of the M/V Portsmith Trader, an 800-foot cargo vessel carrying 270,000 gallons of fuel. In the scenario, the grounding injured coral reef habitat and submerged historical artifacts, and an oil spill threatened other resources. The Safe Sanctuaries drill tested the capabilities of several NOAA programs, and included participation from the U.S. Coast Guard (the lead federal agency in the event of an actual incident) and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Engineering and technology
Earth science

Resource type

Related story

Topic

Technology and engineering
Climate
Ocean and coasts
Buoys
ROVs, AUVs, and drones
Cryosphere
Climate data monitoring
Ocean acidification

It was an audacious idea: to send an uncrewed saildrone on a 13,670-mile journey around Antarctica alone, at the mercy of the most hostile seas on the planet. In winter.

Audience

Adults
College+
Grade 9-12
Grade 6-8

Subject

Social studies
Life science

Resource type

Coloring/activity book

Topic

Marine life
Salmon
Fish

Special categories

Printable

NOAA Fisheries' giant salmon mural has been shrunk down into a black and white line coloring sheet. Inside of the large salmon, there are many intricacies that show how people are degrading and restoring salmon habitat.